Word study questions

Christian Alexander
Christian Alexander Member Posts: 3,008 ✭✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

As part of my Greek Advanced Exegesis John class I have to write a word study paper covering 3 "significant, important and key words" in John 14:1-7.  I have found one word οἰκία in John 14:2 but cannot find any other significant words. Does anyone have suggestions? 

Comments

  • Nord Zootman
    Nord Zootman Member Posts: 597 ✭✭

    Three words in verse six would be "way," truth," and Life." There are certainly many other words in the passage you could focus on.

  • Mal Walker
    Mal Walker Member Posts: 404 ✭✭✭

    Sounds like it's asking you to dig into the passage and pick 3 words, and then make your argument as to why they are significant/important/key (rather then identify the 3 words they have already predetermined are the significant ones).

    I'd focus your search on verbs first, that's were all the action is taking place. Begin by looking for words that repeat, for example γινώσκω appears a bunch of times, along with οἶδα which is being used in the same sense.

    Current MDiv student at Trinity Theological College - Perth, Western Australia

  • Rosie Perera
    Rosie Perera Member Posts: 26,194 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well, all I can say is don't try to have ChatGPT help you with your paper! [:D]

    Here's the dialogue I had with it just now to test its exegetical capabilities.


    RP: As part of a Greek Advanced Exegesis class someone needs to write a word study paper covering 3 "significant, important and key words" in John 14:1-7. He found one word οἰκία in John 14:2 but cannot find any other significant words. Do you have any suggestions?



















    ChatGPT: Sure, here are three significant, important, and key words that you can consider for your word study paper in John 14:1-7:

    1. παραδείγματι (paradeigmati) - translated as "example" or "model" in John 14:6. This word refers to Jesus setting an example for his disciples to follow, which can provide insight into Jesus' understanding of his own role and mission.

    2. μέσος (mesos) - translated as "in the middle" or "among" in John 14:20. This word highlights the idea of Jesus being in close relationship with his disciples, and can shed light on the importance of community and relationship in early Christian thought.

    3. πίστις (pistis) - translated as "faith" or "belief" in John 14:1. This word has a rich history in the New Testament, and exploring its usage in John 14:1-7 can provide insight into the relationship between belief, trust, and relationship with Jesus in the early Christian community.

    I hope these suggestions are helpful in your word study paper.













    RP: 1. You said that παραδείγματι appears in John 14:6, but it does not. 2. You also said that μέσος appears in John 14:20, but it does not. Also John 14:20 is not within the verse range of John 14:1-7. 3. Your final suggestion πίστις in John 14:1 is close. But the word does not appear as a noun in that verse. The verb πιστεύετε (to believe) appears in that verse.





















    ChatGPT: I apologize for the errors in my previous answer. Thank you for pointing those out. Here are revised and corrected suggestions for the three significant, important, and key words in John 14:1-7:

    1. οἶκος (oikos) - translated as "house" or "home" in John 14:2. This word can provide insight into Jesus' understanding of his relationship with God and his followers.

    2. στέγη (stegē) - translated as "roof" or "covering" in John 14:2. This word highlights the idea of protection and security in Jesus' teachings, and can shed light on the comfort and reassurance he offers to his followers.

    3. μένω (menō) - translated as "abide" or "remain" in John 14:10. This word emphasizes the idea of staying in close relationship with Jesus, and can provide insight into the importance of obedience and faithfulness in the early Christian community.

    I hope these revised suggestions are helpful in your word study paper.













    RP: Thanks for trying again. 1. Yes, a form of οἶκος does appear in John 14:2. It appears in the dative case (οἰκίᾳ) there. 2. No, στέγη does not appear in John 14:2. 3. Yes, μένω appears (in the declension μένων) in John 14:10, but again verse 10 is not within the verse range of 1-7 in John chapter 14 which is the subject of the paper.





















    ChatGPT: I apologize for the continued errors in my previous answers. Thank you for your patience and for bringing these to my attention. Here are three new word suggestions for your word study paper on John 14:1-7:

    1. εἶπον (eipon) - translated as "said" in John 14:2. This word highlights the importance of Jesus' words and teachings, and can shed light on the authoritative nature of his statements.

    2. πορεύεσθαι (poreuesthai) - translated as "to go" or "to depart" in John 14:4. This word can provide insight into the idea of departure and leaving, and can shed light on Jesus' understanding of his relationship with God and his followers.

    3. διά (dia) - translated as "through" in John 14:6. This preposition emphasizes the idea of going through or passing through a particular experience, and can provide insight into Jesus' teachings about the nature of faith and relationship with God.

    I hope these new suggestions are helpful in your word study paper on John 14:1-7.

    At this point I gave up. πορεύεσθαι does not appear in John 14:4, and it is questionable whether "εἶπον (eipon) - translated as "said" in John 14:2"  and "διά (dia) - translated as "through" in John 14:6" are important words. And ChatGPT's explanations for the significance of these and all the other words it came up with are lame.

    Maybe one day AI will be able to do this sort of stuff within Logos. But it appears to be a long way off. 

    I suppose it's good that it at least did find the one word you found: οἰκος (οἰκία). (Slow clapping.)



  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,238 ✭✭✭

    I'm going to help you but I refuse to do the heavy lifting for you that would impede the purpose of your assignment which is for you to learn.

    Lexicons are secondary tools. Primary and paramount is the text. Begin and end there. That is as much as I am willing to say.

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • Mal Walker
    Mal Walker Member Posts: 404 ✭✭✭

    Ooof, ChatGPT's comments are not great are they? Though I did enjoy its comment saying 'I apologize for the continued errors in my previous answers.' 🤣🤣

    All it seems able to to do at the moment is provide the most basic of English glosses for the Greek words, no real categorization or connections made between the words and their syntactical relationship to the rest of the passage.

    However, I am pleased to see that I'm not the only one who feels the need to say thank you even while talking to an AI 🤣

    Current MDiv student at Trinity Theological College - Perth, Western Australia

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,539

    Does anyone have suggestions? 

    Remember that we don't do your coursework for you. 3 tools come to mind where Logos can help you.

    Err 18
    Err 19
    Err 20

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,942 ✭✭✭

    Well look who’s back again! (And now with only 12 posts).  Looks like school is getting busy again. Good luck with your studies!

    DAL

  • Gregory Lawhorn
    Gregory Lawhorn Member Posts: 986 ✭✭✭

    When I preach a passage, I read it repeatedly until I understand what it says, rather than assuming I already know. 

    I sometimes use visual filters to identify nouns, verbs, and participles. 

    I believe that biblical passages are always intended to teach us and that they make a single significant point most of the time. 

    If I had your assignment, I would first identify the key statement of the passage and then identify the three words in the passage that either build up to or form that statement. 

    Exegesis isn't academic, Christian; it's wrestling with God as you try to understand Him. No one can do it for you. 

  • As part of my Greek Advanced Exegesis John class I have to write a word study paper covering 3 "significant, important and key words" in John 14:1-7

    The most important Bible lesson I learned at a seminary => Every word has context in a sentence. Every sentence has context in a paragraph. Every paragraph has context in a larger unit. Important to know the appropriate Bible context. The Bible Love story is unified. My seminary class textbooks included an older edition of  How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, 4th ed.

    Does John 14:1-7 offer theological insight for the question: "Was Jesus God ?"

    My favorite Logos & Verbum feature is visual filter highlighting for "showing" the range of verbal intensity:

    Three verbs in John 14:1-7 are imperative mood. Four verbs are perfect tense. Two verbs are pluperfect tense.

    English verbs have a primary focus of time: past, present, & future.

    Hebrew & Aramaic verbs have a primary focus of action kind: happened/ing, imperative, volitional, completed with ongoing results. (my regret is not pursuing Hebrew language learning sooner)

    Greek verbs have a primary focus of action kind: happened/ing, imperative, volitional, completed with ongoing results, continous with a secondary aspect of time. Translation of Hebrew & Aramaic words into Greek embed human translator's belief for secondary time aspect because Hebrew & Aramaic verbs have no sense of time (contextual Hebrew & Aramaic words are the only indicators for verbal action timing).

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Beloved Amodeo
    Beloved Amodeo Member Posts: 4,238 ✭✭✭

    " rel="nofollow">Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :) said:

    As part of my Greek Advanced Exegesis John class I have to write a word study paper covering 3 "significant, important and key words" in John 14:1-7

    The most important Bible lesson I learned at a seminary => Every word has context in a sentence. Every sentence has context in a paragraph. Every paragraph has context in a larger unit. Important to know the appropriate Bible context. The Bible Love story is unified. My seminary class textbooks included an older edition of  How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, 4th ed.

    Does John 14:1-7 offer theological insight for the question: "Was Jesus God ?"

    My favorite Logos & Verbum feature is visual filter highlighting for "showing" the range of verbal intensity:

    Three verbs in John 14:1-7 are imperative mood. Four verbs are perfect tense. Two verbs are pluperfect tense.

    English verbs have a primary focus of time: past, present, & future.

    Hebrew & Aramaic verbs have a primary focus of action kind: happened/ing, imperative, volitional, completed with ongoing results. (my regret is not pursuing Hebrew language learning sooner)

    Greek verbs have a primary focus of action kind: happened/ing, imperative, volitional, completed with ongoing results, continous with a secondary aspect of time. Translation of Hebrew & Aramaic words into Greek embed human translator's belief for secondary time aspect because Hebrew & Aramaic verbs have no sense of time (contextual Hebrew & Aramaic words are the only indicators for verbal action timing).

    Keep Smiling Smile

    Perhaps, I too can fall in love with visual highlighting for showing the range of verbal intensity; KS4J, you MJ, Dave and Graham are my current leading forum shepherds. Thank you for an inspiring didactic post! I promise to study it for all its worth.

    Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

    International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.

    MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.5 1TB SSD

  • Allen Browne
    Allen Browne Member Posts: 1,897 ✭✭✭

    Well, all I can say is don't try to have ChatGPT help you with your paper! Big Smile

    Here's the dialogue I had with it just now to test its exegetical capabilities.

    That's hilariious, Rosie. Thanks for sharing.