Greek!? Why would the Institute teach Greek as opposed to other more practical (and less scary) languages? The answer to that question is that we not only think that Greek is practical, we think it is one of the more practical courses that we teach.
Some of the benefits of studying Greek include:
- It enlightens one on how languages work. It rivals Latin for helping one understand English and use it more proficiently.
- It provides access to the Greek New Testament. Bible study can be significantly enriched through an understanding of the original language.
- It counts for both high school and college language credits. Many college degrees include language as part of the basic requirements core, as do our partner college associate and bachelor’s degrees.
Martin Luther in his own unique style gave praise for the availability of the Bible in the original languages when he wrote:
It is a sin and shame . . . that we do not study languages, especially in these days when God is offering and giving us men and books and every facility and inducement to this study, and desires his Bible to be an open book. O how happy the dear fathers would have been if they had our opportunity to study the languages and come thus prepared to the Holy Scriptures! What great toil and effort it cost them to gather up a few crumbs, while we with half the labor— yes, almost without any labor at all—can acquire the whole loaf! O how their effort puts our indolence to shame.
Yes, Greek can be scary but it is also very practical and rewarding. It has life value. And, as is often the case, it is not as scary as it might sound! It basically boils down to vocabulary and a set of rules–just like all languages!
