3rd March 2006
Two interesting things!
Hey, I thought of something interesting that I did last week:
I used my Greek knowledge.
In a non-classroom context.
Know, I’ll leave it up to you to judge whether it was for good or evil, but here’s the deal. I was re-reading “You’re as Healed as You are Saved”, a slim volume by John Stocker, the pastor at Resurrection Fellowship back in northern Colorado, when I noticed a clear error in his exposition of scripture near the end of the book.
In discussing Ephesians 1:17, he says that there are three words for revelation in Greek and that the word in this verse is epiphaneia. I had been reading this passage just the day before and so I knew that the actual word was apokalupsis. Having discovered this, and even knowing that there will probably will never be a second publishing in which to incorporate this change, I decided to write an e-mail to Pastor Stocker. I wish that I had saved a copy of the e-mail to put here because it discusses the problem with his discussion of the Greek in greater depth. To put it mildly, the definitions he gave for most of the Greek words he discussed were not quite right most of the time - I should think that using them he would fail the vocab quizzes in an introductory koine Greek class. I have yet to recieve a response.
A short aside: Perhaps you out there know a pastor who from time to time refers to some “word study” in the Greek, or what the original Greek or Hebrew word actually meant or something like this. Many of these pastors, who were trained in seminaries that hold a high view of scripture, actually know Greek and Hebrew - they could bust open the Biblia Hebraica and work their way through a passage with limited helps. However, many of them are using an array of tools, such as an Enlish language Bible with Strong’s numbers, by which you can look up individual words for their root word in the original language - or even more common now, computer software that does all the work for you (even seminaries are passing this stuff out now, to take the sting out of Greek and Hebrew for their older students who might be coming back to learn a second profession). I’m not making judgement on training for the pastorate, but I don’t think that the ability to use these tools is quite the same as command of the languages.
The other interesting thing that I would like to note is that my brother Eric actually put something interesting on his personal blog. In it he makes speculations about the faith convictions of American Idol contestants. Make sure to read all the way to the end, or you may end up a little upset.
I have only one major problem with it. He says, “If someone were doing an analysis of ‘which internet marketers are Christian’, my profile would likely read like one of the ones I’ve written above: looks like a Christian but his intentions for marketing seem questionable…”
Undoubtedly that should actually read, “If someone were doing an analysis of ‘which internet marketers are Christian’, my profile would likely read like one of the ones I’ve written above: looks like a Christian but his intentions for marketing seem questionable because of his cutthroat tactics and badass style…”
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4 Responses to “Two interesting things!”
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Cousin Dave--better known as ZAK's dad says:
March 6th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
I am in favor of any blogging entry which uses the phrases “the actual word was apokalupsis,” “even seminaries are passing this stuff out now,” and “badass style” all in blindingly rapid succession. In the future, I’d also like to see a “damn the torpedoes–full speed ahead!” or “boil some water, and lots of it” just to round it out.
How about that danged handsome second nephew of yours? On the one hand, he has his uncle Daryl’s innate curiosity, but he does not have the child bearing Holmlund hips? What up?
Daryl says:
March 6th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
I wasn’t sure about using a word like “badass” on my site, especially because I’m trying to quit swearing - not that I swear a lot and very very little out loud, but under my breath or if I’m by myself - I tend to hurt myself a lot, or if I’m frustrated, I sometimes let out an “S-word” or six. Lets see if anyone reads this comment.
Mike says:
March 6th, 2006 at 11:16 pm
Oh i just read this comment. Just thought i would let you know. Also, Dave your muses about the kind of bloggs you like is quite comical, and it is true that last entry was filled with lots of phrases of higher education…or something anyway.
Carrie says:
March 12th, 2006 at 3:51 am
I have been missing out on your blog for the last two weeks as my job has actually been keeping me busy, slammed if you will. hmmm, i have been missing some good stuff and chances for an education. way to think about your vulgur language, in forementioned job there are lots of things that occur to cause such comments to come out from me too.