Many Protestant claim that they can interpret the Scriptures accurately. Do they usually have this background knowledge in Hebrew and Greek?
I know you can’t answer for all, how about just yourself?
I think this is one of the reasons that we, as Catholics, are blessed because many learned men have interpreted the Scriptures for us because they were experts in these languages.
I am a Lutheran minister (LCMS), and at our seminary, for M.Div., we had to be competent in Greek and Hebrew just to get started. Then we used those languages extensively in many classes. Beyond M.Div., I have an S.T.M. in Exegetical Theology and am "All But Dissertation" on a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies. For the Ph.D. language exams, I had to be able to sight-translate large sections of the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. I also had to pass an exam in the Aramaic of Daniel. I have taught courses in Hebrew and Greek, and I lead pericopal studies in Greek on a regular basis. I also studied Latin in high school, college, and seminary. Plus, I have had a course in German, and I can translate Swedish.
I know you can’t answer for all, how about just yourself?
I think this is one of the reasons that we, as Catholics, are blessed because many learned men have interpreted the Scriptures for us because they were experts in these languages.
Nobody knows the Greek language better than the leaders of the Greek Orthodox Church and they have never submitted to the authority of Rome.
Nobody knows the Hebrew language better than the rabbis of Judaism and they have never submitted to the authority of the Pope.
First, your question was translate, not interpret. Those differ. A good translation - and there are a number available in English, to include the ESV, NASB, and even the NIV - is quite enough to understand most passages.
Most folks don’t read The Three Musketeers in the original French, but they can follow the plot just fine in a good English translation.
If one wants to delve further, then there are a number of good study aids. Most commentaries are written by folks who know the original languages, and they have the luxury of taking as many pages as needed to convey the fullness that a translation must often forgo.
See here:
http://deeperstudy.com/link/commentaries.html
For example, one might reference this in studying Luke:
Luke 1:28
Highly favoured (kexaritwmenh).
Perfect passive participle of xaritow and means endowed with grace (xariv), enriched with grace as in Ephesians 1:6, non ut mater gratiae, sed ut filia gratiae (Bengel). The Vulgate gratiae plena “is right, if it means ‘full of grace which thou hast received’; wrong, if it means ‘full of grace which thou hast to bestow”’ (Plummer). The oldest MSS. do not have “Blessed art thou among women” here, but in verse 42.
http://www.studylight.org/com/rwp/view.cgi?book=lu&chapter=001&verse=028
There are also many word studies available. For example, Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament has 2500 pages of info, available for $25:
So no, I don’t feel unable to read, understand or interpret the scriptures just because I cannot translate them by myself.
“I think this is one of the reasons that we, as Catholics, are blessed because many learned men have interpreted the Scriptures for us because they were experts in these languages.”
I hate to break it to you, but there are language experts who are Catholic, Protestant, Atheists and Jewish.
But the scriptures aren’t all that hard to understand. I suspect most readers can benefit from reading, for example, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” - Acts 16
Also, I would point out that very few of the differences between Catholic & Protestant theology are based on translation problems. We differ on what John 6 means regarding Eucharist (or not!), but that difference is not driven by disagreement about what the text says, but what it means.
Many Protestant claim that they can interpret the Scriptures accurately. Do they usually have this background knowledge in Hebrew and Greek?
- - - -
I can.
And translation is different than interpretation.
However, knowledge of Greek and Hebrew will help with interpretation, I have known many more protestants with a solid grasp of Biblical interpretation then the lay Catholics I have known. I think the reason for this has more to do with the absence of a strict hierarchy in Protestantism than any intellectual foundation.
If knowing the original language was of upmost importance all those that speak Greek would be saved..
We can trust those that do know the language to translate it with some accuracy because God protects His word..
To understand scripture one needs to be saved /born again by the holy Spirit..
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”