02-17-2004, 01:12 PM
I've been challenged by a zorban to prove that the book of Hebrews was not originally penned in Greek. Any tips/observations regarding this topic would be much appreciated.
Rob Wrote:I've been challenged by a zorban to prove that the book of Hebrews was not originally penned in Greek. Any tips/observations regarding this topic would be much appreciated.
Quote:according to Josephus' testimony and the fact that Josephus wrote all his books in Aramaic and had them translated into Greek for the Romans.Yosippon was written in Aramaic before the Antiquities/War and was later translated into Hebrew. I think Antiquities/War was written in Greek.
Quote: (1) Whereas the war which the Jews made with the Romans hath been the greatest of all those, not only that have been in our times, but, in a manner, of those that ever were heard of; both of those wherein cities have fought against cities, or nations against nations; while some men who were not concerned in the affairs themselves have gotten together vain and contradictory stories by hearsay, and have written them down after a sophistical manner; and while those that were there present have given false accounts of things, and this either out of a humor of flattery to the Romans, or of hatred towards the Jews; and while their writings contain sometimes accusations, and sometimes encomiums, but no where the accurate truth of the facts;I have proposed to myself, for the sake of such as live under the government of the Romans, to translate those books into the Greek tongue, which I formerly composed in the language of our country, and sent to the Upper Barbarians; (2) Joseph, the son of Matthias, by birth a Hebrew, a priest also, and one who at first fought against the Romans myself, and was forced to be present at what was done afterwards, [am the author of this work].This is plainly an account of his writing about the war with the Romans.He wrote "in the language of our country", and translated it into Greek. Surely this establishes the language of Israel is not Greek, and that these books were not composed in Greek.
Quote:and understand the elements of the Greek language, although I have so long accustomed myself to speak our own tongue, that I cannot pronounce Greek with sufficient exactness; for our nation does not encourage those that learn the languages of many nations, and so adorn their discourses with the smoothness of their periods; because they look upon this sort of accomplishment as common, not only to all sorts of free-men, but to as many of the servants as please to learn them. But they give him the testimony of being a wise man who is fully acquainted with our laws, and is able to interpret their meaning; on which account, as there have been many who have done their endeavors with great patience to obtain this learning, there have yet hardly been so many as two or three that have succeeded therein, who were immediately well rewarded for their pains.
Rob Wrote:I've been challenged by a zorban to prove that the book of Hebrews was not originally penned in Greek. Any tips/observations regarding this topic would be much appreciated.
Rob Wrote:They discarded Eusebius' testimony.
Quote:What arguments did you use to argue that Hebrews was translated from Aramaic to greek?There comes a time in arguements like these when all that is used is speculative reasoning. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people using nothing but this in arguements.