Can One Really be A "Bible Expert" W/O Knowing Greek/Hebrew?

[JesusFan]

is it "necessary" in order to be able to discuss deeper spiritual matters/doctrines to have at ;east a "working" knowledge of Hebrew/Greek Biblical languages?

Or at least ability to use while in study tools that would give insightinto oringinal languages of the Bible?

 

[Deacon]

You asked: Can one really be a "bible expert" without knowing Greek or Hebrew?

An "expert" possesses special skill or knowledge
By definition I would say, no!

Now the next question you post is different.

One need not be a “bible expert” to be a spiritual giant.

Rob

 

[DiamondLady]

is it "necessary" in order to be able to discuss deeper spiritual matters/doctrines to have at ;east a "working" knowledge of Hebrew/Greek Biblical languages?

Or at least ability to use while in study tools that would give insightinto oringinal languages of the Bible?

In my opinion and experience...No. It is not necessary to be an expert or even have a working knowledge. That's what study tools are for and they are widely available for use by anyone who is studying scripture. In my opinion it is valuable to have a copy (or access to) at minimum a good Bible dictionary, a good concordance (Strong's is my favorite), the Vines. There are others, and the opinions of others will vary but these are the ones I use most often and so invested in them for my own library.

 

[psalms109:31]

Hebrew/Greek

My friend gave me a NASB Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible and I love it. It is so handy when a word catches my attention.

There is so many tools out there like DiamonLady said. I try to not pick the best word that I like, but look at all meaning of a word that fit in the context.

 

[Don]

Hmmm...there are so many out there today who are "bible experts" with extensive knowledge of Hebrew and Greek...and they deny the deity of Christ, or disagree with each other, and generally have the same squabbles we see here on the Baptist Board....

So I really don't know how to answer your question.

 

[th1bill]

is it "necessary" in order to be able to discuss deeper spiritual matters/doctrines to have at ;east a "working" knowledge of Hebrew/Greek Biblical languages?

Or at least ability to use while in study tools that would give insightinto oringinal languages of the Bible?

The answer to both questions is no! But to leave it there is impossible. As mentioned, there are many ¨Bible Experts¨ today and there is at least one, very good example that posts on this forum all the time proving that one can even be a Bible Teacher and still Know know their way around Spiritual matters. If a man or a woman were saved, as it should be, before they were Baptized, they are Indwelt with the Holy Spirit and while, like myself, they may never qualify as a Bible Expert, they do know everything that God has found it important for them to know!

I have spent the past twenty-plus years studying the Bible for no other purpose than to know my Father more intimately. There are many other reasons for studying the scriptures, one of them, to be an expert, but to study for any reason other than to know God more closely is pure foolishness.

God Bless!

 

[Baptist boy]

God's Word isn't limited to 2 languages remember the Day of Pentecost. God is clearly willing and able to translate his word perfectly into other languages. To say one can only be a Bible expert if he knows Greek and Hebrews limts not only the average believer nut also God's Word.

 

[psalms109:31]

Striving

We are striving to be more than the average believer nut :laugh:

Welcome to the board

 

[Don]

Them there believer nuts are pretty tasty...especially salted (Matthew 5:13)

(sorry, Baptist boy; I just couldn't help myself)

 

[convicted1]

Well, I, for one, do not strive to be a "bible expert", but when I study, I study to know more about Him(like TH1Bill stated), how He operates, moves, etc. I feel so small when I come before Him in prayer, and I ask Him to give me what He wants me to have, knowledge wise, and not what I want to know. The best study aide I know is prayer. Sure, I have a Strong's concordance, the Hebrew/Greek Interlinears by Jay Green, I have a few study bibles(Key word in KJV, the ESV(the only non-KJV I have), a Dake(used for the Hebrew and Greek, plus the monster concordance), and maybe a couple other study bibles. But to get true knowledge, I ask Him to impart to me His knowledge.

 

[Dr. Bob]

An expert knows the subject. I cannot envision an "expert" in God's Word who does not know/study God's Word (not a translation of God's Word, in any dialect)

They might be an expert in the subject of "English Bible", but even then, that is vague and inexact. Not an expert in God's Word. Sadly, there are often light years of distinction between God's Word and how some translator interpreted it.

 

[JesusFan]

An expert knows the subject. I cannot envision an "expert" in God's Word who does not know/study God's Word (not a translation of God's Word, in any dialect)

They might be an expert in the subject of "English Bible", but even then, that is vague and inexact. Not an expert in God's Word. Sadly, there are often light years of distinction between God's Word and how some translator interpreted it.

think key word is "balance" many of those for example many of thoe who wrote in Kittles Theological dict weree liberals, some even deny the faith!

Rudolph Bultman comes to mind....

better to be English ver only and rely on HS to instruct, get godly teaching from pastor and teachers than being extremely well educated christian heretic!

 

[preachinjesus]

We've talked about this topic before and had the same results.

A recent example comes to mind: Harold Camping is a man who has spent innumerable hours searching the Scriptures. His conclusions and study have been solely in the English translations (KJV specifically...that's not a knock on the KJV) and done in isolation. No competent original language studies have been attempted. These conclusions are unbiblical and have misled many. Imagine what would have happened if Mr. Camping had actually studied the original languages and seen that certain facets of the English text weren't exact as they seemed.

think key word is "balance" many of those for example many of thoe who wrote in Kittles Theological dict weree liberals, some even deny the faith!

Perhaps you can list some of these individuals and let us know which ones fit your classification and why.

See this kind of theological slandery is unnecessary and (eventually) self-defeating. It leads nowhere fast. Kittel's dictionary is recognized by scholars across the board. It is sound and provides a great platform to do additional work. It is a highly regarded resource.

 

[JesusFan]

We've talked about this topic before and had the same results.

A recent example comes to mind: Harold Camping is a man who has spent innumerable hours searching the Scriptures. His conclusions and study have been solely in the English translations (KJV specifically...that's not a knock on the KJV) and done in isolation. No competent original language studies have been attempted. These conclusions are unbiblical and have misled many. Imagine what would have happened if Mr. Camping had actually studied the original languages and seen that certain facets of the English text weren't exact as they seemed.




Perhaps you can list some of these individuals and let us know which ones fit your classification and why.

See this kind of theological slandery is unnecessary and (eventually) self-defeating. It leads nowhere fast. Kittel's dictionary is recognized by scholars across the board. It is sound and provides a great platform to do additional work. It is a highly regarded resource.

Agree with you that it WAS/IS a great theologicial resource to use, BUT it is also quite true that many of those who contributed, especially from the German side. were heavily involved in "modern critical thought" about bible, so they would see as "becoming word of God" when you have 'experience" with it, and also heavily bought into Welhausen view OT, NT critical thought, some even denying God in Christian sense... See Rudolph Bultmann

 

[TomVols]

But it's even better (and just as likely, if not moreso) to be a Godly person embracing the doctrines once for all delivered unto the saints, and to have at least a working knowledge of Hebrew and Greek.

 

[TomVols]

Perhaps you can list some of these individuals and let us know which ones fit your classification and why.

See this kind of theological slandery is unnecessary and (eventually) self-defeating. It leads nowhere fast. Kittel's dictionary is recognized by scholars across the board. It is sound and provides a great platform to do additional work. It is a highly regarded resource.

Well said and very accurate.

 

[JesusFan]

Well said and very accurate.

Again, was saying that though the individuals involved in the creating of that resource might have been liberal in doctrines and theology, still is a very useful resource

Why slanderous to merely comment on the truth, many of them adhered to critical thought of time concerning OT, NT texts authorship doctrines of resurrection miracles etc?

I us the BDB hebrew lexicon, but their views on the OT text concerning how created and complied together from critical sources not Evangelical, still is a good lexicon !

 

[TomVols]

An OT scholar may hold to JEDP theory but does that mean they are etymologically unsound? No. Apples and bowling balls. Maybe I don't want them teaching a class on the Pentateuch, but I see no reason their DH views means they don't know about word meanings in the wisdom literature.

Of course, there's an easy alternative: use VanGemeren for the OT word studies and Colin Brown for the NT :thumbsup:

 

[JesusFan]

An OT scholar may hold to JEDP theory but does that mean they are etymologically unsound? No. Apples and bowling balls. Maybe I don't want them teaching a class on the Pentateuch, but I see no reason their DH views means they don't know about word meanings in the wisdom literature.

Of course, there's an easy alternative: use VanGemeren for the OT word studies and Colin Brown for the NT :thumbsup:

Agreed, that one can be 'expert" in an area of biblical studies and be essentially inept in others!

Also agree with your books for word studies, as have used both of them, along with "little Kittle"

 

[TomVols]

I generally reach for the one vol first, then TWOT for OT, then move to VanGemeren and Brown for the in depth stuff. I wish I had shelf space for the larger works. I am blessed to have quite a bit on CD ROM, so that helps.