Courses

Computers have revolutionized many human practices, including the study of ancient texts. Today, it is common for preachers and teachers to examine the Greek New Testament using software tools or online resources. Unfortunately, this is often done with little understanding of the information provided by the tools and the importance of this information for understanding specific passages. This course will demonstrate how free online web resources can be used effectively in order to clarify what is “in the original Greek” so that interpretations and applications can rely upon a careful consideration of what the text actually says and how it says it. The course will be of benefit to a wide range of students, including not only those who hope to sight-read Greek but also those who do not anticipate learning to sight-read. It is recommended specifically for students who have already taken MDC’s “A Guide to Biblical Languages” (OT/NT 1L03) or who have some existing familiarity with biblical Greek.

Note: Students must have basic computer skills and must bring a laptop to all classes.

Knowing…

• Know some of the most frequent words in the New Testament
• Know how individual words combine in order to make meaningful units
• Know the main grammatical choices that enable the making of meaning in Greek
• Know what is involved in moving from grammatical analysis to interpretation and application.

Being…

• Become self-aware as a modern reader of the Bible, recognizing the antiquity of the texts
• Dispense with over-confidence (or lack of confidence) concerning knowledge of the biblical languages, adopting instead an attitude of life-long learning

Doing…

• Have the ability to use free, online resources that provide information regarding the wording of the Greek New Testament
• Have the ability to talk intelligently about what the available linguistic information reveals about specific wordings (i.e. to explain both what a wording means and why it means what it means)
• Have the ability to move cautiously from the available linguistic information to a preliminary understanding of an actual passage of scripture.