In this excerpt from the book, author Lee Fields shares some interesting links between Hebrew, Greek, and modern English.
"..both the Greeks and the Israelites got their alphabet from the Phoenicians. The Greeks simply converted into vowels some of the Semitic letters that represented sounds that the Greeks didn’t use and added a few extras for Greek sounds not represented in Hebrew. We in turn get the English alphabet from the Greeks through Latin."
Hebrew for the Rest of Us can be found here, or at your favorite bookseller.
Hebrew for the Rest of Us is designed as a guide for English readers who are looking to understand the language of the Old Testament enough to work with the text in more detail and to understand the scholarly literature on the Hebrew Bible.
In the course of the book Fields explains;
- why translations differ
- how to do Hebrew word studies
- what the basics of Hebrew exegesis are
- and, how to read more advanced Old Testament commentaries with greater understanding.
Hebrew for the Rest of Us ideal resource for those of us who find that taking Hebrew classes in college or seminary is unfeasible, but want to be better equipped to teach, preach, and study the Old Testament.
To enter this week’s giveaway, comment below with your answer to this question: How would (or does) knowing Hebrew help you in your studies or ministry?
Also, a bonus entry is available if you comment a second time letting us know that you shared a link to this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog.
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*If you are reading this via Facebook, email, or RSS, please visit the blog to enter. Two winners will be determined by Random Integer Generator. Giveaway ends Thursday at midnight*
An award-winning legacy continues; completely revised and featuring world-class evangelical scholarship, the Expositor’s Bible Commentary will soon be available in both print and digital formats.
Releasing simulatenously with the final print volume later this fall, the complete set in digital form with be available from several software providers, including Accordance, Laridian, Logos, and Olive Tree. Be sure to check their sites for discounted pricing prior to release.
For years, pastors, teachers, and students have turned to EBC for content they can trust. With 2 million copies sold, the award-winning legacy continues in 2012 with a complete, totally revised, and updated 13-volume set. Scholarly and accessible, EBC-R reflects the best work from world-class scholars including D. A. Carson, George Guthrie, John Walton, and Andreas Köstenberger.
Brand new commentaries in the revised series include the following (other volumes have been revised and updated throughout):
Richard S. Hess on Leviticus | Michael A. Grisanti on Deuteronomy | Mark J. Boda on Judges | George Schwab on Ruth and Song of Songs | Paul W. Ferris on Lamentations | Andrew E. Hill on Daniel | M. Daniel Carroll R. on Hosea | John Walton on Jonah | Eugene H. Merrill on Haggai and Malachi | Robert H. Mounce on John | Verlyn D. Verbrugge on 1 Corinthians | William W. Klein on Ephesians | David Garland on Philippians | Andreas Köstenberger on 1&2 Timothy and Titus | R. T. France on Hebrews | George Guthrie on James | and more!
Praise for the Expositor’s Bible Commentary—Revised
“These writers are all-stars! The Expositor’s Bible Commentary—Revised is a valuable resource for all who teach the Scriptures.”
—John Ortberg, Senior Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church
“These commentaries offer an abundance of excellent scholarship from many of the most prominent and careful evangelical biblical scholars today, both older and younger.”
—Craig S. Keener, Professor of New Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary
“The Expositor's Bible Commentary has been a core resource for decades with good reason: it is concise, clear, and focused on giving the key points of a book's message. Now with this Revised edition, one can continue to use this fine resource and know the discussion is up to date, utilizing all the strengths of the original.”
—Darrell L. Bock, Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
“Every student, teacher, and pastor needs a foundational set of commentaries that covers the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (13 volumes) is that set. Written from an evangelical point of view and newly revised by leading evangelical scholars, the Expositor’s Bible Commentary series provides students, teachers, and pastors with a comprehensive tool for studying and explaining the Scriptures. I have used the Expositor's Bible Commentary over the years and look forward to using this newly revised edition for many years to come.”
—Mark Futato, Robert L. Maclellan Professor of Old Testament and Academic Dean, Reformed Theological Seminary—Orlando
“The revised edition of the Expositor's Bible Commentary offers students of the Scriptures quick and reliable access to the entire Bible in thirteen reader-friendly volumes. Written by the foremost evangelical scholars of our time, the commentaries on individual books seek to answer the questions that serious readers ask when they read the Bible. If there is one set of commentaries that all pastors and teachers should have, this is it.”
—Daniel I. Block, Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College
“The Expositor's Bible Commentary is a superb tool to help the Christian who wants to better understand God's Word. As a preacher, I turn to it again and again. From the Psalms to the Gospel of Matthew, some of the best commentaries are to be found in this series. I'm thankful for these scholars and for their work.”
“As a seminary student two of my professors were writing (and wrote) two of the volumes in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, and I have used this commentary my entire career. I am delighted at the updates and revisions and know that this series continues to set the standard for solid, evangelical, expository explanations of God's Word—every pastor needs this series on the shelf.”
—Scot McKnight, Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary
“The Expositor’s Bible Commentary—Revised is one of my favorite ‘go-to’ Bible study and sermon prep resources. It’s ‘accessible scholarship.’ When I know a passage well it always takes me deeper. When I don’t know a text so well, I can count on it to give me a clear overview and a great foundation. That’s why it’s always one of the key resources I recommend every Bible teacher and church planter add to his library. With its combination of proven and updated scholarship it will serve you and those you teach well.”
—Larry Osborne, Pastor & Author, North Coast Church, Vista, CA
It is interesting to trace the use of “grace” (χάρις) through 2 Cor 8:1-9. Paul is making use of the semantic domain of χάρις to mean “grace” and “kindness,” and it is the use of the same Greek word that ties the entire argument together.
The giving of the Macedonian church was the result of God’s grace at work in their midst (v 1). The Corinthians were to complete their act of gracious giving (v 6). They were in fact to excel in this grace of giving (v 7), just as Jesus graciously, though he was rich, became poor, so the Corinthians could become rich (v 8).
Given the role of χάρις in Paul’s argument, it is a bit surprising that the translations don’t keep the concordance in v 4. In speaking of the Macedonian church, he says, “they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege (χάριν) of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people” (NIV, cf. the NRSV, HCSB). Other translations speak of “favor” (ESV) and “blessing” (NET).
While there is nothing wrong in these translations (given the fact of semantic range), the point is that the Macedonian church understood the grace of God in their own midst, and they wanted to extend this same grace to the Jewish Christians. Giving is an act of grace that is done in response to the gift of grace we ourselves have experienced. Why not say something like, “the gracious privilege” so pastors don’t’ have to point out that the translations are missing a key point?
In this excerpt from the book, Bill Mounce explains what can be gained by adding a basic understanding of Greek to your studies.
What will you be able to do when you are done working through this text that, perhaps, you cannot do now?
1. You will often be able to understand why translations are different. How many times have you been in a Bible study where the leader is discussing a verse, but your Bible appears to say something considerably different? How can the translations be so different? What does the verse really say? Let me give you a few examples.
Luke 2:14 is one of the better-known verses in the Bible. In the KJV (King James Version) it reads,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Is there anything in this verse that bothers you? It is a statement of blessing, and God’s angels say, “peace and goodwill toward men.” Does God’s peace extend to all people? “Peace” is a marvelous biblical concept that designates a cessation of hostility between God and us; it’s the result of justification (Rom 5:1). The RSV (Revised Standard version) says,
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.”
Here, peace isn’t extended to all people, but only to those who are the recipients of God’s pleasure. Why are the KJV and the RSV different? The answer is that the Greek manuscripts are different at this verse. Some have eudokias with the “s” (the Greek sigma), which is followed by the RSV; others have eudokia, which is followed by the KJV. The “s” completely changes the meaning.
You can read more from this excerpt here. Greek for the Rest of Us can be found here, or at your favorite bookseller.
Learning Greek is an invaluable tool for studying the New Testament, but many of us cannot afford the time or cost of years of Greek classes. That's where this week’s giveaway, Greek for the Rest of Us, comes in.
Written by Bill Mounce, author of the popular Basics of Biblical Greek, Greek for the Rest of Us is a revolutionary crash-course on “baby Greek” which will acquaint you with the essentials of the language and deepen your understanding of God’s Word.
In the course of your studies Mounce will guide you to a sound knowledge of basic Greek, and equip you to;
- Recite the Greek alphabet
- Read and pronounce Greek words
- Learn the Greek noun and verbal system
- Conduct Greek word studies
- Decipher why translations are different
- Read better commentaries
To enter this week’s giveaway, comment below with your answer to this question: How would (or does) knowing Greek help you in your studies or ministry?
Also, a bonus entry is available if you comment a second time letting us know that you shared a link to this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog.
_________________
*If you are reading this via Facebook, email, or RSS, please visit the blog to enter. Two winners will be determined by Random Integer Generator. Giveaway ends Thursday at midnight*
“This is a charming little book that gives an overview of every book of the Bible and how it relates to Jesus…
I wish all students would read a book like this before they came to Seminary since ignorance of the biblical story line, esp. the OT, is a huge problem we have to deal with in NT Intro classes. I particularly liked the chapters on Exodus (Deliverance into Presence), Daniel (Cosmic Authority), Ephesians (Shalom), and Revelation (Ultimate Victory).
It is written at the perfect level for an overview of the Bible for lay people and above all it is a good reminder that both the Old and New Testaments are Christian Scripture.”
I received this question a while back, and it turns out to be a fascinating exercise in exegesis. In fact, after reading the literature, I had to call my good friend George Guthrie, a Hebrews specialist, to make sure I was understanding the issue.
The fun part is that the Greek is, shall we say, “atrocious,” “convoluted,” or perhaps I should say, “not quite clear.” As a result, it becomes an exercise in exegetical method. So hold onto your hats.
διαθήκη has two basic meanings in BDAG. It is the technical term for a last will and testament. It is also the NT translation of the Hebrew בְּרִית, “covenant.”
A quick search of διαθήκη in the NIV shows a uniform translation as “covenant” throughout, except for these two verses, where it is “will.” This is perhaps surprising since the NIV (and any dynamic translation) is not overly concerned with concordance, using the same English for the same Greek. So the fact that it is uniform elsewhere is striking.
But then you check the ESV, which does value concordance, and you find that the only time it doesn’t use “covenant” is Gal 3:17 (“law”) and our two passages. So there is something going on in our passage that is somewhat unusual.
The plot thickens when you look at the overall context. In 9:1–10, the author is arguing about the superiority of the new covenant. In three ways, he establishes the inferiority of the old covenant: place (tabernacle); established by the blood of animals; sacrifices are repeated annually. In contrast, the new covenant is superior (9:11–10:18) because it was accomplished in the heavenly tabernacle, was through Christ’s blood, and was offered once for all. So the overall context is one of the covenant. So what are two verses on human wills doing in the passage?
