All greek to me

[Bro Blue]

Being as God knew that there was going to be this super cool language called english, why would He want english speaking people to delve into the greek? I know a lot of people say that it sheds light on various matters, but we do have a complete bible. Why would we need to depart from our native tongue to understand something God has preserved for us in our own language?

 

[Bob]

Being as God knew that there was going to be this super cool language called english, why would He want english speaking people to delve into the greek? I know a lot of people say that it sheds light on various matters, but we do have a complete bible. Why would we need to depart from our native tongue to understand something God has preserved for us in our own language?

Because the English is a translation from Greek.  To get the original meaning it is always best to study the original writing.

 

[Bro Blue]

If that's the case, why didn't God just keep it in greek and send the apostles out preaching thou shalt learn greek in order to know what I'm really saying?

 

[jeri fletcher]

Being as God knew that there was going to be this super cool language called english, why would He want english speaking people to delve into the greek? I know a lot of people say that it sheds light on various matters, but we do have a complete bible. Why would we need to depart from our native tongue to understand something God has preserved for us in our own language?

Because the English is a translation from Greek.  To get the original meaning it is always best to study the original writing.

disagree. it may not always be best.

 

[Ransom]

disagree. it may not always be best.

In what circumstances might it not be the best to study what the apostles actually wrote, instead of what someone says the apostles actually wrote?

 

[Bob]

Being as God knew that there was going to be this super cool language called english, why would He want english speaking people to delve into the greek? I know a lot of people say that it sheds light on various matters, but we do have a complete bible. Why would we need to depart from our native tongue to understand something God has preserved for us in our own language?

Because the English is a translation from Greek.  To get the original meaning it is always best to study the original writing.

disagree. it may not always be best.

Then you misundersand the nature of language.  Anything translated into another language loses the nuance of the original.

 

[Bob]

If that's the case, why didn't God just keep it in greek and send the apostles out preaching thou shalt learn greek in order to know what I'm really saying?

It is available in Greek. And everyone who does not speak Greek should study it and understand teh original writing.  And every other language in the world should have a reliable translation in it.


English is not the center of the universe.

 

[Bob]

The Greek of the New Testament was a language far superior to our English. Many words don't have English equivalents. The Holy Spirit guides men as they translate into English, but their work is human, faulty, and they work with a clumsy language.

That was  a fallacy in the early 1900's. It was just another language.  They even called it "Spiritual Greek" for a long time.

 

[Bro Blue]

If God wanted us to all learn greek, then why have all the translations to bless the whole world?Maybe it's because the ones who have spent a great deal of their time learning the language could feel like they have a leg up on their poor ignorant brethren.

 

[Bob]

If God wanted us to all learn greek, then why have all the translations to bless the whole world?Maybe it's because the ones who have spent a great deal of their time learning the language could feel like they have a leg up on their poor ignorant brethren.

That is a misunderstanding of the Christian life. And it is a judging of motives.  No one can tell another person's motives.  And the New testament has a model of church  life that includes those who teach, called elders.  They are to study and lead without Lording it over the flock.  I don't see how the Greek language violates that model.

 

[Bro Blue]

Sure word studies are great...in the language God had me born into. Why should I take a greek scholars word for it? From what I have read, greek scholars disagree with each other about as much as a NIV and a KJB.

 

[Bro Blue]

If God wanted us to all learn greek, then why have all the translations to bless the whole world?Maybe it's because the ones who have spent a great deal of their time learning the language could feel like they have a leg up on their poor ignorant brethren.

That is a misunderstanding of the Christian life. And it is a judging of motives.  No one can tell another person's motives.  And the New testament has a model of church  life that includes those who teach, called elders.  They are to study and lead without Lording it over the flock.  I don't see how the Greek language violates that model.

So let's just leave it up to the elders, huh? Were the bereans wrong for doing a little searching after hearing what Paul had to say? There are plenty of christians that don't have a grasp of the english language, yet they need to start studying greek to truly GET God's word? Leave it up to the preachers to razzle and dazzle us? Is there no hope for the one who will study in the language they were born in? God forbid.

 

[Ransom]

Bro. Blue said:

Sure word studies are great...in the language God had me born into. Why should I take a greek scholars word for it?

You tell us. You do exactly that - every time you accept the readings of an English Bible at face value. Those translations didn't magically appear out of thin air.

 

[wheatpenny]

Sure word studies are great...in the language God had me born into. Why should I take a greek scholars word for it? From what I have read, greek scholars disagree with each other about as much as a NIV and a KJB.

Word studies should, whenever possible, be done using the words actually used by the author. A lot of Original-Language resources (such as Strongs and the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible and others) are written in such a way that a knowledge of the original languages is not always required to do at least a basic word study (although without a knowledge of the original languages you can only scratch the surface).

 

[wheatpenny]

If God wanted us to all learn greek, then why have all the translations to bless the whole world?Maybe it's because the ones who have spent a great deal of their time learning the language could feel like they have a leg up on their poor ignorant brethren.

If God didn't want us to use the original language texts then why did He give them to us?  I study the Greek New Testament (I only know a tiny bit of Hebrew, not enough to do me any good) not to "get a leg up" on those who don't know Greek, but to enable me to better understand the Bible.  When the correct interpretation of a verse depends on the exact meaning of a word, then it depends on the exact meaning of the word actually used by the writer.

 

[Bro Blue]

God gave the old testament in Hebrew. I am guessing that greek had become the main language when the new testament came about. So how come God didn't keep on giving the scriptures in Hebrew, and let the greeks start studying it?
Does the whole doctrine of preservation get pitched out the window? God knew that english would be a major language used world wide. But He must have said, "if those guys really want to know what I mean, they'll pick up a copy of the original". Look how much confusion has come out of this. Not to mention the poor people that has been made to doubt God and His word.

 

[Bob]

God gave the old testament in Hebrew. I am guessing that greek had become the main language when the new testament came about. So how come God didn't keep on giving the scriptures in Hebrew, and let the greeks start studying it?
Does the whole doctrine of preservation get pitched out the window? God knew that english would be a major language used world wide. But He must have said, "if those guys really want to know what I mean, they'll pick up a copy of the original". Look how much confusion has come out of this. Not to mention the poor people that has been made to doubt God and His word.

I do not know the answer to "How come?"

But I will try. God's people were Jews in the OT. They spoke Hebrew. In the NT, they spoke Greek mainly.  God uses normal means, not magical things.  What I mean is that he uses normal language and normal people to speak and write in their normal way.

Also, I do not think that it confuses that many people.  The average person can understand the Scriptures. Along with the reformers, I believe that.  It is called the perspicuity of the Scriptures.  But then God calls some people and gifts them to study mroe closely and teach. Its pretty simple.

 

[christundivided]

God gave the old testament in Hebrew. I am guessing that greek had become the main language when the new testament came about. So how come God didn't keep on giving the scriptures in Hebrew, and let the greeks start studying it?

God is not obligated to do anything for mankind. NOTHING. Biblical Hebrew declined because of the sin of Isreal. Do you expect God to always step in and rescue man from himself?

Does the whole doctrine of preservation get pitched out the window? God knew that english would be a major language used world wide. But He must have said, "if those guys really want to know what I mean, they'll pick up a copy of the original". Look how much confusion has come out of this. Not to mention the poor people that has been made to doubt God and His word.

You misunderstand "preservation"and why did you ignore what Ransom wrote? When you read a English translation of any text..... you're blindly trusting the translator to correctly reproduce the text in English. Why would you want to do this?

I'm sure you're working your way around to the KJV being the product of choice. I hope you know that there have been many translations made into English. Lets just use your own reasoning.....

If God gave us a perfectly good translation in the Geneva Bible..... why do you believe we should use the KJV instead?? 

 

[Bob]

If God wanted us to all learn greek, then why have all the translations to bless the whole world?Maybe it's because the ones who have spent a great deal of their time learning the language could feel like they have a leg up on their poor ignorant brethren.

That is a misunderstanding of the Christian life. And it is a judging of motives.  No one can tell another person's motives.  And the New testament has a model of church  life that includes those who teach, called elders.  They are to study and lead without Lording it over the flock.  I don't see how the Greek language violates that model.

So let's just leave it up to the elders, huh? Were the bereans wrong for doing a little searching after hearing what Paul had to say? There are plenty of christians that don't have a grasp of the english language, yet they need to start studying greek to truly GET God's word? Leave it up to the preachers to razzle and dazzle us? Is there no hope for the one who will study in the language they were born in? God forbid.

I think that you are mischaracterizing people who study Greek as proud and wanting to "razzle dazzle."

I humbly submit to you that studying English is all that is needed to understand the Bible. But there are some things that are hard to understand. Even Peter said that.  And in Acts the Apostles said that they must give  themselves full time to study of the word and prayer.  Not everyone can do that.  So are you assuming that we did not need Apostles either? Or that we do not need Pastor/Elder/Bishops? What is their purpose if not to study and teach and lead?

 

[Bro Blue]

Not all try to dazzle...just some.

As far as what Ransom wrote...i don't have a good answer yet.

I'm not trying to work around to anything about which version I use. Not the point of the topic.

Is it reasonable for every one to study greek?

Not knocking elders at all. Were the apostles having to study languages they were not familiar with?

Got to get to work. I look forward to picking back up this evening.