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Regarding some idioms of Jesus
#1
Shlama,

I want to use Aramaic understanding to to preach a sermon to people in my youth group. I know these verses are figurative, but I need greater understanding... I need help from people here...

"If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna."(Matthew 5:29-30 WEB)

(1) What is the Aramaic meaning for removing right eye and right hand, since these verses have 'right' emphasized?

(2) What does "If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out" mean? Does it mean about lusting or envying? Which one?

(3) Paul Younan, may I have permission to quote your paper at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://aramaicnttruth.org/downloads/outside/5_Idioms.pdf">http://aramaicnttruth.org/downloads/out ... Idioms.pdf</a><!-- m -->?
And may I please quote you in simple form, without the bibliography? I want to preach about self-mutilation to my fellow youth group.

-DrawCloser
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#2
The term "eye" is used idiomatically in Hebrew to refer to one's inclination.
The term "hand" is used idiomatically in Hebrew to refer to a persons power or authority.Footnotes taken from "Hebraic roots Version"

Yehoshuah meant: "If you have a habit of stealing, stop it". "If you have a habit of envying, stop it". "If you have a habit of trespassing on other's property, stop it". These sayings are understood because these idioms have been in general use throughout the centuries. The idioms arise out of the fact the Aramaic collapses into one word, both mental and physical action, with either or both meanings acceptable.
This explains why no one in the East has ever cut off his arm or plucked out his eyes. None of Yehoshuah's disciples and his followers amputated parts of their bodies. They used the mental meaning. In other parts of the world many Christians who misunderstood the Aramaic idiom, have cut off hands, fingers and feet, or inflicted other injuries upon their bodies to follow the misunderstood injunction of Yehoshuah.? ? Aramaic Bible Society Excerpt from "Was the New Testament Really Written in Greek" chapter 4 - Semantic Idioms

As for what "RIGHT" signifies I would guess as in the English idiom "right hand man" signifing perhaps "first choice/readily inclined/that which one is most likely to do", whereby saying something to the effect "in the matter of that which you would prefer to do stop doing it if it is wrong, repent, change your ways". But again I am not an expert, much less a pert of any kind for that matter, so you should get the opinion of a native speaking Aramaic on this.

May,
YHWH bless thee and keep thee;
YHWH cause His face to shine on thee, and be gracious to thee;
YHWH lift up His face to thee, and give thee shalom.

Your brother in Yehoshuah The Anointed One.

will
.
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#3
So if [and only if] eye refers to inclination -- (if your right eye causes you to stumble) -- could it mean: If your attitude makes you sin, then stop that!??

And if [and only if] hand refers to power or authority -- (if your right hand causes you to stumble) -- could that mean: If you are abuse power as a leader, then resign??


This reading of Matthew is a lot different from Matthew 18:8-9 or Mark 9:43-48


Thank you so much for the help you offered.


And...

(1) The link is broken, but Paul, may I quote any of your writings for preaching?

(2) Any Aramaic-knowledgeable person know the meaning of 'right' eye and 'right hand' for Y'shu's teaching?

- DrawCloser
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#4
Does the 'eye' thing only refer to envying, does it have no connection to lusting? Jesus talked about lusting after a woman before these verses.

?You have heard that it was said, ?You shall not commit adultery;? but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-29 WEB)


And could 'right' mean 'strong' for these verses?

RIGHT EYE: If you have a strong habit of envying, stop it.

RIGHT HAND: If you have a strong habit of stealing, stop it.

Todah for the help so far.

Shlama,

-DrawCloser
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#5
Footnotes to Lamsa RC:
Mk. 9:43 ? "if your hand offend you cut it off" - Aramaic idiom meaning, stop stealing
Mk. 9:45 ? "if your foot offend you cut it off" - Aramaic idiom meaning, stop trespassing
Mk. 9:47 ? "if your eye offend you pluck it out" - Aramaic idiom meaning, stop envying
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#6
Hi if your eye causes you to sin, this could be lust or lusts for material goods. I believe what yeshua was saying is that if your eye causes you to sin in anyway, or your hand or your foot, get those habits or practises out of your life. Different people have different sins in their life, yeshua is saying be care how you live, because their is a hell, and yeshua does not want anyone to go there.
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