• Biblical Languages,  Scripture

    The Reformers on the Importance of Greek and Hebrew

    Scroll through most seminary catalogs today and you will spot a disturbing trend: fewer required hours in Greek and Hebrew. Yet five centuries ago, the Reformers considered those very languages the engine that powered the Reformation itself. When the likes of John Calvin and Martin Luther opened their Hebrew and Greek Bibles, they pried the church out of medieval darkness and into the sunlight of sola scriptura. Their example is a convicting reminder that we cannot keep the doctrinal gains of the past while neglecting the tools that produced them. Below is a brief discussion of how Luther and Calvin used the biblical languages—and why pastors, teachers, and seminarians should still make them a priority. Luther’s Sword and Safeguard Luther knew the gospel does not hover in mid-air; it is embedded in words, grammar, and syntax. The biblical languages were, in his mind, the defense of the Gospel itself! In…

  • Biblical Languages,  Review

    Book Review: Dictionary of English Grammar for Students of Biblical Languages

    I love teaching the biblical languages. It is extremely rewarding to help students learn Greek and Hebrew in order to better understand God’s revelation. However, one of the difficulties of being a language teacher is the inability of many students to think and speak grammatically about English. The Dictionary of English Grammar for Students of Biblical Languages is a helpful little resource (140 pages) which aims to help with this kind of problem. A couple years ago I remember reading a book on cognitive learning. One of my major takeaways from the book was that students cannot learn well if they are not using the same vocabulary as the teacher. That was very eye opening to me, and I have endeavored to help students use the same words as I from day one of the class so they are on the same page. That’s what makes this such a great…