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So what difference does Aramaic primacy really make?
#27
Shlama Fr. John,

Quote:Christina wrote:

Only Alaha knows how many potential Jewish converts have been lost thanks to the Greek texts.

Or for that matter, how many non-Jewish almost-converts. Or, even converts for that matter! Like Andrew, the Peshitta has had a profound effect on me. Please see Raphel Lataster's website aramaicpeshitta.com, Homepage:

**What's the point of all this? The Aramaic Peshitta saves faiths**

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/Articles/key_articles/saves_faiths.htm">http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/Articles ... faiths.htm</a><!-- m -->

See, there really ARE believers who sincerely care about reading their bibles - ANY kind of Bible (version). And some of those readers get to thinking: what's this numberless amount of translations really all about? And when they find out the answer, it can literally destroy faith ITSELF.

Quote:Christina wrote:
"Do we value our comfort zones more than the great commission?"

(You responded):
Sadly I'd say as a pastor "yes".

And AMEN to this most unfortunate truth. But for those who do choose to enter the narrow Gate, they are entering with purpose and determination. They want to know, whether it be Greek or Aramaic, or for that matter Coptic or Spanish, WHAT language their God has spoken to them in. THIS is all that SHOULD matter. God has spoken. What did His Voice say, plenary? Not what conceptually came out (translatable into any tongue), but what ACTUALLY came out, phonetically. The Language He chose for tangible manifestation, reveals His phonemic Mind itself! What festered in the Divine Mind emically, and then made its way out through His breath etically? Does this matter? Yes, but only to the believer.

Spiritual matters are discerned spiritually. Spirit understands spirit; the flesh cannot. So, carnal and worldly people could care less. Aramaic Primacy is really an evangelistic cause towards the BELIEVER. And if the believer cannot care, then that believer has obviously 'valued their comfort zone more than the Great Commission'. It's sad. It's disheartening. But it's their choice, and we are still left with OURS. What shall WE choose? "Choose this day whom ye shall serve".

The practical application really finds its way THROUGH the believer. If a single believer can be transformed by the purer Truth found in the Aramaic, to a greater degree than previously through the Greek, then God Himself has achieved a grander scale of His own desire in conforming us to His Truth, and towards His Image. Thus is efficacious in directly impacting non-believers and uninformed believers, and even 'comfortable' believers alike, through this Divinely energized individual who decides to care and has received a greater amount of faith by the Peshitta (faith cometh by hearing; hearing the Word of Elohim). If Elohim has spoken, then let His Voice be recorded. If we need a translation at first light to grasp the essential emic thought, then this is perfectly understandable. But for the true disciple, the one who chooses to follow after Him, recorded (etic) text is imperative and fundamental to our being disciplined by His own mode of expression. It can only serve to taper off denominationalism in the end (if fallen into the right hands), and strike our collective hearts and mind back towards the One who originally shared it with us.

Quote:Enarxe wrote:

Having the issue of Aramaic origin of the NT sorted out is important but in many situations "righteousness, peace and joy in the holy ghost" is much more important.

And where does all righteousness and peace and joy stem from? The Truth. And the Truth sets free. And Elohim is the Truth. And Yeshua is Elohim: the Way, the Truth, and also the Life, yes Life. We cannot forget that Life itself is found in the Truth, and is the Truth, and if the Truth was given by diction in Aramaic, then it must certainly be sought out. To do so is wisdom. Solomon the great admonished us proverbially to above all, seek wisdom. Find her. Cherish her. She shall save you, and will keep you. Elohim is Wisdom. When He speaks, every word is wisdom. If Greek grammar butchers what He spoke, then wisdom is butchered. Life is butchered. Truth itself is suspended, and wields potential harm. The levels can vary. But what is worth bantoring over, when the Text in its original Language exists? With extant Truth (or at least that which is claimed by those not part of the mainstream Greek Primacy tradition), what is left, really, is motivation. One cannot motivate a fool to care. Just as one cannot dissuade a disciple from caring. It's the parable of the scattering of seeds. The truest question is, what does it matter to me?

Quote:Does it matter that much that we need to teach Aramaic at theology schools instead of Greek?

This would certainly expose many more people to the true language of the New Testament, for sure. Scattering of seed - doubtless. But getting courses to be offered by accredited academia? Hah! You possess the greater voice in this matter, as you've already shared the burden of attempting such a thing. Harvard, Princeton and Yale all started out as reading rooms for the believer, but fell to secular hands in no time at all because of "comfortable christians". It's just the way things are. Yet ironically through time, it seems that secularists themselves get bored enough to even open up their own classrooms to a sterilized curricula of religious topics, even Biblical languages. I can now look more to such places as the University of Wisconsin or Michigan for better Hebrew and Semitic languages courses, than practically any theological seminary in the entire nation! Ironic.

Quote:I'd love an Aramaic translation that has nice chiastic structured text and cultural footnotes. But to get even one seminary to add an Aramaic department or a single course will be like re-floating the titanic, unless I'm being too negative??

Amen, and Amen. Andrew's forthcoming translation of the Eastern Peshitta should probably suit your desire. And no, I don't think you're being too negative. Simply realistic, and observant. That's but one reason this forum exists - as pretty much the only (and digital) global classroom about the Aramaic Peshitta (outside of the COE).

Why have men such as Frank Moore Cross or Bart Ehrman devoted so much time from their lives to studying and understanding the ancient texts? To grow closer to God? Unfortunately, no. So, what an indictment upon every believer who cannot care enough to at least max out their personal levels of interest in the God that they DO believe in! Well, this is where Peshitta entered my life anyways. Hope this contributes some constructive thought on the topic.

~Brother Ryan
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Messages In This Thread
Kudos to Christina - by Stephen Silver - 09-09-2008, 09:32 PM
Re: So what difference does Aramaic primacy really make? - by Amatsyah - 09-11-2008, 04:45 AM

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