- Jun 17, 2022
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This is a trial balloon post. Seeing if there are any others that have honestly investigated the possibility that the Greek text in the New Testament was actually originally written in Aramaic. It seems a ridiculous notion. But there was actually a lot of scholarship in the 1700's to early 1900's looking into this. I find it fascinating the more I research this topic. Looking at one evidence doesn't prove much. But when you investigate the hundreds of examples that exist it becomes hard to ignore. That is, unless you pretend to be an ostrich.
One expert linguistic scholar of the early 20th century was Torrey. He said of the thesis that Aramaic was the original language:
Here's just a single example concept. This is found in "John Wrote In Aramaic" by J. De Zwaan, Journal of Biblical Literature, 1938 pp. 161-163. It's his review of one of Torrey's books of the time.
The verses examined are John 12:11 and John 15:16.
[Jhn 12:10-11 LSB] 10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.
[Jhn 15:16 LSB] 16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
Do you see the strange wording? John 12 says that many were going away and were believing. Going where? John 15 says Jesus told the disciples to go and bear fruit. Go where? We've gotten used to these strange phrases. But it's really from a Aramaic idiom which the Greek text doesn't recognize. And therefore the English translators have not recognized it either. I have not seen a single English version translate these passages in a way that recognizes the Aramaic idiom being used.
Zwaan states "In both places a well-known Hebrew and Aramaic idiom is mistranslated by a literal and stereotyped rendering. It is the idiom "to go and...." for "to grow, to become, to do more and more".
The Greek can be verified here:
www.blueletterbible.org
www.blueletterbible.org
Both texts use the Greek word "hypago" G5217 - hypagō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)
It has 2 meanings:
and Analysis of Peshitta verse 'John 15:16')
The word used for "go" is described here: Word 't)zlwn'
It has 2 similar meanings:
1. to go, move along
2. to go away
BUT....it also has a very common 3rd meaning:
3. as a co-verb: to go ahead and do something, to continue, go on and on doing something
There it is. The Aramaic idiom that hasn't been recognized in the Greek or English translations.
Should be rendered:
John 12:11 - because on account of him many of the Jews were believing in Jesus more and more.
And this makes it much more clear as to why the chief priests wanted to murder Lazarus. It's because his influence were causing more and more people to believe in Jesus which threatened their hold on people.
John 15:16 - You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would bear more and more fruit, and [that] your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
These verses have nothing to do with people going anywhere. It's the particular way the Aramaic language uses to describe increasing results of the particular verb being used.
One expert linguistic scholar of the early 20th century was Torrey. He said of the thesis that Aramaic was the original language:
Here's just a single example concept. This is found in "John Wrote In Aramaic" by J. De Zwaan, Journal of Biblical Literature, 1938 pp. 161-163. It's his review of one of Torrey's books of the time.
The verses examined are John 12:11 and John 15:16.
[Jhn 12:10-11 LSB] 10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.
[Jhn 15:16 LSB] 16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
Do you see the strange wording? John 12 says that many were going away and were believing. Going where? John 15 says Jesus told the disciples to go and bear fruit. Go where? We've gotten used to these strange phrases. But it's really from a Aramaic idiom which the Greek text doesn't recognize. And therefore the English translators have not recognized it either. I have not seen a single English version translate these passages in a way that recognizes the Aramaic idiom being used.
Zwaan states "In both places a well-known Hebrew and Aramaic idiom is mistranslated by a literal and stereotyped rendering. It is the idiom "to go and...." for "to grow, to become, to do more and more".
The Greek can be verified here:
John 12 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
John 12 - Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
www.blueletterbible.org
John 15 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
John 15 - "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-grower.
www.blueletterbible.org
Both texts use the Greek word "hypago" G5217 - hypagō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)
It has 2 meanings:
- to lead under, bring under
- to withdraw one's self, to go away, depart
and Analysis of Peshitta verse 'John 15:16')
The word used for "go" is described here: Word 't)zlwn'
It has 2 similar meanings:
1. to go, move along
2. to go away
BUT....it also has a very common 3rd meaning:
3. as a co-verb: to go ahead and do something, to continue, go on and on doing something
There it is. The Aramaic idiom that hasn't been recognized in the Greek or English translations.
Should be rendered:
John 12:11 - because on account of him many of the Jews were believing in Jesus more and more.
And this makes it much more clear as to why the chief priests wanted to murder Lazarus. It's because his influence were causing more and more people to believe in Jesus which threatened their hold on people.
John 15:16 - You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would bear more and more fruit, and [that] your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
These verses have nothing to do with people going anywhere. It's the particular way the Aramaic language uses to describe increasing results of the particular verb being used.
