Should I learn Hebrew and Greek?

[John of Japan]

Could you help me understand what the difference would be with learning the languages and looking at like Strong's Greek words definitions for each word in a verse? Or is it just that you can't really read it freely by looking up Strong's Greek words in another source by clicking teach spot, as maybe just reading smoothly helps give more meaning?

First of all, Strong's only has what linguists call glosses, not complete definitions. A gloss is a very brief definition, usually only a word or two. In an actual lexicon (which you must read Greek to understand unless it is in a software program like e-sword) you will have much longer and more detailed definitions. For example, Thayer's lexicon has almost ten columns (5 pages of small print) for the verb εἰμί ("to be"), whereas Strong's only has just a few words.

Secondly, unless it is a recently updated version of Strong's, there will be mistaken definitions, since it was written before the papyri discoveries early in the 20th century.

Thirdly, Strong's gives you no grammar. It is strictly semantics (the study of meaning) with no syntax (the study of sentence construction). Much of hermeneutics involves figuring out the grammar. This depends on the original languages of the Bible.

 

[JasonF]

@John of Japan this sounds very complicated, I am not sure if I am able to learn it. I was thinking I could try some of the YouTube video series that attempt to teach the languages.

 

[Piper]

Don't use Youtube to learn languages. Maybe to learn Spanish. Hebrew and Greek, biblical, are not spoken. They are written and read. It takes time, you can't do it quickly.

 

[John of Japan]

@John of Japan this sounds very complicated, I am not sure if I am able to learn it. I was thinking I could try some of the YouTube video series that attempt to teach the languages.

It does take real effort to learn a foreign language, in particular lots of memorization. But if you truly want to learn Greek and or Hebrew, it is entirely possible if you are willing to put out the effort.

Here is what New Testament Greek has going for it for the person learning it on their own. (1) It is only a written language, so you don't need to learn to have a conversation or give a speech. (2) There is a huge number of resources in English to help: textbooks, vocabulary cards, websites, dictionaries and lexicons, etc., etc.

The textbook I teach from is very usable: Learn to Read New Testament Greek, by David Alan Black. Another popular textbook I have taught from is Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, by William Mounce, which has the advantage for someone like you of using English grammar to explain the Greek grammar.

What I would recommend for someone like you, though is Mounce's DVD set, "The Biblical Greek Primer." Check it out and see some sample lectures at: Learning "Baby Greek" with The Biblical Greek Primer | billmounce.com