Now We Love Greek and Hebrew, SO . . .

After writing that post, I promptly went looking for brothers with whom to study Biblical Greek and Hebrew. God has already blessed that endeavor, so praise Him for help in application, too!

Here are some more pointers in practicing your Greek and Hebrew:

1. Ask for God's help.
"in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God," (Philippians 4:6). I need Him to come in power if I will learn anything worthwhile for His glory, and so do you. I skip this all too often and reveal my belief that I can do it on my own.

2. Get the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament.
And a Greek Old Testament, if possible. The Hebrew Old Testament is known also as the Biblical Hebraica Stuttgartensia, the Tanach, and/or the Masoretic Text. The Greek New Testament can be denoted with the name of its translator(s), i.e. Westcott-Hort, Robinson-Pierrepont, Nestle-Aland. The Greek Old Testament is called the Septuagint, or LXX. You can buy all three at the United Bible Societies site or search for them somewhere like Amazon or Half.com.

You can't read the Biblical languages unless you can see the Biblical languages, so don't think you'll get any study done unless you actually own a copy of each of these. Yes, you can still go online to a place like Zhubert.com (which you should) or find a free Bible program like E-sword (which you should) or buy an expensive Bible program like Logos or BibleWorks (which you probably shouldn't), but you can't always carry those things with you and you definitely have a hard time keeping notes in them and showing them to others. You should use all the free stuff available to you, including any library you can get into, but when the Christian hits the road his Bible(s) must go with him. (So get e-sword if you already have a laptop but no money.)

3. Use it in worship services, in personal Bible study, in group Bible study, in sermon and teaching preparation, wherever and whenever you can.
Even if you can't diagram in both languages yet, go ahead and read any and every word you can. If you are interested in a verse, look it up in the original. Pay attention to the syntax (the word order) and the vocabulary (the word choice). Practice writing the actual words down on paper. Look at them later when you return to your notes. Do the most that you can with these languages - God will reward you. "Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything," (2 Timothy 2:7)

4. Sit down and read it just to read it.
As in, not to read it for something else, but just reading it to sit and read and see if you can remember this or that particular passage. (This is easier with Greek for several reasons, but mostly because the New Testament is shorter and easier to remember.) Look up vocabulary as needed.

5. Get together with a brother or two and work through a book of the Bible.
This provides two key elements in study: fellowship and accountability. We need fellowship in study because it keeps us joyous and alert, and it builds friendships. We need accountability both personally and theologically because we must learn the obedience of being responsible students and exegetes. We need the regularity of meetings and groups because God uses them to teach us responsibility, and we need the joy of God in and with our brothers and sisters.

6. After a while, teach somebody.
Teaching is the best way to learn. So after you've learned and worked and read studied and memorized and looked up and written and read some more, go teach somebody. We have to carry on a passion for God and His Word to the next generation.

7. Thank God for such grace.
Oh to know Jesus as He really is! To see His glory in His Word! To understand His perfect character and work! To be able to speak of Him to others! Such manifold grace we do not deserve.