Of course Hanukkah is old Aramaic for “Dedication.” Aramaic plays an important part in the story of Hanukah. Judas changed his name to Maqqaba for the Aramaic word for “hammer” or “sledgehammer.” This Aramaic word gives us the name “Maccabee.” (Robert Graves in “King Jesus” argues that all the Maccabee brothers were “similarly nicknamed by their father after tools in his joiners chest-for example, Eleazar was called ‘Avaran,” the awl and Judah was named “Maqqaba” for “the Hammer.”) A Jewish account of the story of the Maccabbees is entitled “Megillat Aniochus” and is written in Aramaic. The story of Chanukah is found in the First and Second Book of Maccabees in Roman Catholic versions of the Holy Bible, or in translations of the Bible that include the Apocrypha. The story of the Maccabees (or the Hasmoneans) is also recorded in the books written by Flavius Josephus.
The Aramaic word Chanukah is found in the Aramaic sections of the Holy Bible (Ezra 6:16-17, Daniel 3:2-3). The Hebrew equivalent word is also found in the Old Testament (Numbers 7:84, 2 Chronicles 7:9, Nehemiah 12:27). It is defined in Strong’s Concordance as “consecration” and “dedication.” The Hebrew form can also mean initiation. The Greek word used to refer to Chanukah in the Gospel of John is “Egkainia” which is defined as renewal and dedication.
To understand the story of the Maccabees, you need to understand its historical background. This means understanding the Temple and understanding hellinization.
The Temple
An important part of Hannakah is the Temple. What is the Temple? When Moses was on Mount Sinai God showed him a vision of a place of worship. When he came down he instructed them to build a mobile temple, that was called the Tabernacle. A rectangular partition of curtains was erected. Inside was a tent. The tent had two divisions, a holy place and a most holy place. The inner sanctum is known as the Holy of Holies. There were important temple furnishings, including a seven branched lamp known as the Menorah and a chest that contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments. This chest was called “The Ark of the Covenant.” (Of course the Ark of the Covenant movie was featured in the popular movie “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.”) God told the Israelites that there would be a place revealed to them when they settled in the land that would be set apart as a place of worship.
There were several “temples” built. Apparently, a “temple” was built in Shiloh. Samuel ministered to Yahweh in the Temple at Shiloah (1 Samuel 3:21). This temple was destroyed by the Philistines. Jeremiah prophesied that the temple of Yahweh would be destroyed the same way as the temple of Shiloah was destroyed (Jeremiah 7:12-14. 26:6-9). David had erected the “Tabernacle of David” on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. King Solomon, with the aide of the Phoenicians, built the temple on “Mount Moriah” in Jerusalem. (Mount Moriah, Zion and the Temple Mount are all names for the same place in Jerusalem.) The Babylonians destroyed the Temple on August 9, 587 BC.
The “Second” Temple was rebuilt by Zerubbabel seventy-two years after its destruction. It was completed on March 12, 515 BC. In 19 BC, King Herod had the structure built by Zerubbabel totally demolished in order for a new much more lavish temple to be built. The Temple was completed on 64 AD, soon before the beginning of the Jewish War. When the Jewish War ended in 70 AD the Temple was destroyed. (The Jewish people call both Zerubbabel’s and Herod’s Temples the “Second Temple” although they were two entirely different structures.) The Temple Mount was left a ruin for many years. Finally, the Moslems built a mosque called the Dome of the Rock or the Mosque of Omar. It still stands there today. This mosque was used as a Christian chapel when the Christians ruled over Jerusalem during the Crusades. The mosque was designed and built by Christians for the Moslems initially. There hasn’t been a temple in Jerusalem for almost “two thousand years.”
There were other “Temples of Yahweh” that we know of. When the Jewish people returned from exile in Babylonian they refused to allow the Samaritans to help them build the temple. The Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizum, which they still believe to be the place chosen by God. The Romans destroyed this Temple.
Onias IV was the son of the murdered Jewish High Priest Onias III. He felt he was the legitimate high priest but his rightful place had been usurped by the new High Priest Alcimus. Onias fled to Egypt where he built a Jewish temple at Leontopolis which was built on the same pattern as the Temple of Jerusalem and offered the same rituals. This temple was in use for 230 years until it was destroyed by the Romans.
A Jewish community at Elephentine (Yeb) in southern Egypt also built a temple of Yahweh in Egypt. It stood from around 586 until 404 BC. A partially preserved temple of Yahweh built by King Solomon has been discovered in Arad, Israel. There have been 8 temples of Yahweh that we know of.
(Concerning how the Ark of the Covenant appeared. I believe a very interesting representation can be seen on the bibleorigins.net website, which is a secular humanist website.)
The Holy City
According to normative Judaism the only legitimate Temple is that of Jerusalem Even today in Judaism there is a strong belief that Jerusalem is a holy place-a link between earth and heaven. This is why many Jews pray at the “wailing wall” in Jerusalem. The Temple in Jerusalem is very important in Biblical Judaism. This is the place where the name of the Lord is to be made great before all of the world. It was the only place were animal sacrifices for the atonement of sins could be offered. For Jesus and the Apostles Jerusalem was a place of prayer.
The Rise of Greek Civilization
Alexander the Great was a Macedonian. Macedonians were probably Celtic (they had their own non-Greek language) but became “hellenophile.” They copied Greek ways and promoted Greek culture. They were a warrior people. Alexander’s father was Phillip of Macedon. He united all the Greeks under his rule. Alexander as a child studied under the great philosopher Aristotle. When Phillip was assassinated Alexander became king. Some people suspect Alexander of being behind the assassination. If he wasn’t it is very possible his mother was. Alexander then went on the fight the Persian empire and to destroy it and its ruler, Darius. Alexander then went on to attempt to conquer the known world. He made it as far as India and had to turn back due to lack of morale among his soldiers and his being injured in a battle. After returning to Babylon he died in the year 323 at the age of 32. There are several good books on Alexander the Great. Oliver Stone made a movie on Alexander. There are three versions of the film. Two of them over-emphasize the fact that Alexander was bi-sexual. The film leaves out certain important episodes in Alexander’s life such as his battle against the Phoenicians and his time in Egypt, which was pivotal in his life. It also spends too much time on his relationship with his gay lovers and Roxana and fails to show the fact that he had other wives. It does have good sequences in it such as the Battle of Gaugamela and a battle in India.) After Alexander died his kingdom was divided among four of his generals. Alexander spread the Greek language and culture across the world. Some of the early church fathers felt that this was divine providence, that God was preparing the world for the coming of the Gospel through Alexander spreading Greek, a unified language, and the Romans who brought peace and built roads, which the apostles would use to travel the world and share the message of Jesus. There are stories that Alexander was received into Jerusalem in peace and that he went and prayed to God at the temple. This is probably true. Alexander was respectful of different traditions and different gods. When the empire was divided Israel was under the rule of the Ptolemys’ in Egypt. There was peace. However, later Israel came under the control of the Seleucid Greeks of Syria. Many of the Jewish people preferred Ptolemaic rule and there was dissent. (I think that we should remember that the Greeks made many positive contributions, in science, in medicine, in art, and literature and in the philosophy and ethics of Aristotle. The Selucid paganism was not normative of all Greek culture. However, there were also negative aspects of Greek culture, especially from a conservative Jewish perspective. In the gymnasiums young people exercised and competed in the nude. This was viewed as offensive and improper by observant Jews. Certain Greek men used little boys as catamites, children to be kept as slaves for the purpose of being sexually abused. Practices like this rightly offended religious Jews. Many young people abandoning the traditional Jewish way of life and beginning to ape Greek ways was also a source of conflict.)
The Chanukah Story
Finally, their arose a Syrian Greek leader named Antiochus Epiphanes. He decided that he would eliminate the Bible and all those who believed in it and lived their lives by it. He had all copies of the Bible confiscated and destroyed. The implemented an aggressive program of Hellenization. All Jews were to become Greek. They were to cease speaking Aramaic and Hebrew and to begin to speak Greek but also to adopt Greek modes of dressing, thinking and even worshiping. Copies of the Bible were confiscated and destroyed. Anyone who practiced Judaism was pronounced an enemy of the state. Antiochus then had to altar in the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem profaned. He had a statue of Zeus erected in the Inner Sanctum and had a pig sacrificed upon the altar. Soldiers came to the city of Modein in Judea and attempted to press the elderly Mattathias, a priest, to offer sacrifice to an idol. He refused. Then a Jewish man stepped up to volunteer. Suddenly, Mattathias was filled with righteous indignation. He quickly overcame the soldier and took his sword. With it he killed both the priest and the apostate Jew. Then he cried out, “All who are zealous for the Bible, follow me!” and he escaped into the hills with his sons.
NOTE: Just War Theory
Mattathias exercised his legitimate authority as the village elder of Modein. He took a stand-as a hero-his heroic act serves as an inspiration to others. Through his courageous act he changed the tide and altered the course of history.
Eventually, a small group of guerrillas organized there. Not long after Mattathias died of old age. Judah began to lead his small unequipped and untrained army. They defied the most powerful military force in the world and miraculously overcame it. In victory they took the Temple and cleansed, purified and re-dedicated it. They decreed that hereafter in thanksgiving, all Jews should remember this great victory and the dedication of the Temple. This new holiday was called Hannakuh, Aramaic for “Dedication.” In John 10:22, we find that Jesus celebrated this holiday. Unlike the holidays established by Moses, this holiday is not obligatory for the Jews to observe and yet Jesus chose to celebrate it and even travel to Jerusalem from Galilee in order to join in this celebration. On this day, Jesus revealed that he is part of the Trinity. Judah Maccabee went on to fight in other battles. Eventually, he died in battle. It seems to me that after Judah died, the Maccabees quickly declined. They continued to fight more, unnecessary battles. After the temple was liberated and religious freedom was established, in my view, it was time to lay down the sword. The Hasmonians also became corrupt and immoral and eventually were replaced by the rule of the Edomite King Herod
Where Does the Bible mention all of this?
The events celebrated at Hannukah and described in the Books of the Maccabees happened in what some Christians call “the 400 silent years.” The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi was written very close to the year 400 AD. Jesus was born near 1 AD and John began prophesying sometime before 27 AD. This could also be called the “Inter-testamental” period, that is the period between the Old and New Testaments. Jesus spoke of this “Abomination of Desolation” in Matthew 24:15. In Daniel 11:31 this events were prophesied... Before Judah began his revolution there was terrible persecution and many martyrs were slowly tortured to death by the Greek pagans. This seems to be alluded to in the Book of Hebrews 11:33-39 were we find allusions to 2 Maccabees 6:18-31 and 2 Maccabees chapter 7. In John 10:22 the story of Christ’s celebration of Hannukah is recounted.
That winter, Jesus was in Jerusalem for Hannukah, One day he was walking in that part of the Temple known as Solomon’s porch. And the people gathered all around him. They said, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly!” Jesus answered, “I have told you and you refused to believe. The things that I do in my Father’s name show who I am…I and my Father are one.” Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones in order to kill Jesus. But he said, “I have shown you many good things that my Father sent me to do. Which one are you going to kill me for?” They answered.” We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God.” Jesus replied, “In your Scriptures doesn’t God say, “You are gods”? You can’t argue with the Scriptures, and God spoke to those people and called them gods. So why do you accuse me of a terrible sins for saying that I am the Son of God?”
Jesus was quoting from Psalm 82
“God stands in the assembly of the gods, in the midst of the gods He judges. “ How long will you judge unjustly and respect the persons of the wicked?” Selah. Judge the poor and the fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the poor and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are moved. I said, “You are gods, and all of your sons of God. Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall possess all the nations.
The gods referred here seem to be unjust human rulers, kings, princes and judges.
Without a Hannukah there wouldn’t have been a Christmas
If the Hasmonians had not resisted and the efforts of the Greeks were successful, the Jewish people would have been exterminated. If that was the case there wouldn’t have been a people for the Messiah to come through. These events are important in how they prepared the world for the coming of Jesus and also influenced and created the historical background for the world of the New Testament.
The Festival of Lights and The Feast of Tabernacles
People often think of Chanukah as the Festival of Lights. This is not how it is presented in the Bible or how it was observed by Jesus Christ. There is story about a days supply of oil miraculously lasting eight days and for this miracle the celebration. Jewish people celebrate Hannakah with the Menorah. They have a special nine branched menorah for Hannakuh.
Hannakuh seems to have eight days because it is a second feast of Tabernacles. One of the reasons may have been because, due to the war, the Jewish people hadn’t been able to celebrate Sukkot.
The real “Festival of Lights” is the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus speaks of Himself being the “light of the world” when he was celebrating Sukkot-not when he was celebrating Chanukah (see John 8:12).
Modern Relevancy
The Cleansing of the Temple
The Bible speaks of our “bodies” being the temple of God. Peter speaks of his body being a “tabernacle.” Jesus re-enacted his own “cleansing of the Temple” shortly before his crucifixion. According to the Gospel of John, the body of Jesus is the new Temple (John 2:19-22). John also identifies Jesus as Beth-el, meaning “House of God” in John 1:50. (Angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man, who is Jesus, is an allusion to “Jacob’s Dream/Latter” that occurred at Beth-el, meaning “House of God” (Genesis 28:10-17).
Are our bodies or lives polluted or corrupted by things displeasing to God. What about our minds-do we have the mind of Christ? The Bible says, “Do not be conformed to the world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Jesus says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings forth goodness from with in the evil man evil from within. Perhaps we need to do a spiritual house cleaning and a searching moral inventory.
It seems to me that we are again in a conflict with paganism-the way the Maccabees are and we need to stand up and work to defend God and his holy word in a wayward and sinful generation. We also see great intolerance and warring coming from Islamic extremist.
We see this in hostility to speaking the name of Jesus Christ. People are afraid to say “Merry Christmas” lest they cause offense! That is why you have “Seasons Greetings” and “Happy Holidays.” We have come to such a hostility towards religion in society that saying “Merry Christmas” has become a religious statement! Radical groups like the ACLU and “People for the American Way” even attack memorials to the dead if they have a cross or a Star of David. Most scholars no longer used “BC” and “AD.” History is being re-written either to omit contributions of Christianity or to characterize Christianity in as negative a light as possible. What can we do about this?
Historical Timeline of the Events Related to the Maccabees
223-166 BC Seleucid Rule
175-164 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes
168-167 Judaism prohibited
166-161 Judas Maccabeus
December 164 BC Temple re-taken and rededicated. The first Chanukah.
161-143 Jonathon
143-135 BC Simon (in 142 BC Simon was granted the status of ruler of an independent Judea)
RESOURCES on Chanukah: There were rumors of Mel Gibson’s planning on making a movie on the Maccabee’s but nothing ever came of it. Howard Fast My Glorious Brothers is a historical fiction novel that retells the story of the Maccabees. 1-4 Maccabees, The Works of Flavius Josephus. F.F. Bruce Israel and the Nations: The History of Israel from the Exodus to the Fall of the Second Temple, Mark Healy Warriors of the Old Testament, Joshua, King David, Nebuchadnezzer, Judas Maccabeus. Gregory Hildebradnt Treasures of Chanukah. .
CONTACT STEPHEN
PO BOX 882 Shepherd TX 77371 http://www.aramaicherald.blogspot.com/
Email: nestorius1@hotmail.com
New Resources on Aramaic: See the December 2, 2007 program on 60 minutes on the Aramaic Christians of Iraq entitled “The Purge.” Also please see “The Barnabas Fund” on how to help Iraqi Christians. I am preparing “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” which lists historical information confirming that Jesus spoke Aramaic and also explains why this is Important. Remember my books "The Words of Jesus in the Original Aramaic" "Mary of Magdala" and "Treasures of the Language of Jesus"
Friday, December 7, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
ARAMAIC NEWS
On December 2nd the 60 minutes news program did a report on the Aramaic Christians of Iraq and even mentioned the Aramaic language. The episode is called "The Purge" check it out at the 60 minutes website!
It is a pity that the news is getting out so late-but at least it is getting out-also remember my program on The Crossover that is on "youtube."
Hanukah: The Hammer of God
Of course Hanukkah is old Aramaic for “Dedication.” Aramaic plays an important part in the story of Hanukah. Judas changed his name to Maqqaba for the Aramaic word for “hammer” or “sledgehammer.” This Aramaic word gives us the name “Maccabee.” (Robert Graves in “King Jesus” argues that all the Maccabee brothers were “similarly nicknamed by their father after tools in his joiners chest-for example, Eleazar was called ‘Avaran,” the awl and Judah was named “Maqqaba” for “the Hammer.”) A Jewish account of the story of the Maccabbees is entitled “Megillat Aniochus” and is written in Aramaic. The story of Chanukah is found in the First and Second Book of Maccabees in Roman Catholic versions of the Holy Bible, or in translations of the Bible that include the Apocrypha. The story of the Maccabees (or the Hasmoneans) is also recorded in the books written by Flavius Josephus.
To understand the story of the Maccabees, you need to understand its historical background. Alexander the Great was a Macedonian. Macedonians were probably Celtic (they had their own non-Greek language) but became “hellenophile.” They copied Greek ways and promoted Greek culture. They were a warrior people. Alexander’s father was Phillip of Macedon. He united all the Greeks under his rule. Alexander as a child studied under the great philosopher Aristotle. When Phillip was assassinated Alexander became king. Some people suspect Alexander of being behind the assassination. If he wasn’t it is very possible his mother was. Alexander then went on the fight the Persian empire and to destroy it and its ruler, Darius. Alexander then went on to attempt to conquer the known world. He made it as far as India and had to turn back due to lack of morale among his soldiers and his being injured in a battle. After returning to Babylon he died at the age of 30. There are several good books on Alexander the Great. Oliver Stone made a movie on Alexander. There are three versions of the film. Two of them over-emphasize the fact that Alexander was bi-sexual. The film leaves out certain important episodes in Alexander’s life such as his battle against the Phoenicians and his time in Egypt, which was pivotal in his life. It also spends too much time on his relationship with his gay lovers and Roxana and fails to show the fact that he had other wives. It does have good sequences in it such as the Battle of Gaugamela and a battle in India.) After Alexander died his kingdom was divided among four of his generals. Alexander spread the Greek language and culture across the world. Some of the early church fathers felt that this was divine providence, that God was preparing the world for the coming of the Gospel through Alexander spreading Greek, a unified language, and the Romans who brought peace and built roads, which the apostles would use to travel the world and share the message of Jesus. There are stories that Alexander was received into Jerusalem in peace and that he went and prayed to God at the temple. This is probably true. Alexander was respectful of different traditions and different gods. When the empire was divided Israel was under the rule of the Ptolemys’ in Egypt. There was peace. However, later Israel came under the control of the Seleucid Greeks of Syria. Many of the Jewish people preferred Ptolemaic rule and there was dissent.
Finally, their arose a Syrian Greek leader named Antiochus Epiphanes. He decided that he would eliminate the Bible and all those who believed in it and lived their lives by it. He had all copies of the Bible confiscated and destroyed. The implemented an aggressive program of Hellenization. All Jews were to become Greek. They were to cease speaking Aramaic and Hebrew and to begin to speak Greek but also to adopt Greek modes of dressing, thinking and even worshiping. Antiochus then had to altar in the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem profaned. He had a statue of Zeus erected in the Inner Sanctum and had a pig sacrificed upon the altar. Jesus spoke of this “Abomination of Desolation” in Matthew 24:15. In Daniel 11:31 this events were prophesied. Soldiers came to the city of Modein in Judea and attempted to press the elderly Mattathias, a priest, to offer sacrifice to an idol. He refused. Then a Jewish man stepped up to volunteer. Suddenly, Mattathias was filled with righteous indignation. He quickly overcame the soldier and took his sword. With it he killed both the priest and the apostate Jew. Then he cried out, “All who are zealous for the Bible, follow me!” and he escaped into the hills with his sons. Eventually, a small group of guerrillas organized there. Not long after Mattathias died of old age. Judah began to lead his small unequipped and untrained army. They defied the most powerful military force in the world and miraculously overcame it. In victory they took the Temple and cleansed, purified and re-dedicated it. They decreed that hereafter in thanksgiving, all Jews should remember this great victory and the dedication of the Temple. This new holiday was called Hannakuh, Aramaic for “Dedication.” In John 10:22, we find that Jesus celebrated this holiday. Unlike the holidays established by Moses, this holiday is not obligatory for the Jews to observe and yet Jesus chose to celebrate it and even travel to Jerusalem from Galilee in order to join in this celebration. On this day, Jesus revealed that he is part of the Trinity. Judah Maccabee went on to fight in other battles. Eventually, he died in battle. It seems to me that after Judah died, the Maccabees quickly declined. They continued to fight more, unnecessary battles. After the temple was liberated and religious freedom was established, in my view, it was time to lay down the sword. The Hasmonians also became corrupt and immoral and eventually were replaced by the rule of the Edomite King Herod. It seems to me that we are again in a conflict with paganism-the way the Maccabees are and we need to stand up and work to defend God and his holy word in a wayward and sinful generation. Before Judah began his revolution there was terrible persecution and many martyrs were slowly tortured to death by the Greek pagans. This seems to be alluded to in the Book of Hebrews 11:33-39 were we find allusions to 2 Maccabees 6:18-31 and 2 Maccabees chapter 7.
RESOURCES on Chanukah: There were rumors of Mel Gibson’s planning on making a movie on the Maccabee’s but nothing ever came of it. Howard Fast My Glorious Brothers is a historical fiction novel that retells the story of the Maccabees.
Islam: What the West Needs to Know http://www.whatthewestneedstoknow.com/
Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/
I believe we must fight Islamic extremism. See World War IV “The Long Struggle Against Islamofascism” by Norman Podhoretz
The Levitt Letter
Zola Levitt died recently of cancer but his ministry continues. Zola Levitt was a Jewish Christian bible teacher. I liked him and his ministry. Part of this is because he is more balanced than some other Messianic people. His ministry continues after his death (which apparently was related to cigarette smoking-a bad habit he gave up over 30 years ago-but too late.) The front page of the Levitt letter says, “Christian Arabs are vanishing” and in it he talks about the Assyrians and “Chaldeans.” I think it is very commendable that the Levitt Letter, which is ardently pro-Israel is getting the information out about Middle Eastern Christians. I consider myself pro-Israel but it bothers me how that Christians organizations go to great lengths to help Israel but refuse to say a word about Middle Eastern Christians.
Father Bazzi
The easiest way to learn Aramaic is through “Classical Aramaic: Elementary 1” written by Father Michael Bazzi, St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church 1627 Jamacha Way, El-Cajon, California 92019
See also http://www.assyrianlanguaage.com/
Aramaic Bible Translation
Remember to support Aramaic Bible Translation by purchasing their Aramaic language products of by giving money to support them. http://www.aramaicbible.org/
Nimrod, Semarimas and Tammuz
It seems to me every year I have to listen to a constant barrage about how everything is “pagan.” As I have mentioned most of these ideas come from a hoax perpetrated by a man named Alexander Hislop in the mid 1800s. The myth is called the “Two Babylons” which means, the first Babylon is the false religion of ancient Babylonia while the second Babylon is Christianity, or more specifically Roman Catholicism. The lie Hislop invented is that soon after the flood Nimrod, a descendant of Ham, began proclaiming himself a god and married his mother, Semiramis. Shem, the son of Noah, then killed Nimrod and cut his body into pieces and left them scattered around to serve as a warning to those who would follow in his evil ways. Semiramis then reorganized and she claimed that the child she had conceived by Nimrod, Tammuz, was actually Nimrod reincarnated. Then she founded a religion of Sun worship that evolved into the Roman Catholic Church. The claim is that Roman Catholics are not worshiping Jesus and Mary but in reality are worshiping Nimrod and Semiramis! This is really absurd, however these ideas are very widespread among American Evangelicals.
First, There is no biblical justification at all. The Bible does not mention Semiramis at all and this story is found nowhere in the Bible. If this story is true it seems that the sacred writers would have felt it needed to be included in the Scriptures. In reality, the story of Nimrod and Semiramis did not exist until the cult leader Alexander Hislop invented it in the mid 1800s!
Second, there is no evidence of the Nimrod-Semarimis-Tammuz story from ancient sources, historical sources or archeology. I challenge any one who believes in the Nimrod hoax to provide evidence for it. There is nothing in Josephus, Philo of Alexandria, the Talmud or the Targums to give this Nimrod lie any support. There are Jewish legends about Nimrod but nothing about him marrying Semiramis or connecting her to her in any way.
The idea that all religions have a common origin and are based on sun worship is false. Sun worship is not central to many religions. Buddhists do not worship the Sun. In Hinduism Sun-worship is not central. However, in the Bible the Sun is used at times as a symbol for God and even for Jesus Christ. In the Nimrod thesis, Semiramis invented the first pagan religion and it was spread around the earth and while in different forms, such as Christianity or Roman Catholicism, it is still the same religion; the worship of Nimrod. People into the Nimrod cult seem to see the sun as a particularly evil object. Certain people almost mess their pants when they see Christians celebrating Christmas. They accuse them of pagan sun worship? In Malachi 4:2 Jesus Christ is called the “Sun of Righteousness.” Psalm 84:11 says, “For Yahweh God is a sun and shield.” In the Old Testament the sun is used to symbolize the Lord and Yeshua (Jesus). And yet many so-called Messianics turn into raving lunatics whenever anyone uses this symbolism-although it is perfectly biblical. Also, Tammuz, or Dumuzi as he is called in Babylonian, apparently was an agricultural god, not a sun god. Most of the most important gods in the ancient were fertility and agricultural gods-not sun gods. (In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh mocks Tammuz, this being so how could Tammuz have been the principal god of the Babylonians When Hislop wrote his book most of the Babylonian relics had not been deciphered. Now we know a lot about the beliefs and practices of the Babylonians. Hislop had his speculations and he has been proven WRONG!
What we know from history proves Hislop’s Nimrod Hoax false I viewed the treasures of “Ur of the Chaldees,” Abraham’s hometown, when they were here on display in Houston. During that time I picked up a book entitled “Babylonians” by H. W. F. Saggs. Naram-Sin (2291-2255 BC) was the first Babylonian king that claimed to be a god incarnate. Not Nimrod. . (Gilgamesh was supposedly 2/3rds divine but he wasn’t considered a “god.” Historians believe that he was a historical figure.)Here is how Babylonian religion developed. City states developed along the Tigris and Euphrates. Eventually, city-states merged or they were conquered by other city states until it became unified. Each city-state had its own gods and mythology. Eventually, these distinct mythologies merged together. For instance, Murdock had been a minor god but later on he became the chief deity. The myths were modified to when Murdock became pre-eminent. In reality, learning about the facts of Babylonia and not absurd lies from Hislop is very illuminating in helping us to understand the Bible better. Egyptian mythology developed the same way the Babylonian religion did. Part of the reason they had many gods was that originally the gods were gods of particular towns but when the country was unified so was the religion. The idea that Semiramis founded one religion doesn’t stand up to historical scrutiny or the archeological record. Christians are in no way obligated to believe Hislop’s trash. It simply isn’t true. The idea that all religions came out of worship of the sun is not true either. Lets read real research about Babylon and the Bible and not outdated tripe.
The real “Babylonian Mystery Religion” There is indeed a religion from Babylonia that has spread over the whole world and it is a form of divination and is forbidden in the word of God. It is the horoscope or astrology. Ironically, Michael Rood complains about Babylonian religion all the time and the information he puts our about it is fraudulent and at the same time he is actually a wizard and a practitioner of the occult and sorcery himself since a lot of his work and his (occult) calendar he promotes are astrologically derived.
Is Christianity “Pagan”?
Lee Strobel had to respond to attacks on the New Testament by Messianic Jews in his new book “The Case for the Real Jesus.” If Christianity is “pagan” then so is Judaism. Pagans inscribed their commandments and laws on stone tablets. They had temples similar to the design of the Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon before these structures were erected. They practiced animal sacrifices. They made covenants. Many of the Psalms and Proverbs of the Old Testament are almost word for word identical to ancient pagan writings and liturgies archeologists have discovered. Jews, Christians and some pagans baptize. Does this mean baptism is derived from paganism? NO! These people who accuse Christianity of being “pagan” are actually blaspheming. There is a Messianic Jewish web-site (http://www.ebionite.org/) that attacks the New Testament and St. Paul as “pagan.” The people making these accusations are not being inspired by God’s Holy Spirit but rather by Satan.
The True Origins of the Christmas Tree: According to last years “Christian History and Biography” December edition and The Encyclopedia Britannica, Christmas trees originated in the 1500s. They was a legend that it was a tradition started by Martin Luther, but apparently this isn’t true. Christmas trees seemed to evolve out of “Christmas Pyramids,” which were used to display Christmas ornaments and the “Paradise Tree.” The birth of modern theatre was from the “Mystery, Morality, Miracle and Passion Plays” of the Middle Ages. In a Mystery Play about the “Garden of Eden” a “paradise tree” was displayed. This became sort of a fad with people making their own “paradise trees” and displaying them around the Christmas season. This later evolved into the Christmas tree. There is no evidence connecting Christmas tree to idolatry or the Germanic worship of trees. Christmas trees were unknown in America and in England as well until the late 1800s. The poem “T’was the Night Before Christmas” has stockings for gifts and no Christmas trees because American’s at that time didn’t know of Christmas trees. The practice of Christmas trees was introduced to America from Germany in the late 1800s. People usually attack Christmas by appealing to the “Two Babylons” hoax or literature from the Jehovah’s Witnesses cult group. There is no evidence that Christmas Trees are pagan.
We don’t really know when Jesus was born. And in reality it doesn’t matter. It is that he was born is what is important. Many Messianic Jews say that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles and that the reason he was born with the animals was because he was born in a “Sukkot” shelter. It is possible that Jesus was born on the Feast of Tabernacle. But it seems very doubtful that Herod would make people register for taxation during the Feast because the filing was supposed to be in the peoples “ancestral towns” and this would prevent many people whose families did not come from Jerusalem to obey the commandment of Moses to observe the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The Bible doesn’t say that Jesus was born on the Feast of Tabernacles. Also, Sukkot were temporary shelters built for people to stay in during the feast-they weren’t barns. The Church Father’s thought that Zacharias was in the Temple during the Day of Atonement, because John’s mission was one of repentance. If John was conceived soon after the Day of Atonement in October and then Jesus was born six months afterwards, as the Bible says, then Jesus would have been born at the end of December. As Joseph Tkach says in “The Date of Jesus’ Birth”
When the temple was destroyed in a.d. 70, the priestly course of Jehoiarib was serving. If the priestly service was unbroken from the time of Zechariah to the destruction of the temple, this calculation has the course of Abijah in the first week of October. Some early Christian writers (John Chrysostom, 347-407) taught that Zechariah received the message about John’s birth on the Day of Atonement, which falls in September or October. This would place John the Baptist’s birth in June or July, and the birth of Jesus six months later, in late December or early January. Some advocates of this second method view believe that December 25 is the correct day of Jesus’ birth, while others believe that January 6 is the correct day.
See http://www.wcg.org/lit/jesus/datebirth.htm. (I’ve talked to people trying to figure out the dates mentioned in Luke such as “the sixth month.” Luke isn’t talking about months in the calendar but months in the pregnancy.) These are theories and no one knows for certain and I don’t think it is an issue worth fighting, arguing or making hateful accusations against other Christians about. I do recommend the movie “The Nativity Story” about the birth of Jesus. The only problem with the film is it has the Maji arrive the day that Mary gave birth. It is obvious they came after Jesus was circumcised and dedicated in the Temple.
60 Minutes News Program about Persecution of Assyrians
An Anglican clergyman in Baghdad, who has seen his flock murdered and forced into exile by Muslim extremists, says Christians there are worse off now than under Saddam's rule and are probably suffering more than any time in history. The Rev. Canon Andrew White, an Anglican priest known as the "Vicar of Baghdad," speaks to 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley for a segment on the persecution of Christians in Iraq to be broadcast this Sunday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. ET/PT."There's no comparison between Iraq now and [under Saddam]," says White. "Things are the most difficult they have ever been for Christians - probably ever in history," he tells Pelley, referring to the nearly 2,000 years of Christian history in the area. That's because White estimates that 90 percent of Iraq's Christians, once thought to number over a million, have either fled or have been murdered by Islamic extremists during the religious civil war.PRAY FOR IRAQ’S CHRISTIANS CONTACT STEPHEN: PO Box 882 Shepherd TX 77371 stephenamissick@hotmail.com
It is a pity that the news is getting out so late-but at least it is getting out-also remember my program on The Crossover that is on "youtube."
Hanukah: The Hammer of God
Of course Hanukkah is old Aramaic for “Dedication.” Aramaic plays an important part in the story of Hanukah. Judas changed his name to Maqqaba for the Aramaic word for “hammer” or “sledgehammer.” This Aramaic word gives us the name “Maccabee.” (Robert Graves in “King Jesus” argues that all the Maccabee brothers were “similarly nicknamed by their father after tools in his joiners chest-for example, Eleazar was called ‘Avaran,” the awl and Judah was named “Maqqaba” for “the Hammer.”) A Jewish account of the story of the Maccabbees is entitled “Megillat Aniochus” and is written in Aramaic. The story of Chanukah is found in the First and Second Book of Maccabees in Roman Catholic versions of the Holy Bible, or in translations of the Bible that include the Apocrypha. The story of the Maccabees (or the Hasmoneans) is also recorded in the books written by Flavius Josephus.
To understand the story of the Maccabees, you need to understand its historical background. Alexander the Great was a Macedonian. Macedonians were probably Celtic (they had their own non-Greek language) but became “hellenophile.” They copied Greek ways and promoted Greek culture. They were a warrior people. Alexander’s father was Phillip of Macedon. He united all the Greeks under his rule. Alexander as a child studied under the great philosopher Aristotle. When Phillip was assassinated Alexander became king. Some people suspect Alexander of being behind the assassination. If he wasn’t it is very possible his mother was. Alexander then went on the fight the Persian empire and to destroy it and its ruler, Darius. Alexander then went on to attempt to conquer the known world. He made it as far as India and had to turn back due to lack of morale among his soldiers and his being injured in a battle. After returning to Babylon he died at the age of 30. There are several good books on Alexander the Great. Oliver Stone made a movie on Alexander. There are three versions of the film. Two of them over-emphasize the fact that Alexander was bi-sexual. The film leaves out certain important episodes in Alexander’s life such as his battle against the Phoenicians and his time in Egypt, which was pivotal in his life. It also spends too much time on his relationship with his gay lovers and Roxana and fails to show the fact that he had other wives. It does have good sequences in it such as the Battle of Gaugamela and a battle in India.) After Alexander died his kingdom was divided among four of his generals. Alexander spread the Greek language and culture across the world. Some of the early church fathers felt that this was divine providence, that God was preparing the world for the coming of the Gospel through Alexander spreading Greek, a unified language, and the Romans who brought peace and built roads, which the apostles would use to travel the world and share the message of Jesus. There are stories that Alexander was received into Jerusalem in peace and that he went and prayed to God at the temple. This is probably true. Alexander was respectful of different traditions and different gods. When the empire was divided Israel was under the rule of the Ptolemys’ in Egypt. There was peace. However, later Israel came under the control of the Seleucid Greeks of Syria. Many of the Jewish people preferred Ptolemaic rule and there was dissent.
Finally, their arose a Syrian Greek leader named Antiochus Epiphanes. He decided that he would eliminate the Bible and all those who believed in it and lived their lives by it. He had all copies of the Bible confiscated and destroyed. The implemented an aggressive program of Hellenization. All Jews were to become Greek. They were to cease speaking Aramaic and Hebrew and to begin to speak Greek but also to adopt Greek modes of dressing, thinking and even worshiping. Antiochus then had to altar in the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem profaned. He had a statue of Zeus erected in the Inner Sanctum and had a pig sacrificed upon the altar. Jesus spoke of this “Abomination of Desolation” in Matthew 24:15. In Daniel 11:31 this events were prophesied. Soldiers came to the city of Modein in Judea and attempted to press the elderly Mattathias, a priest, to offer sacrifice to an idol. He refused. Then a Jewish man stepped up to volunteer. Suddenly, Mattathias was filled with righteous indignation. He quickly overcame the soldier and took his sword. With it he killed both the priest and the apostate Jew. Then he cried out, “All who are zealous for the Bible, follow me!” and he escaped into the hills with his sons. Eventually, a small group of guerrillas organized there. Not long after Mattathias died of old age. Judah began to lead his small unequipped and untrained army. They defied the most powerful military force in the world and miraculously overcame it. In victory they took the Temple and cleansed, purified and re-dedicated it. They decreed that hereafter in thanksgiving, all Jews should remember this great victory and the dedication of the Temple. This new holiday was called Hannakuh, Aramaic for “Dedication.” In John 10:22, we find that Jesus celebrated this holiday. Unlike the holidays established by Moses, this holiday is not obligatory for the Jews to observe and yet Jesus chose to celebrate it and even travel to Jerusalem from Galilee in order to join in this celebration. On this day, Jesus revealed that he is part of the Trinity. Judah Maccabee went on to fight in other battles. Eventually, he died in battle. It seems to me that after Judah died, the Maccabees quickly declined. They continued to fight more, unnecessary battles. After the temple was liberated and religious freedom was established, in my view, it was time to lay down the sword. The Hasmonians also became corrupt and immoral and eventually were replaced by the rule of the Edomite King Herod. It seems to me that we are again in a conflict with paganism-the way the Maccabees are and we need to stand up and work to defend God and his holy word in a wayward and sinful generation. Before Judah began his revolution there was terrible persecution and many martyrs were slowly tortured to death by the Greek pagans. This seems to be alluded to in the Book of Hebrews 11:33-39 were we find allusions to 2 Maccabees 6:18-31 and 2 Maccabees chapter 7.
RESOURCES on Chanukah: There were rumors of Mel Gibson’s planning on making a movie on the Maccabee’s but nothing ever came of it. Howard Fast My Glorious Brothers is a historical fiction novel that retells the story of the Maccabees.
Islam: What the West Needs to Know http://www.whatthewestneedstoknow.com/
Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/
I believe we must fight Islamic extremism. See World War IV “The Long Struggle Against Islamofascism” by Norman Podhoretz
The Levitt Letter
Zola Levitt died recently of cancer but his ministry continues. Zola Levitt was a Jewish Christian bible teacher. I liked him and his ministry. Part of this is because he is more balanced than some other Messianic people. His ministry continues after his death (which apparently was related to cigarette smoking-a bad habit he gave up over 30 years ago-but too late.) The front page of the Levitt letter says, “Christian Arabs are vanishing” and in it he talks about the Assyrians and “Chaldeans.” I think it is very commendable that the Levitt Letter, which is ardently pro-Israel is getting the information out about Middle Eastern Christians. I consider myself pro-Israel but it bothers me how that Christians organizations go to great lengths to help Israel but refuse to say a word about Middle Eastern Christians.
Father Bazzi
The easiest way to learn Aramaic is through “Classical Aramaic: Elementary 1” written by Father Michael Bazzi, St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church 1627 Jamacha Way, El-Cajon, California 92019
See also http://www.assyrianlanguaage.com/
Aramaic Bible Translation
Remember to support Aramaic Bible Translation by purchasing their Aramaic language products of by giving money to support them. http://www.aramaicbible.org/
Nimrod, Semarimas and Tammuz
It seems to me every year I have to listen to a constant barrage about how everything is “pagan.” As I have mentioned most of these ideas come from a hoax perpetrated by a man named Alexander Hislop in the mid 1800s. The myth is called the “Two Babylons” which means, the first Babylon is the false religion of ancient Babylonia while the second Babylon is Christianity, or more specifically Roman Catholicism. The lie Hislop invented is that soon after the flood Nimrod, a descendant of Ham, began proclaiming himself a god and married his mother, Semiramis. Shem, the son of Noah, then killed Nimrod and cut his body into pieces and left them scattered around to serve as a warning to those who would follow in his evil ways. Semiramis then reorganized and she claimed that the child she had conceived by Nimrod, Tammuz, was actually Nimrod reincarnated. Then she founded a religion of Sun worship that evolved into the Roman Catholic Church. The claim is that Roman Catholics are not worshiping Jesus and Mary but in reality are worshiping Nimrod and Semiramis! This is really absurd, however these ideas are very widespread among American Evangelicals.
First, There is no biblical justification at all. The Bible does not mention Semiramis at all and this story is found nowhere in the Bible. If this story is true it seems that the sacred writers would have felt it needed to be included in the Scriptures. In reality, the story of Nimrod and Semiramis did not exist until the cult leader Alexander Hislop invented it in the mid 1800s!
Second, there is no evidence of the Nimrod-Semarimis-Tammuz story from ancient sources, historical sources or archeology. I challenge any one who believes in the Nimrod hoax to provide evidence for it. There is nothing in Josephus, Philo of Alexandria, the Talmud or the Targums to give this Nimrod lie any support. There are Jewish legends about Nimrod but nothing about him marrying Semiramis or connecting her to her in any way.
The idea that all religions have a common origin and are based on sun worship is false. Sun worship is not central to many religions. Buddhists do not worship the Sun. In Hinduism Sun-worship is not central. However, in the Bible the Sun is used at times as a symbol for God and even for Jesus Christ. In the Nimrod thesis, Semiramis invented the first pagan religion and it was spread around the earth and while in different forms, such as Christianity or Roman Catholicism, it is still the same religion; the worship of Nimrod. People into the Nimrod cult seem to see the sun as a particularly evil object. Certain people almost mess their pants when they see Christians celebrating Christmas. They accuse them of pagan sun worship? In Malachi 4:2 Jesus Christ is called the “Sun of Righteousness.” Psalm 84:11 says, “For Yahweh God is a sun and shield.” In the Old Testament the sun is used to symbolize the Lord and Yeshua (Jesus). And yet many so-called Messianics turn into raving lunatics whenever anyone uses this symbolism-although it is perfectly biblical. Also, Tammuz, or Dumuzi as he is called in Babylonian, apparently was an agricultural god, not a sun god. Most of the most important gods in the ancient were fertility and agricultural gods-not sun gods. (In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh mocks Tammuz, this being so how could Tammuz have been the principal god of the Babylonians When Hislop wrote his book most of the Babylonian relics had not been deciphered. Now we know a lot about the beliefs and practices of the Babylonians. Hislop had his speculations and he has been proven WRONG!
What we know from history proves Hislop’s Nimrod Hoax false I viewed the treasures of “Ur of the Chaldees,” Abraham’s hometown, when they were here on display in Houston. During that time I picked up a book entitled “Babylonians” by H. W. F. Saggs. Naram-Sin (2291-2255 BC) was the first Babylonian king that claimed to be a god incarnate. Not Nimrod. . (Gilgamesh was supposedly 2/3rds divine but he wasn’t considered a “god.” Historians believe that he was a historical figure.)Here is how Babylonian religion developed. City states developed along the Tigris and Euphrates. Eventually, city-states merged or they were conquered by other city states until it became unified. Each city-state had its own gods and mythology. Eventually, these distinct mythologies merged together. For instance, Murdock had been a minor god but later on he became the chief deity. The myths were modified to when Murdock became pre-eminent. In reality, learning about the facts of Babylonia and not absurd lies from Hislop is very illuminating in helping us to understand the Bible better. Egyptian mythology developed the same way the Babylonian religion did. Part of the reason they had many gods was that originally the gods were gods of particular towns but when the country was unified so was the religion. The idea that Semiramis founded one religion doesn’t stand up to historical scrutiny or the archeological record. Christians are in no way obligated to believe Hislop’s trash. It simply isn’t true. The idea that all religions came out of worship of the sun is not true either. Lets read real research about Babylon and the Bible and not outdated tripe.
The real “Babylonian Mystery Religion” There is indeed a religion from Babylonia that has spread over the whole world and it is a form of divination and is forbidden in the word of God. It is the horoscope or astrology. Ironically, Michael Rood complains about Babylonian religion all the time and the information he puts our about it is fraudulent and at the same time he is actually a wizard and a practitioner of the occult and sorcery himself since a lot of his work and his (occult) calendar he promotes are astrologically derived.
Is Christianity “Pagan”?
Lee Strobel had to respond to attacks on the New Testament by Messianic Jews in his new book “The Case for the Real Jesus.” If Christianity is “pagan” then so is Judaism. Pagans inscribed their commandments and laws on stone tablets. They had temples similar to the design of the Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon before these structures were erected. They practiced animal sacrifices. They made covenants. Many of the Psalms and Proverbs of the Old Testament are almost word for word identical to ancient pagan writings and liturgies archeologists have discovered. Jews, Christians and some pagans baptize. Does this mean baptism is derived from paganism? NO! These people who accuse Christianity of being “pagan” are actually blaspheming. There is a Messianic Jewish web-site (http://www.ebionite.org/) that attacks the New Testament and St. Paul as “pagan.” The people making these accusations are not being inspired by God’s Holy Spirit but rather by Satan.
The True Origins of the Christmas Tree: According to last years “Christian History and Biography” December edition and The Encyclopedia Britannica, Christmas trees originated in the 1500s. They was a legend that it was a tradition started by Martin Luther, but apparently this isn’t true. Christmas trees seemed to evolve out of “Christmas Pyramids,” which were used to display Christmas ornaments and the “Paradise Tree.” The birth of modern theatre was from the “Mystery, Morality, Miracle and Passion Plays” of the Middle Ages. In a Mystery Play about the “Garden of Eden” a “paradise tree” was displayed. This became sort of a fad with people making their own “paradise trees” and displaying them around the Christmas season. This later evolved into the Christmas tree. There is no evidence connecting Christmas tree to idolatry or the Germanic worship of trees. Christmas trees were unknown in America and in England as well until the late 1800s. The poem “T’was the Night Before Christmas” has stockings for gifts and no Christmas trees because American’s at that time didn’t know of Christmas trees. The practice of Christmas trees was introduced to America from Germany in the late 1800s. People usually attack Christmas by appealing to the “Two Babylons” hoax or literature from the Jehovah’s Witnesses cult group. There is no evidence that Christmas Trees are pagan.
We don’t really know when Jesus was born. And in reality it doesn’t matter. It is that he was born is what is important. Many Messianic Jews say that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles and that the reason he was born with the animals was because he was born in a “Sukkot” shelter. It is possible that Jesus was born on the Feast of Tabernacle. But it seems very doubtful that Herod would make people register for taxation during the Feast because the filing was supposed to be in the peoples “ancestral towns” and this would prevent many people whose families did not come from Jerusalem to obey the commandment of Moses to observe the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The Bible doesn’t say that Jesus was born on the Feast of Tabernacles. Also, Sukkot were temporary shelters built for people to stay in during the feast-they weren’t barns. The Church Father’s thought that Zacharias was in the Temple during the Day of Atonement, because John’s mission was one of repentance. If John was conceived soon after the Day of Atonement in October and then Jesus was born six months afterwards, as the Bible says, then Jesus would have been born at the end of December. As Joseph Tkach says in “The Date of Jesus’ Birth”
When the temple was destroyed in a.d. 70, the priestly course of Jehoiarib was serving. If the priestly service was unbroken from the time of Zechariah to the destruction of the temple, this calculation has the course of Abijah in the first week of October. Some early Christian writers (John Chrysostom, 347-407) taught that Zechariah received the message about John’s birth on the Day of Atonement, which falls in September or October. This would place John the Baptist’s birth in June or July, and the birth of Jesus six months later, in late December or early January. Some advocates of this second method view believe that December 25 is the correct day of Jesus’ birth, while others believe that January 6 is the correct day.
See http://www.wcg.org/lit/jesus/datebirth.htm. (I’ve talked to people trying to figure out the dates mentioned in Luke such as “the sixth month.” Luke isn’t talking about months in the calendar but months in the pregnancy.) These are theories and no one knows for certain and I don’t think it is an issue worth fighting, arguing or making hateful accusations against other Christians about. I do recommend the movie “The Nativity Story” about the birth of Jesus. The only problem with the film is it has the Maji arrive the day that Mary gave birth. It is obvious they came after Jesus was circumcised and dedicated in the Temple.
60 Minutes News Program about Persecution of Assyrians
An Anglican clergyman in Baghdad, who has seen his flock murdered and forced into exile by Muslim extremists, says Christians there are worse off now than under Saddam's rule and are probably suffering more than any time in history. The Rev. Canon Andrew White, an Anglican priest known as the "Vicar of Baghdad," speaks to 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley for a segment on the persecution of Christians in Iraq to be broadcast this Sunday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. ET/PT."There's no comparison between Iraq now and [under Saddam]," says White. "Things are the most difficult they have ever been for Christians - probably ever in history," he tells Pelley, referring to the nearly 2,000 years of Christian history in the area. That's because White estimates that 90 percent of Iraq's Christians, once thought to number over a million, have either fled or have been murdered by Islamic extremists during the religious civil war.PRAY FOR IRAQ’S CHRISTIANS CONTACT STEPHEN: PO Box 882 Shepherd TX 77371 stephenamissick@hotmail.com
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
November Edition
DVDs now available
The DVD version of my new book “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” is now available.
I also now have DVD presentations available. This includes “Abba, Father,” “The Cry from the Cross” and “Aramaic: the Language of Jesus of Nazareth.” Please copy and distribute these DVDs.
Order from me or order “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” from William Brooks PO BOX 10174, College Station, TX 77842 Phone: 979-535-7619
News on the Persecution of Aramaic Christians in the Middle East
Please, if you haven’t read the article on the persecution of the Assyrians in the American Family Association Journal, please check it out: www.afajournal.org/1007iraq_persecution.asp. Please, write or email them to thank them for calling attention to the Aramaic Christians in need.
Also, “News Max” (basically a conservative and Republican oriented newsmagazine) has published three articles on “Iraqi Christians” and their mistreatment. These articles are written by Ken Timmerman:
“Iraqi Christian Refugees Ignored by the U.N.” October 24, 2007
www.newsmaz.com/timmerman/Iraqi_christians/2007/10/24/43489.html
“Iraqi Christians Spurned by UN” October 19, 2007
www.newsmaz.com/timmerman/iraqi-christians/2007/10/22/42852.html
“ Iraqi Christians Stranded in Jordan” October 22, 2007
www.newsmax.com/timmerman/iraqi_christians/2007/10/22/42852.html
.org
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200711/INT20071101b.html
The 2,000 year old church in Iraq faces extinction at the hands of Islamic extremists. Many of the extremists have made it clear that they seek to clear their country of Christianity and Christians. They tell the Christians “Convert to Islam, Leave, or Die!” The militants are well on their way to succeeding in their aim, at least in the south and central areas, as Christians flee the threats, the restrictions and the violence imposed upon them. According to some estimates more than a million Christians have left the country since 1990 when anti-Christian feelings began to rise during the first Gulf War. This figure represents about two-thirds of the Christian population. Many of the refugees are in neighboring Syria and Jordan where they struggle to find accommodation, food and other basic needs. Of the Christians who remain in Iraq, many have moved to the relatively sage Kurdish areas to the north, but have no means to support themselves there.
The main ministry of Barnabas Fund is to send financial support to projects which help Christians where they suffer discrimination, oppression and persecution as a consequence of their faith. The projects aim to strengthen Christian individuals, churches and their communities by providing material and spiritual support in response to needs identified by local Christian leaders.
The Barnabas Fund has an 8 minute DVD documentary available on the persecution of Christians in Iraq.
The 2,000-year-old Church in Iraq faces extinction at
“Let the Little Children Come Unto Me”
The Church should always focus on the children. Recently, “Manga Messiah” was published which re-tells the story of Jesus in Japanese animation style. Well, if that is what children are reading (and they are) then we should use that means to proclaim the Gospel. Recently, “The Ten Commandments” was released as part of the “Epic Stories of the Bible” series. Sharing God’s word must always be our principle concern.
“Things for which the pagans seek after…”
Recently, I found myself worrying about how I am going to pay my bills or find time for school and for finishing some of my other projects. Then I remembered what Jesus said in the scriptures about how we mustn’t worry or despair but instead rely on the provision of our Heavenly Father. Honestly, what has hurt me the most is the military not giving me financial aide and my being forced to spend all the money I have, and then going into debt, just to be able to stay in graduate school. The army hasn’t yet given me the tuition assistance they said they promised, I can’t drop out of school, so I ended up having to put my tuition payment on my credit cards.
Steve Caruso
Steve Caruso has interesting information available on Aramaic at http://www.aramaicdesign.blogspot.com/ . You can contact him at Information@AramaicDesigns.com.
For “New Age” information about Aramaic (which I consider bogus) you can see http://www.abwoon.org/.
Courting Controversy
The Bible is very clear that Jesus Christ, not any other human being or city, is the head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18). Paul speaks of the church being the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:12. We have “many parts, one body.” We need Christian unity, but unity is not conversion to a particular denomination. Different parts of the body means, the Roman Catholic body part, the Eastern Orthodox body part, the Baptist body part, the Assyrian-Aramaic body part, ect. Under Christ, the head of the Church, we all have our unique function. What disturbs me is when one denomination tries to force all Christians to conform to its traditions. In their vision the body only has one part. Paul says such a thing is not a true body but a monstrosity! (See I Corinthians 12:14-26).
Also, Jesus said “Where ever two or three of you gather in my name there am I in the midst of you” (Matthew 18:20). He didn’t say that he was only present when a representative of a particular sect of denomination is present, or when a “consecrated host” is present, he is there in the midst of us when we come together in his holy name. Those who are born again are the true church. I, like all human beings, am prone to error and making errors in communicating. However, at least there are things I feel passionate about and I am trying to make a difference. I would rather try to do what is right and make some mistakes than to be apathetic and do nothing.
What you can do to Help the Assyrian Aramaic Christians of Iraq
Pray for Iraqi Christians. (When I attempt to create awareness of the situation that Assyrians face I am not trying to create despair. I am attempting to create awareness so that Christians pray and also get involved. We need to work together to bring about change and make a difference.)
Find our more about their plight. To learn more contact the Barnabas Fund, the American Family Association and ninevah.com and the Assyrian International News Agency (http://www.aina.org/) and my books.
Write your elective representative. Ask your congressman or senator what is being done to protect the security and religious liberty of the Assyrians, Mandaeans and Yezidis of Iraq. (The Barnabas fund says, “Ask what your government is doing to offer asylum to Iraqi Christians in danger of their lives. Say that you want your country to be a safe refuge for them.” I personally would rather see their own country become a safe refuge for them by the creation of an autonomous Iraqi Assyrian sage haven region.)
Download: the Assyrian leaflet put out by the Barnabas Fund. I also have leaflets available.
Show the Barnabas Fund’s new 8 minute “Save Iraqi Christians” to your church or group. Contact the Barnabas Fund for your copy. I have DVDs I have made also-but not one that short yet.
Give practical help-donate today: I think that donations to “The Barnabas Fund” and “Christian Solidarity International” and other such organizations is helpful.
The STATUS
In mid-December I should be able to have the book version “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” underway. I am not certain when it will be available for purchase-perhaps late January of early February. I can’t work on it right now because I have two research papers for seminary coming due and then final exams after that. Please pray for me that I would be able to make ends meet. I am trying to find financial aide for school. Please pray for me that I would be able to find something.
Remember, you can contact me at PO BOX 882 Shepherd TX 77371 or nestorius1@hotmail.com
The DVD version of my new book “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” is now available.
I also now have DVD presentations available. This includes “Abba, Father,” “The Cry from the Cross” and “Aramaic: the Language of Jesus of Nazareth.” Please copy and distribute these DVDs.
Order from me or order “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” from William Brooks PO BOX 10174, College Station, TX 77842 Phone: 979-535-7619
News on the Persecution of Aramaic Christians in the Middle East
Please, if you haven’t read the article on the persecution of the Assyrians in the American Family Association Journal, please check it out: www.afajournal.org/1007iraq_persecution.asp. Please, write or email them to thank them for calling attention to the Aramaic Christians in need.
Also, “News Max” (basically a conservative and Republican oriented newsmagazine) has published three articles on “Iraqi Christians” and their mistreatment. These articles are written by Ken Timmerman:
“Iraqi Christian Refugees Ignored by the U.N.” October 24, 2007
www.newsmaz.com/timmerman/Iraqi_christians/2007/10/24/43489.html
“Iraqi Christians Spurned by UN” October 19, 2007
www.newsmaz.com/timmerman/iraqi-christians/2007/10/22/42852.html
“ Iraqi Christians Stranded in Jordan” October 22, 2007
www.newsmax.com/timmerman/iraqi_christians/2007/10/22/42852.html
.org
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200711/INT20071101b.html
The 2,000 year old church in Iraq faces extinction at the hands of Islamic extremists. Many of the extremists have made it clear that they seek to clear their country of Christianity and Christians. They tell the Christians “Convert to Islam, Leave, or Die!” The militants are well on their way to succeeding in their aim, at least in the south and central areas, as Christians flee the threats, the restrictions and the violence imposed upon them. According to some estimates more than a million Christians have left the country since 1990 when anti-Christian feelings began to rise during the first Gulf War. This figure represents about two-thirds of the Christian population. Many of the refugees are in neighboring Syria and Jordan where they struggle to find accommodation, food and other basic needs. Of the Christians who remain in Iraq, many have moved to the relatively sage Kurdish areas to the north, but have no means to support themselves there.
The main ministry of Barnabas Fund is to send financial support to projects which help Christians where they suffer discrimination, oppression and persecution as a consequence of their faith. The projects aim to strengthen Christian individuals, churches and their communities by providing material and spiritual support in response to needs identified by local Christian leaders.
The Barnabas Fund has an 8 minute DVD documentary available on the persecution of Christians in Iraq.
The 2,000-year-old Church in Iraq faces extinction at
“Let the Little Children Come Unto Me”
The Church should always focus on the children. Recently, “Manga Messiah” was published which re-tells the story of Jesus in Japanese animation style. Well, if that is what children are reading (and they are) then we should use that means to proclaim the Gospel. Recently, “The Ten Commandments” was released as part of the “Epic Stories of the Bible” series. Sharing God’s word must always be our principle concern.
“Things for which the pagans seek after…”
Recently, I found myself worrying about how I am going to pay my bills or find time for school and for finishing some of my other projects. Then I remembered what Jesus said in the scriptures about how we mustn’t worry or despair but instead rely on the provision of our Heavenly Father. Honestly, what has hurt me the most is the military not giving me financial aide and my being forced to spend all the money I have, and then going into debt, just to be able to stay in graduate school. The army hasn’t yet given me the tuition assistance they said they promised, I can’t drop out of school, so I ended up having to put my tuition payment on my credit cards.
Steve Caruso
Steve Caruso has interesting information available on Aramaic at http://www.aramaicdesign.blogspot.com/ . You can contact him at Information@AramaicDesigns.com.
For “New Age” information about Aramaic (which I consider bogus) you can see http://www.abwoon.org/.
Courting Controversy
The Bible is very clear that Jesus Christ, not any other human being or city, is the head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18). Paul speaks of the church being the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:12. We have “many parts, one body.” We need Christian unity, but unity is not conversion to a particular denomination. Different parts of the body means, the Roman Catholic body part, the Eastern Orthodox body part, the Baptist body part, the Assyrian-Aramaic body part, ect. Under Christ, the head of the Church, we all have our unique function. What disturbs me is when one denomination tries to force all Christians to conform to its traditions. In their vision the body only has one part. Paul says such a thing is not a true body but a monstrosity! (See I Corinthians 12:14-26).
Also, Jesus said “Where ever two or three of you gather in my name there am I in the midst of you” (Matthew 18:20). He didn’t say that he was only present when a representative of a particular sect of denomination is present, or when a “consecrated host” is present, he is there in the midst of us when we come together in his holy name. Those who are born again are the true church. I, like all human beings, am prone to error and making errors in communicating. However, at least there are things I feel passionate about and I am trying to make a difference. I would rather try to do what is right and make some mistakes than to be apathetic and do nothing.
What you can do to Help the Assyrian Aramaic Christians of Iraq
Pray for Iraqi Christians. (When I attempt to create awareness of the situation that Assyrians face I am not trying to create despair. I am attempting to create awareness so that Christians pray and also get involved. We need to work together to bring about change and make a difference.)
Find our more about their plight. To learn more contact the Barnabas Fund, the American Family Association and ninevah.com and the Assyrian International News Agency (http://www.aina.org/) and my books.
Write your elective representative. Ask your congressman or senator what is being done to protect the security and religious liberty of the Assyrians, Mandaeans and Yezidis of Iraq. (The Barnabas fund says, “Ask what your government is doing to offer asylum to Iraqi Christians in danger of their lives. Say that you want your country to be a safe refuge for them.” I personally would rather see their own country become a safe refuge for them by the creation of an autonomous Iraqi Assyrian sage haven region.)
Download: the Assyrian leaflet put out by the Barnabas Fund. I also have leaflets available.
Show the Barnabas Fund’s new 8 minute “Save Iraqi Christians” to your church or group. Contact the Barnabas Fund for your copy. I have DVDs I have made also-but not one that short yet.
Give practical help-donate today: I think that donations to “The Barnabas Fund” and “Christian Solidarity International” and other such organizations is helpful.
The STATUS
In mid-December I should be able to have the book version “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” underway. I am not certain when it will be available for purchase-perhaps late January of early February. I can’t work on it right now because I have two research papers for seminary coming due and then final exams after that. Please pray for me that I would be able to make ends meet. I am trying to find financial aide for school. Please pray for me that I would be able to find something.
Remember, you can contact me at PO BOX 882 Shepherd TX 77371 or nestorius1@hotmail.com
Monday, October 8, 2007
Aramaic: The Languag of Jesus of Nazareth (DVD transcript)
Stephen A. Missick
I am the author of “Words of Jesus in the Original Aramaic,” “Mary of Magdala” and “Treasures of the Language of Jesus” I have studied Aramaic extensively for a number of years. I have lived in Aramaic speaking villages in Syria and studied Aramaic from native Aramaic-speaking Assyrian Christians when I was a soldier in Iraq.
What is Aramaic? If you have read the New Testament or have seen Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” you have been exposed to the Aramaic language.
While the New Testament is written in Greek it contains many Aramaic words, phrases and figures of speech. Words like Golgotha and Maranatha and names such as Thomas, Martha and Magdala. Mel Gibson filmed the movie “The Passion of the Christ” in mostly Aramaic but with some Latin and Hebrew as well.
ARAMAIC IS NOT ARABIC OR ARMENIAN! Aramaic is closely related to Hebrew, however, in is not derived from Hebrew-nor is Hebrew derived from Aramaic. Hebrew and Aramaic developed independently from a now extinct language scholars call “Proto-Semitic.”
Moishe Rosen, founder of “Jews for Jesus” describes Aramaic in the following manner in his book “Yeshua: The Jewish Way to Say Jesus”:
Aramaic: A language closely related to Hebrew, Aramaic was spoken in the ancient Near East from as early as the ninth century B.C.E. Portions of Daniel (2:4-7:28) and Ezra (4:8-6:18; 7:12-26) and Jeremiah 10:11) and two words of Genesis (31:47) are in Aramaic. By the time of Jesus, it was the daily language of Jews living in Judea. The paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures called the Targums are in Aramaic. Jesus Himself would have likely spoken in Aramaic. Dialects of the language survive to this day in the Middle East.
This has led to a rabbi in the Talmud praising the Aramaic language:
“Let not Aramaic be lightly esteemed by thee, seeing that
the Holy One (Blessed Be He) hath given it honor in the
Law, the Prophets and the Writings”
Palestinian: Tractate Sata 7:2
Recently, certain persons have been claiming that Jesus did not speak Aramaic but rather spoke Hebrew. I have even heard these people mock Mel Gibson “What does Mad Max know?” However, in this case Mel Gibson did historical research.
I am going to present the evidence that Jesus was an Aramaic speaker and explain why it is important. Two books that present the view that Jesus did not speak Aramaic, or did not speak Aramaic as his first language, are “Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus: New Insights From a Hebraic Perspective” by David Bivin and Roy Blizzard, Jr. and “Discovering the Language of Jesus: Hebrew or Aramaic” by Douglas Hamp.
Douglas Hamp and his attack on the Aramaic language was promoted by Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, which is and has been a very influential church (and ironically has a ministry called “Maranatha Music.” Maranatha is an ancient Aramaic prayer.)
Before I begin I want to look at some of the statements that were put out by Calvary Chapel to promote the book.
First from Brian Brodersen, an associate pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. He said, “I am convinced that the language of Jesus and the apostles was indeed Hebrew rather than Aramaic.” This statement was used to promote and endorse the book and was used for such purposes by Doug Hamp. So, we see that Mr. Hamp and Calvary Chapel are not saying that perhaps Jesus spoke Hebrew and Aramaic. What they are saying is that Jesus spoke Hebrew and not Aramaic.
The second statement is by the director of Calvary Chapel’s School of ministry. Carl Westerland says, “A mind-changing book. The serious Bible student, wanting to teach accurately, should weigh Doug Hamp’s evidence, rather than parroting tradition.”
Well, #1 I am not “parroting tradition” when I say that Jesus spoke Aramaic, I am agreeing with the witness of the New Testament and the best, most ancient, and most reliable historical sources.
#2 Hopefully, a serious Bible student won’t buy into the poorly researched and fraudulent information presented by Mr. Hamp. Who is well named, If you buy into this non-sense your ability to conduct Bible study will be Hampered.
#3 If you teach that Jesus spoke only Hebrew then you are teaching inaccurate information.
#4. The best Bible scholars are convinced that Jesus spoke Aramaic-why should we believe Mr. Hamp-because he lived in Israel? Does that make him an expert? I have lived in Israel too.
#5 It is Mr. Hamp and Calvary Chapel who are not teaching accurately and are for some strange reason attacking a Bible language. (One Messianic Jew I know said we don’t have the true text of Daniel-since a large part of Daniel is written in Aramaic!)
Lastly, let’s look at a quote from Chuck Smith, the founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa.
“A persuasive book that presents compelling evidence, that Hebrew, not Aramaic, was the primary language of Jesus and the disciples. In light of the inerrancy of Scriptures, this is an issue that every Bible student should consider.”
What Mr. Smith is saying here is that I don’t believe the Bible because I am convinced from the text of Scripture that Aramaic was spoken by Jesus. Once again, Calvary Chapel says Jesus spoke “Hebrew, not Aramaic” and not “Aramaic and Hebrew.”
Now, let me state what I believe. I concur with biblical archeologist Alan Millard “A Jewish craftsman’s son brought up in Nazareth, a town on a main road, could be expected to talk in Aramaic, to use Greek when necessary, and to have more than a reading knowledge of Hebrew.” In other words, Jesus was tri-lingual but spoke Aramaic as his mother tongue.
Why does this matter?
It is important in understanding the Jesus of history. How can we properly understand Jesus, who he was and what he taught when we can’t even get his language right? If, in our studies, we make the false assumption that Jesus spoke solely Greek for example, it could seriously distort our view of who Jesus was. There are certain Bible scholars who seriously believe that Jesus was a Greek philosopher who belonged to the school of the Cynics.
In several places Aramaic or Aramaic figures of speech are being used in the New Testament although the New Testament is written in Greek. Thus, to understand the New Testament completely, we must have knowledge of Aramaic as well.
Many people are interested in returning to the Semitic Roots of Christianity. An entire branch of the church is the Aramaic, known as Syriac, branch. This includes many important theologians and missionaries. Due to euro-centrism the important contributions of Aramaic and Coptic (Egyptian) Christians are ignored.
Right now the Assyrians, the last Aramaic-speaking Christians are in need. I am trying to popularize Aramaic so we can save this ancient church from extinction. Douglas Hamp and Calvary Chapel are hampering my efforts to save people from certain death and a part of the body of Christ from extinction. Calvary Chapel is strengthening the Arm of Islam against the body of Christ. Why Calvary Chapel has decided to attack Aramaic and wage war against the Assyrian Christians is beyond me.
Before we look at Aramaic as the language of Jesus I want to show that Aramaic is a Jewish language and discuss how it became a Jewish language.
During the Babylonian Captivity a period of 50 years for many of the people the language of many of the Jewish people transitioned from Hebrew to Aramaic. Hebrew was still spoken by some but in Nehemiah 8 it mentions that the Scriptures had to be translated for everyone to understand. Rabbinic tradition states that the Bible was translated into Aramaic. However, Hebrew didn’t totally die out Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, which were written in the post-exilic period were written in Hebrew. (But the later books of the Old Testament show a greater Aramaic influence on how the Hebrew is used.) However, as we see in Ezra and Daniel Aramaic is becoming more influential. By the time of Jesus most Jewish people were spoke Aramaic, probably only Aramaic. Even those enclaves where Hebrew was still spoken-all the Hebrew speakers also spoke Aramaic. Aramaic had become the Jewish language so much so that Aramaic was sometimes called “Hebrew.” (As I shall prove later.)
(From The Jewish Study Bible (page 1700)
Nehemiah 8:8
“They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading.”
Side note:
Translating it: Rabbinic interpretation understands the Hebrew “meforash” to refer to the Targum, the Aramaic translation of the verse, which was recited in public along with the verse. Unable to understand the Hebrew text, returnees required both Aramaic translation and interpretation (b. Meg. 3a; b. Ned 37b: Gen. Rab. 36.8). )
Aramaic is an important Jewish language. Doug Hamp and the Hebrew university people notwithstanding. Many of the Rabbis wanted to revive Hebrew so they began teaching that the angels couldn’t understand Aramaic but only Hebrew so if you want God to hear your prayers you had to pray in Hebrew. Despite this teaching, Aramaic has remained an important Jewish language. TRAINED RABBIS MUST HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ARAMAIC.
Jewish Aramaic works:
The Kaddish, an ancient Aramaic prayer-now a prayer of mourning.
Large parts of the Talmud, (There are two Talmuds. The Babylonian and the Jerusalem or Palestinian Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud is thirty volumes long.)
The scribal notes to the traditional Hebrew text of the Old Testament
Kol Nidre: the main “Yom Kippur” prayer
Phrases such as “Bar Mitzvah” which is Aramaic for “Son of the Covenant”
The Kabbalah, or the “Zohar” the main text of Jewish mysticism
Popular Passover songs such as “Chad Gadyo”
Note the Aramaic alphabet displaced the Hebrew alphabet. Ezra notes the difference in Ezra 4: 7 referring to a letter written in the “Aramaic script and language.” Only the Samaritans sill use the original Hebrew alphabet.
SHOW EXAMPLES of Hebrew and Aramaic Script
WE ARE NOW GOING TO EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE THAT JESUS SPOKE ARAMAIC:
EVIDENCE FROM THE BIBLE, FROM ARCHEOLOGY, FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS AND FROM THE TARGUMS.
Evidence from the Bible
To deliberately omit information in an effort to deceive is unethical and is the same as telling a lie. Mr. Hamp in his book “Discovering the Language of Jesus” fails to mention ACTS 1:19 Luke says, discussing the death of Judas Iscariot;
And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is Field of Blood (NKJV)
Luke lived in the Holy Land during the times of the apostles. Akel Dama is Aramaic-not Hebrew. Here Luke describes Aramaic as the language of the people of Jerusalem! This means that Mr. Hamp is saying, when he claims that the Jewish people at the time of Jesus did not speak Aramaic as their common language he is saying that the New Testament is wrong. Unlike Mr. Hamp I believe that the New Testament is a reliable and trustworthy account of the life and times of Jesus and the apostles.
PRAYERS AND TITLES OF DIVINITY
In the New Testament we have Jesus and the early church praying in Aramaic:
Abba, Father
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. (Mark 14:36)
The Aramaic word “Abba” is also found in the writings of Paul in Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6) Abba is an Aramaic loan word in modern Hebrew. The Hebrew word is “avi.” God is called “Father” over 100 times in the Gospels!
Eloi, Eloi lama sabachtani
And at the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi lema sabachtani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, for what have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) See also Matthew 27:46. It Jesus had been speaking Hebrew he would have said, “Eli, Eli, lama azabanti.” Jesus is quoting Psalm 22 from the Aramaic version. An Aramaic translation (or paraphrase) of the Old Testament is called a Targum. In the Traditional Hebrew text of Psalm 22 it says “Like a lion my hands and feet” the original reading as “They have pierced by hands and feet.”
Maranatha
“Maranatha” 1 Corinthians 16:22. This word is also used in the Didache. It means “Come, Our Lord.” The word for “Lord” in Hebrew is “Adonai.”
Ben Witherington III notes the importance of the Maranatha prayer in his book The Brother of Jesus, “In concluding his letter, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 16:22 offers up a prayer in Aramaic, “Maranatha”, which means “Come, Lord.” In other words, Jesus is already called Lord by Aramaic speaking Jewish-Christians, and he is prayed to. Now, early Jews did not pray to people who were merely revered dead rabbis, teachers, or even prophets. They might well pray for a rabbi to be raised on the last day, but they would not pray to him and implore him to come. Yet, that is what Paul is doing here, and he is probably echoing a prayer he heard offered in the Jerusalem church, where such prayers were spoken in Aramaic. The dramatic importance of such a prayer should not be underestimated. Jews were forbidden to pray to someone other than God. This prayer strongly suggests that Jesus was included within the earliest Aramaic Jewish Christians understanding of God. In other words, Jesus was already viewed very early on as divine by his earliest followers, and this included James [the Just]. The notion that seeing Jesus as a divine figure was added only late in the first century and was done so only by Gentiles is simply not true.”
Hamp admits that Maranatha is indeed Aramaic but then notes that when Paul uses it he “is writing to his non-Israelite, non-Hebrew-speaking audience” (Hamp 32). But Corinth is between Athens and Sparta!
Son of Man
The Aramaic phrase “Son of Man” can mean “a man,” “a human being,” “a person” or even “I” or “me.” In the Gospels and other places in the New Testament it is used as a Messianic title. It seems to have come from a prophecy of the coming of a pre-existence divine being in the Aramaic section of the Book of Daniel.
I was watching in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of Man, coming in the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.
The book of Enoch, which was also written in Aramaic, also contains prophecies of the coming of a Messianic figure which it also calls the Son of Man.
Rabboni
Jesus saith unto her, Mary, She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabbouni; which is to say, Master. (John 20:16)
So Jesus answered and said unto him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight” (Mark 10:51, NKJV)
The Rabbinic title “Rabban” is of Aramaic origin and “Rabbi” as well.
The Aramaic form of the word for Passover “Pascha” is used in the Greek of the New Testament (1 Corinthians 5:7 and many other places). (Douglas Hamp uses some very tortured logic and states that when Hebrew words are written in Greek they take on an Aramaic form but they are Hebrew really and not Aramaic. This is illogical and incoherent.) The holiday Hannakah is Aramaic for “Dedication” Jesus celebrated this holiday. Judas Maccabee is Aramaic for Judah the Hammer. Titles of religious groups such as the Pharisees, from the Aramaic “Separated Ones” and the Essenes, from the Aramaic Chasya, the “Pious” are from Aramaic.
PERSONAL NAMES
Many of the names of people in the New Testament are Aramaic names. Why would go many people have Aramaic names unless they are speaking Aramaic.
Bar is Aramaic for “Son of” Ben in Hebrew for “Son of.” (Mr. Hamp tries to dismiss the fact that there are so many Aramaic names in the New Testament. This demonstrates an error in his methodology-he is explaining away evidence instead of explaining the evidence.)
Cephas
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). NIV footnote: Both Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek) mean rock. John 1:42. (See also 1 Corinthians 1:12 and Galatians 2:9). In Matthew it is mentioned that when Peter was in the courtyard of the high priest, the people said that he must be a Galilean because “his speech” gave him away. The bystanders were probably commenting of Peter’s Galilean accent. The Talmud describes how the Galileans had their own accent to their Aramaic. They didn’t pronounced their gutturals clearly. This is probably why Jesus’ name in Aramaic is pronounced “Yeshu” in ancient Jewish sources and by Aramaic Christian till this day.)
Thomas
Simon Peter, Thomas called Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples were gathered together. (John 21:2)
Simon Canaanean
Canaanean means Zealot, which means “terrorist” or “insurgent.” (Mark 3:18)
Mary Magdalene
“And also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) out of whom seven demons had some out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. (Luke 7: 2-3 NIV) Magdala is the Aramaic word for “tower.” Jerome commented that perhaps she acquired this title since her faith was like a tower. However, it seems she is called Mary of Magdala because she came from the town of Magdala.)
Thaddeus and Lebbeus
(Matthew 10:3) Thaddeus means “breast” or “nipple” and Lebbeus, or Libba, means “heart.”
Tabitha
In Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. (Acts 9:36). This Aramaic name means Gazelle.
Martha
Martha in Aramaic means “Lady” Luke 10:38-41. John 11:1-39, John 12:2.
Bartholomew
Matthew 10:3. Son of Ptolomey or perhaps “son of furrows” or “son of the ploughman.”
In Hebrew “Son of…” is Ben. In Aramaic it is “Bar.” There are many people with this Aramaic name-form in the New Testament.
Jesus Barabbas
Barabbas means “Son of the Father,” He was the one whom was chosen by the crowds to be released instead of Jesus the Messiah. He was a terrorist and a murderer (Matthew 27:16)
Joseph Barsabbas
Barsabbas was considered as a candidate to be numbered among the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:23). His name means “Son of the Sabbath,” perhaps because he was born on a Sabbath day.
Judas Barsabbas
This Barsabas was sent to Antioch carrying a letter from the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 15: 22). He was a prophet (Acts 15:32) Judas Barsabbas is most likely a close relative of Joseph Barsabbas.
Joseph Barnabas
Joseph Barnabas (Acts 4:36) from Bar-Nava meaning “Son of Prophecy,” translated as “The Son of Encouragement” or “The Son of Consolation.” This was the companion of Saint Paul.
NAMES OF PLACES
Gabbatha
When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). John 19: 13.
Josephus in The Jewish War V. ii. 1:51 states that Gabbatha means “high place’ or “elevated place.”
Golgotha
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.) Here they crucified him, and with him two others-one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (John 19: 17-18). See also Mark 15:22.
Bethany
John 11:1
Meaning “House of Dates”
Gehenna
NOTE: Hebrew and Aramaic are so similar that some words are the same in both languages also certain words originating from Hebrew, such as HOSANNA, made their way into the Aramaic language. (Hosanna means “Save Now” in Hebrew but came to mean “praise” in Aramaic.)
Have no fear of those who kill the body, but can by no means kill the soul. Fear him instead who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. (Matthew 10:28)
The word “Gehenna” in Aramaic came to be the word used for “the burning hell” or “hell-fire.” This was from the symbolism found in the burning rubbish dumps of Gey-Hennom, in the valley outside of Jerusalem. The Aramaic word Gehenna is derived from the Hebrew “Gey-Hennom,” meaning “Valley of the Sons of Hennom.” This cursed place was a place of idolatrous worship and human sacrifice in the Old Testament era. The Aramaic word “Gehenna” is found in many places in the Greek text of the New Testament but is usually translated as ‘hell” in English versions.
Also, in should be noted that Jesus in this saying in Matthew 10:28 what the Aramaic scholar Joachim Jeremias called the “divine passive.” This was reverencing the name of God by speaking of the Lord by means of circumlocutions.
ARAMAIC WORDS AND PHRASES USED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Ephphatha
And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” which is “Be opened.” (Mark 7:34). This word is Ethpatach and is the same in both Hebrew and Aramaic because these languages are so closely related.
Talitha Koum
And taking the hand of the child, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.” (Mark 5:41)
This Aramaic phrase here is important because Jesus is using it in an Aramaic speaking household. So we see that the household of a president of the synagogue is an Aramaic speaking household. Thus we see that it wasn’t just the uneducated who spoke Aramaic but also the educated and the elite.
Talitha means little girl-not “Tallit” (garment) or “Little lamb”
Raca
But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:22)
In the Aramaic of the Talmud, Raka means empty one, fool, empty headed.
Mammon
No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)
See also Luke 16:9-13 and 2 Clement 6.
Also-look how the word KOWBAIN is used in the Lord’s Prayer. In Christ’s teachings we see in parables a link between sin and debts and the idea of forgiveness of sins as forgiveness of debt.
Korban
“But you say, “If a man says to his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”-(that is a gift to God),
This word refers to an offering or a sacrifice. Modern Assyrians call their Holy Communion service the Korban. In this passage Jesus was condemning a doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees that stated is you swore to give money to them, this released you from the obligation of using that money to support your needy elderly parents. Korban is both Hebrew and Aramaic. “KORBAN” meaning “a gift to God” has been found being used in an Aramaic inscription on an ossuary.
Evidence from Archeology
The King Uzziah Tablet
King Uzziah is mentioned in Isaiah 6, 2 Chronicles 26. The Tablet is dates to the first century (the time of Jesus) and says in Aramaic “Herein are the bones of Uzziah, King of the Jews. Do not remove.” It is only logical that such an important notice would be written in the most commonly used language so that it could be understood by the greatest number of people.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
“The Dead Sea Scroll Bible” mentions some interesting information about the Dead Sea Scrolls “Song of Solomon” which “features several scribal errors and, although written in Hebrew, contains several Aramaic word forms that reveal Aramaic influence on the scribe” (612).
The majority of the Dead Sea Scrolls are in Hebrew. Many others are in Aramaic and a few are in Greek.
Why would a scribal community use Aramaic at all unless it was the language of the common people? Their rules for their community and some of their commentary on Scripture are in Hebrew but much of the popular literature such as the Genesis Apocryphon, Enoch and Tobit are in Aramaic. A targum, Aramaic translation, of Job was discovered. The Testament of Levi, the New Jerusalem and other Aramaic books were discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls prove Jewish people in the Holy Land were Aramaic speakers!
Certain Hebrew primacists say that Joachim Jeremias and Matthew Black, two respected scholars who investigated Aramaic as the language of Jesus maintained that Jesus spoke Aramaic because they formed their opinions before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, however, this is untrue, they were aware of the Dead Sea Scrolls and used them in their research. Actually, the Dead Sea Scrolls are very helpful in reconstructing the words of Jesus in Aramaic since several of them are in Aramaic and Maurice Casey has used them for this purpose.
The Bar Kokhba letters
Bar Kokba, which is Aramaic meaning “Son of the Star” was a false Messiah. Many Hebrew primacists feel that the Bar Kokba letters prove somehow that Jesus spoke only Hebrew, despite the fact that they were written 100 years after the time of Christ and as many of the Bar Kokhba letters are Aramaic as are Hebrew.
So-Hebrew speakers such as the Dead Sea Scroll community and Bar Kokhba also spoke Aramaic. The reason they used Aramaic in addition to Hebrew is because Aramaic was the common language.
Ossuaries (basically a tombstone)
Ossuaries are often inscribed in Aramaic. Some are inscribed in Greek and some are in Hebrew. This proves Alan Millard true.
Important Aramaic ossuaries include the ossuary of Caiphas and the controversial “James the Brother of Jesus” ossuary. The Talpiot Ossuaries are also Aramaic and controversial. (Yeshua was a common name and other Jesus son of Joseph ossuaries have been discovered.)
Business records and legal archives, marriage contracts, divorce decrees and promissory notes.
Business was conducted in Aramaic. Sebastian Brock describes important discovery that gives us important insight into everyday life. Aramaic “was also the language of the delivery man at a village called Beit Qarnayim (otherwise unknown, but evidently near Jerusalem), as we learn from four ostraca belonging to the first half of the first century AD. On these pieces of broken pottery (which served as the equivalent of modern notebooks) he writes down in ink his deliveries of fig cakes, bread and barley, specifying year, day of the week, day of the month, and sometimes even whether it was morning of evening… Another vivid glimpse into everyday life is provided by a note scribbled on an ostracon from Masada, perhaps dating from the time of the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66-73). Someone has left a bill unpaid for far too long and in desperation his creditor, evidently the baker, sends him a note: “I beg you have pity on me and pay me the 5 silver denarii you owe me for the loaves of bread. Have pity, for I haven’t got anything.”
Evidence from ancient authorities
Douglas Hamp appeals to myth to prove his premise that Jesus only spoke Aramaic. He refers to the Letter of Aristeas which says “the Jews are assumed to speak Aramaic but it is a different kind.” This probably refers to the fact that the Jews spoke a distinctive form of Aramaic or that their Scriptures are in Hebrew.
But lets look at more reputable historical sources such as the writings of Flavius Josephus. Hamp doesn’t quote from Josephus.
Josephus lived from 37- circa 100 AD. He was a contemporary of St. Paul. He wrote about John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus and the fall of Jerusalem.
Josephus was a priest and related to the Hasmoneans, a royal family.
In his preface to “The War of the Jews” he mentions that he originally wrote this book in Aramaic because he felt he was deficient in Greek and he also wrote it in Aramaic for the “barbarians” in Mesopotamia!
In Antiquities III 10.6 he mentions that the Hebrew used Aramaic:
When a week of weeks has passed over after this sacrifice, (which weeks contain forty and nine days,) on the fiftieth day, which is Pentecost, but is called by the Hebrews Asartha, which signifies Pentecost, they bring to God a loaf, made of wheat flour, of two tenth deals, with leaven; and for sacrifices they bring two lambs.
In War of the Jews Book IV Chapter 1 Section 5 Josephus mentions a Roman soldier was an Aramaic speaker from Syria, but not a Jew, sneaking into Jewish household and listening to the Jewish rebels discussing their war-plans. (Josephus was often used by the Romans to speak to the masses of the Jewish people on their behalf and it is obvious that when he describes himself as doing so, he was speaking to them in Aramaic.)
According to the Talmud, there were silver trumpets in the temple into which people deposited their offerings. The offering trumpets were labeled in Aramaic, which is not surprising since they are dealing with money. We also have three epistles written by Rabban Gamaliel, the Rabbi who instructed Paul. They were meant for the Jewish community in the Holy Land and are written in Aramaic. Another important ancient document from the times of the apostles called “the roll of the fasts” is also written in Aramaic.
Evidence from the early Church Fathers
Douglas Hamp’s main argument is that the Greek word “Hebraidi” means the language that we in English know as Hebrew and can only mean Hebrew.Look at John 19:17
And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.
To which Mr. Hamp says “See it says “Hebrew” that settles it-Jesus spoke Hebrew and not Aramaic.
A LAW OF LINGUISTICS: CONTEXT DETERMINES THE MEANING OF A WORD, I.E. HOW A WORD IS USED DETERMINES ITS MEANING.
In this case Golgotha is an Aramaic word. Also, the language we know as “Hebrew” is never called “Hebrew” in the Old Testament, it is called “Judean” and “Canaanite.” (2 Kings 18:26, Isaiah 19:18).
The Church Fathers state that Jesus and the Apostles spoke “Hebrew.” Did they mean Aramaic or the language we know today as Hebrew.
Papias was an early church father who interviewed people who had known the apostles. He wrote his book from 110-140. It has only survived in fragments. Some of his stories seem interesting or plausible, such as stories about Barsabas and the daughter of Phillip. On the other hand he describes Judas Iscariot as being so fat he was wider than a chariot and mentions Jesus saying that in the Millenium grapes will call out to people saying “Take me, take me!” Papias contains a legend that Matthew originally wrote his Gospel in “Hebrew.” Douglas Hamp seizes on this as proof that Jesus spoke Hebrew exclusively. Jerome (lived 347-420) knew of an described the Hebrew Matthew.
Matthew, also called Levi, apostle and aforetimes publican, composed a gospel of Christ at first published in Judea in Hebrew for the sake of those of the circumcision who believed, but this was afterwards translated into Greek though by what author is uncertain. The Hebrew itself has been preserved until the present day in the library at Caesarea which Pamphilus so diligently gathered. I have also had the opportunity of having the volume described to me by the Nazarenes of Beroea, a city of Syria, who use it. In this it is to be noted that wherever the Evangelist, whether on his own account or in the person of our Lord the Saviour quotes the testimony of the Old Testament he does not follow the authority of the translators of the Septuagint but the Hebrew…
Jerome, Lives of Illustrious Men
In the Gospel according to the Hebrews, which is written in the Chaldee and Syrian language, but in Hebrew characters, and is used by the Nazarenes to this day (I mean the Gospel according to the Apostles, or, as is generally maintained, the Gospel according to Matthew, a copy of which is in the library at Caesarea), we find ... .Jerome, Against the Pelagians
Chaldean and Syrian is another way of saying Aramaic. (Aram is an old way of saying Syria. In Daniel the Chaldeans, Babylonian magicians, are quoted speaking in Aramaic. For this reason Aramaic has been called Chaldee in the past.)
Also, in Jerome’s “Commentary to the Book of Daniel” he uses the words Aramaic and Hebrew interchangeably almost immediately after differentiating between the two languages!
Jerome, in his commentary on the Book of Daniel, differentiates between Hebrew and Aramaic, but then while in the Aramaic section of the Book of Daniel, consistently calls Aramaic Hebrew. This proves that the early church fathers did call the language we know as Aramaic “Hebrew” at times and used “Hebrew” and other words for Aramaic interchangeably. This is illustrated by the following quotations from Jerome’s commentary on the Book of Daniel the Prophet:
Verse 4. "The Chaldeans replied to the king in Syriac." Up to this point what we have read has been recounted in Hebrew. From this point on until the vision of the third year of King Balthasar [Belshazzar] which Daniel saw in Susa, the account is written in Hebrew characters, to be sure, but in the Chaldee language, which he here calls Syriac.
Verse 27. "As for the secret for which the king is asking, neither the wise men nor the magi nor the soothsayers nor the diviners are able to declare it to the king." In place of diviners (haruspices), as we have rendered it, the Hebrew [sic!] text has Gazareni [actually the Aramaic word is gazerin.] which only Symmachus has rendered…
follows as far as the end of the Song of the Three Youths is not contained in the Hebrew [i.e. the Aramaic].
". ..I, Daniel, was much troubled with my thoughts, and my countenance was altered within me; but I preserved the word in my heart." Up to this point the Book of Daniel was written in the Chaldee and Syriac language. All the rest that follows up to the very end of the volume we read in Hebrew.
In his book Demonstration of the Gospel Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 275-339) describes the Twelve Apostles as “quite common men, and barbarians [non-Greeks] to boot, with no knowledge of any tongue but Syrian.” After Jesus gives the Disciples the Great Commission and to preach his message to all the world, Eusebius has them ask, “But how…can we do it? How, pray, can we preach to the Romans? We are men bred up to use the Syrian tongue only, what language can we speak to the Greeks?” (See Eusbius Pamphylis Demonstration of the Gospel, in the English translation, DE Book III, chapters 5 and 7, cited Dem. Ev. III. 4.44; 7.10.) This helps us to understand that Eusebius means that Matthew wrote his Gospel originally in Aramaic when he states, “For Matthew, who had at first preached to the Hebrews, when he was about to go to other peoples, committed his Gospel to writing in his native tongue ...” Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book III. Eusebius makes it very clear that the apostles spoke Aramaic only so obviously he refers to Matthew’s “native tongue” he means Aramaic and not Hebrew. Eusebius-who is the source of our quote of Papias was convinced that Jesus and the Apostles spoke only Hebrew! He had information available to him that we no longer possess today!
This shows 1. That the Greek word “Hebraidi” can indeed mean “Aramaic” and 2. the most ancient sources state that the apostles spoke only Aramaic.
Evidence from the Targums
The entire Old Testament, with the exception of Ezra and Daniel (which are largely Aramaic already) were translated into Aramaic as the Targums.
The Aramaic Targums are important because they originated from the time of Christ, and their interpretation reflect understandings of the text current with his era. Bible translators often refer to the Targums to clarify where it seems obscure in the original texts.
In Mark 4:12 Jesus quotes the Targum of Isaiah 6:9-10. Also, St. Paul quotes from the Targum. New Testament quotations of Old Testament passages usually are from the Septuagent, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Some quotations match the Hebrew text, others the Aramaic Targums. In Romans 10:7 St. Paul quotes from a Targum Reading found in Targum Neofiti being a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 30:13.
But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) or ‘Who will descend into the Abyss (that is to bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved (The Hebrew says ‘sea’ and the Aramaic Targums, “Targum Neofiti” has ‘Abyss’). Paul quotes from the targum because as a trained Rabbi he would have been familiar with these Jewish traditions.
Paul also quotes the Aramaic Targum of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8.
But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high, he made captivity captive; he gave gifts to his people”. When it says “He ascended” What does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.
Paul’s quote does not match the Hebrew or the Greek Septuagint Old Testament. It does follow the Aramaic Targum and the Aramaic Peshitta (which is a type of Targum). (In this verse in the Hebrew the gifts are given to God. The Aramaic has the gifts given by God). John the Revelator often refers to Targums of Deuteronomy 31-32 especially in the Song of Moses (Rev. 15: 1-5) which follows Targum Onkelos
A note about scholarly consensus
The majority of Bible scholars believe Jesus spoke Aramaic because this fact is born out by the evidence-which is cumulative. We should take mainstream and not extremist positions. The “Jesus spoke only Hebrew” position is an extremist position and cannot withstand scrutiny. Certain people believe that Jesus spoke Hebrew because Hebrew is viewed by them as the language of God. Jesus is God incarnate and he spoke Aramaic so, Aramaic is the “language of God.” (Daniel mentions the finger of God writing on the wall of the palace in Babylonia. Also, in the Talmud there is a story of God speaking out from the Holy of Holies in Aramaic. This was during the High Priesthood of John Hyrcanus. See. J. Sot. 24b.) As Jesus proclaimed his Gospel in Aramaic, Aramaic is also the language of the Kingdom. According to Deuteronomy 26:5, Abraham and the Patriarchs were Aramaic speaking. In the Talmud (b. Sanhedrin 38b) the Rabbis teach that God spoke Aramaic to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden-and that Aramaic was the language of Adam! If Jesus actually spoke Aramaic, then to attack, disparage and insult his language is to attack and insult Jesus Christ himself.
I have heard Zephaniah 3:9 used to say that we all must learn to speak Hebrew in order to be acceptable to God. This scripture reads, “For I will restore to the people a pure language” (literally the Hebrew says a “pure lip” this means pure speech or conversation and is not necessarily referring to a specific language) “that they all ay call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one accord.” Jesus spoke about the same thing when he said “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). It is unreasonable to require all believers to learn Hebrew, or Aramaic for that matter. This passage in Zephaniah actually refers to God giving his people a new heart-a truth Jesus and other prophets of the Old Testament refer to. To understand God you need to come with him with childlike faith and simplicity. Learning a language will not get you into heaven and may not even please God. In ancient times there were and today there are many Hebrew speakers who are terrible sinners and don’t know God. Hannibal and the Carthaginians spoke a form of Hebrew as did many of the ancient Israelites who worshiped Baal and the Ashtorah. Nicodemus knew Hebrew, Aramaic and the Scriptures and Jewish tradition. Jesus wasn’t impressed with all of this. Jesus was concerned about his soul-because Nicodemas was lost. Jesus told him “For a man to enter into the Kingdom of God he must be born again.” We must preach the simplicity of the Gospel These Hebrew-only people are harming the body of Christ and confusing the Gospel message.
Jesus was the Son of David, but he called himself most often-the Son of Man. Jesus is the Son of all Mankind and the savior of humanity. Jesus says when he comes in power and glory to judge the world he doesn’t judge the people on if they kept Kosher, or if they observed the Sabbath, or if they spoke Hebrew or were “Torah observant”-the concern is did they show love and compassion to “the least of these my brethren” (Matthew 25). The Lord requires mercy-not sacrifice. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 says, you can have all knowledge-even perfect knowledge of Hebrew-but if you don’t have love-it is NOTHING! The Hebrew and Aramaic roots of our faith are important –but nothing should be allowed to complicate the simple message of Salvation preach by Jesus and the Apostles.
The reason that the majority of Bible scholars believe that Jesus spoke in Aramaic is because this is what is indicated by the evidence.
The Aramaic language is still spoken. Let us pray for the Assyrian people who are being slaughtered for Jesus by Islamic fanatics. (See my Crossover Productions program of “You-tube” entitled “Iraq’s Christians in Crisis.)
For more information contact me:
Stephen A. Missick
PO BOX 882
Shepherd TX 77371
stephenamissick@hotmail.com
www.aramaicherald.blogspot.com
www.aramaicbible.blogspot.com
I am the author of “Words of Jesus in the Original Aramaic,” “Mary of Magdala” and “Treasures of the Language of Jesus” I have studied Aramaic extensively for a number of years. I have lived in Aramaic speaking villages in Syria and studied Aramaic from native Aramaic-speaking Assyrian Christians when I was a soldier in Iraq.
What is Aramaic? If you have read the New Testament or have seen Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” you have been exposed to the Aramaic language.
While the New Testament is written in Greek it contains many Aramaic words, phrases and figures of speech. Words like Golgotha and Maranatha and names such as Thomas, Martha and Magdala. Mel Gibson filmed the movie “The Passion of the Christ” in mostly Aramaic but with some Latin and Hebrew as well.
ARAMAIC IS NOT ARABIC OR ARMENIAN! Aramaic is closely related to Hebrew, however, in is not derived from Hebrew-nor is Hebrew derived from Aramaic. Hebrew and Aramaic developed independently from a now extinct language scholars call “Proto-Semitic.”
Moishe Rosen, founder of “Jews for Jesus” describes Aramaic in the following manner in his book “Yeshua: The Jewish Way to Say Jesus”:
Aramaic: A language closely related to Hebrew, Aramaic was spoken in the ancient Near East from as early as the ninth century B.C.E. Portions of Daniel (2:4-7:28) and Ezra (4:8-6:18; 7:12-26) and Jeremiah 10:11) and two words of Genesis (31:47) are in Aramaic. By the time of Jesus, it was the daily language of Jews living in Judea. The paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures called the Targums are in Aramaic. Jesus Himself would have likely spoken in Aramaic. Dialects of the language survive to this day in the Middle East.
This has led to a rabbi in the Talmud praising the Aramaic language:
“Let not Aramaic be lightly esteemed by thee, seeing that
the Holy One (Blessed Be He) hath given it honor in the
Law, the Prophets and the Writings”
Palestinian: Tractate Sata 7:2
Recently, certain persons have been claiming that Jesus did not speak Aramaic but rather spoke Hebrew. I have even heard these people mock Mel Gibson “What does Mad Max know?” However, in this case Mel Gibson did historical research.
I am going to present the evidence that Jesus was an Aramaic speaker and explain why it is important. Two books that present the view that Jesus did not speak Aramaic, or did not speak Aramaic as his first language, are “Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus: New Insights From a Hebraic Perspective” by David Bivin and Roy Blizzard, Jr. and “Discovering the Language of Jesus: Hebrew or Aramaic” by Douglas Hamp.
Douglas Hamp and his attack on the Aramaic language was promoted by Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, which is and has been a very influential church (and ironically has a ministry called “Maranatha Music.” Maranatha is an ancient Aramaic prayer.)
Before I begin I want to look at some of the statements that were put out by Calvary Chapel to promote the book.
First from Brian Brodersen, an associate pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. He said, “I am convinced that the language of Jesus and the apostles was indeed Hebrew rather than Aramaic.” This statement was used to promote and endorse the book and was used for such purposes by Doug Hamp. So, we see that Mr. Hamp and Calvary Chapel are not saying that perhaps Jesus spoke Hebrew and Aramaic. What they are saying is that Jesus spoke Hebrew and not Aramaic.
The second statement is by the director of Calvary Chapel’s School of ministry. Carl Westerland says, “A mind-changing book. The serious Bible student, wanting to teach accurately, should weigh Doug Hamp’s evidence, rather than parroting tradition.”
Well, #1 I am not “parroting tradition” when I say that Jesus spoke Aramaic, I am agreeing with the witness of the New Testament and the best, most ancient, and most reliable historical sources.
#2 Hopefully, a serious Bible student won’t buy into the poorly researched and fraudulent information presented by Mr. Hamp. Who is well named, If you buy into this non-sense your ability to conduct Bible study will be Hampered.
#3 If you teach that Jesus spoke only Hebrew then you are teaching inaccurate information.
#4. The best Bible scholars are convinced that Jesus spoke Aramaic-why should we believe Mr. Hamp-because he lived in Israel? Does that make him an expert? I have lived in Israel too.
#5 It is Mr. Hamp and Calvary Chapel who are not teaching accurately and are for some strange reason attacking a Bible language. (One Messianic Jew I know said we don’t have the true text of Daniel-since a large part of Daniel is written in Aramaic!)
Lastly, let’s look at a quote from Chuck Smith, the founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa.
“A persuasive book that presents compelling evidence, that Hebrew, not Aramaic, was the primary language of Jesus and the disciples. In light of the inerrancy of Scriptures, this is an issue that every Bible student should consider.”
What Mr. Smith is saying here is that I don’t believe the Bible because I am convinced from the text of Scripture that Aramaic was spoken by Jesus. Once again, Calvary Chapel says Jesus spoke “Hebrew, not Aramaic” and not “Aramaic and Hebrew.”
Now, let me state what I believe. I concur with biblical archeologist Alan Millard “A Jewish craftsman’s son brought up in Nazareth, a town on a main road, could be expected to talk in Aramaic, to use Greek when necessary, and to have more than a reading knowledge of Hebrew.” In other words, Jesus was tri-lingual but spoke Aramaic as his mother tongue.
Why does this matter?
It is important in understanding the Jesus of history. How can we properly understand Jesus, who he was and what he taught when we can’t even get his language right? If, in our studies, we make the false assumption that Jesus spoke solely Greek for example, it could seriously distort our view of who Jesus was. There are certain Bible scholars who seriously believe that Jesus was a Greek philosopher who belonged to the school of the Cynics.
In several places Aramaic or Aramaic figures of speech are being used in the New Testament although the New Testament is written in Greek. Thus, to understand the New Testament completely, we must have knowledge of Aramaic as well.
Many people are interested in returning to the Semitic Roots of Christianity. An entire branch of the church is the Aramaic, known as Syriac, branch. This includes many important theologians and missionaries. Due to euro-centrism the important contributions of Aramaic and Coptic (Egyptian) Christians are ignored.
Right now the Assyrians, the last Aramaic-speaking Christians are in need. I am trying to popularize Aramaic so we can save this ancient church from extinction. Douglas Hamp and Calvary Chapel are hampering my efforts to save people from certain death and a part of the body of Christ from extinction. Calvary Chapel is strengthening the Arm of Islam against the body of Christ. Why Calvary Chapel has decided to attack Aramaic and wage war against the Assyrian Christians is beyond me.
Before we look at Aramaic as the language of Jesus I want to show that Aramaic is a Jewish language and discuss how it became a Jewish language.
During the Babylonian Captivity a period of 50 years for many of the people the language of many of the Jewish people transitioned from Hebrew to Aramaic. Hebrew was still spoken by some but in Nehemiah 8 it mentions that the Scriptures had to be translated for everyone to understand. Rabbinic tradition states that the Bible was translated into Aramaic. However, Hebrew didn’t totally die out Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, which were written in the post-exilic period were written in Hebrew. (But the later books of the Old Testament show a greater Aramaic influence on how the Hebrew is used.) However, as we see in Ezra and Daniel Aramaic is becoming more influential. By the time of Jesus most Jewish people were spoke Aramaic, probably only Aramaic. Even those enclaves where Hebrew was still spoken-all the Hebrew speakers also spoke Aramaic. Aramaic had become the Jewish language so much so that Aramaic was sometimes called “Hebrew.” (As I shall prove later.)
(From The Jewish Study Bible (page 1700)
Nehemiah 8:8
“They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading.”
Side note:
Translating it: Rabbinic interpretation understands the Hebrew “meforash” to refer to the Targum, the Aramaic translation of the verse, which was recited in public along with the verse. Unable to understand the Hebrew text, returnees required both Aramaic translation and interpretation (b. Meg. 3a; b. Ned 37b: Gen. Rab. 36.8). )
Aramaic is an important Jewish language. Doug Hamp and the Hebrew university people notwithstanding. Many of the Rabbis wanted to revive Hebrew so they began teaching that the angels couldn’t understand Aramaic but only Hebrew so if you want God to hear your prayers you had to pray in Hebrew. Despite this teaching, Aramaic has remained an important Jewish language. TRAINED RABBIS MUST HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ARAMAIC.
Jewish Aramaic works:
The Kaddish, an ancient Aramaic prayer-now a prayer of mourning.
Large parts of the Talmud, (There are two Talmuds. The Babylonian and the Jerusalem or Palestinian Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud is thirty volumes long.)
The scribal notes to the traditional Hebrew text of the Old Testament
Kol Nidre: the main “Yom Kippur” prayer
Phrases such as “Bar Mitzvah” which is Aramaic for “Son of the Covenant”
The Kabbalah, or the “Zohar” the main text of Jewish mysticism
Popular Passover songs such as “Chad Gadyo”
Note the Aramaic alphabet displaced the Hebrew alphabet. Ezra notes the difference in Ezra 4: 7 referring to a letter written in the “Aramaic script and language.” Only the Samaritans sill use the original Hebrew alphabet.
SHOW EXAMPLES of Hebrew and Aramaic Script
WE ARE NOW GOING TO EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE THAT JESUS SPOKE ARAMAIC:
EVIDENCE FROM THE BIBLE, FROM ARCHEOLOGY, FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS AND FROM THE TARGUMS.
Evidence from the Bible
To deliberately omit information in an effort to deceive is unethical and is the same as telling a lie. Mr. Hamp in his book “Discovering the Language of Jesus” fails to mention ACTS 1:19 Luke says, discussing the death of Judas Iscariot;
And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is Field of Blood (NKJV)
Luke lived in the Holy Land during the times of the apostles. Akel Dama is Aramaic-not Hebrew. Here Luke describes Aramaic as the language of the people of Jerusalem! This means that Mr. Hamp is saying, when he claims that the Jewish people at the time of Jesus did not speak Aramaic as their common language he is saying that the New Testament is wrong. Unlike Mr. Hamp I believe that the New Testament is a reliable and trustworthy account of the life and times of Jesus and the apostles.
PRAYERS AND TITLES OF DIVINITY
In the New Testament we have Jesus and the early church praying in Aramaic:
Abba, Father
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. (Mark 14:36)
The Aramaic word “Abba” is also found in the writings of Paul in Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6) Abba is an Aramaic loan word in modern Hebrew. The Hebrew word is “avi.” God is called “Father” over 100 times in the Gospels!
Eloi, Eloi lama sabachtani
And at the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi lema sabachtani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, for what have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) See also Matthew 27:46. It Jesus had been speaking Hebrew he would have said, “Eli, Eli, lama azabanti.” Jesus is quoting Psalm 22 from the Aramaic version. An Aramaic translation (or paraphrase) of the Old Testament is called a Targum. In the Traditional Hebrew text of Psalm 22 it says “Like a lion my hands and feet” the original reading as “They have pierced by hands and feet.”
Maranatha
“Maranatha” 1 Corinthians 16:22. This word is also used in the Didache. It means “Come, Our Lord.” The word for “Lord” in Hebrew is “Adonai.”
Ben Witherington III notes the importance of the Maranatha prayer in his book The Brother of Jesus, “In concluding his letter, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 16:22 offers up a prayer in Aramaic, “Maranatha”, which means “Come, Lord.” In other words, Jesus is already called Lord by Aramaic speaking Jewish-Christians, and he is prayed to. Now, early Jews did not pray to people who were merely revered dead rabbis, teachers, or even prophets. They might well pray for a rabbi to be raised on the last day, but they would not pray to him and implore him to come. Yet, that is what Paul is doing here, and he is probably echoing a prayer he heard offered in the Jerusalem church, where such prayers were spoken in Aramaic. The dramatic importance of such a prayer should not be underestimated. Jews were forbidden to pray to someone other than God. This prayer strongly suggests that Jesus was included within the earliest Aramaic Jewish Christians understanding of God. In other words, Jesus was already viewed very early on as divine by his earliest followers, and this included James [the Just]. The notion that seeing Jesus as a divine figure was added only late in the first century and was done so only by Gentiles is simply not true.”
Hamp admits that Maranatha is indeed Aramaic but then notes that when Paul uses it he “is writing to his non-Israelite, non-Hebrew-speaking audience” (Hamp 32). But Corinth is between Athens and Sparta!
Son of Man
The Aramaic phrase “Son of Man” can mean “a man,” “a human being,” “a person” or even “I” or “me.” In the Gospels and other places in the New Testament it is used as a Messianic title. It seems to have come from a prophecy of the coming of a pre-existence divine being in the Aramaic section of the Book of Daniel.
I was watching in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of Man, coming in the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.
The book of Enoch, which was also written in Aramaic, also contains prophecies of the coming of a Messianic figure which it also calls the Son of Man.
Rabboni
Jesus saith unto her, Mary, She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabbouni; which is to say, Master. (John 20:16)
So Jesus answered and said unto him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight” (Mark 10:51, NKJV)
The Rabbinic title “Rabban” is of Aramaic origin and “Rabbi” as well.
The Aramaic form of the word for Passover “Pascha” is used in the Greek of the New Testament (1 Corinthians 5:7 and many other places). (Douglas Hamp uses some very tortured logic and states that when Hebrew words are written in Greek they take on an Aramaic form but they are Hebrew really and not Aramaic. This is illogical and incoherent.) The holiday Hannakah is Aramaic for “Dedication” Jesus celebrated this holiday. Judas Maccabee is Aramaic for Judah the Hammer. Titles of religious groups such as the Pharisees, from the Aramaic “Separated Ones” and the Essenes, from the Aramaic Chasya, the “Pious” are from Aramaic.
PERSONAL NAMES
Many of the names of people in the New Testament are Aramaic names. Why would go many people have Aramaic names unless they are speaking Aramaic.
Bar is Aramaic for “Son of” Ben in Hebrew for “Son of.” (Mr. Hamp tries to dismiss the fact that there are so many Aramaic names in the New Testament. This demonstrates an error in his methodology-he is explaining away evidence instead of explaining the evidence.)
Cephas
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). NIV footnote: Both Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek) mean rock. John 1:42. (See also 1 Corinthians 1:12 and Galatians 2:9). In Matthew it is mentioned that when Peter was in the courtyard of the high priest, the people said that he must be a Galilean because “his speech” gave him away. The bystanders were probably commenting of Peter’s Galilean accent. The Talmud describes how the Galileans had their own accent to their Aramaic. They didn’t pronounced their gutturals clearly. This is probably why Jesus’ name in Aramaic is pronounced “Yeshu” in ancient Jewish sources and by Aramaic Christian till this day.)
Thomas
Simon Peter, Thomas called Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples were gathered together. (John 21:2)
Simon Canaanean
Canaanean means Zealot, which means “terrorist” or “insurgent.” (Mark 3:18)
Mary Magdalene
“And also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) out of whom seven demons had some out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. (Luke 7: 2-3 NIV) Magdala is the Aramaic word for “tower.” Jerome commented that perhaps she acquired this title since her faith was like a tower. However, it seems she is called Mary of Magdala because she came from the town of Magdala.)
Thaddeus and Lebbeus
(Matthew 10:3) Thaddeus means “breast” or “nipple” and Lebbeus, or Libba, means “heart.”
Tabitha
In Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. (Acts 9:36). This Aramaic name means Gazelle.
Martha
Martha in Aramaic means “Lady” Luke 10:38-41. John 11:1-39, John 12:2.
Bartholomew
Matthew 10:3. Son of Ptolomey or perhaps “son of furrows” or “son of the ploughman.”
In Hebrew “Son of…” is Ben. In Aramaic it is “Bar.” There are many people with this Aramaic name-form in the New Testament.
Jesus Barabbas
Barabbas means “Son of the Father,” He was the one whom was chosen by the crowds to be released instead of Jesus the Messiah. He was a terrorist and a murderer (Matthew 27:16)
Joseph Barsabbas
Barsabbas was considered as a candidate to be numbered among the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:23). His name means “Son of the Sabbath,” perhaps because he was born on a Sabbath day.
Judas Barsabbas
This Barsabas was sent to Antioch carrying a letter from the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 15: 22). He was a prophet (Acts 15:32) Judas Barsabbas is most likely a close relative of Joseph Barsabbas.
Joseph Barnabas
Joseph Barnabas (Acts 4:36) from Bar-Nava meaning “Son of Prophecy,” translated as “The Son of Encouragement” or “The Son of Consolation.” This was the companion of Saint Paul.
NAMES OF PLACES
Gabbatha
When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). John 19: 13.
Josephus in The Jewish War V. ii. 1:51 states that Gabbatha means “high place’ or “elevated place.”
Golgotha
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.) Here they crucified him, and with him two others-one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (John 19: 17-18). See also Mark 15:22.
Bethany
John 11:1
Meaning “House of Dates”
Gehenna
NOTE: Hebrew and Aramaic are so similar that some words are the same in both languages also certain words originating from Hebrew, such as HOSANNA, made their way into the Aramaic language. (Hosanna means “Save Now” in Hebrew but came to mean “praise” in Aramaic.)
Have no fear of those who kill the body, but can by no means kill the soul. Fear him instead who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. (Matthew 10:28)
The word “Gehenna” in Aramaic came to be the word used for “the burning hell” or “hell-fire.” This was from the symbolism found in the burning rubbish dumps of Gey-Hennom, in the valley outside of Jerusalem. The Aramaic word Gehenna is derived from the Hebrew “Gey-Hennom,” meaning “Valley of the Sons of Hennom.” This cursed place was a place of idolatrous worship and human sacrifice in the Old Testament era. The Aramaic word “Gehenna” is found in many places in the Greek text of the New Testament but is usually translated as ‘hell” in English versions.
Also, in should be noted that Jesus in this saying in Matthew 10:28 what the Aramaic scholar Joachim Jeremias called the “divine passive.” This was reverencing the name of God by speaking of the Lord by means of circumlocutions.
ARAMAIC WORDS AND PHRASES USED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Ephphatha
And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” which is “Be opened.” (Mark 7:34). This word is Ethpatach and is the same in both Hebrew and Aramaic because these languages are so closely related.
Talitha Koum
And taking the hand of the child, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.” (Mark 5:41)
This Aramaic phrase here is important because Jesus is using it in an Aramaic speaking household. So we see that the household of a president of the synagogue is an Aramaic speaking household. Thus we see that it wasn’t just the uneducated who spoke Aramaic but also the educated and the elite.
Talitha means little girl-not “Tallit” (garment) or “Little lamb”
Raca
But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:22)
In the Aramaic of the Talmud, Raka means empty one, fool, empty headed.
Mammon
No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)
See also Luke 16:9-13 and 2 Clement 6.
Also-look how the word KOWBAIN is used in the Lord’s Prayer. In Christ’s teachings we see in parables a link between sin and debts and the idea of forgiveness of sins as forgiveness of debt.
Korban
“But you say, “If a man says to his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”-(that is a gift to God),
This word refers to an offering or a sacrifice. Modern Assyrians call their Holy Communion service the Korban. In this passage Jesus was condemning a doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees that stated is you swore to give money to them, this released you from the obligation of using that money to support your needy elderly parents. Korban is both Hebrew and Aramaic. “KORBAN” meaning “a gift to God” has been found being used in an Aramaic inscription on an ossuary.
Evidence from Archeology
The King Uzziah Tablet
King Uzziah is mentioned in Isaiah 6, 2 Chronicles 26. The Tablet is dates to the first century (the time of Jesus) and says in Aramaic “Herein are the bones of Uzziah, King of the Jews. Do not remove.” It is only logical that such an important notice would be written in the most commonly used language so that it could be understood by the greatest number of people.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
“The Dead Sea Scroll Bible” mentions some interesting information about the Dead Sea Scrolls “Song of Solomon” which “features several scribal errors and, although written in Hebrew, contains several Aramaic word forms that reveal Aramaic influence on the scribe” (612).
The majority of the Dead Sea Scrolls are in Hebrew. Many others are in Aramaic and a few are in Greek.
Why would a scribal community use Aramaic at all unless it was the language of the common people? Their rules for their community and some of their commentary on Scripture are in Hebrew but much of the popular literature such as the Genesis Apocryphon, Enoch and Tobit are in Aramaic. A targum, Aramaic translation, of Job was discovered. The Testament of Levi, the New Jerusalem and other Aramaic books were discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls prove Jewish people in the Holy Land were Aramaic speakers!
Certain Hebrew primacists say that Joachim Jeremias and Matthew Black, two respected scholars who investigated Aramaic as the language of Jesus maintained that Jesus spoke Aramaic because they formed their opinions before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, however, this is untrue, they were aware of the Dead Sea Scrolls and used them in their research. Actually, the Dead Sea Scrolls are very helpful in reconstructing the words of Jesus in Aramaic since several of them are in Aramaic and Maurice Casey has used them for this purpose.
The Bar Kokhba letters
Bar Kokba, which is Aramaic meaning “Son of the Star” was a false Messiah. Many Hebrew primacists feel that the Bar Kokba letters prove somehow that Jesus spoke only Hebrew, despite the fact that they were written 100 years after the time of Christ and as many of the Bar Kokhba letters are Aramaic as are Hebrew.
So-Hebrew speakers such as the Dead Sea Scroll community and Bar Kokhba also spoke Aramaic. The reason they used Aramaic in addition to Hebrew is because Aramaic was the common language.
Ossuaries (basically a tombstone)
Ossuaries are often inscribed in Aramaic. Some are inscribed in Greek and some are in Hebrew. This proves Alan Millard true.
Important Aramaic ossuaries include the ossuary of Caiphas and the controversial “James the Brother of Jesus” ossuary. The Talpiot Ossuaries are also Aramaic and controversial. (Yeshua was a common name and other Jesus son of Joseph ossuaries have been discovered.)
Business records and legal archives, marriage contracts, divorce decrees and promissory notes.
Business was conducted in Aramaic. Sebastian Brock describes important discovery that gives us important insight into everyday life. Aramaic “was also the language of the delivery man at a village called Beit Qarnayim (otherwise unknown, but evidently near Jerusalem), as we learn from four ostraca belonging to the first half of the first century AD. On these pieces of broken pottery (which served as the equivalent of modern notebooks) he writes down in ink his deliveries of fig cakes, bread and barley, specifying year, day of the week, day of the month, and sometimes even whether it was morning of evening… Another vivid glimpse into everyday life is provided by a note scribbled on an ostracon from Masada, perhaps dating from the time of the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66-73). Someone has left a bill unpaid for far too long and in desperation his creditor, evidently the baker, sends him a note: “I beg you have pity on me and pay me the 5 silver denarii you owe me for the loaves of bread. Have pity, for I haven’t got anything.”
Evidence from ancient authorities
Douglas Hamp appeals to myth to prove his premise that Jesus only spoke Aramaic. He refers to the Letter of Aristeas which says “the Jews are assumed to speak Aramaic but it is a different kind.” This probably refers to the fact that the Jews spoke a distinctive form of Aramaic or that their Scriptures are in Hebrew.
But lets look at more reputable historical sources such as the writings of Flavius Josephus. Hamp doesn’t quote from Josephus.
Josephus lived from 37- circa 100 AD. He was a contemporary of St. Paul. He wrote about John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus and the fall of Jerusalem.
Josephus was a priest and related to the Hasmoneans, a royal family.
In his preface to “The War of the Jews” he mentions that he originally wrote this book in Aramaic because he felt he was deficient in Greek and he also wrote it in Aramaic for the “barbarians” in Mesopotamia!
In Antiquities III 10.6 he mentions that the Hebrew used Aramaic:
When a week of weeks has passed over after this sacrifice, (which weeks contain forty and nine days,) on the fiftieth day, which is Pentecost, but is called by the Hebrews Asartha, which signifies Pentecost, they bring to God a loaf, made of wheat flour, of two tenth deals, with leaven; and for sacrifices they bring two lambs.
In War of the Jews Book IV Chapter 1 Section 5 Josephus mentions a Roman soldier was an Aramaic speaker from Syria, but not a Jew, sneaking into Jewish household and listening to the Jewish rebels discussing their war-plans. (Josephus was often used by the Romans to speak to the masses of the Jewish people on their behalf and it is obvious that when he describes himself as doing so, he was speaking to them in Aramaic.)
According to the Talmud, there were silver trumpets in the temple into which people deposited their offerings. The offering trumpets were labeled in Aramaic, which is not surprising since they are dealing with money. We also have three epistles written by Rabban Gamaliel, the Rabbi who instructed Paul. They were meant for the Jewish community in the Holy Land and are written in Aramaic. Another important ancient document from the times of the apostles called “the roll of the fasts” is also written in Aramaic.
Evidence from the early Church Fathers
Douglas Hamp’s main argument is that the Greek word “Hebraidi” means the language that we in English know as Hebrew and can only mean Hebrew.Look at John 19:17
And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.
To which Mr. Hamp says “See it says “Hebrew” that settles it-Jesus spoke Hebrew and not Aramaic.
A LAW OF LINGUISTICS: CONTEXT DETERMINES THE MEANING OF A WORD, I.E. HOW A WORD IS USED DETERMINES ITS MEANING.
In this case Golgotha is an Aramaic word. Also, the language we know as “Hebrew” is never called “Hebrew” in the Old Testament, it is called “Judean” and “Canaanite.” (2 Kings 18:26, Isaiah 19:18).
The Church Fathers state that Jesus and the Apostles spoke “Hebrew.” Did they mean Aramaic or the language we know today as Hebrew.
Papias was an early church father who interviewed people who had known the apostles. He wrote his book from 110-140. It has only survived in fragments. Some of his stories seem interesting or plausible, such as stories about Barsabas and the daughter of Phillip. On the other hand he describes Judas Iscariot as being so fat he was wider than a chariot and mentions Jesus saying that in the Millenium grapes will call out to people saying “Take me, take me!” Papias contains a legend that Matthew originally wrote his Gospel in “Hebrew.” Douglas Hamp seizes on this as proof that Jesus spoke Hebrew exclusively. Jerome (lived 347-420) knew of an described the Hebrew Matthew.
Matthew, also called Levi, apostle and aforetimes publican, composed a gospel of Christ at first published in Judea in Hebrew for the sake of those of the circumcision who believed, but this was afterwards translated into Greek though by what author is uncertain. The Hebrew itself has been preserved until the present day in the library at Caesarea which Pamphilus so diligently gathered. I have also had the opportunity of having the volume described to me by the Nazarenes of Beroea, a city of Syria, who use it. In this it is to be noted that wherever the Evangelist, whether on his own account or in the person of our Lord the Saviour quotes the testimony of the Old Testament he does not follow the authority of the translators of the Septuagint but the Hebrew…
Jerome, Lives of Illustrious Men
In the Gospel according to the Hebrews, which is written in the Chaldee and Syrian language, but in Hebrew characters, and is used by the Nazarenes to this day (I mean the Gospel according to the Apostles, or, as is generally maintained, the Gospel according to Matthew, a copy of which is in the library at Caesarea), we find ... .Jerome, Against the Pelagians
Chaldean and Syrian is another way of saying Aramaic. (Aram is an old way of saying Syria. In Daniel the Chaldeans, Babylonian magicians, are quoted speaking in Aramaic. For this reason Aramaic has been called Chaldee in the past.)
Also, in Jerome’s “Commentary to the Book of Daniel” he uses the words Aramaic and Hebrew interchangeably almost immediately after differentiating between the two languages!
Jerome, in his commentary on the Book of Daniel, differentiates between Hebrew and Aramaic, but then while in the Aramaic section of the Book of Daniel, consistently calls Aramaic Hebrew. This proves that the early church fathers did call the language we know as Aramaic “Hebrew” at times and used “Hebrew” and other words for Aramaic interchangeably. This is illustrated by the following quotations from Jerome’s commentary on the Book of Daniel the Prophet:
Verse 4. "The Chaldeans replied to the king in Syriac." Up to this point what we have read has been recounted in Hebrew. From this point on until the vision of the third year of King Balthasar [Belshazzar] which Daniel saw in Susa, the account is written in Hebrew characters, to be sure, but in the Chaldee language, which he here calls Syriac.
Verse 27. "As for the secret for which the king is asking, neither the wise men nor the magi nor the soothsayers nor the diviners are able to declare it to the king." In place of diviners (haruspices), as we have rendered it, the Hebrew [sic!] text has Gazareni [actually the Aramaic word is gazerin.] which only Symmachus has rendered…
follows as far as the end of the Song of the Three Youths is not contained in the Hebrew [i.e. the Aramaic].
". ..I, Daniel, was much troubled with my thoughts, and my countenance was altered within me; but I preserved the word in my heart." Up to this point the Book of Daniel was written in the Chaldee and Syriac language. All the rest that follows up to the very end of the volume we read in Hebrew.
In his book Demonstration of the Gospel Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 275-339) describes the Twelve Apostles as “quite common men, and barbarians [non-Greeks] to boot, with no knowledge of any tongue but Syrian.” After Jesus gives the Disciples the Great Commission and to preach his message to all the world, Eusebius has them ask, “But how…can we do it? How, pray, can we preach to the Romans? We are men bred up to use the Syrian tongue only, what language can we speak to the Greeks?” (See Eusbius Pamphylis Demonstration of the Gospel, in the English translation, DE Book III, chapters 5 and 7, cited Dem. Ev. III. 4.44; 7.10.) This helps us to understand that Eusebius means that Matthew wrote his Gospel originally in Aramaic when he states, “For Matthew, who had at first preached to the Hebrews, when he was about to go to other peoples, committed his Gospel to writing in his native tongue ...” Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book III. Eusebius makes it very clear that the apostles spoke Aramaic only so obviously he refers to Matthew’s “native tongue” he means Aramaic and not Hebrew. Eusebius-who is the source of our quote of Papias was convinced that Jesus and the Apostles spoke only Hebrew! He had information available to him that we no longer possess today!
This shows 1. That the Greek word “Hebraidi” can indeed mean “Aramaic” and 2. the most ancient sources state that the apostles spoke only Aramaic.
Evidence from the Targums
The entire Old Testament, with the exception of Ezra and Daniel (which are largely Aramaic already) were translated into Aramaic as the Targums.
The Aramaic Targums are important because they originated from the time of Christ, and their interpretation reflect understandings of the text current with his era. Bible translators often refer to the Targums to clarify where it seems obscure in the original texts.
In Mark 4:12 Jesus quotes the Targum of Isaiah 6:9-10. Also, St. Paul quotes from the Targum. New Testament quotations of Old Testament passages usually are from the Septuagent, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Some quotations match the Hebrew text, others the Aramaic Targums. In Romans 10:7 St. Paul quotes from a Targum Reading found in Targum Neofiti being a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 30:13.
But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) or ‘Who will descend into the Abyss (that is to bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved (The Hebrew says ‘sea’ and the Aramaic Targums, “Targum Neofiti” has ‘Abyss’). Paul quotes from the targum because as a trained Rabbi he would have been familiar with these Jewish traditions.
Paul also quotes the Aramaic Targum of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8.
But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high, he made captivity captive; he gave gifts to his people”. When it says “He ascended” What does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.
Paul’s quote does not match the Hebrew or the Greek Septuagint Old Testament. It does follow the Aramaic Targum and the Aramaic Peshitta (which is a type of Targum). (In this verse in the Hebrew the gifts are given to God. The Aramaic has the gifts given by God). John the Revelator often refers to Targums of Deuteronomy 31-32 especially in the Song of Moses (Rev. 15: 1-5) which follows Targum Onkelos
A note about scholarly consensus
The majority of Bible scholars believe Jesus spoke Aramaic because this fact is born out by the evidence-which is cumulative. We should take mainstream and not extremist positions. The “Jesus spoke only Hebrew” position is an extremist position and cannot withstand scrutiny. Certain people believe that Jesus spoke Hebrew because Hebrew is viewed by them as the language of God. Jesus is God incarnate and he spoke Aramaic so, Aramaic is the “language of God.” (Daniel mentions the finger of God writing on the wall of the palace in Babylonia. Also, in the Talmud there is a story of God speaking out from the Holy of Holies in Aramaic. This was during the High Priesthood of John Hyrcanus. See. J. Sot. 24b.) As Jesus proclaimed his Gospel in Aramaic, Aramaic is also the language of the Kingdom. According to Deuteronomy 26:5, Abraham and the Patriarchs were Aramaic speaking. In the Talmud (b. Sanhedrin 38b) the Rabbis teach that God spoke Aramaic to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden-and that Aramaic was the language of Adam! If Jesus actually spoke Aramaic, then to attack, disparage and insult his language is to attack and insult Jesus Christ himself.
I have heard Zephaniah 3:9 used to say that we all must learn to speak Hebrew in order to be acceptable to God. This scripture reads, “For I will restore to the people a pure language” (literally the Hebrew says a “pure lip” this means pure speech or conversation and is not necessarily referring to a specific language) “that they all ay call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one accord.” Jesus spoke about the same thing when he said “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). It is unreasonable to require all believers to learn Hebrew, or Aramaic for that matter. This passage in Zephaniah actually refers to God giving his people a new heart-a truth Jesus and other prophets of the Old Testament refer to. To understand God you need to come with him with childlike faith and simplicity. Learning a language will not get you into heaven and may not even please God. In ancient times there were and today there are many Hebrew speakers who are terrible sinners and don’t know God. Hannibal and the Carthaginians spoke a form of Hebrew as did many of the ancient Israelites who worshiped Baal and the Ashtorah. Nicodemus knew Hebrew, Aramaic and the Scriptures and Jewish tradition. Jesus wasn’t impressed with all of this. Jesus was concerned about his soul-because Nicodemas was lost. Jesus told him “For a man to enter into the Kingdom of God he must be born again.” We must preach the simplicity of the Gospel These Hebrew-only people are harming the body of Christ and confusing the Gospel message.
Jesus was the Son of David, but he called himself most often-the Son of Man. Jesus is the Son of all Mankind and the savior of humanity. Jesus says when he comes in power and glory to judge the world he doesn’t judge the people on if they kept Kosher, or if they observed the Sabbath, or if they spoke Hebrew or were “Torah observant”-the concern is did they show love and compassion to “the least of these my brethren” (Matthew 25). The Lord requires mercy-not sacrifice. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 says, you can have all knowledge-even perfect knowledge of Hebrew-but if you don’t have love-it is NOTHING! The Hebrew and Aramaic roots of our faith are important –but nothing should be allowed to complicate the simple message of Salvation preach by Jesus and the Apostles.
The reason that the majority of Bible scholars believe that Jesus spoke in Aramaic is because this is what is indicated by the evidence.
The Aramaic language is still spoken. Let us pray for the Assyrian people who are being slaughtered for Jesus by Islamic fanatics. (See my Crossover Productions program of “You-tube” entitled “Iraq’s Christians in Crisis.)
For more information contact me:
Stephen A. Missick
PO BOX 882
Shepherd TX 77371
stephenamissick@hotmail.com
www.aramaicherald.blogspot.com
www.aramaicbible.blogspot.com
21 Centuries of Assyrian Christianity
Bible Verse: “As for the remnant of the Aramaic people, they shall be as the Glory of the Children of Israel, saith the Lord of Hosts.” (Isaiah 17: 3)
Twenty-One Centuries of Aramaic Christianity
First Century (1-99 AD)
The Life and Ministry of Jesus of Nazareth in the Roman Province of Syria.
Thomas, Thaddeus and Mari minister in Mesopotamia.
The Odes of Solomon written. Thomas preaches in India and Socotra.
The Old Testament Peshitta is translated by Christian Jews.
Fleeing persecution by the Jews, the Mandeans migrate to southern Iraq.
Second Century (100s AD)
The prophet Elchasai writes a book of prophecies in the Aramaic language.
Tatian the Assyrian, the disciple of St. Justin Martyr, composes “Oration against the Greeks” and “The Diatesseron” which is a harmony of the four Gospels. Tatian returns to Beth Nahrain and founds the Encarites, an ascetic community.
Third Century (200s AD)
Bardaisan writes.
Fourth Century (300s AD)
After Constantine ceases the persecution of Christians, Persia, distrusting its Christian subjects, begins to persecute them.
Aphrahat (died 345) and Ephrem the Syrian (died 373)
Fifth Century (400s AD)
431Nestorius unjustly condemned as a heretic. Assyrian Christians accept the theological stance of Nestorius and are thereafter called, incorrectly, Nestorians. (The problem is that not all members of the Assyrian Church are, or were, Assyrians. Indians and Chinese are not Assyrians, although they were members of the Assyrian Church of the East. For this reason sometimes I use the title “Nestorians.”)
Sixth Century (500s AD)
Cosmas Indicopeustes, a Nestorian from Egypt, visits Assyrian churches and writes of Aramaic and other eastern Christians who lived in Sri Lanka, India, Ethiopia and Socotra in 550 A.D.
Seventh Century (600s AD)
“Al-lo-pan,” an Assyrian missionary, is received with honor by the Chinese emperor in 636.
Assyrian Christian Isaac of Nineveh (died 700) who is canonized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, lives, writes and ministers
Eighth Century (700sAD)
781 the Nestorian monument is erected in China containing a proclaimation of the Gospel written by Adam Ching-ching.
Ninth Century (800s AD)
Timothy I “the Great” serves as Patriarch. Confounds the Muslems in debates.
Tenth Century (900s AD)
Important Aramaic Christian graveyard in Turkistan is in use.
Eleventh Century (1000s AD)
Mongolian Keriat Tribe is converted to Assyrian Christianity.
Twelfth Century (1100s AD)
Assyrian Christianity continues to spread among Mongolian tribes in central Asia.
Thirteenth Century (1200s AD)
In 1254 William of Rubruck visited with Nestorian Christians in Mongolia and China. He held them in great disdain.
In 1298 Marco Polo meets with Rustichello da Pisa and together they write “The Travels of Marco Polo” in which Marco Polo describes visiting Nestorian churches in central Asia, China and India.
Fourteenth Century (1300s AD)
Mar Yaballaha III, the Mongol, serves as Assyrian Patriarch.
Fifteenth Century (1400s AD)
Timur the Lame, Islamic warlord, devastates Eastern Christian communities in his Islamic Jihad.
Sixteenth Century (1500s AD)
Yuhannan Sulaka initiates the “Chaldean” schism in 1552.
Seventeenth Century (1600s AD)
After suffering under persecution from the Roman Catholic Holy Office of the Inquisition, Indian Christians break free from Catholic oppression and become Syrian Orthodox.
Eighteenth Century (1700s AD)
Joseph Simon Assemani (1687-1768) popularizes Aramaic in Europe.
Nineteenth Century (1800s AD)
Presbyterian missionaries aide Assyrian communities in Iran.
Twentieth Century (1900s AD)
During the World War I era many Assyrians are massacred along with the Armenians.
Assyrians fight for the Allied cause in World War 1 and 2.
George Lamsa popularizes Aramaic and the Assyrian Christian tradition in the United States.
November 6, 1975, Mar Simon was assassinated in San Jose, California. The bishop of Tehran, Iran, was elected Patriarch in 1976 and adopted the name Mar Dinkha IV. He took up residence in the United States.
Twenty-first Century (2000s AD)
Patriarch Mar Dinkha leads the Assyrian Church into conversion to Roman Catholicism. The end of the Assyrian Church.
(See “About Syriac” at www.bethmardutho.org and Catholic Near East Welfare Organization www.cnewa.org, under Eastern Christian Churches where they have “The Eastern Christian Churches, A Brief Survey by Ronald Roberson available. See also “Christians in Asia Before 1500” by Ian Gillman and Hans-Joachim Kliemkeit and “By Foot to China” by John M. L. Young.)
The Fall Feasts
We have just come through the Jewish Fall Feasts or “High Holy Days.” This includes the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.
Aramaic plays an important part with these Fall Festivals. The primary “day of atonement” prayer is in Aramaic. This is the “kol nidre” or “all vows:
Kol nidrey ve-esarey va-ha-ramey v-konamey v-hinu-yey v-kinusey u-shavuot, di-n’darna u d’ish-t’vana, u-d’ahrimna, v’di-asarna al naf-sha-tana, mi-yoom kipurim sheh-avar ad youm kipurim zeh ha-ba aleynul’tovah, kol-hon ih-ratna v-hon, kol-hon y’hon sharan. Sh’vikin, shi’vitin, b’teylin u-m’vutalin, la shririn v’la kay-yamin. Nidrana la nidrey, ve-esarana la esarey, u-sh’vuatana la sh’vuot.
All vows, oaths, and promises which we made to God and were not able to fulfill-from last Yom Kippur to this Yom Kippur-May all such vows between ourselves and God be annulled. May they be void and of no effect. May we be absolved of them and released from them. May these vows not be considered vows, these oaths not considered oaths, and these promises not be considered promises.
The idea behind this is to begin a new year (Jewish “New Year” is Rosh Hoshana) with a “clean slate” before God and man.
I have had to deal with claims that the Bar Kokba letters (written 100 years after the time of Christ) somehow “prove” that Jesus spoke ONLY Hebrew and NO Aramaic. I finally got “Bar-Kokhba: The Rediscovery of the Legendary Hero of the Last Jewish Revolt Against Imperial Rome” by Yigael Yadin. In this book Yiguel Yadin says “It is interesting that the earlier documents are written in Aramaic while the later ones are in Hebrew. Possibly the change was made by a special decree of Bar-Kokhba who wanted to restore Hebrew as the official language of the state.” The “Sukkot,” Feast of Tabernacles, letter written for Bar-Kokhba is written in Aramaic. It deals with a request of Bar Kokhba to be supplied with the “four kinds”-the lulav (palm branch), ethrog (citron), hadas, (myrtle) and avara (willow). (Jews are required to have these “four kinds” in order to celebrate “Sukkot” in accordance with the Law of Moses. The Bar Kokba letters show that even radical Jewish groups such as the movement of Bar Kokhba, groups that had a strong preference for Hebrew also used Aramaic. The Bar Kokhba letters do not prove that Jesus spoke only Hebrew and no Aramaic.
The Yezidis: Who they are and why they matter
In Iraq there exists a strange tribe called the Yezidi. They are also known as the “Kurdish Devil Worshipers.” They have a bizarre religion that is a curious mixture of Zoroasterianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Their veneration of the devil is unclear. They seem to believe that the devil repented and is no longer evil. They also venerate a golden statue of a peacock that they call Malek Tulas. There was a recent attack on the Yezidis in which over 100 were killed.
Al-Qaida in Iraq has promised more violence against the Yezidi.
Iraq needs total religious freedom. All Iraqis ought to be able to worship in security. If the rights of the Yezidi are not protected then what about the rights of the Aramaic Chrisitans? (see Assyrian International News Agency www.aina.org.)
Assyrian Etiquette: Dos and Don’ts for talking with Evangelicals
Say you are an Assyrian and you meet with an American Evangelical and he or she is very interested in your cultural heritage. Here are some “dos” and “don’ts.”
DOS
Mention Aramaic in the words of Jesus-know a couple of examples to illustrate that Jesus spoke Aramaic such as the words from the cross, the “Maranatha” prayer or names such as Cephas-Kepha-Peter.
Mention how the Muslems have persecuted the Assyrians-you will get a sympathetic ear.
Mention the story of Jonah and what Jesus said about the Ninevites (meaning “Assyrians”). Also, refer Evangelicals to Isaiah 19:25 and show how God pronounced a special blessing on the Assyrians.
Emphasize that Assyrians are Christians and were converted by Thaddeus and Thomas.
To evangelicals mentioned how Assyrian missionaries planted churches in China and India before the year 700 AD. Evangelicals will admire the Assyrians for that.
Point out somewhere where curious people can get more information.
DON’Ts
Don’t attack the Old Testament (which is actually a heresy called “Marcionism.”) or make anti-Jewish comments. This will create a bad impression of you and will cause the Evangelical to have a negative image of all Assyrians. (If you, as an Assyrian, don’t like the Old Testament, sit down and read parts of it, such as Genesis or Psalms. (The Old Testament isn’t “Jewish” at any rate-its part of the Bible.) This way you will have an informed opinion. Frankly, I believe Judaism is a false religion. However, if you have anti-Jewish feelings, I think you ought to read “This is My God” by Herman Wouk. Once you know a little about Judaism-then you can go ahead and criticize the religion-but please don’t do so to an Evangelical.)
Avoid talking about any conspiracy theories-especially ones involving Jews. Racism is frowned upon in American culture. Many Americans think that people who believe that secret societies control the world are crazy and paranoid.
Don’t glorify too much in the pagan past. Pride in the ancient Assyrians is good but worshiping their gods is odd. Why would you want someone to think you are an idolater and have a weird religion? Westerners abandoned the worship of Zeus and Thor and other such false gods a long time ago. Assyrians trying to resurrect the worship of idols is harmful to the community. Assyrians are one of the first Christians and were extremely enthusiastic Christians. Assyrians haven’t worshiped idols in 2,000 years. Why start again now?
Roman Catholicism
Here are more facts about the Roman Catholic scandal I encountered during the Assyrian Convention in San Diego.
(News from September 7, 2007) The Roman Catholic Dioceses of San Diego and San Bernardino announced a settlement Friday with 144 sexual abuse victims for a total of $198.1 million. It is the second-largest legal settlement made by a diocese surrounding sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy since such scandals began erupting in the Catholic Church in 2002. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles it agreed last July to a settlement on 508 cases of sexual abuse for a total of $660 million. The Diocese of San Diego, with nearly 1 million Catholics and holdings throughout San Diego County, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the wake of the sexual abuse claims. Sexual abuse cases involving Roman Catholic priests have cost the U.S. church over $2.3 billion since 1950, according to the Associated Press.
If your Roman Catholic, I guess that is your tithes and offerings at work. I don’t understand why some Aramaic Christians would want to merge with the Roman Catholic Church when Roman Catholicism is so badly in need of reform-and yet so resistant of needed and positive change. Pope Benedict seems to be taking the correct stand in dealing with Islam and has written a book “Jesus of Nazareth” in which, correctly, the focus is on Jesus and the Bible. However, he has also made provocative and inflammatory comments against other Christian churches.
News from Syria
Sept. 19, 2007: Antione Ghanem, 64, an anti-Syrian lawmaker from the Christian Phalange Party, is killed in a blast in Beirut. Six other people also die. This is the seventh major assassination of a Lebanese leader since the murder of Hariri. What is happening is that the Islamic extremist government of the Syrian president Bashir Assad is murdering all Christian or pro-Christian leadership in Lebanon. These assassinations of Christians have actually been going on since Syria took over Lebanon in the early 1990s.
BUSH ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO PROTECT IRAQI CHRISTIANS
According to a BBC report, the Pope of the Catholic Church has refused to have meeting with Bush Administration officials do to the unwillingness of President Bush to protect Iraqi Christians. According to the BBC report, the Pope refused to meet with Bush cronies because
…the US has responded in a manner considered unacceptable at the Vatican to the protection of the rights of Iraqi Christians under the new Iraqi constitution.
The Bush administration has told the Vatican that as coalition forces have not succeeded in securing the whole territory of Iraq, they are unable to protect non-Muslims.
See, “Pope refused audience for Rice” by David Willey, BBC News, Rome Wednesday 19 September 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7002988.stm
Aramaic and dying languages
Thousands around the world on the brink of extinction, languages that embody the history and traditions of people are dying, researchers have said. While there are an estimated 7,000 languages spoken around the world today, one of them dies out about every two weeks, according to linguistic experts struggling to save at least some of them. Five hotspots where languages are most endangered were listed Tuesday in a briefing by the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages and the National Geographic Society. “When we lose a language, we lose centuries of human thinking about time, seasons, sea creatures, reindeer, edible flowers, mathematics, landscapes, myths, music, the unknown and the everyday." According to K. David Harrison. Harrison is associate director of the Living Tongues Institute based in Salem, Ore. He and institute director Gregory D.S. Anderson analyzed the top regions for disappearing languages.Anderson said languages become endangered when a community decides that its language is an impediment. The children may be first to do this, he explained, realizing that other more widely spoken languages are more useful.The key to getting a language revitalized, he said, is getting a new generation of speakers. He said the institute worked with local communities and tries to help by developing teaching materials and by recording the endangered language. Harrison said that the 83 most widely spoken languages account for about 80 percent of the world's population while the 3,500 smallest languages account for just 0.2 percent of the world's people. Languages are more endangered than plant and animal species, he said.
For more information “Researchers say many languages are dying” by Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press Writer, Tuesday September 18, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070918/ap_on_re_us/endangered_languages
http://www.languagehotspots.org
http://www.livingtongues.org
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/enduringvoices
Why is this important? Because Aramaic is a dying language. It is hard to say how much longer the language has to survive. I would say, that if human history continues and things continue as they are now, Aramaic could be a dead language within 50 years. (God forbid.) Now, it has been very tenacious. Also, if people learn to speak fake languages like Klingon and Elvish, why can’t we take steps to preserve a historically important language like Aramaic? The National Geographic article says nothing about threatened languages of the Middle East and Arab world-and there are some, such as Berber, Socotri and South Arabian non-Arabic languages spoken in the southern regions of the Arabian peninsula. A sad fact is that National Geographic has a liberal and a pro-Islamic agenda. I wish it wasn’t true because I enjoy their magazine. But consider this, this year they had an anti-American article put out on the 400th year anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Also, National Geographic has been out for over 100 years and they constantly have published pro-Islamic articles. So, how many articles have they published on Coptic Christians or the Assyrians? NONE!!! Don’t they exist to put out articles about unique tribes? They have done multiple articles on the Kurds and many other Islamic tribes, and also several articles glorifying “Islamic Civilization”- but none on ancient Christian minorities in the Islamic world-not one article in one hundred years! I feel National Geographic is pro-Islamic and anti-Christian.
JOHN BOOKO
Remember John Booko and his books. He has written “The Assyrian Revelation” and “Assyria: The Forgotten Nation in Bible Prophecy.” (See insert.)
Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth
My new book is coming along. I will post a portion of it on the Aramaic Herald Blog soon. This book will have a DVD edition and will also be posted in its entirety on the Internet and will also be available from Barnes and Nobles and Amazon.com.
Announcement
The November and December editions of the “Aramaic Herald” will be will contain comic book portions. The November edition will be a re-telling of the story of the Maccabees. The December edition will be about the Battle of Tours.
Hopefully, before the next month is over I will have a DVD, or two, available. The first will be “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” and the second is “James the Just, the Brother of Jesus.” The DVD is produced by William Brooks of “Big Blue Windmill” productions. The “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” DVD is available for free (once it is available) and I intend to post it up on “youtube.”
Contact Stephen PO Box 882 Shepherd TX 77371 www.aramaicherald.blogspot.com
Twenty-One Centuries of Aramaic Christianity
First Century (1-99 AD)
The Life and Ministry of Jesus of Nazareth in the Roman Province of Syria.
Thomas, Thaddeus and Mari minister in Mesopotamia.
The Odes of Solomon written. Thomas preaches in India and Socotra.
The Old Testament Peshitta is translated by Christian Jews.
Fleeing persecution by the Jews, the Mandeans migrate to southern Iraq.
Second Century (100s AD)
The prophet Elchasai writes a book of prophecies in the Aramaic language.
Tatian the Assyrian, the disciple of St. Justin Martyr, composes “Oration against the Greeks” and “The Diatesseron” which is a harmony of the four Gospels. Tatian returns to Beth Nahrain and founds the Encarites, an ascetic community.
Third Century (200s AD)
Bardaisan writes.
Fourth Century (300s AD)
After Constantine ceases the persecution of Christians, Persia, distrusting its Christian subjects, begins to persecute them.
Aphrahat (died 345) and Ephrem the Syrian (died 373)
Fifth Century (400s AD)
431Nestorius unjustly condemned as a heretic. Assyrian Christians accept the theological stance of Nestorius and are thereafter called, incorrectly, Nestorians. (The problem is that not all members of the Assyrian Church are, or were, Assyrians. Indians and Chinese are not Assyrians, although they were members of the Assyrian Church of the East. For this reason sometimes I use the title “Nestorians.”)
Sixth Century (500s AD)
Cosmas Indicopeustes, a Nestorian from Egypt, visits Assyrian churches and writes of Aramaic and other eastern Christians who lived in Sri Lanka, India, Ethiopia and Socotra in 550 A.D.
Seventh Century (600s AD)
“Al-lo-pan,” an Assyrian missionary, is received with honor by the Chinese emperor in 636.
Assyrian Christian Isaac of Nineveh (died 700) who is canonized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, lives, writes and ministers
Eighth Century (700sAD)
781 the Nestorian monument is erected in China containing a proclaimation of the Gospel written by Adam Ching-ching.
Ninth Century (800s AD)
Timothy I “the Great” serves as Patriarch. Confounds the Muslems in debates.
Tenth Century (900s AD)
Important Aramaic Christian graveyard in Turkistan is in use.
Eleventh Century (1000s AD)
Mongolian Keriat Tribe is converted to Assyrian Christianity.
Twelfth Century (1100s AD)
Assyrian Christianity continues to spread among Mongolian tribes in central Asia.
Thirteenth Century (1200s AD)
In 1254 William of Rubruck visited with Nestorian Christians in Mongolia and China. He held them in great disdain.
In 1298 Marco Polo meets with Rustichello da Pisa and together they write “The Travels of Marco Polo” in which Marco Polo describes visiting Nestorian churches in central Asia, China and India.
Fourteenth Century (1300s AD)
Mar Yaballaha III, the Mongol, serves as Assyrian Patriarch.
Fifteenth Century (1400s AD)
Timur the Lame, Islamic warlord, devastates Eastern Christian communities in his Islamic Jihad.
Sixteenth Century (1500s AD)
Yuhannan Sulaka initiates the “Chaldean” schism in 1552.
Seventeenth Century (1600s AD)
After suffering under persecution from the Roman Catholic Holy Office of the Inquisition, Indian Christians break free from Catholic oppression and become Syrian Orthodox.
Eighteenth Century (1700s AD)
Joseph Simon Assemani (1687-1768) popularizes Aramaic in Europe.
Nineteenth Century (1800s AD)
Presbyterian missionaries aide Assyrian communities in Iran.
Twentieth Century (1900s AD)
During the World War I era many Assyrians are massacred along with the Armenians.
Assyrians fight for the Allied cause in World War 1 and 2.
George Lamsa popularizes Aramaic and the Assyrian Christian tradition in the United States.
November 6, 1975, Mar Simon was assassinated in San Jose, California. The bishop of Tehran, Iran, was elected Patriarch in 1976 and adopted the name Mar Dinkha IV. He took up residence in the United States.
Twenty-first Century (2000s AD)
Patriarch Mar Dinkha leads the Assyrian Church into conversion to Roman Catholicism. The end of the Assyrian Church.
(See “About Syriac” at www.bethmardutho.org and Catholic Near East Welfare Organization www.cnewa.org, under Eastern Christian Churches where they have “The Eastern Christian Churches, A Brief Survey by Ronald Roberson available. See also “Christians in Asia Before 1500” by Ian Gillman and Hans-Joachim Kliemkeit and “By Foot to China” by John M. L. Young.)
The Fall Feasts
We have just come through the Jewish Fall Feasts or “High Holy Days.” This includes the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.
Aramaic plays an important part with these Fall Festivals. The primary “day of atonement” prayer is in Aramaic. This is the “kol nidre” or “all vows:
Kol nidrey ve-esarey va-ha-ramey v-konamey v-hinu-yey v-kinusey u-shavuot, di-n’darna u d’ish-t’vana, u-d’ahrimna, v’di-asarna al naf-sha-tana, mi-yoom kipurim sheh-avar ad youm kipurim zeh ha-ba aleynul’tovah, kol-hon ih-ratna v-hon, kol-hon y’hon sharan. Sh’vikin, shi’vitin, b’teylin u-m’vutalin, la shririn v’la kay-yamin. Nidrana la nidrey, ve-esarana la esarey, u-sh’vuatana la sh’vuot.
All vows, oaths, and promises which we made to God and were not able to fulfill-from last Yom Kippur to this Yom Kippur-May all such vows between ourselves and God be annulled. May they be void and of no effect. May we be absolved of them and released from them. May these vows not be considered vows, these oaths not considered oaths, and these promises not be considered promises.
The idea behind this is to begin a new year (Jewish “New Year” is Rosh Hoshana) with a “clean slate” before God and man.
I have had to deal with claims that the Bar Kokba letters (written 100 years after the time of Christ) somehow “prove” that Jesus spoke ONLY Hebrew and NO Aramaic. I finally got “Bar-Kokhba: The Rediscovery of the Legendary Hero of the Last Jewish Revolt Against Imperial Rome” by Yigael Yadin. In this book Yiguel Yadin says “It is interesting that the earlier documents are written in Aramaic while the later ones are in Hebrew. Possibly the change was made by a special decree of Bar-Kokhba who wanted to restore Hebrew as the official language of the state.” The “Sukkot,” Feast of Tabernacles, letter written for Bar-Kokhba is written in Aramaic. It deals with a request of Bar Kokhba to be supplied with the “four kinds”-the lulav (palm branch), ethrog (citron), hadas, (myrtle) and avara (willow). (Jews are required to have these “four kinds” in order to celebrate “Sukkot” in accordance with the Law of Moses. The Bar Kokba letters show that even radical Jewish groups such as the movement of Bar Kokhba, groups that had a strong preference for Hebrew also used Aramaic. The Bar Kokhba letters do not prove that Jesus spoke only Hebrew and no Aramaic.
The Yezidis: Who they are and why they matter
In Iraq there exists a strange tribe called the Yezidi. They are also known as the “Kurdish Devil Worshipers.” They have a bizarre religion that is a curious mixture of Zoroasterianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Their veneration of the devil is unclear. They seem to believe that the devil repented and is no longer evil. They also venerate a golden statue of a peacock that they call Malek Tulas. There was a recent attack on the Yezidis in which over 100 were killed.
Al-Qaida in Iraq has promised more violence against the Yezidi.
Iraq needs total religious freedom. All Iraqis ought to be able to worship in security. If the rights of the Yezidi are not protected then what about the rights of the Aramaic Chrisitans? (see Assyrian International News Agency www.aina.org.)
Assyrian Etiquette: Dos and Don’ts for talking with Evangelicals
Say you are an Assyrian and you meet with an American Evangelical and he or she is very interested in your cultural heritage. Here are some “dos” and “don’ts.”
DOS
Mention Aramaic in the words of Jesus-know a couple of examples to illustrate that Jesus spoke Aramaic such as the words from the cross, the “Maranatha” prayer or names such as Cephas-Kepha-Peter.
Mention how the Muslems have persecuted the Assyrians-you will get a sympathetic ear.
Mention the story of Jonah and what Jesus said about the Ninevites (meaning “Assyrians”). Also, refer Evangelicals to Isaiah 19:25 and show how God pronounced a special blessing on the Assyrians.
Emphasize that Assyrians are Christians and were converted by Thaddeus and Thomas.
To evangelicals mentioned how Assyrian missionaries planted churches in China and India before the year 700 AD. Evangelicals will admire the Assyrians for that.
Point out somewhere where curious people can get more information.
DON’Ts
Don’t attack the Old Testament (which is actually a heresy called “Marcionism.”) or make anti-Jewish comments. This will create a bad impression of you and will cause the Evangelical to have a negative image of all Assyrians. (If you, as an Assyrian, don’t like the Old Testament, sit down and read parts of it, such as Genesis or Psalms. (The Old Testament isn’t “Jewish” at any rate-its part of the Bible.) This way you will have an informed opinion. Frankly, I believe Judaism is a false religion. However, if you have anti-Jewish feelings, I think you ought to read “This is My God” by Herman Wouk. Once you know a little about Judaism-then you can go ahead and criticize the religion-but please don’t do so to an Evangelical.)
Avoid talking about any conspiracy theories-especially ones involving Jews. Racism is frowned upon in American culture. Many Americans think that people who believe that secret societies control the world are crazy and paranoid.
Don’t glorify too much in the pagan past. Pride in the ancient Assyrians is good but worshiping their gods is odd. Why would you want someone to think you are an idolater and have a weird religion? Westerners abandoned the worship of Zeus and Thor and other such false gods a long time ago. Assyrians trying to resurrect the worship of idols is harmful to the community. Assyrians are one of the first Christians and were extremely enthusiastic Christians. Assyrians haven’t worshiped idols in 2,000 years. Why start again now?
Roman Catholicism
Here are more facts about the Roman Catholic scandal I encountered during the Assyrian Convention in San Diego.
(News from September 7, 2007) The Roman Catholic Dioceses of San Diego and San Bernardino announced a settlement Friday with 144 sexual abuse victims for a total of $198.1 million. It is the second-largest legal settlement made by a diocese surrounding sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy since such scandals began erupting in the Catholic Church in 2002. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles it agreed last July to a settlement on 508 cases of sexual abuse for a total of $660 million. The Diocese of San Diego, with nearly 1 million Catholics and holdings throughout San Diego County, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the wake of the sexual abuse claims. Sexual abuse cases involving Roman Catholic priests have cost the U.S. church over $2.3 billion since 1950, according to the Associated Press.
If your Roman Catholic, I guess that is your tithes and offerings at work. I don’t understand why some Aramaic Christians would want to merge with the Roman Catholic Church when Roman Catholicism is so badly in need of reform-and yet so resistant of needed and positive change. Pope Benedict seems to be taking the correct stand in dealing with Islam and has written a book “Jesus of Nazareth” in which, correctly, the focus is on Jesus and the Bible. However, he has also made provocative and inflammatory comments against other Christian churches.
News from Syria
Sept. 19, 2007: Antione Ghanem, 64, an anti-Syrian lawmaker from the Christian Phalange Party, is killed in a blast in Beirut. Six other people also die. This is the seventh major assassination of a Lebanese leader since the murder of Hariri. What is happening is that the Islamic extremist government of the Syrian president Bashir Assad is murdering all Christian or pro-Christian leadership in Lebanon. These assassinations of Christians have actually been going on since Syria took over Lebanon in the early 1990s.
BUSH ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO PROTECT IRAQI CHRISTIANS
According to a BBC report, the Pope of the Catholic Church has refused to have meeting with Bush Administration officials do to the unwillingness of President Bush to protect Iraqi Christians. According to the BBC report, the Pope refused to meet with Bush cronies because
…the US has responded in a manner considered unacceptable at the Vatican to the protection of the rights of Iraqi Christians under the new Iraqi constitution.
The Bush administration has told the Vatican that as coalition forces have not succeeded in securing the whole territory of Iraq, they are unable to protect non-Muslims.
See, “Pope refused audience for Rice” by David Willey, BBC News, Rome Wednesday 19 September 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7002988.stm
Aramaic and dying languages
Thousands around the world on the brink of extinction, languages that embody the history and traditions of people are dying, researchers have said. While there are an estimated 7,000 languages spoken around the world today, one of them dies out about every two weeks, according to linguistic experts struggling to save at least some of them. Five hotspots where languages are most endangered were listed Tuesday in a briefing by the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages and the National Geographic Society. “When we lose a language, we lose centuries of human thinking about time, seasons, sea creatures, reindeer, edible flowers, mathematics, landscapes, myths, music, the unknown and the everyday." According to K. David Harrison. Harrison is associate director of the Living Tongues Institute based in Salem, Ore. He and institute director Gregory D.S. Anderson analyzed the top regions for disappearing languages.Anderson said languages become endangered when a community decides that its language is an impediment. The children may be first to do this, he explained, realizing that other more widely spoken languages are more useful.The key to getting a language revitalized, he said, is getting a new generation of speakers. He said the institute worked with local communities and tries to help by developing teaching materials and by recording the endangered language. Harrison said that the 83 most widely spoken languages account for about 80 percent of the world's population while the 3,500 smallest languages account for just 0.2 percent of the world's people. Languages are more endangered than plant and animal species, he said.
For more information “Researchers say many languages are dying” by Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press Writer, Tuesday September 18, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070918/ap_on_re_us/endangered_languages
http://www.languagehotspots.org
http://www.livingtongues.org
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/enduringvoices
Why is this important? Because Aramaic is a dying language. It is hard to say how much longer the language has to survive. I would say, that if human history continues and things continue as they are now, Aramaic could be a dead language within 50 years. (God forbid.) Now, it has been very tenacious. Also, if people learn to speak fake languages like Klingon and Elvish, why can’t we take steps to preserve a historically important language like Aramaic? The National Geographic article says nothing about threatened languages of the Middle East and Arab world-and there are some, such as Berber, Socotri and South Arabian non-Arabic languages spoken in the southern regions of the Arabian peninsula. A sad fact is that National Geographic has a liberal and a pro-Islamic agenda. I wish it wasn’t true because I enjoy their magazine. But consider this, this year they had an anti-American article put out on the 400th year anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Also, National Geographic has been out for over 100 years and they constantly have published pro-Islamic articles. So, how many articles have they published on Coptic Christians or the Assyrians? NONE!!! Don’t they exist to put out articles about unique tribes? They have done multiple articles on the Kurds and many other Islamic tribes, and also several articles glorifying “Islamic Civilization”- but none on ancient Christian minorities in the Islamic world-not one article in one hundred years! I feel National Geographic is pro-Islamic and anti-Christian.
JOHN BOOKO
Remember John Booko and his books. He has written “The Assyrian Revelation” and “Assyria: The Forgotten Nation in Bible Prophecy.” (See insert.)
Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth
My new book is coming along. I will post a portion of it on the Aramaic Herald Blog soon. This book will have a DVD edition and will also be posted in its entirety on the Internet and will also be available from Barnes and Nobles and Amazon.com.
Announcement
The November and December editions of the “Aramaic Herald” will be will contain comic book portions. The November edition will be a re-telling of the story of the Maccabees. The December edition will be about the Battle of Tours.
Hopefully, before the next month is over I will have a DVD, or two, available. The first will be “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” and the second is “James the Just, the Brother of Jesus.” The DVD is produced by William Brooks of “Big Blue Windmill” productions. The “Aramaic: The Language of Jesus of Nazareth” DVD is available for free (once it is available) and I intend to post it up on “youtube.”
Contact Stephen PO Box 882 Shepherd TX 77371 www.aramaicherald.blogspot.com