Going Deeper Daily: How studying the biblical languages taught me humility with Amy Gannett

I was 18 years old when I sat in my first Greek class. I was a new Bible student, and I was eager to study Greek, the biblical language of the New Testament. I was bright eyed and bushy tailed, and I had a hefty dose of unearned confidence in my own abilities to learn. And so I at in that Greek class, hoping to unlock truths hidden in Scripture as I gained the ability to study the biblical languages for the first time.

Boy, was I wrong.

Studying the biblical languages for seven total years, and studying both Greek and Hebrew, has taught me humility in ways that few other things have. Here are two of the things I have learned.

Studying the biblical languages does not open up new insights to Scripture that we don’t have in our English Bible.

I was sadly mistaken when I sat in that first Greek class. After studying the biblical languages for years, I realized that the English translation that we have in our Bibles is very, very good. And this is because teams of Greek and Hebrew scholars are committed to translating these biblical texts and putting together the English translation that we hold in our hands. Many of these men and women have dedicated their entire lives to studying God‘s word in order to give us the best translation we possibly can have. Studying the languages for myself has only caused me to grow in appreciation for these translation teams! And shown me that by knowing these languages I have no secret insight into Scripture, but that I am glad recipient of the ministry of entire teams of translators.

Studying the biblical languages has humbled me in what it means to be a lifelong student of the Word.

While studying Greek and Hebrew does not give new insights into Scripture, it does reveal that we can study Scripture our entire lives long, and never plum its depths entirely. Have you ever wondered if you dive deep into Scripture if you will get bored with what you find there? I used to worry about that, too. I’ve read my favorite novels several times over, only to find myself bored the fifth time I picked that book up. I’ve come to the end of the story, I have plumbed it’s depths. But that is not the case with Scripture! The Bible is endlessly interesting! The biblical languages are just one of the ways God shows us that we can be students of God‘s Word our entire lives long, and never grow bored with its contents. These words will change our lives, if we continue to let them by the power of the Spirit!

Studying God’s word has planted the seed of humility in my heart in a fresh way. And I pray that it does for you also! If you want to learn some key, Greek and Hebrew words, not so that you grow in pride for what you know like my 18 year old self wanted to, but so that you grow in loving God‘s Word, and seeing it for all its beauty, pick up our nerd words card pack! These cards make certain key Greek and Hebrew words incredibly accessible, and highlight for you just how deep God‘s Word is!

This post is by our founder, Amy Gannett! She is an author, theologian, mama, and the founder of the Bible Study Schoolhouse and Tiny Theologians. Meet her here!