There is no such thing as Greek exegesis that does not involve Greek.
This book began with two laments. Those within Greek scholarship lament that students, pastors, professors, and New Testament commentators seem out of touch with Greek studies. Those outside Greek scholarship lament that they don’t know what’s going on, nor do they know how to get up to speed. In this book, I have sought to answer these twin laments. It is hoped that this introduction to the advances in the study of Greek will facilitate a greater degree of interaction between those in the guild and those who are not.
Future exegesis and translation of the New Testament, whether performed by student, pastor, or professor, must reflect consideration of the insights and arguments of Greek scholarship. To ignore Greek scholarship represents a missed opportunity at best and irresponsibility at worst. The simple reason is that there is no such thing as Greek exegesis that does not involve Greek. And whenever Greek is involved, our understanding of the language determines how well we will handle Greek text.
Thus, Greek cannot be regarded a peripheral issue for New Testament studies, since the entire New Testament is written in Greek. This means that New Testament studies can no longer afford to hold Greek scholarship at arm’s length, for there is no area of New Testament interest that does not involve Greek in some capacity. It affects the entire guild. This is fact; the only question is whether or not we will be responsible with that fact. For bad Greek is like a poisoned water stream in a village; its ill effects touch everyone.
Before concluding, I reiterate my several hopes for this book. First, I hope the reader will be properly introduced to the issues of greatest importance for current Greek studies. Second, I hope the reader will become better equipped to handle Greek text with linguistic sophistication, both on a methodological and practical level. Third, I hope the reader will feel competent to engage further with Greek scholarship. Fourth, I hope the reader will engage further with Greek scholarship. Fifth, I hope that the teaching of Greek will be well informed of current issues. Sixth, I hope that the wider world of New Testament scholarship will become more engaged with Greek scholarship. Seventh, I hope that some readers will be inspired to become Greek scholars themselves. Eighth, I hope that future editions of this book will need to include the contributions of some of those aforementioned readers.
The study of New Testament Greek is probably more exciting now than at any time since the discovery of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri in 1897. So much substantial work is being conducted, some of which has huge implications for our understanding of Greek, and all of which has bearing on the exegesis of the New Testament. A world of discovery and insight await those who heed its call.