A Grammar of New Testament Greek, Vol. 1: Prolegomena

by James Hope Moulton

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 2006

Overview

The Prolegomena introduces foundational principles or premises upon which the subsequent three volumes build. It provides a sketch of the language of the New Testament. Originally published in 1906, its wide-spread success led to a second and third edition being released in the following two years. A hundred years later, A Grammar of New Testament Greek Vol. 1 is still considered an excellent starting point for students of advanced NT Greek.

Prolegomena’s lasting popularity stems from its lucid exposition of its subject and its unprecedented position on New Testament Greek. Grammars written prior to Moulton’s assessed the NT Greek in terms of the literary style of Greek evidenced in formal writing. Moulton bases his grammar upon recently discovered (at the time) Greek papyri which shows the influence of common Koine Greek on the New Testament authors. These papyri help clarify the grammar and meaning of numerous biblical passages. Chapters include: General Characteristics of NT Greek, History of the 'Common' Greek, Notes on the Accidence, Syntax: the Noun, Adjectives, Pronouns, Prepositions, The Infinitive, and multiple sections concerning The Verb. Also included are an Index of Quotations, Index of Greek Words and Forms, and Index of Subjects. Revolutionary in its own time, Prolegomena’s lively prose and erudite review of NT Greek continue to enlighten scholars and students today.

Key Features

• Investigates language of the New Testament
• Based on recently discovered (at time of writing) Greek papyri
• Clarification of the grammar and meaning of numerous biblical passages

Contents

Top Highlights

“The conclusion is that ‘Biblical’ Greek, except where it is translation Greek, was simply the vernacular of daily life.³” (Page 4)

“That Jesus Himself and the Apostles regularly used Aramaic is beyond question, but that Greek was also at command is almost equally certain.” (Page 8)

“μὴ θορυβήσητε, before clamour begins, and 21a μὴ θορυβεῖτε, when it has begun.’” (Page 122)

“Aktionsart, or the ‘kind of action’ denoted by different verbal formations” (Page 108)

“ the participle can be used for indicative or imperative seems to be fairly established now by the papyri” (Page 222)

Product Details

• Title: A Grammar of New Testament Greek, Vol. 1: Prolegomena
• Author: James Hope Moulton
• Series: A Grammar of New Testament Greek
• Publisher: T & T Clark International
• Publication Date: 2006
• Pages: 320

About James Hope Moulton

James Hope Moulton (1863–1917) was born in Richmond, Surrey. A Wesleyan minister, Moulton held various academic appointments. The most important of which was Greenwood professor of Hellenistic Greek and Indo–European philology at the University of Manchester. He was awarded a number of honorary degrees by leading British and German universities, and published many books and papers on Zoroastrianism and the Greek texts that the Bible is derived from. His main writings are An Introduction to the Study of New Testament Greek, The Science of Language and the Study of the New Testament , Grammar of New Testament Greek Vol. 1, Early Religious Poetry of Persia, Early Zoroastrianism, Religions and Religion, From Egyptian Rubbish Heaps, British and German Scholarship, The Treasure of the Magi, A Neglected Sacrament and Other Studies and Addresses, and The Christian Religion in the Study and the Street. He died of exposure after the ship on which he was returning from a tour of India was torpedoed and sunk.