Note: This course is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30-2:20 pm. Location TBA.
Please direct inquiries to hka(at)duke.edu.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This reading course aims at the steady development of facility with Greek grammar useful for the exegesis of the Greek New Testament. Building on the paradigm-centered instruction students will have received in introductory grammar courses, our course will take a text-centered approach to learning Greek. As such, classroom time will be spent reading selections from Greek texts of interest to the instructor and to the students. While exegetical questions will be raised by our reading and discussed with brevity, the chief goal of each class period will be simply to read and comprehend as much as we can in our allotted time. Brief introductions to the texts covered as well as to pertinent grammatical features will be offered by the instructor in an attempt both to connect this course to the broader Greek curriculum and to provide students with additional tools for their future study.

A variety of materials will be covered during the spring semester of 2009, some chosen by the instructor and others chosen on the basis of student interest. We definitely will read the entirety of the Testament of Abraham (recension A) as well as extended sections of the Wisdom of Solomon (beginning with the tenth chapter); both are rich texts, each with a distinctive linguistic flavor. The former poetry and the latter prose, these readings will alert us to particular challenges that each genre presents the translator. The Testament of Abraham describes the death of Abraham, negotiated through a drawn out process between God, Abraham, and a hesitant go-between, the archangel Michael. The Wisdom of Solomon is a true gem among ancient Jewish writings, combining poetic elegance and theological nuance, it includes an extended speech in the character of King Solomon and a lengthy re-narration of Israel's history organized around the work of the personified figure of Wisdom. These two texts are the furthest thing from boring. They are engaging, subtle, and even witty. Consider the following exchange between God and his commander-in-chief, the archangel Michael, drawn from the Testament of Abraham (rec. A, 4:7-10a, tr. HKA):

And the Lord said, “Go down, Commander-in-chief Michael, to my friend Abraham, and do whatever he tells you. And whatever he eats, eat along with him. And I will send my holy spirit upon his son, Isaac, and I will cast the remembrance of his death into Isaac's heart, so that even he should behold the death of his father in a dream. And Isaac will relate the dream, and you will interpret it, and he [Abraham] will know his end. And the Commander-in-chief said, "Lord, all the heavenly spirits are bodiless and neither eat nor drink. And this one [Abraham] has generously set before me a table of all things earthly and corruptible. And now, Lord, what shall I do?! How will I avoid his notice, sitting at a single table with him?!" The Lord said, "Go down to him and do not let this concern you, for when you sit with him I will send upon you a voracious spirit, and it will consume from your hands and through your mouth all that is on the table.

The author of the Testament of Abraham clearly had a sense of humor; so too should students of Hellenistic Greek. If one enjoys a language one learns it better; as such, this text--at times laugh out loud funny--will serve as an entry point into our study. To give a better sense of the rhythm of the second text I have selected, Wisdom of Solomon, I have posted here a selection of my working translation, developed in conversations held in NT 2A (fall 2008).

WHY ENROLL IN NT 2B?

By making the Greek Reading courses (NT 2A/2B) available free of charge, the Divinity School offers its students golden opportunities to solidify their Greek and put it to work in the study of the New Testament and relevant Jewish texts. The potential of the courses is great. Imagine the following scenario: An M.Div. student, arriving three years ago with a basic command of Greek from previous undergraduate work, commits to taking NT 2A and 2B whenever offered during her Duke tenure. This student, given the achievements of past classes, would have read the following texts in Greek:

Gospel of Mark (spring 2008); selections from Matthew, Luke, Acts, and John (fall 2006); 1 Corinthians (fall 2007); 2 Corinthians (summer 2007); Colossians (fall 2006); Ephesians (spring 2007); 1 Thessalonians (fall 2006); 2 Thessalonians (spring 2007); 1 Peter (fall 2006); 2 Peter (spring 2007); Revelation (spring 2008); selections from 1 Maccabees (spring 2007); Wisdom of Solomon 1-9 (fall 2008), Bel and the Dragon (fall 2008), and Susanna (fall 2008); Testament of Abraham A, Philemon (spring 2009).

This is a considerable amount of guided Greek reading that offers a low-pressure avenue for the development of facility with the language. Given that such a student would have likely enrolled in at least one or two Greek exegesis courses, it is entirely possible that she would have completed her degree having read and discussed the grammar of the majority of the New Testament.

WHAT MATERIALS ARE REQUIRED?

1. Greek New Testament (for intermittent dips into the language of the NT) and a reference lexicon of your choice.
2. All other materials available from instructor.

Many will already have purchased a copy of the Greek New Testament; however, note that both Greek New Testaments and various lexica are available in the Divinity School library. Cost should never be a concern for prospective students. Students interested in purchasing their first copy of the Greek New Testament are encouraged to consider acquiring this text, although a number of editions will suffice. If you are unsure about a new purchase, please ask before placing your order!

WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM THE INSTRUCTOR?

The only real requirement is enthusiastic, engaged participation in the translation of the texts noted here. If you want to get a sense of the difficulty of the Greek of what we'll be covering, you can find the Greek text of the Testament of Abraham and the beginning of my reader's lexicon here. Take a shot; it's not that bad. A few other common-sense requests round out my personal requirements:

1. As our time together will be limited to two hours per week, it is important that we begin on time.
2. If you cannot make it to a given class meeting, please email me in advance.
3. Do as much as you can to prepare for each class session. The more we can read, the more fun and profitable our time becomes. Remember, your preparation allows everyone in the room to get more out of the course.

See also my Reader's Lexica for a description of my pedagogical methodology and examples of the resources I have developed for the instruction of Hellenistic Greek.