Spring 2013/Pasadena

LG512C

Kiefer

LG512C: BEGINNING GREEK. David E. Kiefer.

DESCRIPTION: This course is the third part of a three-quarter series designed to give students a foundational knowledge of the morphology and syntax of New Testament (Koine) Greek. Students registering for this course must have successfully completed parts A and B of the series. This course combines both a deductive approach to learning with an inductive study directly from the text of the New Testament. Regular quizzes and periodic tests will be used to monitor progress.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Understanding the original language of the New Testament is one of the most basic elements in interpreting the meaning of its various texts. Upon completion of this three-part course, students should be equipped, with the help of various reference tools, to consult the Greek text as part of the exegetical task, and be able to form critical judgments regarding theological and exegetical issues involving the Greek text.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of all three quarters of this course, you will (a) be able to identify all the relevant categories (i.e., to parse) most regular forms and many of the irregular but frequent forms of the articles, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs that occur in the Greek New Testament; (b) know the most common meanings of about 350 words that occur most frequently in the Greek NT, and be able to use a lexicon to find words you do not already know; (c) understand and be able to discuss the basic grammatical structures of Koine Greek sentences as found in the Greek NT; (d) be able to use all of this to read and translate typical passages throughout the New Testament with minimal use of reference tools; (e) be able to use major references (grammatical and lexical) to explore and investigate words and structures more fully; and (f) understand the challenges, purpose, and value of learning to work with the New Testament in Greek.

COURSE FORMAT: The course meets for two-hour sessions twice weekly.

REQUIRED READING (in addition to texts from previous quarters):

Burer, M., and Miller, J. A New Reader’s Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2008. Pub. Price: $42.99. ISBN: 978-0-8254-2009-2.

RECOMMENDED READING: See the Biblical Division bibliography “Linguistic and Exegetical Books Required in the Master of Divinity Program” available online. Further bibliography will be presented and discussed in class.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Daily reading and exercises, and quizzes on vocabulary, syntax, and translation. More than half of this quarter is spent translating selections (usually entire chapters) throughout the New Testament. Students are expected to be present at all class sessions with assignments completed. This normally requires at least eight hours per week outside of class (two hours for each class hour) spent in studying the textbook lessons, learning Greek vocabulary and forms, and reading the Greek New Testament.

PREREQUISITES: LG512B (same section as this quarter); no audits.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: The completed three-quarter sequence LG512A/B/C meets the MDiv core requirement in Greek (GRK).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.