Maranatha Baptist University Jonathan Rehfeldt

Watertown, WI Jonathan.Rehfeldt@mbu.edu
Fall 2020
BIGK 109/GNT 503 Greek Grammar Online Syllabus

Course Description
A 2-credit introductory course in the Greek New Testament which includes the study of basic vocabulary, word
forms, and sentence structure.

Course Goals:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
• Use the better New Testament commentaries which assume a basic knowledge of Greek.
• Analyze the differences between the Greek and English languages and thereby understand both better.
• Appreciate Greek grammar, which plays a significant role in the formation of right theology, which is the
foundation of right worship.
• Begin advanced studies in New Testament Greek.

Learning Objectives
• Memorize the basic meanings of every word occurring in the New Testament 50 times or more. By the end
of this eight week course, nearly 40% of this objective will be met.
• Recognize and understand the basic functions of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns in the Greek New
Testament and show relative mastery of parsing and translation on homework, quizzes, and in our live class.

Required Textbooks
1. Mounce, William D. Basics of Biblical Greek. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
2. ________. Basics of Biblical Greek: Workbook. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

Recommended Textbooks
1. Mounce, William D. Basics of Biblical Greek Video Lectures. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
2. Each student may use a Reader’s Greek New Testament for this course (the best is probably Aland, Kurt,
et. al., eds. The UBS 5th Revised Greek New Testament: A Reader’s Edition. Stuttgart, Germany: United
Bible Societies, 2014), but recognize that the purchase of the UBS Greek NT with critical apparatus is
often required for advanced studies. I recommend a Reader’s for this course.
3. Bauer, Walter, et. al. (BADG). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. This is a heavy-duty and expensive resource, but
is a great investment for students interested in pursuing Greek further.
4. Some form of vocabulary flash cards. For students who have an iPad or iPhone/iPod, you may visit
https://www.brainscape.com/packs/420097/invitation?referrer=122341 to download my own free
edition of automated flashcards. Zondervan also has flash cards available, though for an expense.

Format of Class
Our class will be grouped into eight chunks of weeks (i.e., “Week 1,” Week 2,” etc.). Each week will generally be
composed of core assignments like chapter reading, watching the lecture videos, and taking practice quizzes and
regular quizzes. Sometimes I will also ask you to read an additional article or watch a video and then share your
thoughts via a discussion forum. We will have two tests and end with a final exam, which mainly covers material
cogent to the present session. The breakdown for the grading is as follows:

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Video Lectures and
Chapter Reading 10%
Workbook Assignments and
Practice Quizzes 10%
Discussion Forums 10%
Synchronous Sessions 15%
Quizzes 15%
Tests 20%
Final 20%

Course Assignments
1. Video Lectures and Reading. These are listed together because the lectures usually cover the reading
material. You must keep up with the lectures and BBG (Basics of Biblical Greek) reading schedule as
they appear on our calendar.
2. Workbook. Each of you must purchase the BBG workbook by Bill Mounce and keep up with the course
calendar. The exercises correspond to the video lectures and chapter reading. You must scan or take a
clear picture of all workbook assignments and upload the files to the corresponding assignment on the
Coursework page. I will grade these mainly according to the effort which I perceive you put forth. You
do not need to spend over one hour on any one assignment to receive full credit. You may also use the
online answer key, but may not refer to this before spending one solid hour on each assignment.
3. Practice Quizzes. These will follow the basic format of quizzes but count as a homework grade, which is
a little less than an actual quiz grade. All of these are open-book, and will not usually include
vocabulary. They will help you prepare for quizzes and tests.
4. Synchronous Sessions. Cumulative learning is essential in acquiring a new language. You must keep up!
Besides completing each assignment thoughtfully and on time, you must attend the majority of our
schedules sessions, in which we’ll parse new words and translate new sentences. Video and
microphone are not required for these sessions but are preferred. Grading will follow this rubric:
• Attendance to all sessions: 100% (total sync session grade).
• Attendance to majority and summary of missed: 75% (total sync session grade).
• Attendance to none and summary of all: 50% (total sync session grade).
5. Quizzes. For every chapter of our textbook, we will generally take one grammar quiz and one
vocabulary one. Vocabulary quizzes are always cumulative. All of these are closed-book.
6. Discussion Forums. Our class discussions are often motivational (i.e., answering the question “why is
Greek important?”), but they are also important for a thorough synthesis of each week’s information.
There will be one forum every other week. Each student is encouraged to participate promptly and
substantively. Initial posts are worth 8 points, and responses are worth 4. Unless stated otherwise,
students are expected to respond to at least 1 other student. See the rubric below.
7. Tests. We will have 1 or 2 tests which will cover the grammar and vocabulary covered in the respective
chapters of our textbook. Questions derived from discussion forums may also appear on these.
8. Final. We will have one online final at the end of this course. You will be able to access past practice
quizzes, quizzes and tests which will help you study for this. I may provide additional study help up to a
week before the exam. You must find and use a credible proctor to administer this exam. Appropriate
proctors include professional educators, superintendents, principals, teachers, counselors, community
librarians, professional employees of colleges or universities, or church staff.
9. Late Work. Late work is penalized 3% per day it is late; work submitted two weeks after the due date
will not be accepted. Only under unusual, pressing circumstances should any work be late. Late

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 discussion forum posts and finals will not be accepted. I reserve the right to adjust this rule depending
on the situation. Please contact me with any questions.

My Role as Facilitator
Because I live in Uruguay, it is best to reach me by email at Jonathan.Rehfeldt@mbu.edu. Unless an assessment
is automatically graded, I will grade each quiz, test, or discussion forum by the beginning of the following week.
I will stay tuned to each discussion forum making occasional posts.

Grading
A 94.0-100 C+ 79.0-81.9 D- 64.0-66.9
A- 91.0-93.9 C 76.0-78.9 F Below 64.0
B+ 88.0-90.9 C- 73.0-75.9
B 85.0-87.9 D+ 70.0-72.9
B- 82.0-84.9 D 67.0-69.9

Extra Credit
You may choose to read and critique an article, book chapter, or online article from the bibliography which is not
covered in class. You may draw your observations and arguments from Scripture, theology, history, and logic.
These will be due October 15. You may be rewarded up to 2% extra credit for a 3-4 page, double-spaced critique
which well employs the above disciplines.

Plagiarism
Copying the work of others (web articles, other writers, other students, etc.) and claiming it as your own is
plagiarism and will not be tolerated. For more information about MBBC’s policy on cheating and plagiarism,
please read this excerpt from the Student Life Handbook.

Netiquette
Netiquette refers to the standards of behavior for online communication.
• All communication in discussion forums and through email should be respectful and professional.
• If someone asks you a question in a discussion forum, take the time to respond.
• If a coursemate or the instructor sends you an email, acknowledge that you received it by responding
with a quick email.

Technology
• Firefox seems to be the most stable browser to use with our eRacer courses. Please download and use
Firefox for all work in this eRacer course. You can download firefox at www.mozilla.org/en-
US/firefox/fx/.
• Always type and save your forum posts into a Word document before posting them in class. This allows
you to save all of your work in case of technology failure and for future reference.
• Feel free to call or email me if you feel you get “stuck.”

Academic Success Center. One source for academic help in any course is the Academic Success Center. If you
require specific targeted academic help for any reason contact the Academic Success Center located in the
Cedarholm Library. If you would like more information regarding targeted academic help, please contact the
Academic Success Center director at academicsuccess@mbu.edu.

ADA Policy. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides
comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, the law requires that all
students with disabilities be given a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their

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disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Academic
Success Program Director, in the Library, (ph. 920/206-2340) or email academicsuccess@mbu.edu .

Library Services
The Cedarholm Library is committed to providing services to distance education students that are equivalent to
residential students. Read about the library services that are available to you through Cedarholm Library. You
can search the library resources by clicking on the Library link found under Quick Links on the sidebar in
MyMaranatha.

ProctorU
ProctorU is a service that offers online exam proctoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a webcam and high
speed internet. Test takers are connected to a real person who will watch and listen while the test is in
progress. You can learn more about how ProctorU works here. This is an option for students who are unable to
locate an approved proctor or who appreciate the scheduling flexibility the service offers. Please let me know if
you choose this option at least a week in advance of the final.

Rubric for Discussion Forums:

Very
Discussion Forum Rubric Excellent Good Acceptable Poor
Good
Initial response demonstrates a
thorough understanding of the
5 4 3 2 1 0
question posed by the teacher
and/or of the required reading.
Response to other students shows
evidence of critical thinking and
contributes to a deeper
3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0
understanding of the specific topic
using Scripture, theology, history,
reason, or linguistics.
1 (1-
1.5 .5 (more
2
Posted by the due date 2 (hours than 2 0
days
late) days late)
late)
Meets required word length (135
2 1.5 1 .5 0
words).
Total Score out of 12 =

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 Bibliography

Books

Aland, Kurt, et. al., eds. The UBS Greek New Testament: A Reader’s edition (paperback). Stuttgart, Germany:
United Bible Societies, 2009.

Bauer, Walter, et. al. (BADG). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001.

Beale, G.K., et. al., eds. An Interpretive Lexicon of New Testament Greek. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014.

Black, David A. New Testament Textual Criticism: A Concise Guide. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994.

____________. Using New Testament Greek in Ministry: A Practical Guide for Students and Pastors. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1993.

Campbell, Constantine. Basics of Verbal Aspect in Biblical Greek. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.

Caragounis, Chrys. The Development of Greek and the New Testament: Morphology, Syntax, Phonology, and
Textual Transmission. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006.

Carson, D.A. Exegetical Fallacies. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984.

Comfort, Philip, and David Barrett, eds. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1999.

Decker, Rodney. Koine Greek Reader: Selections from the New Testament, Septuagint, and Early Christian
Writers. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2007.

Fee, Gordon D. New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors. Philadelphia:
The Westminster Press, 1983.

Harrisville, Roy A., and Walter Sundberg. The Bible in Modern Culture: Theology and Historical- Critical Method
from Spinoza to Kasemann. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.

Huffman, Douglas. The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek: Grammar, Syntax, and Diagramming. Kregel,
2012.

Lamerson, Samuel. English Grammar to Ace New Testament Greek. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.

Omanson, Roger, Bruce Metzger and Bruce Manning. A Textual Guide to the Greek New Testament. Stuttgart:
gw Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2006.

Metzger, Bruce. Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998.

____________. The Bible in Translation: Ancient and English Versions. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001.

____________. The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1987.

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_____________, and Bruce Manning. The New Testament: Its Background, Growth, and Content.
Nashville: Abingdon, 1965.

Moule, C.F.D. An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek. New York: Cambridge, 1959.

____________. The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1987.

_____________, and Bruce Manning. The New Testament: Its Background, Growth, and Content.
Nashville: Abingdon, 1965.

Mounce, William. Biblical Greek: A Compact Guide. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.

Piper, John. “Brothers, Bitzer was a Banker.” In Brothers, We Are Not Professionals. Nashville: Broadman and
Holman, 2002.

Robertson, A.T. The Minister and His Greek New Testament. Nashville: Broadman, 1977.

Silva, Moises. Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semantics.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.

Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.

Wigram, George V. The New Englishman’s Greek Concordance. LaFayette, IN: Associated
Publishers & Authors, 1976.

Articles

Burer, Michael. “The Place of Greek and Hebrew in a Minister’s Education.” Conservative Theological Journal
1:2 (August 1997). Available in Theological Journal Online.

Porter, Stanley. “Did Jesus Ever Teach in Greek?” Tyndale Bulletin 44:2 (1993). Available in Theological Journal
Online.

“The SBJT Forum: Profiles of Expository Preaching” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 3:2 (Summer 1999): 86-
89. http://www.galaxie.com/article.php?article_id=13901

Thiessen, Henry. “Should New Testament Greek Be “Required” in Our Ministerial Training Courses?”
Bibliotheca Sacra 91:361 (January 1934): 34-45.

Wakefield, Andrew. “A Word About…Bible Study Software.” Review and Expositor 104:1 (Winter 2007): 19-26.

Woudstra, Martin. “Theological Influence on Translation.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 10:2
(Spring 1967).

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Software

Accordance Bible Software. www.accordancebible.com. Made specifically for a Mac, this program is like
Bibleworks (made for a PC) in that it specializes in original language research. It is slightly more
expensive than Bibleworks.

Logos Bible Software. www.logos.com. Logos is the most comprehensive Bible study tool available. It can
perform word, topic, and scripture searches through Bibles and thousands of books, available for
purchase on their website.

Other

Berding, Kenneth. Sing and Learn New Testament Greek. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.

Decker, Rodney. New Testament Resources Webpage: http://ntresources.com/blog/?page_id=2466.

Mounce, William. Basics of Biblical Greek: Vocabulary Cards. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.

Wallace, Daniel. www.danielbwallace.com. Wallace is the Greek professor at Dallas Theological

Seminary.