Lexical AIDS for Students of New Testament Greek

by Bruce M. Metzger

Book Overview

A standard Greek reference tool allowing students to learn vocabulary quickly by listing words according to their frequency of use in the New Testament.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801021804
• ISBN13: 9780801021800
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 and higher

Customer Reviews

If it's so outdated, why is it still going strong years later?

I want to preface this by pointing out that I don't think such books are ideal for learning vocabulary. I think we process new vocabulary better when we _read_ it in context, or better yet, have a visual picture to associate that context with. Having said that, people have criticized Metzger's work for being outdated, superseded, not having all the features other books have, etc. Perhaps the reason this little book is still so popular is because people misunderstand its virtues. It is not the amount of lexical data and mnemonic tips that made it worthwhile, only to be bettered by books with more data & tips. Metzger was a giant in the field, and while none could deny that Bauer, Spicq, and Moulton/Geden are better for understanding word meanings than Metzger's glosses, Metzger's slim volume is always ready at hand for quick, easy study.

Handy Quick Reference

Metzger's Lexical Aids has been in my library for many years. I use it as a quick reference on New Testament Greek if I don't want to pull out more exhausitve aids. I espccially like the way he has created several indices including an index of Greek roots and a sort by number of occurrences. This aid was particularly useful when I first started to learn the Greek but I find myself, even today, going back to it for a quick lookup. I recommend this book for students of New Testament Greek. I have used other resources as well, many of which were recommended by the late Dr. Gene Scott and continue to be used by his wife, Pastor Melissa Scott. But none seem to be as well worn as my "Lexical Aids".

Great, and affordable little book!!!

I bought this book after reading Dr. P.C. Comminos review. This is a gem of a little book. Here's how it's set up: list words by their frequency (from 500 occurances all the way down to 10), words classified according to their root, ino-european family of languages (helps you see the big picture), prepositions in composition with verbs, principal parts of important verbs, feminine nouns of the second declension, and an index of greek words. Yes I got that from the table of contents. Total length of this book is 100 pages. It is inexpensive and comprehensive for it's size. A superior product given that it is only 100 pages. You can get this book for under ten dollars. There are few purchases that qualify as "No brainers" in my humble opinion. This is one of those "NO BRAINERS." As a side note if your learning greek you should check out Dr. PC Commino's profile. I have found it very informative, and have never been steered wrong by him.

My favorite Greek book, besides the little red Aland NT

This book is great for review and vocabulary refreshers. Small, charming, and concise, it used to sit next to my bed, desk, or bathroom sink, for when I had a free moment to study. It took only a few weeks to work through the words this way from beginning to end, and now it's (mostly) in my head, ready to use. After learning this little book, my facility in the Greek NT went up several grade levels. For extra synergy, use it in tandem with Kubo's lexicon, which picks up with the occasional rarer words where Metzger leaves off. But I usually just flip to the dictionary in the back of Aland, so I only need to carry around the one little red NT. Thanks, Dr. Metzger! (His Canon of the NT is great too.)

Classic -- must have

If you're a serious (or even semi-serious) student of NT Greek, you'll want this book. A short list of vocabulary words, sorted and indexed several ways, gives you the information you need to start learning the most commonly used words immediately.Not designed to be read cover-to-cover, it's just a list of Greek words, their meanings and, often, related English words that derived from the Greek term. Using a computer program, the straight words could be generated easily enough, but the beauty is in the English definitions and related words. Designed to help make the connection between the English and the Greek clearer for the user, Metzger has provided students with an excellent, concise, and easy to use reference work that you'll return to over and over.