Why is it important to know Greek and Hebrew when studying the Bible?

Here we would urge upon every earnest student of Scripture the importance of possessing some, perhaps only elementary, knowledge of the 'sacred language.' Let not any be deterred by the difficulties attending self-tuition; all should be encouraged by the case of no less a man than Erasmus, who, as regards Greek, speaks of himself as αὐτοδίδακτος (autodidaktos), self-taught. His contemporary, the great Reformer, with the 'little knowledge of Hebrew' of which he somewhere speaks, set about translating the Old Testament into his mother-tongue for national use. Many are the inaccuracies in detail of Luther's version; but no one who examines it from beginning to end can fail to be impressed with the happy way in which he caught the genius of the Hebrew. He never acquired a profound knowledge of the language; his energies were called forth in controversy rather than in study. We know what Erasmus did for the New Testament, for which a knowledge of Greek is necessary if one would properly understand certain passages. We may compare in the Greek Testament Acts 9:7, and 22:9. To the English reader there seems to be a discrepancy: as he cannot turn to the Greek, he must depend upon a Commentary. A glance at the original removes all doubt; but any translation fails sufficiently to bring out the fact that the two passages only say the same thing in different ways. In the first the genitive or partitive case of 'voice' is employed; in the second we have the accusative. In ch. 9 Paul's companions are represented as hearing the voice only in a measure; in chap. 22 the meaning is, they might as well not have heard it at all, because they did not understand it, did not catch what was said. Bengel's comment as usual is good. 'They saw therefore a light (cf. 26:13 sq.) but not Jesus himself; they heard a mere voice, not a voice with the words,' and we are referred to John 12:29 for a parallel case. A knowledge of the Greek would render reference to a commentary unnecessary, to say nothing of new translations, where disappointment would await the reader. With respect to the Old Testament, it does not take many verses of Genesis for the reader to find out that 'a little knowledge of Hebrew' is desirable. How much depends upon one's knowledge of the emphatic word in a sentence of Scripture! It is a common mistake to take 'me' in Isa. 6:8 as the word upon which to lay stress, but, if anything, 'send' is the word to fix upon: cf. Rom. 10:15. 'Me' in this verse of Isaiah is only a 'verbal suffix.'

H.A.I. — That question always arises with persons who are not familiar with translations and versions. They need to remember that the New Testament Scriptures were not written in English, but in Greek, and the Old Testament in Hebrew. We therefore should avail ourselves of all possible help in the way of scholarly exposition, and various translations, to get as nearly as possible to the exact thought of the original.

Hours with the Greek Testament The more the Bible is studied, the greater the longing becomes to know its minutest details. While in the mercy of God, our ordinary translation is for all practical purposes the very word of God, and can be used with the utmost confidence, need has been felt of making other versions. These, if properly made, are always helpful, and any student of the Bible would do well to have at least two or three on his table.

In addition to this, however, there are many delicate shades of meaning and many suggestive thoughts which can be gathered only through a study of the original. Those who have studied Greek are prepared for this, but many who have not had this opportunity need not feel that they are debarred from taking it up at their homes. A fairly good working knowledge of the Greek Testament can be obtained by the average person in the course of one or two years' moderate study, and the purpose of this little handbook would be to suggest such a course and to recommend those books which would be needful.

Young Christians particularly are encouraged, if they have a faculty for study and an aptitude for language, to take this up. It need not be the pride of pedantry, but in all simplicity, without pretending to know the language thoroughly, they may find much that is helpful.

We are certain Scripture states things in a way that it desires the truth should be received. We would rather listen to the exposition of a disciple, like the apostles of old, “ignorant and unlearned,” but who is spiritual and godly, than to that of one who rests alone upon his scholarship and powers of intellect. A knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is most useful, but there are other things far more necessary, even to be a true believer on the Lord Jesus, and dependent on the Holy Spirit for the teaching and reception of the truth. Scholarship in the hands of such an one is of great value, and the writer would be the last to undervalue it.

We are certain Scripture states things in a way that it desires the truth should be received. We would rather listen to the exposition of a disciple, like the apostles of old, “unlearned and ignorant,” but who is spiritual and godly, than to that of one who rests alone upon his scholarship and powers of intellect. A knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is most useful, but there are other things far more necessary and that is to be a true believer on the Lord Jesus and dependent on the Holy Spirit for the teaching and reception of the truth. Scholarship in the hands of such an one is of great value and the writer would be the last to undervalue it.

A little knowledge of another language is useful, if it shows us how slight and superficial our knowledge is, leading us to be careful how we press our views. Knowing such words as we have dealt with, does not carry with it the knowledge of cases of nouns, tenses of verbs, pronouns, and all the intricacies of a flexible language. But even the bare meaning of the original word may help at arriving at a shade of meaning, not apparent in its English dress. It is blessedly true that a Christian knowing no language but his native English is better equipped for knowing the mind of God in reading the Scriptures, than the most learned Hebrew and Greek scholars, who have scholarship but lack the illuminating grace of God in their hearts.

The Original Text. This place will perhaps do as well as any to say something about the originals. Comparatively few Bible students have a knowledge of the original Hebrew and Greek, and we need not dwell very long upon this part of our subject, as we have more particularly in mind English readers. It may not be amiss, however, to say to college graduates, or those who have a fair knowledge of Greek, that it is a pity to let it slip as most do. Without pretending to independent scholarship, an ordinary knowledge of the Greek Testament is exceedingly profitable. Multitudes of details which would only cumber a translation can easily be gathered by the average student. Take, for instance, the simple matter of synonyms. We have a very profitable field of study open to an ordinary student. The same is true as to the use of prepositions, to say nothing of the shades of meaning involved in mood and tense.

One great difficulty the translators had to contend with was how best to convey the niceties, the delicate shades of meaning of the Hebrew and Greek languages into plain English. We purpose in this article to furnish a very few examples of this from the New Testament, it may lead others to further searching of the Word of God in that direction.

A day or two ago I had a letter from a friend, acknowledging a book which contained a few brief comments on some Greek words: he says in part: "Reading your book has well established my long conviction that the most profitable form of study of Holy Writ, is that of the words which 'the Holy Ghost teacheth,' viz, the actual study of Greek words and their meaning. For this reason your frequent, and illuminating references to such words have been wells of refreshment to my spirit."

In these few words my friend has expressed more plainly and more concisely than I could do, the object of the little book before you. And as a second witness to the same truth, may I quote a few words written over a hundred years ago by Mr. G. V. Wigram, in the Introduction to his priceless Concordances to the Hebrew & Chaldee Scriptures, and his Greek Concordance to the New Testament. Mr. Wigram says of "The Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance": — "The chief object proposed by this work is a very simple one, … it seemed, in a peculiar way, desirable to lead each student to deduce his 'meaning and definition of words' (so far as possible), from the use made of them by the Holy Ghost."

A short list of Synonyms is added, embracing some Greek and English words which could not well be considered in the Dictionary. It is important that those who believe in the verbal inspiration of scripture should study the words used by the Holy Spirit as far as they have the means.

The few Synonyms here given may be regarded as samples, and may lead the reader into a new and interesting field of study, which if followed out would embrace the careful consideration of hundreds of other words. Such a study will not merely tend to the acquisition of a more correct knowledge of the letter of the divine oracles, but it will form the mind in the thoughts of the God who deigns to use human language to convey to our souls what the Holy Spirit Himself calls "the deep things of God." 1 Cor. 2:10. One who carefully studies such subjects in a proper spirit will be ever learning more of the mind of God as expressed in the scriptures.