There’s an interesting article here by Justin Dillehay, a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, warning that non-Greek speakers need to exercise caution in using Greek for their Bible studies. He emphasizes 3 important points:

1. Usage Trumps Etymology: Avoiding the Root Fallacy

2. Scholars Are Necessary: Avoiding the Cult of the Amateur

3. Context Is King: Avoiding the Overload Fallacy

He rightfully concludes,

“I’m not saying that Greek word studies are bad, or totally unnecessary (after all, we are not native Greek speakers). But unless you do them properly, they’ll simply give you the illusion of knowing something when you really don’t. Most of the time you’ll do better to simply compare a number of solid translations like the NASB, ESV, NIV, and NLT. After all, the people who translated these Bible versions understand Greek far better than you or I ever will. So don’t throw away their expertise. And as you read, pay attention to the context. An ounce of good contextual analysis is worth a pound of poorly done Greek word studies.

So take your English Bibles and read carefully. When you do word studies, avoid the root fallacy, take advantage of scholars’ expertise, and remember that context is king. In short, read, reread, and reread again. It’s not as flashy a study method, and it probably won’t make you feel (or look) as smart, but it’ll give you much more accurate results.

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In a similar vein, my friend Michael Patton who holds a ThM from Dallas Thological Seminary and took 8 semesters of Greek followed by two additional courses in Greek, admonishes here that one “can know just enough to be dangerous.” Michael’s central thesis is that anyone but an expert is dangerous.

“Moving beyond personal anecdotes, let’s consider the broader implications. I believe that possessing beginner to intermediate proficiency in Greek or Hebrew, while valuable, can also be dangerous. Individuals at this level of linguistic understanding should refrain from speaking with authority in these languages. This intermediate stage represents a risky middle ground – it provides enough knowledge to foster confidence but often lacks the depth to guarantee accuracy. Interpretations made with this level of understanding can be significantly flawed, lacking the nuanced expertise required for accurate biblical exegesis.“

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Today we are blessed in English to possess more good, solid translations of the Bible than any other language across the translation spectrum of literal (word for word) and dynamic (thought for thought.) The vast majority of these translations were produced by scholars who excel in the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek). From my persepctive it is far more fruitful and productive to compare good English translations than to try and use Greek unless one is a true Biblical Greek scholar that comes from decades of study. Wycliffe Bible translators seek to ultimately translate the Bible into every known language in order to help everyone understand the message of the gospel . . . not to try and teach people Greek.