DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to give the student a basic and foundational knowledge of New Testament Greek grammar, primarily morphology, and secondarily syntax and semantics. It is an intensive course, the equivalent of learning one full year of Greek in a single quarter. The student should consider this one class equivalent to three courses and is strongly encouraged to take no other class while taking the Greek intensive. This course combines the best of deductive and inductive approaches towards learning the Koine Greek language of the New Testament period.

Greek is all about possibilities. Knowledge of Greek grammar often does not provide an end-all solution to the interpretative problems facing the student of the New Testament, but it does help the honest exegete and preacher explore what interpretative options are available to him or her. By the end of the intensive, with the help of certain resources (e.g., the lexicon, reference grammars, commentaries, etc.), students should be able to critically evaluate the exegetical possibilities for interpreting any particular Greek text in the New Testament and apply the message of the text towards the ministry setting of the church.

The course meets three times a week, four hours per session .

Aland, K. et al. The Greek New Testament. 4th ed. United Bible Societies, 1993 [UBS4].

Danker, F. W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3d ed. Based on Walter Bauer. . . . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000 [BDAG].

Black, David. It's Still Greek to Me: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to Intermediate Greek. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998.

Mounce, William D. Basics of Biblical Greek: Grammar. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.

__________. Basics of Biblical Greek: Workbook. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

See the Biblical Division bibliography "Linguistic and Exegetical Books Required in the Master of Divinity Program" available in the SOT Academic Advising office. It will also be distributed on the first day of class.

Gromacki, Robert. Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards. Springfield, OH: Visual Education Association, 1979.

Trenchard, Warren C. The Student's Complete Vocabulary Guide to the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.

Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.

Each student is expected to be present at all class sessions with assigned homework fully prepared. The primary textbooks for this course are the grammar and workbook by William Mounce. Assignments from David Black and from the Greek New Testament (UBS4) will be given towards the end of the course. Regular tests on grammar and vocabulary will help the student monitor his or her progress.