We as a people contend for a thorough study of the Holy Scriptures. We make little pretense at being scientists, or philologists, or philosophers; but we do profess to study the Holy Scriptures. If we have anything to recommend us in the field of research, it is our Biblical exegesis. Prophecy comes within our special field of study, and interpretation. All New Testament doctrines appeal to our ministry and receive serious attention. We are concerned in the field of archeology and excavations in establishing Biblical history and prophetic statements.
In our chosen field we need careful Biblical-language preparation for deeper study and research. The Scriptures were not written in any of the spoken languages of today. The Old Testament was written largely in Hebrew, with a limited amount of Aramaic; and the New Testament was written in Hellenistic Greek. Aramaic was the ancient spoken language of Syria, and after the captivity it largely supplanted the Hebrew as the spoken language in Palestine. As the Jews had intercourse with Syria and other neighbors speaking the Aramaic, it would be only natural that they should become familiar with the language.
Alexander the Great defeated the Persian forces in battle in the fourth century before Christ. In 331 B.C., he is said to have marched his army against Jerusalem because the Jews refused to transfer their allegiance from the Persians to him. The conquering hero from Macedonia treated the Jews with respect, and when he had built the city of Alexandria in Egypt, he invited the Jews and Greeks to settle there, granting the Jews many privileges and immunities. The Greek language then rapidly became the spoken language of the colonies planted by Alexander in various countries. "Greek literature and intelligence spread over the East, and the Greek language became almost universal."
Alexandria exercised a great influence over Judaism. Under the Ptolemies, the Egyptian rulers granted to the Jews the privilege of building synagogues in their settlements in the lands where they were transported, thus spreading their religious influence among the peoples where they were colonized. When the Greek language became the language of the scattered Jews, naturally they demanded a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into the vernacular which they spoke. Thus was brought about the Septuagint, the translation of the Old Testament Scriptures from the Hebrew into Greek. This Septuagint rapidly came into general use among the Jews in the colonies outside Palestine, and also largely supplanted the Hebrew text in Palestine.
Today those who do not read Greek or Hebrew have the privilege of reading numerous translations made by scholarly men, who tried to express the thought of the original text in the best English they were capable of using. These various translations, agreeing with each other in many ways, give us a knowledge of how different shades of meaning can be derived from the same original text. It is very important, therefore, that he who would be a scholarly expositor of the Bible should be able to read the originals for himself. On this point, Philip Schaff in his "Theological Propaedeutic" says:
"Every branch of theology rests on a secular science ; as theological seminaries rest on colleges, and colleges on academies, and academies on elementary schools. The necessary preparation for exegesis is Biblical philology; that is, the knowledge of the original languages of the Bible,—the Hebrew of the Old, and the Greek of the New Testament.
"By means of translations it is possible to get an intimate knowledge of the Bible sufficient for practical purposes. It would indeed be disastrous for the great mass of mankind if they had to study Greek and Hebrew before they could understand the Sacred Volume which teaches them the way of life and salvation.
"But without' the knowledge of the original we would have no translation at all. And ,there is a difference between a popular or practical, and a tion. For the latter, some acquaintance 'with the critical or theological understanding and interpretaoriginal is indispensable. It is a general characteristic of scientific operation to go to the source, to the prime fountain and principle.
"Moreover, we have no faultless translations of the Bible. God has made no provision for inspired and infallible translators any more than for infallible commentators, preachers, and printers. The best translations admit of constant improvement as the language changes and as the knowledge of the original advances.
"Even if we had a perfect translation, it could never be an equivalent for the original, The best translation, is only a copy and an imitation. It is an inestimable' privilege to stUdy the Bible face to face as it came from the" hands of its inspired authors, and, to drink the water of life as it gushes-fresh from the primitive rock. Zwingli said that he learned the Greek language that he might draw the doctrine of Christ from the fountain Cut ex fontibus doctrinam Christi haurire possem'). Without this knowledge he could not have become a Reformer.
"The study or neglect of the original languages of the Scripture is inseparably 'connected with the prosperity or decay of religion and pure doctrine. The period of the fathers, when the Greek was still a living tongue, was very fruitful in exegetical learning, and the most useful of the fathers were those who studied the Bible most carefully (Origen, Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine). In the Middle Ages the knowledge of Greek and Hebrew almost disappeared from the Latin Church ; the study of the Bible was sadly neglected, and all sorts of unscriptural traditions were accumulated, and obscured the Christian faith. The Revival of Letters in the s th and 16th centuries by Agricola, Reuchlin, Erasmus, Melanchthon, and others, was a very important preparation for the revival of primitive Christianity. The Reformers were good Greek and Hebrew scholars, and rank among the best translators and commentators of all ages.
"It must, of course, not be supposed that a knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, however profound, is of itself sufficient to make a theologian. A poor philologist may be a profound divine, while a master in the languages may be a rationalist or an unbeliever. All depends at last on the proper spirit. Without faith it is impossible to understand the spiritual depths of the Bible."—Pages 101, 102.
Some who do not read the Scriptures in the original may possibly be better preachers or writers than some who read Greek and Hebrew. They may be expository in their preaching; but they will never be the authoritative Bible interpreters that they might have been had they mastered the languages in which the Bible was written. A limited knowledge of a language often tempts men to flourish their learning in the face of the public, but one who has mastered these ancient languages and is an authority on the meaning of words usually has a humble opinion of his ability.
Our Theological Seminary offers courses in these Biblical languages to those who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity. We are anxious that not a few of our college graduates take this advanced work in Hebrew and Greek, that we may have men who will be well trained and qualified as efficient Bible expositors. We need such men to amplify and defend the great truths committed to us to be given to the world. Seventh-day Adventists should be leaders in Biblical exegesis. It takes time to qualify to do this kind of critical work ; but it will pay well for our ministry to prepare to become qualified, capable expositors of the Holy Scriptures. Our Theological Seminary is ready at all times to help students to qualify for thorough work in Biblical exegesis.
