Why is Greek underrated?

[Not David]

Because for almost 2000 years there have been "Judaizers."

I can't deny that.

 

[Tone]

This question is based mainly by comparing it with Hebrew.

Even though Greek was the main language used in the Christian world in the age of the Apostles and the Early Church, the language of the New Testament, and the Septuagint, a lot of people still use Hebrew. I don't see anyone calling Jesus "Iesous" like they call him Yeshua, even those guys say it is evil to say it in that language
I don't see anyone calling God "Theos" or "Kyrios" neither.

So, I am curious why that preference of Hebrew, which wasn't even spoken as a native language but Arameic

I've heard it said like this: language is like water, the closer to the source, the purer and more beneficial it is...so, Hebrew is a "mountain top" language and Greek, well, it's a little downstream. I've also heard that language is subject to entropy and, contrary to what some believe, does not evolve.

 

[Tone]

Because for almost 2000 years there have been "Judaizers."

And for even longer, there has been haters of His children...

 

[mark kennedy]

This question is based mainly by comparing it with Hebrew.

Even though Greek was the main language used in the Christian world in the age of the Apostles and the Early Church, the language of the New Testament, and the Septuagint, a lot of people still use Hebrew. I don't see anyone calling Jesus "Iesous" like they call him Yeshua, even those guys say it is evil to say it in that language
I don't see anyone calling God "Theos" or "Kyrios" neither.

So, I am curious why that preference of Hebrew, which wasn't even spoken as a native language but Arameic

Koine Greek was like the Greeks special gift to the world, it was the language of the Mediterranean world and the language of the New Testament. Aramaic was a kind of international language, a bit more common then traditional Hebrew so first century Jews had a tendency to prefer it, I think mostly from convenience. Koine Greek has been a pool of ample semantics for the church down through the ages since Christ, we name a lot of theologies and their subdivisions based on it. Declension and conjugating the Greek is a laborious task sometimes, it makes sense that it would be clumsy for modern readers to take to it easily. But rest assured the church hasn't abandoned Koine Greek, we just keep it in the context of the original language.

 

[CodyFaith]

Because Jesus was Jewish and the Christian faith is the fulfillment and true path for Jews and Gentiles.

Most Christian Gentiles are not Greek, so why use Greek now that we have other primary languages? Unless you belong to a Greek church and that's tradition, I see no purpose.

The reason many use Hebrew makes sense, because again, Christianity is in it's roots a Jewish faith, and God is the God of Israel. Hebrew is also a pure language... and for these reasons and more many choose to embrace the Jewish aspect of Christianity.

I feel it can be useful to learn to read Greek... as of course as you've said the original manuscripts of the N.T. are in Greek and it can help understand certain aspects of the text (although not required to understand things, as God gave us our Bibles for edification). But as far as using it in every day language, I don't see the purpose.

But yeah I suppose this would depend also on what denomination you are involved with. I'm Protestant through and through so it goes without saying I have no use to speak Greek.

 

[Radagast]

I've heard it said like this: language is like water, the closer to the source, the purer and more beneficial it is...so, Hebrew is a "mountain top" language and Greek, well, it's a little downstream.

Nonsense. Hebrew is just another Afroasiatic language.

And Abraham originally came from Ur. He spoke the language of that place.

I've also heard that language is subject to entropy and, contrary to what some believe, does not evolve.

Languages do evolve. Or do you still speak English like this?

Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð
feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,
oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning!

 

[GingerBeer]

This question is based mainly by comparing it with Hebrew.

Even though Greek was the main language used in the Christian world in the age of the Apostles and the Early Church, the language of the New Testament, and the Septuagint, a lot of people still use Hebrew. I don't see anyone calling Jesus "Iesous" like they call him Yeshua, even those guys say it is evil to say it in that language
I don't see anyone calling God "Theos" or "Kyrios" neither.

So, I am curious why that preference of Hebrew, which wasn't even spoken as a native language but Arameic

It's because Evangelical Christians in the USA and some other English speaking lands like to pretend that the modern state called Israel is connected to bible prophecies and the people in Israel have adopted modern Hebrew as one of their national languages. I't likely connected to Christian Zionism.

 

[Radagast]

Hebrew is also a pure language...

No more pure than any other language.

 

[Radagast]

I feel it can be useful to learn to read Greek...

Since the New Testament is a Greek document, yes.

 

[Tone]

Languages do evolve. Or do you still speak English like this?

Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð
feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,
oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning!

By "evolve", I meant communicate truth more effectively by changing. I can't understand what you typed in blue...so...I would say that today's English is a devolution of the original.

 

[Tone]

No more pure than any other language.

Nonsense...

 

[CodyFaith]

Since the New Testament is a Greek document, yes.

Oh hmm pretty sure I said that already.

 

[Arcangl86]

By "evolve", I meant communicate truth more effectively by changing. I can't understand what you typed in blue...so...I would say that today's English is a devolution of the original.

It's the opening of Beowulf.

 

[Tone]

It's the opening of Beowulf.

And would you say it is a purer English than today?

 

[CodyFaith]

Nonsense...

Yep. God's name is written in it's purest form in Hebrew for a reason.

 

[Radagast]

Oh hmm pretty sure I said that already.

Well, yes, but you seemed to be downplaying the great importance of that -- an importance which means that all pastors should learn Greek.

 

[Jonaitis]

It's an interesting question, especially the part about the Holy Name. I have run into a few people who call Jesus Yeshua, even though we aren't 100% sure what his Hebrew, or possibly Aramaic, name was. I sometimes use the term Adonai instead of saying the tetragramaton, but I feel like that's different.

Well, we do know what his name would have been in Hebrew. Joshua is the direct equivalence of Iēsous, which would be Yah-shua (not Yeshua). Frankly, I don't think it matters that much.

I am curious, what if we translated everywhere Jesus is to be Joshua, that would be weird!

 

[Radagast]

And would you say it is a purer English than today?

It's a different English. What we speak today is not "more pure" or "less pure."

 

[GingerBeer]

Nonsense...

Biblical Hebrew has a tiny vocabulary and would be wholly unsuitable for use as a modern spoken language. It is not pure. It is not better than Greek. It is not more holy. And it is not the language spoken by Adam and Eve. Those are all imaginary things that people have attributed to Hebrew for no good reason. And it certainly is not the language spoken in heaven.

 

[Arcangl86]

And would you say it is a purer English than today?

No. It's a different English to today. In some ways Modern English is simpler, in some ways it's more complex. Languages change over time and there is no such thing as a "pure" language.