Lesson #8

Lesson #8

It’s All Greek to Me!

All 27 books of the New Testament are written in Greek.

But you don’t have to learn Greek to understand it, because there are so many excellent Bible translations. Just a little knowledge of Greek enhances our understanding of various passages and words.

Jesus on the Cross

“It is finished,” Jesus said from the cross. John 19:30

In Greek, this is just one word of triumph: “Tetelestai!” It was a cry of victory, not a cry of despair.

Alpha and Omega

Jesus is called the “alpha” and the “omega” three times in the Book of Revelation.

Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and omega is the last. Jesus was saying that he is the beginning and end of everything.

“I am the alpha and the omega.” Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13

Eutheos!

Mark 1:12 reads, “At once the Spirit sent [Jesus] out into the desert.”

The Greek word for “at once” is eutheos. It is used over forty times in Mark’s Gospel – over half the occurrences in the whole of the New Testament. Its frequent usage reveals the dynamic pace of Mark’s Gospel, as Jesus moves from one amazing act to another.

Dynamite!

Sometimes we become so familiar with our translation of the Bible that we forget the force of a particular word. In Romans 1:16 , Paul talks about the power of the gospel. The Greek word for “power” is dunamis, from which we derive our word “dynamite.” Paul is saying, “The gospel is dynamic or dynamite!”

Hypocrite

In the New Testament, the word “hypocrite” appears in the gospels of Matthew (thirteen times), Mark (one time), and Luke (three times). The word is used by Jesus only and it appears nowhere else in the New Testament.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they display their faces to show men they are fasting.” Matthew 6:16

“Hypocrite” is simply the Greek word hupokrites written in English. It originally meant “actor.” In Matthew 6:16 , it is clear that the hypocrites were performing to an audience. The aim of this play-acting was to win human praise.

Love

Most Bibles translate the Greek words philia and agape by the word “love.”

Philia means brotherly love, the love we have for our family and friends. Paul writes to his Christian friends at Thessalonica, “Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you.”
1 Thessalonians 4:9

When the writers of the New Testament describe God’s great love towards us, they want to make it clear that it is different and superior to the love humans have for each other. They use the word agape. John writes, “This is how God showed his love (agape) among us… God is love (agape).” 1 John 4:9, 16

Something to Do

• Consider learning New Testament Greek. That may sound difficult, but it is not impossible. Courses, some of which are correspondence courses, can teach you.

Source – Water, M. (1998). Bible Study made easy . The Made Easy Series (20–21). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd.