1.212: Advanced Greek

Spring 2010

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.  

This class will emphasize Greek grammar (using Wallace's Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics) and its application in translation to improve and supplement one’s understanding of biblical Greek. In addition to selected texts from the New Testament, there may be readings from the Septuagint, early Church Fathers, and other Hellenistic-Jewish texts. Prerequisite: knowledge of Greek.

Outcomes

By the completion of this course students will:

1. exhibit increased competency in reading Greek with selections from the Greek New Testament, the Septuagint, other early Christian literature, and other Koine Greek documents
2. demonstrate increased awareness of Greek syntax and the ability to reflect its nuances when translating
3. demonstrate facility in using aids to Greek reading and translating including books, software (in particular, BibleWorks), and/or online resources
4. demonstrate awareness of ongoing discussions in the field of New Testament Greek (e.g., 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, students will do additional work in such fields as linguistics, textual traditions of the New Testament, Greek and exegesis, or translation theory. In order to broaden our perspectives and make us better aware of our grammatical and theological biases, some of our translation work will be conducted online with guest participants from around the world.

Assessments

Successful achievement in this class will be based on:

• Attendance at and participation in weekly class sessions and completion of the readings – 25%
• An important focus of the class will be on the weekly translations
• Outcome 1, 2, 3
• The quality of the student’s understanding of Greek syntax – 30%
• There will be a final, take-home, open-resource exam.
• Outcome 1, 2, 3
• Discussion leading of assigned chapter – 15%
• Students will take responsibility for helping lead discussion of one chapter in the Translating the NT working in conjunction with the instructor
• Outcome 4
• Online, class translation project - 25%
• Using Google Wave, the class will be engaged in a semester long translation project of Luke 16.19-31
• Students will be graded on quality of contributions though quantity will also be considered
• Outcome 1, 2, 3, 4
• Blog reporting - 5%
• Students will be following at least one blog devoted to NT Greek grammar or translation and share reflections/responses to at least one post
• Outcome 3, 4

To receive a passing grade for the course students will need to attain at least 70% total

For those taking the course for a grade, note the modified scale: 70-79 = C; 80-92 = B; 93-100 = A

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)
• Translating the New Testament: Text, Translation, Theology by Stanley Porter and Mark Boda (eds.) (Eerdmans, 2009)
• Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics by Daniel B. Wallace
  Note: This book is available digitally in BibleWorks8. You can purchase it as an add-in for Accordance (www.accordancebible.com/modules/details.php?ID=285 $40) or for Logos (www.logos.com/products/details/1517 $40).

 

Recommended Books

• 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.
  OR ALTERNATIVELY
  The Scribes: A Novel about the Early Church by Peter Rodgers (1^st Books Library, 2001)
  A historical-fiction novel about text criticism!
• 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

• 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

COURSE SCHEDULE

TNT= Translating the New Testament; GGBB=Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics

 

Week of:	Assignments	Translation Text	GWave Work
February 1		Romans 1.16-17	Introductions
February 8	TNT: 1-9; 13-26, 93-113 GGBB: skim Preface & Approach; read “Language of the NT”	Mark 1.9-11 // Matt 3.13-17 // Lk 3.21-22	Luke 16.19
February 15	TNT: read 1 from Part 2 (Porter or Gignac or LTJ)	Mark 3.1-6 & Matt 12.9-14 & Lk 6.6-11	16.20-21
February 22	TNT: 185-211		16.22-23
March 1	TNT: read 1 from Part 3 (Watson or Humphrey or Yeo or Tamez)		16.24
Mon-Tues, March 8-9 - SPRING RECESS – NO CLASS
March 15	TNT: 307-326		16.25-26
March 22	TNT: 327-346		16.27-28
March 29			16.29
April 1-2, Maundy Thurs.-Good Friday – NO CLASSES
April 5			16.30
April 12			16.31
April 19			Review
April 26			‘Literal’ Transl.
April 21, Wednesday – Spring Convocation
May 3			‘Functional’ Transl.
May 10	Final Exam

 

Future translation texts include:

• Genesis 22 and extra-canonical parallels
• Josephus, Antiquities 18:63-64
• Didache 1.1-3
• Mark 2.1-12 and Luke 5.17-26
• Mark 4.1-2 and parallels