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NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 11:23 am
by ZackSkrip
I'm thinking about selling something expensive and using the proceeds to fill out my Greek library. I'm looking at starting a project that will require a few specialized resources and this would be a good time to do it!

What I Have

*Lexicons*
LSJ 9th
Lust (SBL 2vol)
Louw-Nida

*Grammars*
Mounce
Wallace
Porter
Smyth
Robertson
Funk
Moulton and Milligan

*Specialized*
Discourse Features of New Testament Greek - Levinsohn

What I might Buy

BDAG - $130
Kittel 10vol - $150 (delivered)
Runge - Discourse Grammar - ~$32

What do you think? Is Big Kittel worth it? I didn't really like the way little kittel was set up, transliterated and w/o any reference to extra-biblical material. Is there anything else that should be on there?

Thanks!

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 12:09 pm
by brethicks
Personally, I would definitely want BDAG. As far as Kittel, I personally prefer the New International Dictionary of the New Testament (edited by Colin Brown). I prefer it because it focuses more on the LXX and especially the NT rather than classical Greek usage (which I think is more pertinent for NT study), and I like the way they group the words more into domains rather than just by individual Greek words. Hope that helps.


In Christ,


Bret Hicks

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 12:20 pm
by Mark Lightman
Is there anything else that should be on there?
Hi, Zack. What's your project about? Does it require knowing Greek well? How good is your Greek? None of the resources you list will help you learn Ancient Greek. If your Greek is fairly good, I would say that you are good to go with what you've got. If not, let me know and I can recommend a few resources that will lead to fluency.

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 12:50 pm
by ZackSkrip
Thanks for the interest and follow up mark!

My Greek was pretty good, exegetically speaking. I've gotten a bit rusty, but I'm getting a reader's GNT and am going to focus on getting better with straight reading. I've been referencing grammars as I go. I have about 6 semesters of Greek, 2 at the M.A. level.

I'm working on a new set of Bible Studies for my church's small group program. I get to preach through various books of the bible, so while I do that, I'd like to put together lessons that will help the congregation study the text for themselves.

I also must note that I'm a bit on the geek-side, so while I know full-well that I could do this without those resources, I like to introduce the congregation to content from resources that aren't usually used in exposition. If I had the money to buy career-long resources, I wanted to do it now. With kids in the future (I hope) I'm not sure if I'll have the money later!

Looking forward to hearing if you all think I'm going overboard, or if Kittel isn't that useful, etc.

Thanks!

Zack Skrip

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 1:25 pm
by MAubrey
ZackSkrip wrote:I'm thinking about selling something expensive and using the proceeds to fill out my Greek library. I'm looking at starting a project that will require a few specialized resources and this would be a good time to do it!
It depends on what your project it.

In any case, in terms of reference works, I can make some general comments about what else it out there:
ZackSkrip wrote:*Lexicons*
LSJ 9th
Lust (SBL 2vol)
Louw-Nida
Muraoka's LXX Lexicon makes Lust look like barely a glossary. While it still cannot compare to BDAG, it is by far the best LXX lexicon there is and gives you useful entries for Koine Greek beyond both LSJ's Classical leanings and BDAG's (relatively) narrow corpus.
ZackSkrip wrote:*Grammars*
Mounce
Wallace
Porter
Smyth
Robertson
Funk
Moulton and Milligan
Moulton and Milligan is a lexicon. Do you mean Moulton-Howard-Turner? If so, only volumes one and two of that four volume set are really worth anything. Also, is Funk's his Beginning-Intermediate Grammar? Or is it Blass-DeBrunner-Funk?
ZackSkrip wrote:*Specialized*
Discourse Features of New Testament Greek - Levinsohn
You can probably put this in your grammars section.
ZackSkrip wrote:What I might Buy

BDAG - $130
Kittel 10vol - $150 (delivered)
Runge - Discourse Grammar - ~$32
Get BDAG and Runge ASAP.
ZackSkrip wrote:What do you think? Is Big Kittel worth it? I didn't really like the way little kittel was set up, transliterated and w/o any reference to extra-biblical material. Is there anything else that should be on there?
It Kittel is worth something? I'd say so. There's a lot of cultural and historical stuff in there that's collected in those volumes. It's definitely worth it to have the Logos Bible Software digital edition (not abridged--all 10 volumes), which is far more useful than the print edition.

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 2:19 pm
by ZackSkrip
Mike,

Thanks for your suggestions! You were right, I did mess up with Moulton-Milligan. And it's BDF, not Funk's other work. My goal, this project aside, is to know Greek as well as I can know it. I miss my days as a student under Kent Clarke over there at TWU!

I'm just starting to look into how Discourse Analysis impacts the study of the GNT. So it seems like Runge is the place to go.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I'm totally sold on BDAG and Runge. I just need to decide if Kittel is worth it.

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 3:15 pm
by Mark Lightman
Hi, again Zack,
My Greek was pretty good, exegetically speaking.
I think I understand this distinction.
I'm getting a reader's GNT...
Sweet. Reader's editions are one of the resources that lead to fluency, although I realize that you are not asking about that.
Looking forward to hearing if you all think I'm going overboard, or if Kittel isn't that useful, etc.
Going overboard in the pursuit of Greek resources is no vice.

My mother says that you should never buy anything, no matter how discounted it is, if you would not pay full price for it in another circumstance. Her argument is that you wind up with a lot of stuff that you might like, but that you don't need.

I would not pay full price for Kittel.

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 4:03 pm
by ZackSkrip
Mark Lightman wrote: My mother says that you should never buy anything, no matter how discounted it is, if you would not pay full price for it in another circumstance. Her argument is that you wind up with a lot of stuff that you might like, but that you don't need.

I would not pay full price for Kittel.
That is helpful. Thanks. I've heard good things about Brown (I know Mounce likes it). - Thanks Bret. I had already purchased BDAG once and then a college buddy "Borrowed" it. I'm not sure which buddy it was, they all deny it, but one semester it was in my Greek box, and the next it wasn't! I know BDAG is worth a second purchase though.

I would like to become fluent and not just be proficient in "BibleWorks Greek" (not that I still don't love BW). I figure that will come with reading, reading, and more reading. Eventually I'll take the plunge and buy Buth's program. That should help too.

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 4:42 pm
by Jonathan Robie
ZackSkrip wrote:Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I'm totally sold on BDAG and Runge. I just need to decide if Kittel is worth it.
I'd go with BDAG and Little Kittel first. There are libraries, after all, and you should spend some time with the Big Kittel in a library actually using it before you decide it's something you need.

Unless you are trying to insulate the walls. For that, the Big Kittel is excellent, even if you don't have time to absorb all it contains.

Re: NT Greek Resource Library - Additions?

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 4:48 pm
by Mark Lightman
I had already purchased BDAG once and then a college buddy "Borrowed" it. I'm not sure which buddy it was, they all deny it, but one semester it was in my Greek box, and the next it wasn't!
You might want to see if George Somsel has an alibi for that day. He is Βαυερμανής.
I would like to become fluent and not just be proficient in "BibleWorks Greek" (not that I still don't love BW). I figure that will come with reading, reading, and more reading. Eventually I'll take the plunge and buy Buth's program. That should help too.

I agree. βυθίζου εἰς τὸν Βυθ.