Why do (most) Christians not learn ancient Greek?

Question

Jews learn Hebrew to better understand the original form of the Torah, so why not Christians and the New Testament? Language changes perspective.

Answer 1

Friend - Why does no one learn ancient Greek? And BTW, I have many Jewish friends who do not know anything about Hebrew language. GBU

Answer 2

Greek is a very complicated language to learn for most people. (I took 4 semesters of it in college. One of the hardest series of classes I ever took. But fun.) It also has a foreign alphabet.

I think it's highly unlikely that all religious Jews learn Hebrew, or at least enough ancient Hebrew to read the Torah. Not all Christians learn Greek in the same way that not all Muslims know Arabic, not all Hindus know Sanskrit, etc., etc. Not everyone has the leisure time or the aptitude to be a language scholar.

Answer 3

It's beneficial for all Christians to at least have a general understanding of the original languages of Scripture if only to gain the full meaning of the text. However, I believe that the basic and necessary tenets of the Bible are clearly stated in any language in which it is translated. Language should convey meaning, not originate it.

Answer 4

We have reliable English translations which also have word studies and Greek-English dictionaries which help with getting meaning.
I agree however, that nothing replaces the original language and text. However, in the case of the scriptures, the original autographs are long gone and we have to rely on later copies. I believe that God has protected His word and overshadowed the translations which we now have.

Answer 5

I took Greek and Latin in seminary. Never had to take Hebrew (thanks be to God!) - it looks really tough with that right-to-left style.

But a basic knowledge of Greek can really help open up the Scriptures. Especially on tricky passages....you can go to the original and parse and conjugate and really dig into the words used.

Words have meaning. Meanings and definitions sometimes change. It's always best to be able to go back to the Greek texts!

Answer 6

The Bible has been translated in its original content to our languages today. We would better understand a language that we have read and spoken all our lives. Also, God gives us clarity. You see God, Jesus and Christianity is by the spirit and not by the fleshly understanding. You are comparing apples and oranges. Your next door neighbor went to college and learned how to speak Spanish because it is fast growing, why didn't you?

Answer 7

There aren't many places to learn for one. Most people who go to pastor school study it a bit. My pastor shares the original words sometimes in his sermons. Also, we have Strong's concordance to use. We can look up a verse and click the numbered links to see the original words used and their full definitions. This is often used for deep study of scripture.

Answer 8

You are right.

That is one reason I use the Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, The Emphatic Diaglott, and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, to help me get a fuller richer meaning based upon the original texts.

Answer 9

I don't feel the need to learn ancient Greek. I spend most my time trying to study and learn both old and new testaments of the holy bible.

Answer 10

Hebrew was the natural language of the Jews.

English is crazy enough to learn, if I had time, I would want to learn Greek.
Not enough time on my plate.