Are seminaries failing in the teaching of New Testament Greek?

In 1453, Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, fell to the Ottoman Turks. This was a disaster for the Greeks but it became a blessing for Western Europe. It was inevitable that those who had the means, that is, the educated elite, sought refuge in the West and they took with them valuable manuscripts.

The spark that ignited the Reformation

For the first time there was significant interaction between Western scholars educated in Latin and Eastern scholars educated in Greek. Direct access to classical Greek works and the Greek New Testament was now possible. There was a keen interest in classical literature, art, drama and philosophy.

This interaction became the spark that ignited the Renaissance. 'Ad fontes' was the motto meaning '[back] to the sources.' Research and consultation of the primary sources results in deeper insights and better understanding. 'Ad fontes' also became the motto of people such as Luther, Melanchthon, Zwingli, Calvin and Tyndale. In God’s providence, learning Koine Greek and studying the New Testament in the original language was the spark that ignited the Reformation. Some of the Reformers began to translate the Bible. The translation of the Scriptures directly from Greek and Hebrew into the vernacular language of the people meant that ordinary people could read and understand the Bible.

Why is it necessary to study Greek?

Since Tyndale’s translation of the Bible in the 16th Century, it is estimated that the number of complete or partial English translations and paraphrases of the Bible, is about 900. In addition, in the 21st Century, there are a number of Bible apps which can parse a Greek word and define it into English. Therefore, why is it necessary for anyone to study Greek?

Having such vast resources can be a disadvantage. How do we know which is the best translation and can we trust that the Bible software designers have chosen the correct definition of a word in a certain context? Learning Greek will equip us with the skill to discern which is the best translation of a certain word or verse. It will give us a deeper insight and appreciation of God’s word. The more we study the Greek Scriptures, the more we will notice alliterations, rhymes, puns, and spot associations of words and phrases in one part of the New Testament with another part and also in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. It is inevitable that such things are lost in translation. The Italian saying 'traduttore, traditore', the translator is a traitor, expresses the implicit imprecision in the act of translating. This means there is no perfect inspired translation.

Not for everyone - but obligatory for some

Learning Greek is not for everyone. Some don’t have the time while others find it difficult to learn any foreign language, especially one that has three grammatical genders and words that are inflected (change in form at their beginning or end) depending on how they are used in a sentence. Thankfully, one’s salvation doesn’t depend on knowing Greek. However, for those training to be pastors and preachers who preach and teach 'all the counsel of God' learning the Biblical languages ought to be obligatory.

Bill James, Principal of London Seminary, in an email (dated March, 2024) wrote, 'In recent years, fewer men have been coming forward for pastoral ministry… Those men who are coming forward are often choosing less demanding training options… and it is rare for men to be willing to tackle Biblical languages… If we believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of the original manuscripts, then we will be keen to have some facility in Biblical languages so that we are not utterly dependent on various English translations. If men are not willing to be serious and make sacrifices for training, will they be willing to make sacrifices in ministry?'

Certainly, men training for the ministry ought to be prepared to make sacrifices. Is learning Greek a sacrifice or should it be considered a joy and privilege? Why is it that students find it a struggle? Why is it that 90% of students who have attended Greek courses at seminary aren’t competent to use it as pastors in sermon preparation?

Many have forgotten the little that they have learnt and give up consulting the Greek relying on translations and commentaries but perhaps it is not entirely their fault and it is the seminaries which are to blame.

The current approach: 'ineffective'

The way Greek and Hebrew are taught should be examined. For a number of centuries the Grammar-Translation (GT) method has been used. Students have to learn grammatical rules and then apply them by translating sentences between the target language and their native language. The method involves memorizing vocabulary, grammatical structures and charts of paradigms of verb conjugations and noun and adjective declensions. Greek is not considered as a real language but rather as a code which needs to be deciphered into English. If the cracked code resembles one of the current translations then the student has succeeded.

The manual for deciphering the code in most seminaries in the UK is probably 'The Elements of New Testament Greek' by Duff based on the book by Wenham based on the book by Nunn, first published in 1914. This method may have worked with some success a century ago but the world has changed. Of course, the Greek text of the New Testament has not changed but the education system has changed drastically. Knowing some Latin and basic grammar make it easier to learn Greek using the GT method. However, grammar is no longer taught in the depth that it once was in schools. Nowadays, less than 3% of state schools teach Latin. Most people do not have a clue how to parse and diagram a sentence. Students who initially were excited and keen to study God’s word in Greek soon find the lessons boring, feel overwhelmed and give up.

In the article titled 'Toward a Principled Communicative Methodology for Teaching the Biblical Languages' Scott McQuinn explores the effectiveness of language teaching principles derived from modern Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research when applied to teaching Biblical languages. He concludes the traditional GT approach used to teach Biblical languages is ineffective for language learning.

A new approach: greater efficiency and long term retention

Learners struggle to read Biblical texts fluently without frequent recourse to lexicons and grammar helps. He argues for Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). This method considers Greek as a living language and teaches in a more natural way similar to how we learn our mother tongue. The students are immersed in the language listening to their teachers speaking in Koine Greek from the very beginning. They soon understand, obey commands and answer questions in Greek. Current research suggests that implementing CLT in biblical language programs is possible and leads to higher levels of language proficiency, greater efficiency, and long-term retention compared to GT. Such methods are more enjoyable and motivate students. Teaching the grammar ought to be introduced later in the course.

Most Koine Greek teachers are unable to teach in this way and therefore need to be trained. The following are a few examples of institutes running such courses some of which are online: Biblical Language Center; Polis Institute; Ancient Language Institute; argos-didaskei.com. To see such methods in action on youtube, see: @KoineGreek; @poliskoine; @learnbiblicalgreek316.