Fruits of our Labor

I have been encouraged and challenged in my study of the biblical languages and I thought I'd pass said encouragement around.

For an upcoming class, I've been reading a doctoral dissertation by Richard M. Davidson entitled Typology In Scripture: A study of hermeneutical "typos" structures (in the Andrews University Seminary Doctoral Dissertation Series). It is very helpful -- slowly walking through each hermeneutical use of typology by the NT authors, which happen to be some of the most difficult and consequential passages in Scripture.

While the book could be understood without access to Greek by a persistent reader, many of his supporting arguments would be lost without a minimal knowledge. Also, a critical reading of his findings would be very difficult, forcing the reader to agree with the author only for lack of adequate faculties with which to engage the argument. Overall, the book would not be as helpful to the one without any language experience.

We are blessed to have access to a wealth of good English translations, commentaries, studies, and other resources which do not require a knowledge of the original languages. I am so thankful for scholars who are committed to serving the church within its language context. But we are also blessed to have access to many more resources which do require such knowledge, like Davidson's Typology in Scripture. In just a few semesters of Greek completed by an average student, I have found opportunity to be thankful for these scholars as well. I expect greater opportunities with further study.

Such blessings are not available to every gospel minister. All the more reason to avail myself of them while I can.