01-27-2009, 05:13 PM
Jeremy,
This is just me now and I thought I would post this because I have not been our of the forum for several days now. One could take this a number of ways: The text in Acts was written in Aramaic but the conversation between Peter and Corelius (and his sermon to Cornelius and his household) would probably be in Greek. I can not vision Cornelius speaking fluent Aramaic. I think the area of Caesarea would probably be a high Greek speaking region for, to my understanding, the naval yards of the Roman military was present and would include a good number of Roman soldiers (Cornelius included.) So, with the information we do have the dialoge between Peter and Corelius would be Greek. The text could very well have been written in Aramaic but possibly Greek. I have not ruled that out but I would think the balance of evidence goes with the Aramaic being the original. And just remember that even though the original writings of the Peshitta NT were in Aramaic Greek has its place because there is just too much information that Greek was spoken only when one had to speak it. It was a second language to many: AS I read somewhere Greek was the common tongue of many but not the mother tongue of most (as far as those whose ethnicity was semetic.)
All this is just my 2 cents and take if for what its' worth. Oh yes, about the Greek still being important to New Testament studies. I have noticed if their is a particular minor word, say an Aramaic particle, that could decide which way a thought could go I have found in a hand ful of instances that the Greek has been some help.
Take care. Just a thought.
Mike
This is just me now and I thought I would post this because I have not been our of the forum for several days now. One could take this a number of ways: The text in Acts was written in Aramaic but the conversation between Peter and Corelius (and his sermon to Cornelius and his household) would probably be in Greek. I can not vision Cornelius speaking fluent Aramaic. I think the area of Caesarea would probably be a high Greek speaking region for, to my understanding, the naval yards of the Roman military was present and would include a good number of Roman soldiers (Cornelius included.) So, with the information we do have the dialoge between Peter and Corelius would be Greek. The text could very well have been written in Aramaic but possibly Greek. I have not ruled that out but I would think the balance of evidence goes with the Aramaic being the original. And just remember that even though the original writings of the Peshitta NT were in Aramaic Greek has its place because there is just too much information that Greek was spoken only when one had to speak it. It was a second language to many: AS I read somewhere Greek was the common tongue of many but not the mother tongue of most (as far as those whose ethnicity was semetic.)
All this is just my 2 cents and take if for what its' worth. Oh yes, about the Greek still being important to New Testament studies. I have noticed if their is a particular minor word, say an Aramaic particle, that could decide which way a thought could go I have found in a hand ful of instances that the Greek has been some help.
Take care. Just a thought.
Mike