It is one purpose of the study of New Testament Greek as conducted
by the Dean of the Department of Greek and the New Testament in the
Chautauqua School of Theology, to acquaint students with the best
methods for obtaining an elementary knowledge of grammatical and
philological principles lying at the basis of Bible Greek.
It is another purpose to acquaint students with the best methods of
using the tools needed to mine the treasures of Greek ideas which are
not always near the surface of things.
The supreme purpose of this course of study is to enable students
to read for themselves the very _words_ which the blessed Master
and his Apostles uttered, and to so enter into the mysteries of the
language-forms and idioms as to behold the very _ideas_ which Christ
and his Apostles had before their mental eyes.
He who attempts this is fascinated from the start with the
anticipations of discovery and with the comforts of expected reward
for every toil of endeavor. And, as he advances, whatever difficulties
present themselves, appear only as the stepping-stones upon which he
may plant his ascending footsteps, and from whose loftier elevations he
may scan a wider scope of beauty.
Surely—if there are hidden secrets of divine truth phrased in the
metaphor or in the thought tone of the Bible Greek, the student can
afford to tightly gird his loins for the journey;—it shall prove to him
indeed the “Quest of the Holy Grail.”