IBL 204: Koine Greek Syntax & Discourse Grammar

Intermediate New Testament Syntax, Case Nuances, the Article, Conditions, and Sentence Diagramming

Course Description

Welcome to IBL 204: Koine Greek Syntax & Discourse Grammar! Designed for intermediate students, this course covers the syntactic categories of Daniel Wallace’s Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics and modern discourse analysis: advanced Genitive/Dative/Accusative functions, Granville Sharp’s and Colwell’s rules for the Greek article, conditional sentences, conjunctions, and phrase/sentence diagramming.

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: Advanced Syntax of the Greek Cases

• Lesson 1: Nominative Nuances: Predicate Nominative, Appellation, Absolute, andNominative for Vocative
• Lesson 2: Genitive Nuances I: Possession, Relationship, Partitive, Attributive (Hebrew Genitive), and Apposition
• Lesson 3: Genitive Nuances II: Subjective vs. Objective vs. Plenary Genitive (e.g., pistis Christou ‘Faith in/of Christ’)
• Lesson 4: Dative Nuances: Indirect Object, Interest (Advantage/Disadvantage), Sphere, Instrument/Means, Agency, and Association
• Lesson 5: Accusative Nuances: Direct Object, Double Accusative (Person-Thing / Object-Complement), Respect, and Extent of Time/Space

Chapter 2: The Greek Article and Christological Grammar

• Lesson 1: Fundamental Function of the Greek Article: Conceptualizing, Identifying, and ParExcellence/Monadic Uses
• Lesson 2: Anarthrous Nouns: Indefinite vs. Qualitative vs. Definite Meaning without the Article
• Lesson 3: Colwell’s Construction and Pre-Verbal Anarthrous Predicate Nominatives (John 1:1c: kai theos en ho logos)
• Lesson 4: Granville Sharp’s Rule (TSKS Construction) in Titus 2:13 and 2 Peter 1:1 (‘Our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ’)
• Lesson 5: The Article with Proper Names, Abstract Nouns, Genitive Phrases, and Substantives

Chapter 3: Conditional Sentences, Relative Clauses, and Commands

• Lesson 1: First-Class Conditions (ei + Indicative): Assumed True for the Sake of Argument
• Lesson 2: Second-Class Conditions (ei + Past Indicative with an in Apodosis): Contrary to Fact
• Lesson 3: Third-Class Conditions (ean + Subjunctive): More Probable Future and General Conditions, plus Fourth-Class
• Lesson 4: Hina Clauses: Purpose, Result, Content, Epexegetical, and Imperatival Uses
• Lesson 5: Hoti Clauses (Direct/Indirect Discourse and Causal) and Conditional Relative Clauses (hos an)

Chapter 4: New Testament Discourse Grammar and Information Structure

• Lesson 1: Discourse Connectives: Coordinating vs. Subordinating Conjunctions (gar, oun, de, alla, dio, ara)
• Lesson 2: Verbal Aspect as Grounding: Background (Aorist), Foreground (Present/Imperfect), and Frontground (Perfect)
• Lesson 3: Word Order, Left-Dislocation, and Topical/Focal Fronting in Koine Greek
• Lesson 4: Meta-Comments, Rhetorical Questions (ou vs. me Expecting Yes vs. No), and Attention Getters (idou)
• Lesson 5: Tracing Argumentation Through Pauline Paraenesis and Epistolary Transitions

Chapter 5: Graphical Sentence Diagramming and Arcing/Bracketing

• Lesson 1: Principles of Line-Diagramming Greek Sentences (Subject-Verb-Complement Baseline and Modifiers)
• Lesson 2: Principles of Proposition Arcing / Bracketing (Coordinate and Subordinate Logical Relations)
• Lesson 3: Diagramming Lab I: Ephesians 2:8-10 (Saved by Grace Through Faith unto Good Works)
• Lesson 4: Diagramming Lab II: Philippians 2:5-11 (The Carmen Christi: Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ)
• Lesson 5: Diagramming Lab III: 1 Peter 1:3-5 (Blessed Be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ)

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).