Greek is Good Grief

Designed as a textbook for teaching introductory Greek grammar and syntax, Greek Is Good Grief uses a graded database, beginning with the simpler Greek of John 1, moving to Mark 8 as an example of middle level Greek, and concluding with 1 Thessalonia-ns 1-2 as representative of Paul's style. Working from that database, the chapters introduce first those forms which occur most frequently. Translation of the Greek New Testament itself can begin as early as Chapter 5 because translation helps are provided for those words and forms not yet encountered. The practice sentences in each chapter are, to the greatest degree possible, based on sentences taken directly from the Greek New Testament. Form identification exercises afford students the opportunity to drill on forms specific to the content of each chapter. Each new grammatical concept is introduced by a discussion of English grammar and each chapter begins with a ""Grammar Grabber,"" which highlights an aspect of the chapter's content by explaining how that aspect of grammar is important for understanding a portion of the Greek text of the New Testament. Field tested in both face-to-face and distance learning course formats, Greek Is Good Grief lays the foundation for a smooth transition to the study of Greek exegesis and exposition.

John D. Harvey (Th.D., Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) is Professor of New Testament and Greek at the Seminary & School of Missions, Columbia International University, in Columbia, South Carolina. He is the author of Listening to the Text: Oral Patterning in Paul's Letters (1998).