After listening to this audio, I have a few questions ! Do I live in the "world", or do I live in the "Palestian jews"? Or do I live in "Palestine, TX" ? :)

Oh thanks Greg! That is what I needed! I appreciate it... Blessings, W

Wanda,
The lexicon is:

Danker, Fredrick William, and Walter Bauer."A Greek-English of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature," 3rd ed.

Just finished listening...little difficult in the beginning until you two settled down but I am so glad I stuck with it because I enjoyed this a lot and I learned HUGE lesson.

While going thru the BCS study I have gotten into the habit of asking if the greek word used in whatever instance is also consistently used the same way throughout scripture -and I realize now that is such a pointless venture. The discussion you had on the different ways the same word is changed by context was finally brought home to me.

I think because I struggle SO much with trying to just understand the very basics of reading in context that I have been latching onto a false hope that the greek word translation will suddenly make everything clear from start to finish. That is lazy of me and it is so wrong. So thank you for that detailed information.

I know you both get worn down and frustrated at times with the amount of time and effort you spend in research, exegesis, study, commenting, posting, writing, etc etc etc and I just want to encourage you to please continue doing it! The time you spend is not wasted. Even if it doesn't ever change the minds or hearts of the people you are in debate with it does help those of us on the sidelines.

I wish Jason would rejoin at PD because I read his posts (although I prefer when he isnt so "in your face") and I don't care if people like each other or are sicky sweet to each other - I just abhor the vehement tear downs. But I do try to take everything into careful consideration and I am desperately trying to not just believe in something because I truly care about the person presenting it...so I need both or all sides and views. I need to see the debate and how it pans out. I am sure I am not the only one who benefits from it.

Anyway, I thank you both for another informative podcast. Although I could have done without Sam's last thought about the view of: eternal covenant but not an eternal world idea...I am gonna have nightmares now! Thanks.

Oh and Sam - what was the Lexicon you were using? I couldnt quite get it...thanks. Wanda

Thank you very much, Greg. Really. In this day and age, everything is viewed as "just your interpretation" - there are no more "standards" of doing exegesis. But, I believe that there are. I believe that we can know, to a great extent, the message of the Bible as God wants us to know it. The difference between one who says "we can approximate the truth" and yet has no belief in Absolute Truth, and the one who says the same thing, and has a belief in Absolute Truth, is that the former is groping in the dark, whereas the latter has the meaning of Scriptures - "which is Thy truth" (John 17:17). We have a target, and through history, time and working together, this truth has been (and still is) being developed amongst the Body.

Sure, we bring "our bias" to the text, but we also are learning to recognize that - to dismantle it in light of further learning in the text. We are a people of the Text. We cannot get away from it.

When it comes to Greek grammar, it is what it is. Interpretative differences are one thing, and grammar is another. In this case, saying "nun" is an adjective instead of an adverb is not an "interpretation". It's a fact.

Sam,
I really appreciate your exegetical work that you put out. I took two years of greek while in seminary, also had to write exegetical papers. Everything you point out is the same thing my professors taught in greek grammar classes. The points you mentioned are basic greek exegesis. Your placement of the "vuv" is spot on. (oi de vuv oupavoi kai n yn)
Keep up the good work. I have learned much from your teachings, especially when you get into the Greek and Hebrew text. It brings back to memory what all the stuff I had learned. It then causes me to be a better exegete myself