The alphabet is essential in any language, this goes without saying. Knowing how to recognize a letter and put them together to form a word, phrase, sentence is where comprehension all takes place. Porter et al. does not hold back their discussion of the alphabet, the accents, and punctuation. They are very detailed, explaining pretty much everything there is to know about these matters.

The chapter begins with an overview of the concepts that will be taught in the chapter. This is always a helpful thing to do. It gives the learner a foundation to return to if he feels like he is swimming to far in the deep end. And I must say, this chapter is a bit to far in the deep end for the beginner, so much so he may begin to get a bit overwhelmed. This is not to say that the information is not helpful or useful; I just question if it is necessary at this point. Learning a language is not an easy process, so the overload of information at the very beginning may scare off some who are weak of heart and not truly dedicated to learning the language. On the other hand, this may turn out to be a good thing. While it may scare some away from learning Greek, those who are truly dedicated to learning the language may find their perseverance rewarded in the end. I sure hope this is the case.

What I did appreciate about Porter et al. is that the information they provided was beneficial and enlightening. The extra information on the history of the alphabet, form and punctuaction was well placed and useful. For me, I find these quick asides to be not only informational, but also a quick break from the storm. It gives the learner a chance to catch their breath so-to-speak and make sure they are understanding what they have read. There are a few things that I do not recall learning in Mounce. For example, did Mounce ever mention the intervocalic sigma? I do not recall him using that term. On a side note, I do remember my good friend and professor Abner referring to this as the “suicidal sigma.”

Also, Porter et al. go into more linguistic detail in regards to consonant voicing and assimilation. But where I find Mounce to be more helpful in this regards is in his “square of stops” chart. It is charts like that that give the first year student the confidence and encouragement to carry on when things get deep and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. This may be a bit much for the beginner to grasp at first, but it is helpful in the long run. An important section is the discussion on the accents. I found Porter et al. to be much more helpful in understanding the mechanics of the accents and their rules. This was an overlooked part of Mounce; he moved rather quickly through this if my memory serves me correctly.

Overall, I feel like the beginning student may find this chapter a bit daunting. The first chapter should be less intimidating; it should ease the learner into the race, not throw him into arena to run from the raging bull! While not impossible, Porter et al. may take more than a few careful read through until the learner feels like he is tracking with the concepts that are being taught.

I have decided that I want to learn Greek. Although I took beginning Greek at the Master’s College, I want to go back to the beginning and relearn the fundamentals of the language. My mentor and friend Dr. Varner always would say that he could never teach a first year Greek class because he does not remember first year Greek, and this is a true statement. That is not to say that he is not proficient in Greek, he is! I know that for me, if you were to ask me to reproduce a given paradigm I would not be able to do so (maybe λέγω or λύω, but not much else!). I would fail a basic quiz.

Well, I have decided that I want to know the language better than this. Therefore, I have enlisted the help of Stan Porter, Jeff Reed, and Matthew O’Donnell in my quest for Greek proficiency. Originally I learned Greek from Mounce. It was a great first year grammar, and it taught me the language well. After glancing through Porter et al. my first impression was: This is no Mounce! Porter et al. is dense and packed with a boatload of information. Because I respect Porter as a scholar, I am sure that what he has deemed important for the beginning student is in this grammar.

I also intend to blog some of my thoughts on the overall usefulness and benefits of Porter. I will post my thoughts (or at least what I can remember) on Mounce and how Porter is more/not as helpful.

I am eager to begin work. Having worked the last 4 years non-stop, these last few weeks of not working have been boring. I do not like having a lot of free time, so I have been reading mainly a biography on F.F. Bruce. I am looking forward to getting into a new routine of work and living, but it will not be complete until I have my amazing wife with me here.

Well, I am off for now, but look I will be back more regularly in the coming days.

Post Tenebras Lux

Cliff

I did not know I held a professorship at a university? Maybe Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Tübingen?

This is a very exciting time in my life, and one which I have struggled to attain for quite sometime. The last ten or so years have been filled with many ups and downs, sadly more downs than ups. But the Lord has been faithful and has never left me to pick up the pieces on my own. Every heartbreak and dissappointment has led me to this place and to Washington. I have seen the way the Lord has orchestrated his plan and seen his hand move in powerful ways. I am so very humbled by his grace and faithfulness! He has provided me with more than I can every ask for or think of. May he continue to bless the path that he has set before me and my wife.

It will be hard to leave the town I have known since birth. I have lived here in southern California all of my life; it is all that I have ever known. I have moved a few times, but only in a radius of a few miles at most. One thing that I have found out is that I do not take change well, so I ask for prayer for a fast adjustment. Sadly my wife will not be able to join me right away, but she will soon. This will be hard for us both, so I ask for prayer for her as she adjusts to life apart for a season. Pray that she can secure a job fast and move up and join me in Washington. Until she arrives I will have the company of one of my best friends and his family. It will be so good to be able to go on a milkshake run like we use to in college. He is a good friend and a dear brother in the Lord.

Well, that is all for now. I will begin posting more regularly once I a settled into my new job and home in Washington.

I leave you with  what has become my motto and the promise I have clung to in the Lord: Post Tenebras Lux (After Darkness Light)

CBK

PS – If you are ever in Bellingham look me up; coffee is on me!

Any man to-day can learn to read the Greek New Testament if he wants to do it. There are schools in plenty within easy reach of all. But if circumstances close one’s path to the school, there are books in plenty and cheap enough for all. No one to-day has to make his own grammar and lexicon of the Greek New Testament or go without a teacher.

From: A. T. Robertson. The Minister and His Greek New Testament. New York: George H. Doran, 1923. (See ch. 9.)

(HT: Rod Decker).

(HT: Matt Montonini)

5 τοῦτο φρονεῖτε ἐν ὑμῖν ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, 6 ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ, 7 ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν μορφὴν δούλου λαβών, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος· καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος 8 ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ. 9 διὸ καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα, 10 ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων 11 καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός (Phil 2:5-11).

Paul frames his hymn with a command in v.5: τοῦτο φρονεῖτε ἐν ὑμῖν ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ (Have this way of thinking among yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus). The demonstrative τοῦτο functions in both a backward as well as forward pointing manner, reminding the reader of what was previously said and also preparing the reader for what follows. Already Paul has exhorted the Philippians to act in a way which cares more for the concerns of others rather than themselves. But in case the Philippians do not know how this looks, Paul gives them the ultimate example of humility, Christ Jesus.

While much has been said in regards to Phil 2.6-11 and the deity of Christ, I tend to think that this is not the main focus of Paul’s argument. While he does in fact make mention of Christ’s deity, ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων (Although he existed in the form of God…), it is in passing and assumed. It is hard to believe that in light of the command in v.5 Paul would focus on Christ’s deity as their motivation to think in a particular manner. The reader may ask himself, How can anyone attempt to even try to have the mindset of Christ since he is God? Rather, Paul focuses on the humanity of Christ.

What exactly was the attitude(s) that Paul says was characteristic of Jesus?

1. He did not grasp for what was rightfully his (οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ). Although he was God, he did not concern himself with the privileges, honor, or status that came with the title God. In an honor and shame culture like the one we find in Phillipi, the pursuit of glory and honor meant everything. But Jesus did not climb that latter.
2. Instead, he emptied himself of this pursuit by taking the form of a slave (ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν μορφὴν δούλου λαβών, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος·). Right here we see the irony of this in full effect. Christ, who is God, refuses to cling to his title, and instead goes the other way and takes on the status of a slave. The Master becomes the slave.
3. The climb down the latter of success ends with three nails and a cross (ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ). The Lord of glory willing submits to the most shameful death imaginable. In first-century Palestine there was no more shameful way of dying. Not only is the physical pain unbearable, but while you are hanging there in pain you are also suffering the pain of shame, mockery, and rejection.

Thankfully the hymn does not end there. God does not leave Christ with the shame of the cross to bear. Instead, he exalts him higher than he previously was and gives him a name more glorious than any name (διὸ καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα). And it is at this name, Jesus, that every knee will bow and tongue confess Jesus is Lord (ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός).

In a culture saturated in honor and the drive for success, Paul turns the whole thing upside down and gives us a picture of what true humility looks like. Instead of seeking honor and praise from man, seek rather how you can serve others in a manner that may lead to your death. But do not worry, God will reward you in heaven.

In closing I am reminded of the words of the Master: “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

The Israel Museum welcomes you to the Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Project, allowing users to examine and explore these most ancient manuscripts from Second Temple times at a level of detail never before possible. Developed in partnership with Google, the new website gives users access to searchable, fast-loading, high-resolution images of the scrolls, as well as short explanatory videos and background information on the texts and their history. The Dead Sea Scrolls, which include the oldest known biblical manuscripts in existence, offer critical insight into Jewish society in the Land of Israel during the Second Temple Period, the time of the birth of Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism. Five complete scrolls from the Israel Museum have been digitized for the project at this stage and are now accessible online.

It goes without saying how important these writings are to both Jewish and early Christian studies. There discovery in the middle of last century was perhaps the greatest archaeological find in the past hundred-plus years.

As of right now, five of the scrolls have been digitized and placed online for viewing: the Great Isaiah Scroll, the War Scroll, Commentary on the Habakkuk Scroll, the Temple Scroll, and the Community Rule Scroll.

For those who may not know much about the Scrolls, they have included a section on their site that gives the reader the basic information about their discovery, their nature and significance, the Qumran Community, and the Shrine of the Book, where the Scrolls reside in Israel.

[HT: Jim]