It's All Greek to Me

I've posted stuff before from Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries. Unlike me, he is an expert in Biblical languages - especially the Greek. The following short (20 min) video highlights the value of an good understanding of the original language(s) of the Bible, and a proper application the grammar in order to arrive at right doctrine.

Some of the time (perhaps a lot of the time) even pastors and scholars get the process reversed - importing a tradition based doctrine to the text and forcing it to say what it doesn't. Take, for instance, what is perhaps the most famous verse in the New Testament - John 3:16 which in the ESV, like most modern translations, reads as follows:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The English translation is often used to imply meaning that the verse does not actually contain in the original language. What follows is what the Greek looks like, with literal word meanings inserted. It may help you to follow what Dr. White is explaining.