Fall 2007
Mark Vitalis Hoffman
mhoffman@ltsg.edu – x2414 – Valentine 414 - www.gettysburgsem.org/mhoffman
Office hours by appointment
RATIONALE
The New Testament was written in Koine Greek. As the way in which God's Living Word is spoken to us, it is imperative that we be able to hear and understand that word as clearly as possible. The variety of English translations of the New Testament demonstrate that every translation is also an interpretation. As leaders in the Church, the ability to translate knowing the interpretive issues involved is critical in the formation of faithful understanding in not only biblical studies but also throughout the LTSG seminary curriculum. For this reason, an introductory class in New Testament Greek is a prime course and an invaluable resource for anyone preparing for a leadership vocation in the Church.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of the introductory Greek experience, it is expected that students will be able to:
STRATEGIES
In order to accomplish the stated Objectives of this course, the following Strategies will be employed:
1. CLASS SESSIONS
Classes meet weekly:
· Tuesdays and Fridays, 1:30-2:45pm (Omega)
· Check the web site schedule for reading days, weather closures, etc.
2. CLASS PARTICIPATION and ASSIGNMENTS
The students will be expected to attend class regularly and to be prepared for all pertinent translations or grammar and vocabulary work.
2. QUIZZES and EXAMS
There will be (almost) weekly quizzes reviewing grammar and vocabulary. Except for special circumstances, quizzes cannot be made up if you miss class that day. (One extra quiz, however, will be given than is needed for a perfect score.) There will be a midterm and a final exam.
3. REQUIRED TEXTS and RESOURCES
· Croy, N. Clayton. A Primer of Biblical Greek. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1999.
· The New English Translation (NET) Bible - available in the following versions:
o
For those who know Greek, you should get the NET
Bible Diglot (Greek-English) available in the LTSG bookstore (cheaper here than
online!)
Even with this book, you should also consider these versions of the NET Bible:
o Free online (http://bible.org/netbible/index.htm )
o Free downloadable file (http://bible.org/page.asp?page_id=3086 – HTML, MSWordDoc, or as eSword module)
o Free version available within BibleWorks
· Bible Software: BibleWorks7, Logos3, or Accordance - Students should not purchase software in advance. Recommendations will be made in class, and we will provide opportunities for LTSG students to obtain special discounts.
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
· Long, Gary A. Grammatical Concepts 101 for Biblical Greek. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2006. (The subtitle indicates how this book can best help: “Learning Biblical Greek Grammatical Concepts through English Grammar.”)
· Metzger, Bruce. Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek. Baker Academic, 1998.
· Van Voorst, Robert. Building Your New Testament Greek Vocabulary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. (We will be memorizing all words that occur more than 50 times in the NT.)
·
Wallace, Daniel B. The Basics of New Testament
Syntax OR Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000 OR 1997.
Note: The Basics is an abridged
version of the latter. For about $10 more you are encouraged 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).
· Other Greek resources (lexicons, grammars, etc.) will be introduced in class.
EVALUATIONS
The course evaluation will consist of the following:
TOTAL: 100 points total
70 points (70%) are needed to pass the course.
For those taking the course for a grade, the following scale is used:
A – Superior (92-100), B – Very Good (80-92), C – Sufficient Competence (70-79), F – Failure