Which is more important Greek or Hebrew?

Not David

I'm back!
Apr 6, 2018
7,356
5,235
25
USA
✟231,310.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
Howdy! I'm curious about that because some say Hebrew because it was talked by the Jews and the Old Testament (if you don't believe in the Deuterocanon) was solely written in Hebrew. Why others say Greek because of the New Testament and that it was the language used by the Church. What do you believe?
 

Hazelelponi

I'm back
Supporter
Jun 25, 2018
9,210
8,689
55
USA
✟676,936.00
Country
United States
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
I would put Greek as the highest importance and Hebrew second, Aramaic third.

The reason being is that Jews themselves translated the scriptures (old testament) into Greek. The Septuagint (Greek scripture) is also quoted by Jesus and the disciples in the new testament, although not exclusively. It seems they and He were after specific meanings in scripture, and used whatever text best fit with the meaning they were after, so sometimes that was the Greek, other times Hebrew and yet others Aramaic.

Therefore, I would give importance to the Greek first then the Hebrew..
 
Upvote 0

dzheremi

Coptic Orthodox non-Egyptian
Aug 27, 2014
13,500
13,648
✟426,176.00
Country
United States
Faith
Oriental Orthodox
Marital Status
Private
Up until relatively recent times, very few people of any note outside of a few anomalies like St. Jerome or Origen would've given Hebrew any consideration in any way, as that was the language of the Jews, and even then not their spoken language (which in the time of Christ and for some centuries before was Aramaic), but their religious/liturgical language, and we of course are not Jews.

So if I had to order things, I would put them differently, with Greek being first (as the language of the NT to basically everyone but a few Aramaic primacists among the various types of Syriac Christians), followed by Aramaic, and then somewhere way, way down the list -- after Coptic, Latin, Armenian, Syriac, Slavonic, Ge'ez/Ethiopic and the modern Ethiopian and Eritrean Semitic languages, the modern Neo-Aramaic dialects, etc. -- would be Hebrew. Yes, it is good to know, even some could argue essential, if you are interested in the literary production of the Jews in particular, but outside of that it really has nothing to do with anything. I would even argue that other Jewish languages are much more interesting to know (e.g., the various Jewish forms of Neo-Aramaic, Arabic, Spanish, etc.), though I suppose less so for the study of scripture.
 
Upvote 0

Greg J.

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Mar 2, 2016
3,841
1,907
Southeast Michigan
✟233,164.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
I agree with @Hazelelponi's reasoning. Also, I have found knowing a little Greek to be valuable (not knowing Hebrew at all), primarily because I want to understand words in depth in the New Testament more often than I want to understand words in depth in the Old Testament. (Jesus', Paul', and other apostles' words are given to us in Greek.) It's very rare that I am frustrated because of not understanding Hebrew. The study tools available seem to be enough for me. However, I also and found learning a little Hebrew to be much more difficult than learning some Greek and lost interest primarily because of that. (I also lost interest in attaining an intermediate level of Greek.)
 
Upvote 0

eleos1954

God is Love
Supporter
Nov 14, 2017
9,698
5,614
Utah
✟713,703.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Howdy! I'm curious about that because some say Hebrew because it was talked by the Jews and the Old Testament (if you don't believe in the Deuterocanon) was solely written in Hebrew. Why others say Greek because of the New Testament and that it was the language used by the Church. What do you believe?

They are both equally important .... the Bible in it's entirety is important and the original languages it was translated from is Hebrew and Greek, and some Aramaic.
 
Upvote 0

Soyeong

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2015
12,416
4,600
Hudson
✟281,745.00
Country
United States
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
Single
Howdy! I'm curious about that because some say Hebrew because it was talked by the Jews and the Old Testament (if you don't believe in the Deuterocanon) was solely written in Hebrew. Why others say Greek because of the New Testament and that it was the language used by the Church. What do you believe?

I'd say Hebrew, though I should admit to being biased because I'm Messianic and I'm currently learning Hebrew. I'm continually amazed how much insight can be gained through studying a passage in Hebrew that I had glossed over in English.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sam91
Upvote 0

Dave-W

Welcoming grandchild #7, Arturus Waggoner!
Supporter
Jun 18, 2014
30,521
16,866
Maryland - just north of D.C.
Visit site
✟771,800.00
Country
United States
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Hebrew first. Definitely.

Yes the NT was written in Greek, at least that is what most scholars think. But they will tell you that underlying the Greek was a Hebraic sentence structure and thought process.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Soyeong
Upvote 0

ItIsFinished!

Jesus Christ is our only hope.
Sep 1, 2018
1,678
1,134
51
Middletown
✟52,772.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Private
Howdy! I'm curious about that because some say Hebrew because it was talked by the Jews and the Old Testament (if you don't believe in the Deuterocanon) was solely written in Hebrew. Why others say Greek because of the New Testament and that it was the language used by the Church. What do you believe?
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

trophy33

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2018
8,846
3,552
N/A
✟145,341.00
Country
Czech Republic
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Certainly Greek, because its the language of the actual covenant and also the language of the Christian Old Testament that was used by the first Church (and also by Jews).

If you will learn Hebrew, you will be able to read only judaistic texts from medieval era or the Dead Sea Scrolls.

---
And also two "wordly" benefits of Greek as a bonus:
a) Greek terms, logic or thinking are used in many languages so you will understand background more (for example many medical or philosophical terms)
b) you will be able to guess at least some Cyrillic letters
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

mmksparbud

Well-Known Member
Dec 3, 2011
17,312
6,821
73
Las Vegas
✟255,978.00
Country
United States
Faith
SDA
Marital Status
Widowed
Politics
US-Others
Howdy! I'm curious about that because some say Hebrew because it was talked by the Jews and the Old Testament (if you don't believe in the Deuterocanon) was solely written in Hebrew. Why others say Greek because of the New Testament and that it was the language used by the Church. What do you believe?

Hebrew first, as that is what the OT was written in and that is the only scriptures there were when Jesus and the disciple talked about the scriptures. And yes, Greek is also important, however, it was Jews that wrote the NT also and it is their mind set, their way of thinking and viewing things, and their culture at the time, that matters the most in accurately figuring out what they meant, not just the language.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Erik Nelson
Upvote 0