Advanced Greek

Spring 2007

1.5 Credits

Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg

Dr. Mark Vitalis Hoffman

Rationale

As a follow up to the required Greek course and as a complement to the Gospels and Epistles courses, an extending program of reading, translating, and studying Greek is immensely helpful, both in terms of increased Greek proficiency as well as to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of Scripture in its original language.  

Objectives

By the completion of this course students will:

• exhibit increased competency in reading Greek with selections from the Greek New Testament, the Septuagint, other early Christian literature, and other Koine Greek documents
• demonstrate familiarity with those Greek words used in the New Testament more than 30 times
• demonstrate increased awareness of Greek syntax and the ability to use it in translating
• demonstrate facility in using aids to Greek reading and translating including books, software, and/or online resources
• demonstrate special competence in a chosen field of study related to reading of the New Testament in Greek: linguistics, textual traditions, exegesis, or translation theory.

Strategy

The main work of this class will be in reading and translating Koine Greek. We will be employing a variety of tools to expand Greek vocabulary and understanding of Greek syntax. In addition, the student will do additional work in a chosen field of either a) linguistics, b) textual traditions of the New Testament, c) Greek and exegesis, or d) translation theory.

Evaluation

Successful achievement in this class will be based on:

• attendance at and participation in weekly class sessions and completion of the readings – 35%
• An important focus of the class will be on the weekly translations
• the quality of the student’s understanding of Greek syntax – 25%
• There will be a final, take-home, open-resource exam.
• demonstrated knowledge of those Greek words used in the New Testament more than 30 times - 15%
• Testing will be done in three stages: words used 41 or more times in the NT, words used 40-36 times, and words used 35-30 times.
• an oral review and a written report of a book in the chosen field of concentration – 25%
• The written report (15%) should be 1.5-3 pages long, single-spaced, and submitted electronically so that it can be shared online with the class. Since it will be shared in this way, the oral review (10%) in class will be less than five minutes long and highlight why someone should (or not) read the book and how it is most useful (or problematic). These reports will be scheduled throughout the semester between March 6 and April 24.

Bibliography

Required Books

• NET Bible Nestle-Aland²⁷ Diglot (http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=2056) OR
  The Greek New Testament (UBS 4^th or NA27)
• The Basics of New Testament Syntax OR
  Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics both by Daniel B. Wallace
  Note: The Basics book will be the core book for the class and is an abridged version of the latter. For about $10 more you may want to consider getting the Beyond the Basics book. Also note that the latter is available digitally as an add-in module for BibleWorks (store.bibleworks.com/ESNT.html $30), for Accordance (www.accordancebible.com/modules/details.php?ID=285 $40), for Logos (www.logos.com/products/details/1517 $40), and as a digital standalone using Pradis (www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=3932X&event=CF#curr $23).

Field of Concentration Books (choose one, and if possible, each student will choose a different one)

• Textual Criticism:
  The Text of the New Testament (4^th ed.) by Bruce Manning Metzger and Bart D. Ehrman OR
  A Student’s Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible by Paul D. Wegner
  Note: The Metzger/Ehrman is the standard work in the NT field. The Wegner book is also quite fine, but it also includes text criticism of the Hebrew OT which will not be considered in this class.
• Linguistics:
  Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek by David Alan Black OR
  How Biblical Languages Work by Peter James Silzer & Thomas John Finley
  Note: The Black book is focused on the NT while the Silzer/Finley one addresses both testaments. Linguistics gets down to the sound and morpheme level of language. It can be very interesting at times… and at times not!
• Greek and Exegesis:
  Greek for Preachers by Joseph M. Webb and Robert Kysar OR
  Exegetical Fallacies by D. A. Carson OR
  Seeing the Text: Exegesis for Students of Greek and Hebrew by Mary H. Schertz & Perry B. Yoder
  (Note: Each of these books has different strengths and emphasis. The Carson book does mainly focus on issues in the Greek NT. From the title, you can see that the Schertz/Yoder deals with both Greek and Hebrew for those of you who might be interested.)
• Translation Theory:
  Theory and Practice of Translation (=TAPOT) by Eugene A. Nida and Charles Taber. (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1969) OR
  Signs, Sense, and Translation by Eugene A. Nida

OR
Fascinated by Languages by Eugene A. Nida OR
Style and Discourse by E. A. Nida, J. P. Louw, A. H. Snyman, and J. v. W. Cronje OR
Let The Words Be Written: The Lasting Influence Of Eugene A. Nida by Philip C. Stine OR
Translation Studies by Susan Bassnett OR
Contemporary Translation Theories (Topics in Translation, 21) by Edwin Gentzler OR
The Inclusive-Language Debate: A Plea for Realism by D. A. Carson

Other Recommended Books

• An Idiom Book of New Testament Greek by C.F.D. Moule
• Idioms of the Greek New Testament by Stanley Porter
• A Greek Grammar of the New Testament by Blass, DeBrunner, Funk

• A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament by Dana and Mantey
• Greek Grammar by Smyth (available at textkit)
• Selections from the Septuagint (especially the section on Grammar – available at textkit)
• Building Your New Testament Greek Vocabulary by Robert E. Van Voorst
• Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek by Bruce Metzger

Additional software or online resources may also be used

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

*Wallace – B= The Basics of New Testament Syntax; BB= Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics