Do you think Greek should be taught in Christian schools?

[av1611jim]

Johnv said, "It has been requested that this not become a KJVO debate. I have complied out of respect fo the OP. Kindly do the same."
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My apologies to the OP.
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Johnv said, "You can get a rather adequate understanding of Greek by taking a basic q or 2 semester Greek course at many community colleges. Some also offer koine Greek. Most church-affliated colleges offer a basic course in koine Greek. Classes typically run 1 night a week, for about 3 hours a session."
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Been there, done that. 2hrs a night twice weekly for 9 months. Hence I am not spouting off on something I know nothing about.

In HIS service;
Jim

(edited for clarity)

 

[Plain Old Bill]

and by your responses on this board you still seem to be a reasonably sharp guy.So I guess no harm was done.

 

[onecoolcanuk]

I think it's a more valuable use of time to read and memorize Scripture in our own language. It takes a rather long time to learn greek I believe. This is just my opinion.

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Well this is a discussion board where ideas and issues are discussed in an intelligent manner.We don't need opinions.LOLROTF

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Hoosierdaddy welcome to the siscussion. I apologize. I just saw that hanging out there and had to respond like I did.Hope your sense of humor is working good.

 

[AZfiddler_Oct1996]

If the kid want to learn it why not?

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by Johnv:

Any idiot can memorize scripture.

But before you make such a statement you might try to consider how the text came from the time of Jesus to at least 30 years later written down in the gospels.

A good book to read on those who memorized scripture is Memory and Manuscript: Oral Tradition and Written Transmission in Rabbinic Judaism and Early Christianity : With Tradition and Transmission in Early Christianity (Biblical Resource Series) by Birger Gerhardsson, et al (Paperback)

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by hoosierdaddy:
I think it's a more valuable use of time to read and memorize Scripture in our own language. It takes a rather long time to learn greek I believe. This is just my opinion.

Are you from Indiana?

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by Scott J:
I wish able pastors would teach the basics of NT Greek.

Been there and found the vast majority of people say they want to know. But in reality they do not want to pay the price of discipline and hard work to get there. My thought is that any time a person receives a grade and has to pay for their education it suddenly becomes more valuable.

Many years ago after I had studied furnituremaking under one of the best in the world there were some who asked me to teach them. When I told them I wanted them to buy their own hand tools there were few still interested. They wanted to use my tools and learn but they were not committed enough to buy their own hand tools.

A pastor friend of mine started a Greek class and at the end of the first year had two students left. This was in a church of about 1000 in attendance eeach Sunday. He started out with about 20 in the class on the first day.

 

[onecoolcanuk]

Originally posted by Plain Old Bill:
Well this is a discussion board where ideas and issues are discussed in an intelligent manner.We don't need opinions.LOLROTF

Hey Bill, no problem. I got a sense of humour...and yes, lots of opinions. Whether they come with facts or not.

 

[av1611jim]

Once more, we find Baptists can't agree on anything much more that who Jesus is.

Ain't it amazing?

In HIS service;
Jim

 

[Plain Old Bill]

But most seem to agree learning greek is a good idea.

 

[R. Charles Blair]

Having had the privilege of teaching Greek for some 40 years, I am persuaded of 3 simple things.

1. The Bible is God's word in English too.

2. Knowledge of Greek enhances our study of the
English language as much as it gives insight
into the original usages.

3. All truth, every fact, all real knowledge
comes from God, and can be used to His glory
or perverted. Individuals make that choice.

It may be of interest to note that all students wishing to enter Harvard in the early centuries were required to know Latin and Greek, so that they could study the Holy Scriptures. And as a result of such study, the first two presidents of Harvard became Baptists and were dismissed! Both refused to have their infants "baptized" in the manner of the religious establishment. Consider also the beginning of modern missions as a devout couple sailed for the far east, studying their Greek New Testaments to translate there, and both became Baptists on the way (the Judsons). Give a
saved person a Greek New Testament and the training to use it, and you will soon have a Baptist. 'Nuff sed? Charles - Ro. 8:28

 

[rjprince]

RCB,

40 years! WOW. At what level, HS, College, or Sem?

I think it should be taught in CHS. In fact taught it in a CHS for about 3 years while an associate at a church with a large CHS. Two years of HS Greek amounted to about 1 year of college level Greek.

 

[Plain Old Bill]

RCB & RJPrince,
God bless you both.

 

[R. Charles Blair]

Bible College (Mid-Continent, Mayfield KY), starting in 1960, off-and-on but still active- right now "Practical Use of the GR NT" with a small group in a local church, including some non-members. I'm translating Mark for the Winter Bible Study (SBC) and teaching it in several churches in 3 states. The big thing in Mark which the translations really don't "nuance" very well (yes, I know that is not a verb!, but it does work!) is the verb usage. There are lots of historical presents, as if vividly describing past action in present tense. One specially intersting verb, the pluferfect in 1:34 - most translations (incl. KJ) take it as simple present, "they knew Him." The idea of pluperf. is "had known" - probably a reference to their status as fallen angels who once knew Him in glory but now no longer had that status. This is one of many reasons to study the original languages, and probably junior high is a good time to start while the mind is still fresh and uncluttered. IMHO: NT Gr should be available as an elective in Christian schools starting at about 7th grade level. The fear that it will detract from use of the KJ is unfounded, since God did not originally speak in Shakespearian English. The beautiful prose/poetry of KJ will never be forgotten, but it isn't always understood in our churches, much less in the world.

Happy New Year - Charles - Ro. 8:28

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Amen! RCB.My thoughts exactly when I posted this thread.

 

[R. Charles Blair]

Thanx, POB - Glad to hear from a kindred soul all the way out west! Spokane is not Seattle, but do you know Scott Brewer in Redmond? He came from this area, with sponsorship from the church he had served here, to start a work there in the 80's and has done what seems to be a fine job.
(SBC, which I realize isn't the most common type of Baptist there) I appreciate the spirit of your posts. Best - Charles - Ro. 8:28

 

[Plain Old Bill]

No I don't know Scott.When I lived in the Pudget Sound area I lived in Tacoma then in Everett.I thought people just worked in Seattle, nobody really lives there.

Thanks for your comments and Rom.8:28 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

 

[R. Charles Blair]

From the files, out of "My Autobiography" by S. S. McClure (1914) (just a quote from a secondary source; I know nothing of McClure or which Knox College he attended):

"A word about the college curriculum. Four-fifths of the students at Knox then took the old-fashioned classical course, in which Greek was obligatory. This course still seems to me the soundest preparation a young man can have, and I still feel that Greek was the most important of my studies. During the years that he reads and studies Greek a boy gets certain standards that he uses all the rest of his life, long after he has forgotten grammar and vocabulary."

(I realize this isn't about grade/high schools, but the principles are still valid IMHO.)