4/18/2020
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος
• It is the language of the New Testament.
Why Study Greek?
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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος
“In so far as we love the Gospel, to that extent let us study ...So, although the Faith and the Gospel may be proclaimed
the ancient tongues. And let us notice that without the by preachers without the knowledge of languages, the
knowledge of languages we can scarcely preserve the preaching will be feeble and ineffective. But where the
Gospel. Languages are the sheath which hides the sword of languages are studied, the proclamation will be fresh and
powerful, the Scriptures will be searched, and the Faith will
the Spirit, they are the chest in which this jewel is enclosed, be constantly rediscovered through ever new words and
the goblet holding this draught... deeds.”
~Martin Luther
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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος
All Translations are Interpretations!
• It is the language of the New Testament.
• It increases our ability to interpret the Bible.
“Reading the Bible in a translation is
like kissing the bride through the veil.”
God’s love letter is better in the original.
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4/18/2020
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος
Studying the Bible in the original languages “provides a ...we will be able to explain to ourselves and to others why
window through which we can see for ourselves just what people disagree, what the real issues are, and what are the
decisions have been made by others and why. Instead of strengths of our own considered conclusions. It will allow
being a second-hander, who can only take someone else’s us to have reasons for what we believe and preach, without
word for it, a knowledge of the text allows us to evaluate, having to resort to the papacy of scholarship or the papacy
rather than simply regurgitate... of personal experience.”
~Scott Hafemann
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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος
• It is the language of the New Testament.
• It increases our ability to interpret the Bible.
“One hour with the text
• It saves time in ministry.
[in the original language]
is worth ten in secondary literature.”
~Scott Hafemann
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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος Why Study Greek? ὁ λόγος
“Learning the languages affirms the nature of biblical
• It is the language of the New Testament. revelation, restores the proper authority of the pastor as
• It increases our ability to interpret the Bible. teacher, and communicates to our people that the locus of
• It saves time in ministry. meaning and authority of the Scriptures does not reside in
us, but in the text, which we labor so hard to understand.
• It demonstrates the importance of God’s Word. We learn the languages because we are convinced of the
inerrancy, sufficiency, and potency of the Word of God.”
~Scott Hafemann
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4/18/2020
Objections to
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Studying Greek ὁ λόγος
• It is too difficult.
Objections to
Studying Greek
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Objections to
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
It is too difficult ὁ λόγος Studying Greek ὁ λόγος
Yes, it is difficult. • It is too difficult.
• You will need to study vocabulary daily. • It is not necessary.
• There will be weekly quizzes.
• You will take midterms and final exam.
• Scripture encourages us to be diligent (2 Tim 2:15).
Persevere, for the reward it great!
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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
It is not necessary ὁ λόγος It is not necessary ὁ λόγος
“It is precisely because there are so many excellent ...What this means is that the busy pastor will be confronted
commentaries available today that the use of biblical with an ever expanding mountain of secondary literature on
languages in preaching becomes more important, not less. the Bible, not to mention different renderings of the Bible
The proliferation of commentaries and resource materials itself. Thus, given the many commentaries and Bible
simply means the proliferation of opinions about the resources available today, not to use the languages in our
biblical text. The same reality confronts us with the preaching will either cost us too much time and cause
expanding number of English translations, since every frustration in the end, redefine our role as pastors altogether,
translation is the embodiment of thousands and thousands or deny the very Bible we are purporting to preach.”
of interpretive decisions; a translation is a commentary on
the Bible without footnotes... ~Scott Hafemann
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4/18/2020
Objections to
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
Studying Greek ὁ λόγος It is not practical ὁ λόγος
• It is too difficult. • Since when is knowing God’s Word not practical?
• It is not necessary.
• Don’t become discourage when someone tells you
• It is not practical. that they never use their Greek.
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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
It is a privilege ὁ λόγος It is a privilege ὁ λόγος
• Take advantage of the great privilege you have to “Are you alive to what your privileges are? Are you making
study Greek. full use of them? Are you, by this constant contact with
divine things, growing in holiness, becoming every day
• Many wish they were in your position. more and more men [and women] of God? If not, you are
• Be a good steward of this opportunity. hardening! And I am here today to warn you to take
seriously your theological study, not merely as a duty, done
for God’s sake and therefore made divine, but as a religious
exercise, itself charged with religious blessing to you....
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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν
It is a privilege ὁ λόγος
...You will never prosper in your religious life in the
Theological Seminary until your work in the Theological
Seminary becomes itself to you a religious exercise out of
which you draw every day enlargement of heart, elevation
of spirit, and adoring delight in your Maker and your
Savior.”
~Benjamin B. Warfield
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