INTRODUCING THE FOUNDATION FOR GREEK EXEGESIS

NTS 508

 

                                                      Fall,  2003

                                       James De Young, Instructor

Western Seminary

                                                                             

 

                                                   COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

Recognizing the importance of using the original language for the interpretation of the New Testament, you will gain a foundational knowledge of Koine or Hellenistic Greek.  You will learn the essentials of grammar and an adequate vocabulary by reading 1 John and perhaps portions of the Gospel of John and by the use of appropriate language tools.  3 hours plus 1 hour lab.

 

 

                                                COURSE GOAL

 

You will learn to recognize the forms of the New Testament Greek language and a basic vocabulary from  reading 1 John; and appreciate the value of knowing the original language for spiritual growth, Biblical interpretation, and ministry.

 

 

                                                    COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

1.         You will become familiar with and come to enjoy the Greek text of the New Testament by translating 1 John.

 

2.         You will gain facility in the grammar of the New Testament by completing daily lessons in the text.

 

3.         You will build a basic Greek vocabulary (about 300+ words) by encountering them in the Greek text and become familiar with additional vocabulary through continual exposure in the assignments.

 

4.         You will begin to see how access to the New Testament in Greek may be used in one's ministry by observing the use of Greek in the solution of theological problems in 1 John and by reading Using New Testament Greek in Ministry.

 

 

                                                            COURSE TEXTS

 

Eugene Van Ness Goetchius, The Language of the New Testament (text only).

United Bible Societies, The Greek New Testament, fourth edition.

David Alan Black, Using New Testament Greek in Ministry.

Printed Assignments

The Flippers (Design a Flip)

Greek verb chart (color-coded)

A Greek-English Lexicon (BDAG)

 

 

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

1.         Fill in Flipper charts, complete assignments and take regular quizzes (25 hrs, 70% of grade).

2.                  Read (for awareness) Goetchius and translate 1 John from the Greek (15 hrs, 15% of grade).

            You are expected to read (in Greek) four times each week the passage in 1 John

            listed for that week.  Next to the passage on the assignment schedule, put a mark (*)

            for each time you do read it that week.

3.         Take two major exams (2 hrs, 10% of grade).

4.         Read Using New Testament Greek in Ministry and write a one page interaction paper (3 hrs, 5% of grade).

5.                  Attend required lab sessions devoted to reading the Greek text, to beginning homework assignments, and to practicing essential paradigms and declensions.  (15 hrs, 0% of grade).

           

 

 

                                                        COURSE POLICIES

 

1.         Attendance is required as stated in the catalog.

 

a.         No more than three weeks of class sessions may be missed.

b.         Quizzes and/or assignments missed because of illness or other excusable causes must be made up.

c.         Such make-up work should be done one week after returning to class.  Otherwise, grades will be reduced proportionately.

 

2.         The ratio of number of homework hours to number of class hours for an average B grade is two to one (and lab hours are included in homework time).

 

3.         Institutional grading scale:          A+       99-100%

A         95-98%

A-        93-94%

B+       91-92%

B          85-90%

B-        83-84%

C+       81-82%

C         75-80%

C-        73-74%

D+       71-72%

D         65-70%          

D-        63-64%


                                    COURSE CONTENT AND SCHEDULE

 

On Time           Late           Time

 

Week 1 - 1 John 1:1-4

Sept   8 - Alphabet, pronunciation (1-2)                                                                                 _____         

           – Language, analysis, parts of speech (3-4-5)                                                             _____         

 

Week 2 - 1 John 1:5-10

       15 - Nouns and the article; subject, object (6-7)                                                              _____         

            –Sentence types, adjectives (8-9)                                               _____                    _____         _____

                                                             

Week 3 - 1 John 2:1-6

       22 - Genitive and dative (10-11)                                                                                     _____         

            - Present and future active indicative (12)                                   _____                    _____        _____

 

Week 4 - 1 John 2:7-11

        29 - Imperfect and aorist active indicative;

               Demonstrative, personal pronouns (13-14-15)                                                         _____         

            - Present, imperfect passive & middle voice (16-17)                                                  _____         

 

Week 5 - 1 John 2:12-17

Oct    6 -  Future middle, passive & deponent verbs;

                Review 1st and 2nd declension nouns (18-19)                _____                                                   

            -  Third declension nouns (20-22)                                    _____              _____        _____

 

Week 6 - 1 John 2:18-29

         13 - Verb review and contract verbs,                                

                other uses of the accusative (23-24)                           _____              _____        _____       

             - Prepositions and review (25-26)                                                          _____        _____                                                       

Week 7 - 1 John 3:1-10

         20 - Midterm

             - Mi verbs, present participles (27-28)                                                                      _____         

 

Week 8 - 1 John 3:11-18

         27 - Present and future participles (29-30)                          _____              _____        _____

             - Aorist participles (31)                                                                                           _____         

 

Week 9 - 1 John 3:19-4:6

 Nov   3 - Infinitives, adverbs (32-33-34)                                                                               _____         

             - Comparison of adj. & adverbs, irregular adj. (35-36)     _____              _____        _____

                                                           

Week 10 - 1 John 4:7-21

          10 - Numerals, negatives, questions (37-38-39)                  _____              _____        _____

              - Relative clauses, coordinating conjunctions (40-41)      _____              _____        _____

                                               

Week 11 - 1 John 5:1-12           

          17 - Subordinating conjs, imperative mood (42-43)             _____              _____        _____

              - Subjunctive mood, rel. clauses, & subj. conjs. (44-45)  _____              _____        _____

 

Week 12 - 1 John 5:13-21                                                                  

          24 - Compound and irregular verbs,

                  perfect and pluperfect tenses (46-47)                                                                                    _____          

               - Reflexive, reciprocal & indefinite pronouns,  

                  vocative case (48- 49)                                             _____              _____        _____

 

 Week 13

  Dec    1 - Optative mood & accents (50-appendix)                    _____              _____        _____

               - Study of 1 John and review                                                                                                   _____         

- Interaction with Black due                                        _____              _____        _____

               - Greek Jeopardy

 

Week 14

            8 – Final exam