Word Study Reprise
It’s very easy to go astray with word studies when one doesn’t know the languages in question. Since I had a recent request for this material, I want to provide the links to my previous series (from early 2007) on word studies, dangers, and methods.
- Word Study Dangers: Overview
- Word Study Dangers: The Process
- Word Study Dangers: Glosses and Definitions
- Word Study Dangers: Your Dependence on Scholars
- From Word to Study
- A Simple and Legitimate Use for a Concordance Indexed to the Biblical Languages (This post is much later, but related)
I hope these posts are helpful to those who are trying to get a peak at the Biblical languages. Even better, set out to learn them!
Yes – all these are dangers – and we recognize them when we have fallen into them. (Not when others think we have fallen into them). One has to go for the jugular and start and continue and persist and correct and learn and absorb that utterly foreign idiom – learning as you go. And with the Wind behind you the task is not impossible. From some things that is the only Protection. Mind you – I really like it when people engage with a translation and dare to suggest a question or a criticism. That too is Help.
You are quite right on all those points. I encountered the problem in a face-to-face conversation with someone. I was afraid that I was going to scare her away from doing word studies rather than provide cautions.
Just because you might make mistakes, or even are practically certain to do so, doesn’t mean the activity is not of value.