Just added a list of Greek Resources down yonder in the lower, left hand margin. These are the best ones for beginners to start with. The list has easy purchase links and some commentary from me on which you want for what purposes. Enjoy!
Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
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Hi Jimmy,
What do you mean with the warnings “Do not use while studying”? Could you elaborate?
Francis
I would venture to guess, based only on my own experience, that the reccomendation comes to keep one from being influenced by the material when trying to learn the language. Books like this “give the answers” for those trying to learn the language and therefore shortchange the student (much like reading Cliffs Notes will cheapen your understanding of Shakespeare). On the other hand, tools like this are sometimes biased to a particular interpretation so one definition or semantic use of a word may be preferred over another. But my opinion is to stay away from analytical guides and interlinear texts altogether if you want to learn the language. Please learn to use tools like this AFTER you have gained an appreciation and understanding for the language. That’s my 5 cents worth. I’m sure Jimmy has his own reasons.
Andy has it right. Such aids interfere with the student’s ability to learn the language. I don’t have a problem with people using them BEFORE or AFTER one has done the basic language study (e.g., as a quick way of looking up a confusing word or inflection), but not WHILE studying the language.
It’s too distracting to focus on the Greek if you have the answer written *immediately under* the word you’re s’pposed to be figuring out. It’s like learning to ride a bike without ever taking the training wheels off and will prevent you from learning the language in a way you will retain it.
Jimmy, I also didn’t know if you were aware of the 3rd book in the Zondervan series. Guthrie and Duvall wrote another one called The Exegetical Method and I’ve found it to be a helpful resource when paired with a good understanding of Catholic hermeneutics. I was one of the guinea pigs used in the book’s creation so if you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Jimmy, I noticed that there are no books concerning the Septuagint. Do you know of any interlinear versions? While it’s use will naturally bring up the issue of canonicity with non-catholics, wouldn’t it be usefull in establishing contextual usages? An example that comes to mind was when I was trying to establish the usage of Trogos in John 6 as literal to a friend of mine. I found only two other occurances in the N.T. external to John 6. I gave up on the only online version I found when I realized it was universally translated every word for “eat” as Estheo. (I don’t know greek but as an engineer I recognized enough of the letters to get suspicius when the letters were spelling Phegos.)
Thank You, TK