New Testament / Koine Greek, 1st year, Lecture #4: Basics of Biblical Greek, Mounce, Chapters 8-9

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Lecture #4 in New Testament or Koine Greek; first year Greek at a college or seminary level taught by independent Baptist professor Thomas Ross.

Learn more about the class at:

https://faithsaves.net/Greek-courses/

Bill Mounce's Basics of Biblical Greek (BBG) chapters 8-9 are reviewed, the chapters entitled "Prepositions and eimi," and "Adjectives." Greek prepositions are introduced, as are dependent clauses. The most common Greek verb, eimi, "to be," is introduced. Adjectives can either be modify a noun (attributive), assert something about an noun (predicate), or stand in the place of a noun (substantival). Students learn about the first, second, and third attributive positions, as well as the first and second predicate positions for adjectives. Anarthrous and arthrous adjectives are examined, as are the use of adjectives in prepositional phrases. The exegetical significance of the Greek article is briefly touched upon.

The forms of εἰμί are:

1st sg εἰμί I am
2nd sg εἶ Thou / (You singular) art
3rd sg ἐστίν He/she/it is
1st pl ἐσμέν We are
2nd pl ἐστέ Ye (You plural) are
3rd pl εἰσίν They are

The past tense form of ἐστί(ν) is ἦν, “he/she/it was.”

The word following a preposition is the object of the preposition. Together, a preposition and its object and modifiers form a prepositional phrase. The meaning of a preposition is determined by the case of its object. Students should memorize prepositions with the case(s) of their objects, instead of using key words to determine the meaning of prepositional phrases. The article is often omitted from Greek prepositional phrases, but it can be supplied based on context.

The adjective paradigm, based on the adjective agathos, "good," is as follows:

2 1 2
masc fem neut
nom sg ἀγαθός ἀγαθή ἀγαθόν
gen sg ἀγαθοῦ ἀγαθῆς ἀγαθοῦ
dat sg ἀγαθῷ ἀγαθῇ ἀγαθῷ
acc sg ἀγαθόν ἀγαθήν ἀγαθόν
nom pl ἀγαθοί ἀγαθαί ἀγαθά
gen pl ἀγαθῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀγαθῶν
dat pl ἀγαθοῖς ἀγαθαῖς ἀγαθοῖς
acc pl ἀγαθούς ἀγαθάς ἀγαθά

As mentioned earlier, adjectives can function as an attributive, a substantive, or a predicate. When the article precedes the adjective and the adjective modifies another word, then it is an attributive adjective. The adjective agrees with the noun it modifies in case, number, and gender. If the article precedes the adjective and the adjective does not modify another word, then it is a substantival adjective. The case of this adjective is determined by its function, its gender and number by what it stands for. If an anarthrous adjective occurs with an articular noun, the adjective is a predicate and you may need to supply the verb “is.” When no article appears before either the adjective or the word it is modifying, context must determine whether an adjective is attributive or substantival. A prepositional phrase preceded by an article can be an attributive modifier or a substantive. Adjectives classified as "2-2" have the same form in the masculine and feminine, following the second declension. The neuter of such adjective is likewise second declension. Singular verbs can be used when a subject is neuter plural and viewed as a whole.

The FaithSaves website's section on college courses contains course syllabi, handouts, and other important material for taking this course.

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