Should We All Study Greek/Hebrew

Hi. I just came from 'God is Most Definitely He' and have been posting with mook. I can't keep up with her because she always goes back to the original texts in Hebrew/Greek. I know nothing about Hebrew/Greek. I really want to know the Truth.

Do you think we need to study the Hebrew/Greek to get the real doctrines ...the TRUTH?

I am discouraged because I only read the NIV.

I think there has been another thread about the accuracy of Bible translation, something about the KJV.

Are there any Bible College students here? Is the Greek/Hebrew really that different from good old NIV?...............

please help!

-wanting to know more of God's Word so I will not be swayed by winds of false teachings...

I simply don't like "NIV". Imagine trying to share with a Jehovah's Witness when the word, "JEHOVAH", doesn't appear ONCE! I have a Franklin Bookman, with an NIV cartridge (it was either NIV or KJV). Most of my time looking things up is trying to figure out how the NIV will mess up, so that I can FIND the passage I know. A couple of examples: "He has cancelled out the written code, which was hostile to us, having nailed it to the Cross." Just what is "the written code"? Now try it in NAS: "He has cancelled the certificate of debt, with its charges against us, having nailed it to the Cross". Col2:14 We know "the wages of sin are death", so the "certificate of debt" is far clearer. Then there's 1Cor12, "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Do all speak with tongues?" But when we read NAS, it is far closer to the Greek (which uses the "ME" form of a negative-rhetorical-question, allowing ONLY the answer of "NO"...) : "All are NOT apostles, ARE they? All are NOT prophets, are they? All do NOT speak with tongues, DO they?" (Alas this exact question, "Me dunamai" is rendered wrong in NAS James 2:14: "That faith can NOT save him, CAN it!")

As to your question about the Greek, yes we need to look things up. You can use on-line resources, like http://bible.crosswalk.com and click on their interlinear Bible, or go to http://blueletterbible.org and you can find the actual TENSES of the verbs. A good illustration, would be Hebrews 6--- is it impossible for one-wno-falls-away to return? Or, according to the TENSE, is it only saying, "They will not WANT to repent, WHILE THEY ARE FALLING AWAY"?

There are subtleties that only Greek and Hebrew can reveal. When Jesus asked Peter 3 times, "Do you love Me", only when you read the Greek do you understand what was happening. The 3rd time Jesus asked, it was a sad, resigned question. Jesus wanted "agape", Peter only had "phileos"...

What is NAS? Is it NASB?

I know a lot of people using the NIV. So we need to know Greek/Hebrew in order to defend our faith when talking to intellectuals?

Is the NIV and a childlike faith suffice for growing in the knowledge of God?

__________________
I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me
- Philippains 3:12
3:20 'But our citizenship is in heaven'.

yes, I think it is. Some people don't need or feel the call to deal with certian types of people. Most would call these doubting thomas' who have to have every inch explained to them with a logical explaination with numbers to back it up. I think they are just looking for excuses. The only reason to learn greek or hebrew is to help YOU study. For YOUR relationship to grow. For YOU to get closer to God.

The NAS is the New American Standard. The NIV is a fine translation. The different translations have different emphasis.Such as readability versus more literal.
There is no substitute for studying the original languages, but I know many who have discovered the basic truths and grown spiritually with just the English version.
It is true that it helps to know the grammar of the orginal or the word choice in the original. Such as the Greek words for love which have slightly different meanings but are all translated as love in the English. Some translations try to translate the greek word agape as charity in the English. I have studied some hebrew and the same thing occurs within the Hebrew. For instance there are more than one words for work in the hebrew.It was interesting to read which Hebrew word in the ten commandments in reference to the sabbath law.
There are also many puns in the Hebrew and locations with certain names are more meaningful when a person is aware of the hebrew. I also find the use of plurals interesting in some instances.
There are many interesting avenues of pursuit. But there are many books out there that can provide useful insights that are reliable without becoming fluent yourself. One pursuit I have found very rewarding is to study the Jewish customs and writings.
A lot of new testament stories make much more sense when one understands the jewish context. For example, by waiting three days to raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus performed a "messianic" miracle in the eyes of many Jews. It was their belief at that time commonly held that after three days only G-d himself or the messiah could perform the miracle of raising from the dead.
By doing that miracle, Jesus established himself as more than just a prophet in Jewish eyes.There are several messianic miracles. While it is Jewish custom and not bible teaching it does help one understand more fully their reaction.
Again, one does not need to be an expert in the field to gain insights if they find the right books which present theses insights.
Of course the deeper one studies, in my opinion , the more rewarding it will probably be.
However, bottomline. while I am bias towards the value of apologetics and deeper studies of culture and language.It does not mean that there are not many opportunities to grow in your faith without those advantages.
In my opinion, one must be led by the Holy Spirit into where their particular gifts lie. Having a well-rounded knowledge of the basics in each area is good but one does not need to be an expert in every area.
Thanks for reading my long-winded reply.
Ben

Iffy,
just stick to what you have, and prayed for the holy spirit to help you understand what you don't know. I will recommend that you buy a study bible, which will give you fresh insights on certain things. If you have enough materials and sources, you won't even need to know Greek or Hebrew to know God well. That is for people who wants to study God's words one step further.

__________________

ORRRR.... @ rpgal....

you can buy a Greek Interlinear. You don't hafta be a Scholar, it has the Greek, a word-for-word translation (usually numbered to make sense in English---Greek is sometimes backwards, like Spanish is: "Brilla el sol" means "shines the sun", English says, "The sun is shining"...)

And most interlinears have a translation in english off to the side (often KJV).

Say you wanted to look up John 1:1ff: "In beginning [the] was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word flesh became and tabernacled among us..."

Sounds clear to me (word-for-word from Greek), how 'bout you???