Page 66 - Bibliology - Textbook w videos short
P. 66
The Law The Prophets The Writings
Genesis Joshua Psalms
Exodus Judges Proverbs
Leviticus Samuel Job
Numbers Kings Song of Solomon
Deuteronomy Isaiah Ruth
Jeremiah Lamentations
Ezekiel Ecclesiastes
The 12 Minor Prophets Esther
Daniel
Ezra-Nehemiah
Chronicles
The NT was written in the common language of the day when Christ was on earth: Greek. Because of
Alexander the Great’s conquering of the Middle East, the culture and language was Hellenized, and
Greek became the language of choice. The common Greek was called “Koine”. It is a highly organized
and very precise language. It was God’s choice of language for the NT because of the clarity of thought
expressed in the choice of words and verb tenses. Greek is a technical language, and more precise than
Hebrew or English.
Greek is easier to learn as many parts of our language is based upon it, so we can recognize much of the
alphabet and many of the words. Example: Philos = friendly or loving, Adelphos = brother Philos +
adelphos = Philadelphia “City of Brotherly Love”
Hebrew is another story. Hebrew looks like a chicken walked across the screen. This is the first verse of
Psalm 119.
The Hebrew of the OT was a very ancient language (probably the language of Adam). It is concrete in
tone. What it says, it says, and does not contain the ability to express shades of meaning as either
English or Greek.
The Hebrew of the OT does not contain vowels like our language, and more modern Hebrew has added
dots or “vowel pointings” to help better read and understand it. OT Hebrew did not contain these vowel
pointings.
If the oldest Hebrew manuscripts (before consideration of the Dead Sea Scrolls) are dated around A. D.
1000, how can we be sure they accurately reflect what the original writers of Scripture wrote centuries
earlier?
65