Why does this site exist?

In December of 2004, I lost a coworker and a friend to an airplane crash. It was a difficult time, more than I'd like to relate here, but as catharsis I immersed myself in my Greek New Testament. In its pages, I was reassured of the compelling hope that we have in Christ, but it took a lot of effort to read! My Greek was in a pretty good state I thought, but that's generally what beginners think. In other words, my desire to be even more conversant with the Greek grew during that time, and so I sat down to make a resource which would help make the Greek New Testament more accessible to the beginning Greek student, the Greek scholar, or to anyone who desires to experience the Bible in its original form. This site is the result.

Since then, it's become even more exciting to continue to expand the usefulness of this site. I receive a double benefit from such work; I get the privilege of encouraging each of you in your sacred study, but also receive the joy of reading and translating from the Greek myself. I'm continually impressed by its pages and transformed by it's truth. So why does this site exist? It exists for you.

Who are you?

Well, let's see. My name is Zack Hubert and I grew up in Yakima Washington, a small town in the heart of apple country. From an early age I attended a Presbyterian church with my family. However, as an excelling academic, the stories of the Bible didn't carry any weight with me. My life was lived independent of Jesus for many years, though I know now that He was with me, allowing me to make my bad decisions, knowing they would ultimately turn me back to him.

Most important during that time was excellence scholastically, so I pursued that voraciously. I graduated near the top of my high school class and went on to study nuclear astrophysics, graduating with honors from Cornell University in 1997. While a university student, I was involved in SNO (Sudbury Neutrino Observatory) during a stint at Los Alamos National Labs over 1995-1996 and very truly enjoyed pure research. In the fall of my senior year at Cornell, everything changed. I came to know the Lord as my personal Savior during a painful illness and period of intense difficulty. After graduation, I came back to my home state of Washington to attend graduate school in Physics at the University of Washington, expecting to join the SNO team there and get my Ph.D. From the start, however, it was evident that there were other plans for my life. I left the free ride graduate program and went into a place where life was by faith rather than sight. I was dirt poor with residual debt from my undergraduate education and no appreciable income to speak of. Through this time, the Lord was faithful. He provided work in the computer industry as a contractor. I began to build up a decent resume and after a time I was able to afford classes at Fuller Theological Seminary, a year after I left my physics program. Then began the journey that just finished this year when I graduated with my Masters in Theology.

My life feels most like a testament to God's enduring faithfullness, beginning with his death on the cross. This past two years have been especially sweet as the Lord brought into my life my lovely wife Julie. We were married on February 19th of 2005. That day was unforgettable and the blessings that He has brought to my wife and I have been an example of His generosity above all. She is such an encouragement to me in all my endeavors including the one you're visiting now.

My wife and I attend Mars Hill Church in Ballard, Washington. I am active in the Capstone Institute there and enjoy the opportunity to teach as well as to be a part of a body of believers so committed to living a counter-culture life of faith. I encourage you to listen to a podcast some time, I know that Pastor Mark's words will challenge and encourage you into a closer walk with the Lord.

Who else contributes to this site?

Everyone contributes to this site by their involvement here. Of special mention:

• Dr. Carl W. Conrad - Editor in charge of the Lexicon
• James Tauber - Editor in charge of the GNT Source

Check out the Credits page for more details.

Why is the site called www.zhubert.com?

The site is unfortunately eponymous as it was built on my home site, but it's a bit late to try to change it now :) The .com was just what my internet provider gave me. I have no intention for this to be commercial though I sometimes dream of being able to develop this resource full time (I spend an hour or two a week working on it presently). Maybe the Lord will make that possible someday.

Why study the original languages anyway?

I'll let Martin Luther answer this question by referring to a passage which greatly motivates me, from his letter "To the councilmen of all cities in Germany..." as I first read it in John Piper's "The Legacy of Sovereign Joy"

"O how happy the dear fathers would have been if they had our opportunity to study the languages and come thus prepared to the Holy Scriptures! What great toil and effort it cost them to gather up a few crumbs, while we with half the labor - yes almost without any labor at all - can acquire the whole loaf! O how their effort puts our indolence to shame!"

We have excellent resources in this day and age at our disposal, what a joy it is to use them and even with little effort gather a few crumbs, but even better the whole loaf!

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