THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT
NT 1 - Nashotah House
Pr. Thomas Osterfield
MICHAELMAS TERM 1998
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 1:15 - 2:35 P.M. - Classroom 2
COURSE DESCRIPTION: NT1 is a beginning course in the Greek of the New Testament, which itself is an example of Koine (koinh/) Greek. The course is concerned with learning the rudiments of Greek (accidence and some vocabulary) with a goal of using the Greek New Testament in preaching, Bible studies, and exegesis courses in the Greek New Testament. It also provides introductions to New Testament Textual Criticism and the Johannine Epistles, the latter of which will be used for exercises and exegetical practice on the Greek text.
Although the syllabus for the 1998 offering is based on the previous year's outline, some changes have been made. Each term this year is one week less than last year; in addition, the faculty have agreed to reduce load of each course, if possible. However, there remain necessary requirements for any introductory language course worth offering or taking. In addition, we may be able to utilize some of the work Fr. Deakle has done in preparation for the offering of this course next year.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The primary goal of this course is to provide the student with an introductory knowledge of New Testament Greek. By the completion of the course, the student should be able to: 1) use commentaries, dictionaries and articles premised upon the Greek New Testament; 2) look up Greek words in a Greek-English Lexicon and Greek New Testament theological dictionaries; 3) recognize the specific tense, mood, voice and number of verbs and the declension, case, and number of substantives; 4) read simple passages from the Greek New Testament; 5) recognize textual problems; and 6) understand the content, structure, themes and issues found in the Johannine Epistles.
COURSE FORMAT: Students will be guided through the mechanics of beginning Greek grammar by the instructor. Primarily the student must learn the Greek. This is best done by meticulously working through the textbook and memorizing vocabulary and forms, and by doing exercises daily. There are no real shortcuts to learning Greek; however, using a "buddy" (or the computer program Greek Tutor) to study with is certainly a help. Thus, the instructor will assign material from the texts to be learned/memorized, exercises to be completed, and passages from the Greek New Testament to be translated and studied. The first part of each class will usually focus upon the grammar assigned for that day. The latter part of each class will focus upon translation and occasional lectures on textual criticism and the Johannine Epistles.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attendance in class is mandatory. Even one class in a language course is very difficult to make up. Students are to complete all the assignments (reading, exercises, translations, and commentary work) prior to class time. The instructor will assign specific portions of the exercises to be completed. Exercises are to be prepared in a manner suitable for handing in to the instructor. See Preparation of Work below.
TEXTS: There are two books required for this course: The Greek New Testament with dictionary and a grammar. We also strongly recommend the use of vocabulary cards, a summary card of New Testament Greek, and Greek language instruction software. A Greek-English lexicon is eventually necessary for translation and interpretation of the Greek New Testament, but is not needed in the beginning stages of leaming New Testament Greek grammar.
Required for this course:
James Allen Hewett, New Testament Greek: A Beginning and Intermediate Grammar. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1986.
Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Carlo M. Martini, Bruce M. Metzger, and Allen Wikgren. The Greek New Testament, [with a Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament] 4th Ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994.
Suggested for purchase (possibly in the future):
'A Card-Guide to New Testament Greek' by Benjaniin Chapman. Grand Rapids, MI: n.d.
'Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards" by Robert Gromacki. Springfield, OH: Visual Education, n.d. [also, blank flash cards]
Greek Tutor [Multi-media CD-ROM] Hiawatha, IA: Parsons Technology, 1997.
William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 2nd Ed. Revised and Augmented by F. Wilbur Gingrich and Frederick W. Danker. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1979.
In addition to these works, the student will be assigned readings from the New Jerome Bible Commentary on "The Greek Text of the New Testament" and on the Johannine Epistles and from Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament.
PREPARATION OF WORK: The student is expected to do all of the required assignments for this course. It is expected that the student will spend two to three hours of preparation outside of class for each hour in class --more than three hours is probably counterproductive. In preparing written exercises the student should be prepared to turn in the work for evaluation and correction; thus, please prepare each assignment on a separate page or set of pages. At least in the beginning of the course, the student should prepare literal translations of the exercises as this is the only way of learning the details ("accidence") of the Greek forms. Homework, which includes five special lexical assignments, will be graded and worth 15% of the final course evaluation.
EXAMINATIONS: There will be three major examinations in the course. The first examination is scheduled for 10/6, the second exam for 11/2, and the Final exam on the date determined by the Registrar. The first two examinations will cover the assigned portions of the grammar and the exercises; they will consist of grammatical questions, verbal conjugation and substantive declension, with some translation. The Final exam will focus upon translation, but will include matters of Textual Criticism and the introduction to the Johannine Epistles. The first two exams count 20% each, and the Final exam counts 30% of the course grade.
In addition to the three sectional examinations, there will be daily quizzes. These will cover the grammatical assigmments for that day. Daily quizzes count 15% of the final grade.
GRADING: This is by default a 'Pass or Fail' course.
If you wish to take this course for a letter grade, you must request that in writing to the instructor by 24 September 1998. This decision to receive a letter grade can not be changed after that date.
Even for those taking the course pass-fail, in order to have an objective means of determining pass or fail, the homework, sectional examinations, and daily quizzes will be marked with a numerical score. The minimum average to pass the course is 70%.
OFFICE HOURS: Pr. Osterfield is in the Library most weekdays during work hours (M-T-W-Th-F, 9:00 A.M. - Noon and 1:00 - 4:15 P.M.) Appointments are not necessary, but can be arranged if needed. Students are welcomed and encouraged to consult with the instructor in person, by email, or by telephone as needed. Telephone numbers: office = #278; home study = #272; private home phone = 646-3165; email: gto@nashotah.edu
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