Home  ::  Beliefs  :: Salvation ::  Teachings  ::  Events ::  The Book Shelf  ::  Teaching CD's ::  Online Audio Teachings

(Part 2 of 2) by Jan Magiera

We have looked at a very brief overview of the development of the three languages, but as you can see, because of this history, it is important that we study all three if we want to understand the Bible. Aramaic and Hebrew are very closely related and because of that, there is a strong tie between the Old and New Testaments. Greek is the language through which we eventually got the King James Version and it is the language which has been and still is the most studied by scholars and Biblical students.

What is the main value of each language for Biblical study? Since Aramaic and Hebrew are so similar, I think that their value is also similar. They both are very picturesque and descriptive languages, rich with idioms, figures of speech and illustrations. These are all a “gold mine” and rich enough to study for a lifetime! Greek is the classical language of the Roman Empire and since the history and transmission of the gospel occurred in that time, there are many customs and manners that help us to understand the New Testament. For example, all of the references that Paul makes in the epistles to the Roman games are from the Greek and Roman culture (I Corinthians 9:25-27).

To conclude with a practical example of the interaction of all the languages, let us look at a sample verse from Hebrews.

(King James Version) Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

(Peshitta Aramaic) Hebrews 13:5 Your mind should not love money, but what you have should be sufficient for you. For the LORD has said: I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AND I WILL NOT LET GO OF YOU.

The last part of this verse is a quotation from Deuteronomy of some of the last words of Moses to the children of Israel:

(KJV) Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

The Aramaic of Hebrews 13:5b literally says, “I will not leave you and I will not let my hands let loose of you.” The word “let loose” is the same as “fail you” in the Hebrew of Deuteronomy. It is a picture of God not letting his hands go slack or hang down and do nothing. God will always be working on our behalf!

The Greek further emphasizes the phrase by putting no less than 5 negatives together literally stating: I will never, no, never leave thee, nor ever forsake thee. This literally confirms God’s promise to us, as well as to Israel!

We can see from this brief study that there is an interaction between all the Biblical languages and it is important to understand how they work together to get the complete understanding of a passage of scripture.

[For over 25 years, Jan Magiera has pursued a study of the Aramaic of the Peshitta New Testament. She has published an Aramaic Peshitta New Testament Translation with explanatory footnotes marking variant readings, customs and figures of speech. For more information, visit her website at www.lightofword.org.]

To Read Part 1: Click Here

Contact Information