BLA617 Advanced Greek: Selected Texts
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BLA614 Advanced Greek: Selected Texts (Gospels, Paul, Peter)
Cincinnati Bible Seminary
Fall, 2008 Mondays 12:30-3:10
Dr. William R. Baker
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A careful study of the Greek of selected Greek texts, emphasizing the contribution of the language to the message of the text. Prerequisites: BLA 510-511 or equivalent. This course provides further grounding in Greek translation and syntax.
RATIONALE
As the second level in the Greek language program, this course assumes students have a foundational grasp of morphology and parsing but require firmly establishing this through review. It fills the need for more experience in translation balanced with a full orientation to Greek syntax and introduction to textual criticism. This course allows a sampling of interesting texts spread throughout the NT.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, students will:
1) Gain a firm grasp of parsing and Greek morphology.
2) Learn necessary syntactical terminology for interpreting nouns and verbs.
3) Learn to identify in context the syntax of nouns and verbs.
4) Demonstrate ability to translate a variety of NT contexts and parse key words.
5) Demonstrate knowledge of 300 Greek words used 50 times or more in the NT plus words ten times or more in passages we translate.
6) Demonstrate ability to use Greek word study tools.
7) Demonstrate ability to work through text critical issues in a text.
REQUIRED TEXTS
The Greek New Testament (Edited by Barbara Aland et al.) (New York: American Bible Society. Latest Edition.
Greenlee, Harold. Introduction to New Testament Textual Criticism. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1995.
Kubo, Sakae. A Reader's Greek-English Lexicon. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975.
Metzger, Bruce. A Textual Commentary of the Greek New Testament. New York: American Bible Society, Latest Edition.
Wallace, Daniel B. The Basics of New Testament Syntax. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.
MAJOR LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1) Reading Wallace
Wallace supplies everything needed for understanding Greek syntax. We will go through most of it in class. It will be vital to you as you continue to advance in Greek.
2) Quizzes
Quizzes will occur each week, primarily to encourage you to review the import Greek forms. These need to be secured in your mind or Greek translation will go excruciatingly slow. Vocabulary quizzes will also occur after every 3 or 4 sections of translation. A list will bill provided a week beforehand.
3) Translation
About 40 lines are assigned for translation each week at the beginning, working up to about 50 lines or more toward the end of the semester. Students are required to prepare all of the assigned verses to the optimum of their ability. The ultimate goal for class recitation is to be able to translate without looking at your notes, reading from the Greek New Testament with a clear knowledge of difficult grammatical parsings. A prepared note sheet should be ready for consultation as needs demand and will be turned in for each assignment. You should have a written out translation in your notes, but you SHOULD NOT READ FROM IT when you are reciting. If you don’t already do so, prepare each verse by writing down each word you don’t know or can’t parse in your head on the left column of your paper. Write out the lectionary form of each word, it’s meaning, and parsing to the right. At the end write out your translation. Also, be sure to practice reading each verse out loud, as you will be expected to do this in class. It is highly unlikely that we will get through reciting all these passages in class, but be sure you have notes to show you were ready. As you grow in your understanding of syntax, you will be expected to identify the syntax of key words. Our focus will be on Genitives, Imperfects, and Participles.
4) Word Study Assignment
You will work through a step-by-step procedure and write a two-page evaluation of your experience and interesting information you discovered. A separate sheet will be distributed in class and the appropriate time, and we will go over each step with a sample word. Due: NOV 24
5) Textual Criticism Assignment
Each student will go through a step-by-step procedure for dealing with text-critical issues. This will be due DECEMBER 8 after we have discussed textual criticism and gone through some samples. A procedure sheet will be supplied at the appropriate time in the syllabus
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GRADING
Paradigm and Vocab Quizzes 20%
Translation Preparation and Performance 30%
Mounce and Greenlee Reading 10%
Textual Criticism Assignment 10%
Word Study Assignment 10%
Final Exam 20%
ODDS AND ENDS
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend each class session. Out of courtesy students should notify me in advance when you know you will be absent with an explanation of the reason. Unless an absence is totally unexpected, all assignments remain due as noted on the course syllabus. Reductions of grade form absences will conform to CBS policy.
Late Work Policy: No late work is acceptable. Appropriate grade reductions will be assessed. This includes work due before the class begins.
Extensions: See the seminary office for an official extension for course work beyond the final due date.
Cell Phones: TURN THEM OFF. DO NOT RECEIVE OR MAKE CALLS DURING CLASS
Social Activity: Please plan on coming out to our house in Loveland for a Christmas party on December 11 (tentative)
Contact: I am normally in my office (in the basement of the seminary building) and around campus on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check my office door for hours. You may contact me anytime at my personal e-mail () or home phone (513-683-6058) and this will usually achieve the quickest results, but also at my office phone (513-244-8688) or campus e-mail (). I am happy to schedule an appointment or lunch (best on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday).
COURSE SCHEUDULE
Sept 1 LABOR DAY (no class)
Sept 8 Syllabus, Orientation, Sight Translation READ Wallace, 17-23
Translation Wallace Quiz
Sept 15 Mark 1:1-20 25-64 Proficiency Exam
Sept 22 Mark 3:20-4:9 65-93 Top 300 Vocab Exam
Sept 29 Mk 4:35-5:20 129-159 First,Third Declension Nouns
Oct 6 Mk 8:1-26 161-211 Prepositions/meaning
Oct 13 1 Cor 1:1-25 213-238 Active Verbs
Oct 20 1 Cor 11:2-26 238-265 Mid-Passive verbs
Oct 27 1 Cor 15:1-28 266-285 Infinitives
Nov 3 Luke 1:1-20 93-128 Participles
Nov 10 Luke 4:16-37 286-321 Mi-verbs
Nov 17 Acts 3:1-26 Greenlee Conditional Clauses
Nov 24 WORD STUDY PROJECT DUE (Baker at SBL)
Dec 1 1 Pet 1: 1-21 Greenlee Irregular Verbs
Dec 8 1 Pet 2:1-25 Textual Criticism Project Due
Dec 11 CHRISTMAS PARTY IN LOVELAND
Dec 15 FINAL EXAM
Word Study Project
Advanced Greek Dr. William R. Baker
Cincinnati Bible Seminary
Objectives
1) To make students become familiar with the primary tools for understanding the history, meaning, and use of New Testament Greek words.
2) To help students begin to incorporate word study techniques into their interpretive skills.
3) To help students appreciate the wealth of knowledge available in these tools and in this type of study.
Procedure
1) Read F. W. DANKER, Multipurpose Tools for Bible Study, chapters 1, 7, 8.
2) Scan MOULTON and MILLIGAN, Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament. Read several entries. Select one word that interests you and offers the potential for a good learning experience. Jot down some notes about significant uses of your selected word.
3) Read the entry for your selected word in DANKER, Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Jot down the key meanings listed for your selected word.
4) Read the entry for your selected word in LIDDELL and SCOTT (Jones), A Greek-English Lexicon. Jot down notes on the key meanings listed
5) Find your selected word in HATCH and REDPATH, A Concordance of the Septaugint. Check out some of the references listed. Jot down information that seem the most helpful.
6) Find your selected word in the COMPUTER KONKORDANZ SUM NOVUM TESTAMENTUM GRAECE. Check out some of the references listed to determine inductively the range of meanings for your word. To help make this easier, also look at KOHLENBERGER, GOODRICK, and SWANSON, The Greek-English Concordance to the New Testaments (Zondervan, 1997). Jot down some notes on your work.
7) Read the word-group entry in BROWN, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (three or four volumes). Jot down some notes on seems interesting/useful.
8) Read the word-group entry in KITTEL, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (ten volumes). Jot down some notes that seem useful.
9) Write a 2-page (double-spaced) summary of both your selected word AND an evaluation of your experience. One-half to three-quarters of the paper may be about your word. One-quarter to one-half of your paper should be about your experience. Which resources did you find most useful, most difficult, and why. Which should you put on your Christmas list and why?
Textual Criticism Assignment
Advanced Greek Dr William R. Baker
Cincinnati Bible Seminary
You will be assigned one of these texts: Matt 1:25; Matt. 2:18; Mark 8:15; Luke 2:33; Luke 4:4; Luke 5:38; Luke 7:28; Luke 12:56; Luke 14:5; Jn 3:13; 1 John 4:3 (Ihsoun); 1 John 5:6; Eph 1:1; Eph 3:14.
Follow the procedure below:
1) On the top of one sheet of paper, translate the verse as it appears in the Greek text. Label this “Reading 1.”
2) On a separate sheet of paper, for each variant reading, translate the verse as it would be with that variant. Label them successively, “Reading 2, 3,” etc. If there are more than three variants, group the ones that are most alike together on the same sheet of paper. You should be working with no more than three basic readings.
3) On each sheet of paper, list out vertically the symbol for each manuscript witness to the reading. Checking the Introduction to the UBS text or the handy quick guide located in your UBS text (Congratulations, if you haven’t lost it yet!), write down the century date for each manuscript.
4) Next to each manuscript symbol, write down the family text critics have grouped it into. To determine this, check for each symbol in Greenlee’s list and also in Metzger’s Textual Commentary. You won’t be able find them all, maybe not even most. But those you do find will be helpful to your task.
5) On a new sheet of paper, make a composite analysis of the situation which presents and evaluates external evidence, internal evidence, and your reading of the discussion on this verse in Metzger’s Textual Commentary. This will end up looking like the sample sheets at the back of the “Textual Criticism” hand out.
a) External Evidence. At the top, list vertically the essence of each reading, one through three (or however many you have). Under horizontal columns labeled, in order, Alexandrian, Caesarean, Western, and Byzantine, write in the symbol for the manuscripts under these family groupings in line with the appropriate reading. Make a preliminary conclusion on the best reading, looking particularly for Vaticanus (B) and Alexandrinus (a).
b) Internal Evidence. In the middle, write out vertically, Shorter, Harder, Explains the Others, Characteristic of the Author. Using their designations as 1, 2, 3, Note which reading best meets each criterion. (Note: You are not expected to do much with the Characteristics which requires more research than expected for this exercise). Make a preliminary conclusion on the most likely reading from this analysis.
c) Overall Conclusion. Based on your preliminary conclusions on External and Internal Evidence, what is your overall, preliminary conclusion. If they are the same, no problem. If different, you will have to weigh which is more important and decide. Explain your reasons briefly
d) Reading Metzger. Read the appropriate section in Metzger. Note key analysis, their conclusion, and confidence rating (A, B, C, D).
6) On the very bottom of the page, write out your final conclusion, explaining whether you agree with the analysis in Metzger and the rating. Why? Why not?
NOUN SYNTAX (Daniel Wallace, Basics of New Testament Syntax, Zondervan, 2000)
NOMINATIVE
Primary
Subject
Predicate Nominative
Nominative in Simple Apposition
Grammatically Independent Uses
Nominative Absolute
Nominative Pendent
Parenthetic Nominative
Nominative for Vocative
Nominative of Exclamation
VOCATIVE
Direct Address
Simple
Emphatic
Exceptional Usage in Acts
Apposition
GENITIVE
Adjectival
Descriptive
Possessive
Relationship
Partitive
Attributive
Attributed
Material
Content
Simple Apposition
Predicative
Subordination
Ablative
Separation
Source
Comparison
Verbal (Related to a Verbal Noun)
Subjective
Objective
Plenary
Adverbial
Time
Means
Agency
Absolute
Reference
Association
After Certain Words
After Certain Verbs ( as Direct Object)
After Certain Adjectives (and Adverbs)
After Cerain Prepositions
DATIVE
Pure Dative
Indirect Object
Interest (including Advangtage and Disadvantage)
Reference
Destination
Possessions
Simple Apposition
Local
Sphere
Time
Instrument
Association
Manner
Means/Instrument
Agency
Measure
Cause
Cognate
After Certain Words
After Certain Verbs (Direct Object)
After Certain Nouns
After Certain Adjectives
After Certain Prepositions
ACCUSATIVE
Substantival
Direct Object
Double Accusative of Person-Thing
Double Accusative of Object-Complement
Predicate
Subject of Infinitive
Retained Object
Simple Apposition
Adverbial
Manner
Measure (extant, space, time)
Respect (reference)
Special Uses
After Certain Prepositions.
PARTICIPLES
Adjectival
Adjectival Proper (Dependent)
Substantival (Independent)
Verbal
Adverbial
Temporal
Manner
Means
Cause
Condition
Concession
Purpose (Telic)
Result
Attendant Circumstance
Indirect Discourse
Periphrastic
Redundant (Pleonastic)
Absolute
Nominative Absolute
Genitive Absolute
INFINITIVES
Adverbial
Purpose
Result
Time
Cause
Complementary (Supplementary)
Substantival
Subject
Direct Object
Indirect Discourse
Appositional