BBL 101: Introduction to the Biblical Languages
Foundations of Biblical Hebrew, Koine Greek, and Canonical Transmission
Course Description
Welcome to BBL 101: Introduction to the Biblical Languages! This foundational course introduces students to the original languages of Holy Scripture: Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Aramaic, and Koine Greek. Students explore how God revealed His Word in historical human languages, how the Old and New Testament texts were transmitted across millennia, and how to use lexicons, concordances, interlinears, and Bible Doctrine Academy’s interactive language tools without committing common lexical fallacies.
Interactive Companion Language Apps
- Hebrew Alphabet & Vowels Trainer — Interactive consonant, niqqud, and syllable practice
- Greek Alphabet & Grammar Trainer — Interactive alphabet, diphthong, and pronunciation practice
- Hebrew Vocabulary Flash Cards — High-frequency Old Testament Hebrew lexical drills
- Greek Vocabulary Flash Cards — High-frequency New Testament Greek lexical drills
- Manuscript Variant Analysis Platform — Compare MT, LXX, DSS, and Greek NT witnesses
Course Structure
This course is composed of an Interactive Syllabus and five comprehensive chapters. Each chapter includes a detailed Chapter Summary, five in-depth lessons with Lesson Check-in Quizzes, and a 10-question Chapter Test. The course culminates in a 30-question Final Course Exam (62 total learning steps).
Course Outline
Chapter 1: Divine Revelation and the Languages of Scripture
- Lesson 1: God’s Word in Human Words: Inspiration and the Original Autographs
- Lesson 2: Overview of the Three Biblical Languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek
- Lesson 3: Why Original Languages Matter for Exegesis, Doctrine, and Preaching
- Lesson 4: The History of Bible Translation: From the Septuagint to Modern Versions
- Lesson 5: Formal vs. Dynamic Equivalence: Comparing Translation Philosophies
Chapter 2: The Semitic World and Biblical Hebrew Overview
- Lesson 1: The Semitic Language Family: Hebrew in the Ancient Near East
- Lesson 2: Evolution of the Hebrew Script: Paleo-Hebrew to Square Aramaic Script
- Lesson 3: The Triliteral Root System: How Hebrew Builds Meaning from Three Consonants
- Lesson 4: The Masoretes and the Preservation of Vocalization (Niqqud)
- Lesson 5: Key Characteristics of Hebrew Narrative and Poetic Style
Chapter 3: The Hellenistic World and Koine Greek Overview
- Lesson 1: From Classical Greek to Koine (Common) Greek in the Mediterranean World
- Lesson 2: The Septuagint (LXX): The Greek Old Testament of the Early Church
- Lesson 3: Inflection in Koine Greek: How Word Endings Signal Grammatical Function
- Lesson 4: Semitic Influence and Hebraisms in New Testament Greek
- Lesson 5: Distinct Literary Styles of the New Testament Authors (Luke, Paul, John, Hebrews)
Chapter 4: Mastering Lexical, Concordance, and Digital Tools
- Lesson 1: How Exhaustive Concordances and Strong’s Numbers Work
- Lesson 2: Using Hebrew Lexicons (BDB and HALOT) and Greek Lexicons (BDAG and Thayer)
- Lesson 3: Navigating Interlinear and Reverse-Interlinear Bibles Responsibly
- Lesson 4: Practicing with BDA’s Interactive Greek & Hebrew Alphabet and Flash Card Apps
- Lesson 5: Step-by-Step Protocol for Conducting a Responsible Biblical Word Study
Chapter 5: Linguistic Hermeneutics and Avoiding Word-Study Fallacies
- Lesson 1: The Root Fallacy: Why Etymology Does Not Always Determine Usage
- Lesson 2: Anachronism and Obsolete Meanings in Lexical Analysis
- Lesson 3: Illegitimate Totality Transfer: Context vs. Dictionary Range
- Lesson 4: Semantic Domains and Synonymy in Biblical Theology
- Lesson 5: Case Study: Conducting Responsible Word Studies on Hesed and Agape
Assessments & Grading
- Lesson Check-in Quizzes: 25 short check-in quizzes following each core lesson to reinforce retention.
- Chapter Tests: Five 10-question Chapter Tests reviewing each chapter’s linguistic and exegetical concepts (80% passing score).
- Final Course Exam: A 30-question comprehensive Final Exam covering all five chapters (80% passing score).
