Study Manual of The Sermon on the Mount: Greek Text



S T U D Y M A N U A L

O F

T H E S E R M O N O N T H E M O U N T

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Greek Text

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Lorin L. Cranford

A STUDY MANUAL OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

Greek Text

by

Lorin L. Cranford

A Programmed Instruction Guide

for personal or classroom study

of the Greek text of the

Sermon on the Mount

Published by

SCRIPTA PUBLISHING INC.

P.O. Box 6180

Fort Worth, Texas 76115

This volume is dedicated to

The faculty and students of the

THEOLOGISCHES SEMINAR

in

Hamburg, West Germany

and to

The pastors and members of the

EVANGELISCH-FREIKIRCHLICHE GEMEINDEN

in

Freiburg, Ulm and Bonn, West Germany

whose hospitality and friendship are

a prized possession

and

whose deep devotion and piety to the Lord

have been an inspiration

driving me repeatedly to these words

of our Lord in the Bergpredigt.

All rights reserved by author. Copyright 1988.©

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form,

without permission in writing from the author.

Table of Contents

Preface................................................... v

Introduction.............................................. vii

Lesson One: INTRODUCTION ................................. 1

Lesson Two: LITERARY SETTING: Matthew 4:23-5:2............ 7

Lesson Three: BEATITUDES: Matthew 5:3-12 ................. 21

Lesson Four: MISSION: Matthew 5:13-16 .................... 39

Lesson Five: LAW AND THE GOSPEL: Matthew 5:17-20.......... 53

Lesson Six: ANGER: Matthew 5:21-26 ....................... 63

Lesson Seven: ADULTERY: Matthew 5:27-30 .................. 79

Lesson Eight: DIVORCE: Matthew 5:31-32 ................... 88

Lesson Nine: OATHS: Matthew 5:33-37 ...................... 98

Lesson Ten: RETALIATION: Matthew 5:38-42 ................. 111

Lesson Eleven: LOVING ENEMIES: Matthew 5:43-48 ........... 119

Lesson Twelve: PIETY: Matthew 6:1 ........................ 134

Lesson Thirteen: ALMSGIVING: Matthew 6:2-4 ............... 139

Lesson Fourteen: PRAYER: Matthew 6:5-15 .................. 148

Lesson Fifteen: FASTING: Matthew 6:16-18 ................. 166

Lesson Sixteen: TREASURE IN HEAVEN: Matthew 6:19-21 ...... 176

Lesson Seventeen: LIGHT OF THE BODY: Matthew 6:22-23...... 182

Lesson Eighteen: MAMMON: Matthew 6:24 .................... 189

Lesson Nineteen: CARE AND ANXIETY: Matthew 6:25-34........ 192

Lesson Twenty: JUDGING OTHERS: Matthew 7:1-5 ............. 211

Lesson Twenty One: PEARLS: Matthew 7:6 ................... 221

Lesson Twenty Two: ASKING AND RECEIVING: Matthew 7:7-11... 225

Lesson Twenty Three: GOLDEN RULE: Matthew 7:12 ........... 234

Lesson Twenty Four: NARROW GATE: Matthew 7:13-14 ......... 238

Lesson Twenty Five: FRUITFULNESS: Matthew 7:15-23 ........ 247

Lesson Twenty Six: FOUNDATIONS: Matthew 7:24-27 .......... 262

Lesson Twenty Seven: REACTION: Matthew 7:28-29 ........... 272

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................... 277

Appendix 1: EVALUATION OF VARIOUS READINGS ............... 280

Appendix 2: GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND DATE OF

THE CHURCH FATHERS .................................. 283

Appendix 3: GUIDELINES FOR BLOCK DIAGRAMING .............. 288

Appendix 4: GUIDELINES FOR SEMANTIC DIAGRAMING ........... 291

Appendix 5: GUIDELINES FOR OUTLINING ..................... 293

Appendix 6: GUIDELINES FOR PARSING ....................... 297

Appendix 7: GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFYING SENTENCES

AND SUBORDINATE CLAUSES .................................. 304

Appendix 8: SEMANTIC DIAGRAM OF THE TEXT OF JAMES ........ 306

Appendix 9: STRUCTURAL OUTLINE OF TEXT OF JAMES .......... 314

Appendix 10: GUIDELINES FOR SEMANTIC DIAGRAM ANALYSIS .... 315

Appendix 11: SUMMARY OUTLINE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST ....... 317

Appendix 12: THE LITERARY STRUCTURE

OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT .......................... 320

Appendix 13: OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW ............ 322

Appendix 14: LESSON INDICATOR STATEMENTS DEFINED ......... 328

Appendix 15: OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK ............... 331

Appendix 16: OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE ................ 334

Appendix 17: GUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYING SAYINGS ........... 340

Appendix 18: MATTHEW AND LUKE IN PARALLEL ................. 341

PREFACE

With growing fascination and appreciation I have spent more and more time in the Sermon on the Mount in recent years. The Sermon quickly becomes captivating and will not release its hearer until a commitment to follow its Preacher is wrestled from the heart. But such an experience is not unique to this author. Many have been “amazed at his teaching” (Matt. 7:28) since those first Galilean listeners. Warren S. Kissinger has provided an invaluable service by recounting this history of the Sermon’s influence throughout Christian history (The Sermon on the Mount: A History of Interpretation and Bibliography, 1975). Also very significant to modern interpretative history is Ursula Berner’s Die Bergpredigt: Rezeption und Auslegung im 20. Jahrhundret (1979). The more these words are studied the more insight for life and Christian commitment are gleaned from them. This book is written then in the desire to encourage that deep reflection into Jesus’ words. The confidence is that such reflection will become a life-shaping encounter with the Preacher of this Sermon.

This manual has been written and printed via computer. The computer, an IBM AT personal computer, has run the word processing software Nota Bene version 3.0. The Nota Bene is a very powerful program designed for academic purposes and contains an almost limitless range of features for customizing a document. This combination of hardware and software has served the author well in being able to incorporate materials from both the biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew as well as all of the modern Western languages. With a simple keystroke the keyboard can be changed from English to Greek to Hebrew to German etc., all on the same line if desired. The multilanguage text is both imaged on the screen as well as reproduced in the printout. The master copy was printed on a Toshiba 321SL 24 pin dot matrix printer. Although the copy is not quite the quality as a laser printer would produce it is, nonetheless, “near letter” quality print in all of the languages used. Gone forever are the days of banging away at a typewriter to produce a rough draft which is then very laborously revised numerous times before the final draft is given to a secretary who looks at all that Greek and other language stuff in absolute bewilderment. The computer minimizes the mechanical aspects of writing so that the author is free to spend the bulk of his time in the research and writing aspects. To this writer such becomes the welcomed relief, which makes writing a joyous endeavor, rather than a trip to the dentist’s office! The author hopes that you the reader may find an equal amount of pleasure in using the manual.

Words of appreciation go to my students in Greek studies for the last several years. Their helpfulness and willingness to get involved in creative ways into the development of the exegetical procedures reflected in this book have brought the process to its present advanced stage. Particular thanks are deserved by the two sections of Greek 431-547 who worked with the earlier version of the study manual containing just the diagrams. Their participation in the developmental stages of the exegetical methodology has contributed substantially to this manual.

Lorin L. Cranford

Seminary Hill

December 1988

INTRODUCTION

Exegeting the Greek text of Matthew five through seven is the task before us in this study manual. How best can this be accomplished? The answer to this question depends upon a precise understanding of the nature and intended use of the exegetical work. Is the exegetical task perceived in terms of historical, theological or homiletical objectives?

Two central questions emerge in such a concern with regard to exegesis:

What did the biblical author mean in the text statements?

What do the text statements mean to us today? Exegesis proper concerns itself primarily with the first question while homiletics focuses on the second. Yet, caution must be noted so that a wedge is not driven between these two questions. They ultimately belong together; isolating them from each other produces either an irrelevant historical preoccupation or else a superficial preaching without biblical basis or authority. Thus exegesis, as understood in this manual, must be taken as foundational to the larger objectives of theological understanding and biblical proclamation.

Thus with exegesis the student is faced with historical and literary concerns as he/she endeavors to asses theological meaning in the historical/literary context of the biblical text. Language analysis, literary structural assessment and historical setting identification are inescapable responsibilities.[1] Quite significant to the literary analysis is genre identification.[2] How can all these concerns come to realization in a coherent process?[3] This study manual is set forth with the aim of helping the student of the Greek New Testament work his way through the Greek text of the Sermon on the Mount in meaningful encounter with the concepts found in Matthew 4:23-7:29 and related texts. The design of each lesson is essentially the same:

First, the Lesson Objective is stated for each text; it represents a segment of the overall Objective for the book:

The student demonstrates understanding of the historical and literary meaning of the Greek text of the Sermon on the Mount.

Next, the Lesson Indicators are listed. These outline the steps of study which are covered in the subsequent sections of each lesson. These indicators will form the basis of the exam questions where the manual is used in formal classroom study. They should be read carefully. Also, they guide the student step-by-step through the exegetical procedure which is presupposed in this manual. The student should carefully read Appendix 14: LESSON INDICATOR STATEMENTS DEFINED; here is a detailed explanation of the implications and procedures inherent in each indicator.

Thirdly, the Grammatical Analysis section follows, utilizing indicators 1-4. It contains a listing of the Greek words which need to be parsed, following the guidelines set forth in Appendix 6: GUIDELINES FOR PARSING. Initially the parsing of each word should be completely filled out; repetitive occurrences can be either partially completed or else skipped entirely when they occur very often. Additionally, main clause verbs can be skipped inasmuch as they will be analyzed in the Semantic Diagram section. Also in this section are instructions to translate each Greek sentence. This should be done following the Dynamic-Equivalent method of translation; not the older Verbal Method. Modern examples of this method are the NIV, NEB, TEV. Additionally found in this section are instructions to classify each Greek sentence; this should be done in the pattern set forth in Appendix 7: GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFYING SENTENCES AND SUBORDINATE CLAUSES. The subordinate clause classification pattern is likewise set forth in this appendix which contains a listing of the possible types and the appropriate Greek relative pronouns and adverbs as well as the appropriate Greek subordinate conjunctions.

Fourthly, the Textual Variants section is included where significant textual variants occur. This fulfills step 5 of the Lesson Indicators. These are mostly taken from the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament (3rd ed.) textual apparatus. However, the Nestle-Aland 26th edition of Novum Testamentum Graece should be consulted as well for the inclusion of the manuscript witnesses. The text critical methodology presupposed in the analysis is that devised by Dr. James Brooks and is set forth in detail in Appendix 1: GUIDELINES FOR TEXTUAL EVALUATION. The student should acquaint himself with this procedure. Also important is the listing of the Church Fathers in Appendix 2: GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND DATE OF THE CHURCH FATHERS. This will

be a necessay reference for the completion of the textual evaluation.

Fifthly, a Block Diagram of the text is given. This is alluded to in Lesson Indicator 6, and contains the schematic presentation of the syntactical relationships for each Greek sentence. The procedures behind the diagram are set forth in Appendix 3: GUIDELINES FOR BLOCK DIAGRAMING. This diagram should be carefully analyzed to determine the thought relationships between the primary and secondary concepts in each statement.

Sixthly, a Semantic Diagram of the text is given, containing the second part of Lesson Indicator 6. This contains a schematic presentation of the thought structure for the text pericope as a unit of thought. The relationship of the core expressions of ideas are diagramed in a manner which produces an implicit outline of the text. The procedures behind this diagram are set forth in Appendix 4: GUIDELINES FOR SEMANTIC DIAGRAMING. The diagram of the entire text is available in Appendix 8: SEMANTIC DIAGRAM OF THE TEXT OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Appendix 9: STRUCTURAL OUTLINE OF TEXT OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT summarizes the semantic diagram. This facilitates a visual comprehension of the lines of argumentation of the document in its entirety, as well as a helpful summation of the literary structure of the document. Also in this section is the analysis responsibility in relation to the semantic diagram. This should be filled out completely by the student in order to comprehend better the literary patterns which exist in the text and form the basis for the semantic diagram. The parsing in the Grammatical Analysis section should be consulted in order to avoid reduplication of activity with main clause verbs. In such instances, the parsing activity in the Grammatical Analysis section can be skipped. For details on this procedure consult Appendix 10: GUIDELINES FOR SEMANTIC DIAGRAM ANALYSIS.

Thus the analysis of the literary structure is completed. Note that the block diagram analyzes the details of each core statement with its expansions (examining each tree in the forest). The semantic diagram looks at the relationships of the core statements to each other (viewing the forest as a whole) so that the complete thought structure of a pericope is kept in view. This becomes very important to identification of the literary context in which a word, phrase, clause or statement is made.

Seventhly, the Exegetical Issues section contains a series of questions designed to familiarize the student with the historical and literary questions which must be analyzed before meaningful application of the text can be made. These should be fully answered in order to grasp the interpretative issues present in the text pericope. Commentaries, translations and journal articles serve as secondary sources for completing this responsibility. Especially should Robert A. Guelich’s The Sermon on the Mount: A Foundation for Understanding be consulted, since it serves as the companion commentary to this manual. The questions in this section often build upon the preceding sections; thus this section should be treated only after the preceding ones.

Eightly, the Exegetical Outline section provides for the conclusion of the process of exegesis. The results of the text analysis will be incorporated into the completion of an outline of the text. This outline is taken directly from that which is implicit in the semantic diagram of the text. Guidelines for writing the outline are found in Appendix 5: GUIDELINES FOR OUTLINING. It should be noted that which is called for here is the exegetical outline, not the expositional outline described in the latter part of Appendix 5. Such a second outline is the logical extension of the exegetical process and summarizes the text meaning from the application vantage point. The exegetical outline, however, precedes this by summarizing text from the historical meaning vantage point: what it originally meant. See Appendix 5 for details of the differences between the two approaches to outlining the text. Once these steps in exegesis have been completed the student of the New Testament will be in an excellent position to comprehend what the text most likely meant to those who first read and heard it read in the various communities of faith. Such a foundation of historical meaning will serve well as a basis of application to today’s world.

The historical-critical hermeneutic, presupposed in this manual, will guide the exegete toward substantive, accurate interpretation of the text of the Sermon on the Mount. Thereby one can be confronted in life-changing encounter with the Living Word who stands behind this Written Word. Such is the hope and prayer of this author.

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[1]Cf. Otto Kaiser and Werner G. Kümmel, Exegetical Method, trans. E.V.N. Goetschius and M.J. O’Connell, rev. ed. (New York: Seabury Press, 1981), 43-44.

[2]For helpful assessments of this see Klaus Berger, Exegese des Neuen Testaments (Heidelberg: Quelle & Meyer, 1977), 9-10; David E. Aune, The New Testament in Its Literary Environment, in the Library of Early Christianity (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987), 17-76.

[3]The procedures developed in this manual are an adaptation of the method set forth by Gordon D. Fee, New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors (Philadelphia: Westminister Press, 1983).

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