Benjamin L. Merkle - Greek for Life: Strategies for Learning, Retaining, and Reviving New Testament Greek

We want you to love the Greek New Testament. We want you to read, study, and enjoy the Greek New Testament for the duration of your ministry. We want you to look back at the end of your life and say, I was faithful with the knowledge and training the Lord gave me.

Both authors of this book have been teaching Greek for nearly twenty years. During that time, we have seen many students begin to use Greek effectively, only to see their skills slowly erode after graduation from college or seminary. This book is one of our efforts to arrest such linguistic apostasy before it takes place.

We wrote this book with several potential readers in mind:

1. If you are a seminary or college student , we hope to inspire you with many quotes and devotionals in this book, as well as equip you with the best study skills and lifetime habits to make reading the Greek New Testament a regular part of your life.
2. If you are a teacher of Greek , we hope this book provides ideas to incorporate into your classes. Perhaps you will consider using this book as a supplementary textbook for your Greek courses.
3. If you are a pastor or Christian leader who is using Greek in ministry, we want this book to encourage and sharpen you.
4. If you are a lost Greek lamb who has wandered from the fold, we are looking for you! If you are reading this sentence, we have found you! After reading this preface, you might consider turning directly to chapter 8, How to Get It Back. It is never too late to return to the Greek New Testament.

Regardless of your background, this book includes elements to both instruct and inspire you. Also, within each chapter you will find many sidebars with inspiring quotes about studying Greek or devotional insights from the Greek New Testament. Just as a chef-in-training is encouraged to keep laboring in the kitchen when he tastes the delicacies produced by chefs who have completed their training, we hope these insights will nourish your mind and spirit.

Below is a brief description of each chapter. Chapters 1 and 35 were written by Ben. The other chapters were written by Rob.

Chapter 1: Keep the End in Sight . This chapter shows you why knowing Greek matters in the life and ministry of future church leaders. If your goal is to be a better interpreter and teacher of Gods Word, then the goal should be to master Greek.

Chapter 2: Go to the Ant, You Sluggard . This chapter helps you think about laziness, diligence, distractions, and time managementspecifically as they apply to Greek.

Chapter 3: Review, Review, Review . This chapter stresses the value and importance of reviewing vocabulary and paradigms. It will give you the proper strategy for studying Greek most effectively.

Chapter 4: Use Your Memory Effectively . This chapter demonstrates that anyone can memorize information by using the proper methods and offers several methods for memorizing Greek effectively.

Chapter 5: Use Greek Daily . This chapter suggests ways to use Greek in your personal devotions and in Scripture memorization to improve your knowledge of the Bible and of Greek.

Chapter 6: Use Resources Wisely . This chapter discusses resources (including smartphone apps, websites, and software) that can aid your study of the Greek New Testament, and it suggests strategies for using these resources effectively.

Chapter 7: Dont Waste Your Breaks . This chapter provides strategies to help you avoid losing your Greek skills over summer and winter breaks and suggests methods and resources to help you maintain your Greek.

Chapter 8: How to Get It Bac k. This chapter offers practical ways to resurrect your Greek if you have neglected it for a while.

At the end of each chapter, you will find a devotional reflection from the Greek New Testament. We hope these brief meditations will whet your appetite for a devotional life spent in the Greek text. We also want to keep before you the ultimate goal of your Greek studyto know and love the Triune God and to love people who are made in his image.

This book would not exist without the input of many people other than the two authors whose names appear on the cover. First, we give thanks to the Triune God, who graciously saved two sinners and then gave us the privilege of serving him. Second, we thank our teachers, colleagues, and students. The best ideas in this book are the fruit of communal learning and reflection. Third, we thank Jim Kinney, Bryan Dyer, and others at Baker who believed in this book and helped bring it to fruition. Fourth, we thank various friends or publishers who allowed their work to be quoted or featured within: William Mounce, William Varner, Todd Scacewater, Justin Taylor, and B&H Academic. Fifth, we are grateful for various friends, research assistants, and secretaries who shared historical quotes, transcribed Daily Dose of Greek weekend editions, searched for citations, and carefully proofread the manuscript: Tom Lyon, James Sharkey, Jeremy Hetrick, Brian Dicks, Zach Carter, and Billie Goodenough.