By Dax R. Bennington
Introduction
The reasons for studying Greek are numerous. This essay will address a number of the benefits of studying the ancient language. Some of the benefits are intrinsically valuable, that is they are good in and of themselves, not sought out for any particular means, and some of the benefits for studying New Testament Greek (Koine) are meant for more pragmatic purposes, or they are sought out for a means to an end. Some of the benefits of studying New Testament Greek are philosophical, theological, grammatical and linguistic, the general discipline of study, as well as for apologetics. A brief discussion on the benefits of each topic will be addressed respectively.
Philosophical Reasons for Studying Greek
The philosophical benefits for studying Greek are very rewarding. I have noticed that great comprehension of the Greek language and succeeding in philosophical studies goes hand in hand. Not that Greek is the only language for philosophy, (Heidegger would argue that you only need Greek and German, but he is somewhat of an elitist) nevertheless, so much of the western philosophic tradition is rooted in the Greek thinkers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and even the pre-Socratics (such as Parmenides, Heraclitus, and Anaximander) that knowing Greek is superbly beneficial. Some instances in my own personal study of philosophy have led me to encounter Greek on numerous occasions. Even this semester I have greatly benefited from taking Greek simultaneously with my course on Metaphysics. For instance the word metaphysics is Greek! The term was actually coined after Aristotle’s philosophic work and his metaphysics was the work that followed Aristotle’s physics, literally meaning ‘after the physics’ thus the huge intellectual project of metaphysics that has dominated western thought until this very day originated in a type of philosophic-linguistic creation.
Theological Seasons for Studying Greek
Facility in the biblical languages has long been recognized as a basic requirement for pastoral ministry. No person is likely to grasp the intended meaning of the Bible, on its deepest level, unless that person learns to read and, in some sense, think in Hebrew and Greek.
A good grasp of the biblical languages is imperative for an accurate biblical theology. The importance of having sound theology in pastoral ministry whether it is from the pulpit or in individual counseling is crucial. No matter how good the translation, there is always something lost within translation. It is very beneficial to understand what the words being spoken to the audience of the time were, and how the audience understood those words. The importance of this for developing a proper theology cannot be over emphasized.
Grammatical and Linguistic Reasons for Studying Greek
The importance of studying Greek benefits the mind by stretching it beyond its current capabilities. It also helps to elucidate certain characteristics of the original language. For instance, knowledge of the Greek language will increase. Practice and skills will be developed, skills such as learning the structures of grammar, different tenses of verbs, declensions of nouns, and the ways in which a person of a different language thinks. Not only does this study help with expanding the mind, it is also beneficial in helping the student better understand how the mind of the original audience understood what was being taught to them. As perceptual skills become more finely tuned in regards to recognizing certain grammatical structures, patterns, nuances, and style, a new world will open up to the Greek students’ reading of their English translation. A fuller, deeper, and more robust understanding will exude from the pages of their English bible.
Studying Greek and the General Discipline of Study
With respect to the discipline of study in general, and the study of Greek in particular, Richard Foster writes:
The purpose of the Spiritual Disciplines is the total transformation of the person. They aim at replacing old destructive habits of thought with new life-giving habits. Nowhere is this purpose more clearly seen than in the Discipline of study. Second, a knowledge of New Testament Greek is a potential source of spiritual renewal. Reading the original texts is no mere recital of past events. Rather, it is a part of God’s means of bringing us in touch with the power and effect of the text and applying its truths to our lives. Scripture that is imbued with this kind of power cannot be passively received. In other words, Greek does not exist for itself. It exists only as a tool for edification.[1]
The following quotations illuminate the benefit of study as a spiritual discipline. In his classic work “The Celebration of Discipline” Richard Foster dedicates an entire chapter to the spiritual discipline of study. Rarely is studying and studying New Testament Greek, thought of as something in which a believer is able to worship and serve Christ. However, to study to the best of one’s ability is to fulfill part of the greatest commandment, that is, to love God with one’s entire mind. The general discipline of study and stretching one’s abilities in certain intellectual endeavors is actually an act of worship towards God.
Christian Apologetics and Studying New Testament Greek
The role of having at least a basic understanding of the Greek language is almost a necessity for any advanced Christian apologist. If one wants to be able to defend the biblical witness, one must be well acquainted with the language in which the text was written. Many skeptics will not play nice when they are dealing with matters of religion and will grossly distort the biblical text as well as appeal to the Greek language as support and justification for their objections. There have been instances where appeals to the Greek language have been used to undermine biblical historicity and accuracy. It has been the case where a skeptic has attempted to argue that the resurrection body spoken of by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 was not to be understood as a literal, physical body, his argument was based on the Greek language that Paul used. The apologist simply answered his objection because the apologist was able to point out that the skeptic was grossly misinformed in the meaning of the Greek translation. For a full account of the story see the debate on the resurrection between William Lane Craig and Richard Carrier at Craig’s site reasonablefaith.org.
Conclusion
This is just a brief overview of some of the benefits that studying Greek has brought me in my short time with the language. There are more benefits than can be listed in a short paper and the reader will not regret pursuing further studying into the rich and rewarding language of the Greek of the New Testament.
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
– Ephesians 1:2
[1] Richard Foster (1978), “A Celebration of Discipline”, Harper San Francisco, 22-23.
Dax Bennington is currently a second year graduate student in Philosophy at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. At Tech he is involved in the local Ratio Christi chapter, has taught an apologetics course at his local church, and is the teaching assistant for Texas Tech’s Philosophy of Religion course. He is currently applying to Ph.D programs in Philosophy and hopes to continue his studies in order to become a Philosophy Professor. He is a member of the Christian Apologetics Alliance, American Philosophical Society, the Society of Christian Philosophers, and the Philosophy Graduate Student Association.
{This post was originally published in 2011 as a doc in the CAA’s original Facebook group, before what has come to be known as the Great Facebook Glitch of 2013. Publishing it to this blog is part of an effort to restore the salvaged treasure from the beginnings of our beloved group.}