4. Grammar and Syntax
Depending on which version of Logos that you use, and which additional books you have bought, you may be able to access Greek and Hebrew grammars that make reference to the specific text you are studying. By looking up these links each time a sermon is prepared, our Greek and Hebrew knowledge will be gradually expanded as well as helping in our immediate sermon preparation.
5. Annotation
I use the Visual Filters tool on Logos to automatically color code Greek and Hebrew verbs, pronouns and conjunctions according to my presets. If I choose to see the verbs, Logos puts colored highlights, boxes and under-linings on each word so that I can immediately see their stems, tenses, voices, etc., and any significant patterns and sequences. I can also add notes to the text as I go on. I will sometimes print out this color-coded annotated version of the text in Greek or Hebrew and carry it around with me so that I can familiarize myself with it at various points in the week.
6. Outline
Logos offers a number of outlining tools from simple block diagramming, to sentence diagramming, to much more complex line diagramming. Although, of course, this can also be done on paper, using technology allows much greater trial and error in trying to decide how words relate to one another. As a check on your work in Greek, you can buy the Lexham Clausal Outlines add-on for Logos.
7. Cross References
With Logos, it’s easy and quick to bring up a range of cross references relevant to the passage, and also any parallel passages to compare two accounts of the one event.
8. Commentary
Most Logos packages come with a number of commentaries. Although the quality of them varies, they can be supplemented with a good range of excellent modern commentaries that Logos offers as standalone volumes. And, of course, you can access many commentaries and sermons online. The only thing to emphasize here is to delay this step until as late as possible in the sermon preparation process so that you have struggled with the text yourself before reading commentaries and sermons, so that you don’t just copy what others have said. Wrestling with the text yourself will make your sermons more original, more personal and more authoritative.
This article was first published in The Expositor Magazine.
