Austin Bible Church
The Greek language is complex and artistic. Where the Hebrew mind perceives and contemplates, the Greek conceives and reflects. Illustration: Learning in a class would be more perception accompanied by contemplation while study and learning in the study is more conception and reflection.
Greek is complex in the elaborate system of the development of forms from a few roots. Greek is complex in syntax in various uses of conjunctions, particles, intricate word arrangements. Greek is complex in its thought process wrestling with the external world, searching out and exploring the reason of things.
The Greek language is characterized by its attention to the form or style of its speech. No language has such laws of euphony, involving changes in vocalization, the transposition and mutation of letters. The words must be musical, their clauses harmonious, the sentences and periods symmetrical.
The Greek language is beautiful and finished. The Greek mind was essentially ideal. There was great emphasis on man in perfection. Everything that the Greek mind touched, it clothed with its own ideals of beauty.
The Greek language has remarkable strength and vigor. Its syntax is organized in the most perfect system. All parts are compacted into a solid mass. The Greek language is the language of oratory. The Greek language wrestles with the mind, advances and thrusts.
The Greek language was easily adopted as the vernacular by Europe, Asia Minor and Africa and gradually more and more by Syria and Palestine. The production of the Old Testament into Greek was a boost to the adoption of Greek in Palestine and surrounding regions.
It must be noted that the writings of the New Testament are not all on the same level of style and language. The Greek orator and philosopher prepared the language and style of the Apostle Paul, while no less than the Hebrew prophet and wise man gave him the fundamental principles of his wisdom and experience.