Lesson 2 | Vocab
Memorization
An important part of this course is memorizing a short passage of Scripture in Greek. Like we did in Greek I, we want to remind you of the reason why we're having you memorize Bible verses in Greek.
1. It will help you learn inductively.
Learning new vocabulary from a list isn't the most natural way to learn a language. As children, we learned words as adults talked to us; we learned phrases and idioms that we didn't understand, but could use; our full understanding came later. The ultimate way to learn a language isn't through paradigms and rules but through extensive exposure.
So in Matthew 5:2-10, the passage you'll memorize in Greek 2, you'll learn words as they occur “in the wild,” in the text of Scripture itself. The more you memorize and even just read, the more words and syntactical constructions (groups of words) you’ll absorb in the process.
2. It will help you quickly improve your Greek through a passage you're already familiar with.
You've probably already memorized at least part of Matthew 5:2-10 (the Beatitudes). Memorizing it in Greek is a way of "cheating," so that you can learn words and phrases faster than through a textbook.
3. It will be a means of grace.
The psalmist wrote,
When you internalize God's words, they will guide your heart and mind into righteous ways and away from sinful ways. May God “equip you with everything good that you may do his will ... through Jesus Christ” as you memorize these verses (Heb 13:21).
Setting The Stage
Here's the process you'll follow in each memorization step:
1. Listen to me read all of Matthew 5:2-10, following along in the text below.
καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων· Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν. μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται. μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται. μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται. μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται. μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. —ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΘΘΑΙΟΝ 5:2–10, SBLGNT
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2. Then listen to me read verse 2. Do so at least five times.
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Working On Pronunciation
3. Now listen to me read each phrase of verse 2, and then say each phrase after me.
καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ (and opening his mouth)
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ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων· (he taught them, saying)
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Committing It To Memory
In this audio track, I read through verse 2 a phrase at a time, giving you time to repeat after me. After two run-throughs, the phrases that you are to repeat become longer. Again, this is done twice. And so the track continues until you are repeating the verse in its entirety.
Of course, you will need to listen through the full track many times before you have it down. Be patient with yourself and persevere! (Download the MP3 to listen as you drive, etc.)
4. Listen to verse 2 and repeat during the pauses. Repeat until you have this text memorized.
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