03-29-2014, 02:29 PM
An Aramaic Word Study of hlyn in John 1 verse 28, by Greg Glaser.
The above is a word study of the Aramaic grammar in John 1:28. I?ve outlined here all 74 occurrences of the word hlyn (?these?) in the gospel of John ? the goal was to examine the grammatical pattern and therefore deduce whether its most likely usage in John 1:28-29 distinguishes between (1) Bethany, and (2) The Crossing of the Jordan.
The conventional translation does not distinguish these two places, but rather joins them together as if they were one place.
However, my word study explains that if the most likely Aramaic grammar is applied, then it would mean these two places are separate; that ?John the Baptist? spoke with the Pharisees (John 1:19-27) in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem, rather than at the Jordan River. From there (Bethany) according to this theory, John the Baptist simply walks about 17-miles on that day and/or the next day to reach the Jordan River to baptize the messiah Yahshua.
Indeed, this most likely grammar becomes all the more so given the present absence of evidence of a place called Bethany at the Jordan River. The conventional translation has its charm though, and the weight of a tradition, and some potential grammatical support, so I do think it is important for students to analyze it both ways if studying the matter.
According to my study, this issue was important in the 3rd century, as Origen dealt with the geographical problem by changing the Greek transliteration of ?Bethany? to ?Bethabara?. The Aramaic was never changed to ?Bethabara? following Origen?s commentaries though, because the Aramaic was maintained separately from the Greek.
As I studied all 74 occurrences (see Appendix A) of this word hlyn in the fourth gospel, I see it was used with precision by the author, which further supports the Peshitta tradition.
I hope this word study proves beneficial to other students too; I enjoyed the research.
The above is a word study of the Aramaic grammar in John 1:28. I?ve outlined here all 74 occurrences of the word hlyn (?these?) in the gospel of John ? the goal was to examine the grammatical pattern and therefore deduce whether its most likely usage in John 1:28-29 distinguishes between (1) Bethany, and (2) The Crossing of the Jordan.
The conventional translation does not distinguish these two places, but rather joins them together as if they were one place.
However, my word study explains that if the most likely Aramaic grammar is applied, then it would mean these two places are separate; that ?John the Baptist? spoke with the Pharisees (John 1:19-27) in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem, rather than at the Jordan River. From there (Bethany) according to this theory, John the Baptist simply walks about 17-miles on that day and/or the next day to reach the Jordan River to baptize the messiah Yahshua.
Indeed, this most likely grammar becomes all the more so given the present absence of evidence of a place called Bethany at the Jordan River. The conventional translation has its charm though, and the weight of a tradition, and some potential grammatical support, so I do think it is important for students to analyze it both ways if studying the matter.
According to my study, this issue was important in the 3rd century, as Origen dealt with the geographical problem by changing the Greek transliteration of ?Bethany? to ?Bethabara?. The Aramaic was never changed to ?Bethabara? following Origen?s commentaries though, because the Aramaic was maintained separately from the Greek.
As I studied all 74 occurrences (see Appendix A) of this word hlyn in the fourth gospel, I see it was used with precision by the author, which further supports the Peshitta tradition.
I hope this word study proves beneficial to other students too; I enjoyed the research.