Is it Necessary to Know the Biblical Languages?
I previously answered this question for myself here, but there’s a good and gracious answer today from Brian Fulthorp.
I would repeatedly emphasize that there are many advantages to knowing Biblical languages. There are some areas and methods of study that really are closed to you if you don’t know the languages. Having said that, we have such wonderful tools for study in English that you do have many ways in which you can study seriously without learning the source languages.
I think it is important to keep an open mind. Anyone can benefit from learning anything at all. Everything life relates in someway, and everything must be accounted for.
-Brandon
Studyorfail.com
A key question is necessary for what? Knowing a language is only part of the equation. More crucial in my opinion is having a sound hermeneutic and interpretive methodology.
Thanks for the link Henry. I just want to be sure we don’t make others feel bad or somehow less Christian if they don’t know NT Greek or Biblical Hebrew. All we can do is encourage people.