book of Hebrews: better from Greek, or Aramaic?

[Charles Wilson]

Thank you VERY much, David Ford!

Do you think Matthew 18:3 originally said:
"certainly won't enter"?
"won't enter"?
"kingdom of the heavens"?
"kingdom of Heaven," i.e. 'kingdom of God'?

Both the Peshitta and the by-A.D. 175 Diatessaron have "won't enter," and have "kingdom of heaven" which probably means 'kingdom of God.'

Matthew 18:3 - and said, "Truly I say to you, if you do not repent and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
do not enter - this is the reading of the Aramean Peshitta. The reading of the Greek NA28, MHT and TR reads: 'certainly don't enter'.

Diatessaron 25:10
And Jesus knew the thought of their heart, and called a child, and set him in the midst, and took him in his arms, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye do not return, and become as children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18: 3 (Moffatt):

"I tell your truly, unless you TURN and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of Heaven at all"

I believe that the correct sense is given by Moffatt.  I have other Posts on this but it is, I believe, significant.  I believe that this is an Aramaic Passage and not Greek, even though a Nicholas of Damascus could have written it.  If you hold the text up to the sun, turn your head and squint your eyes, you might see the hand of Mucianus.  It must, however, go back to a Story from an Aramaic Source.  Much of it has been left unmodified although some words have been "altered slightly " in order to Transvalue what has come to us.

I note the odd use of the Diatessaron's "Return" instead of "Turn" and I yield to your greater knowledge of this.  It makes sense, in a WAY, but deflects from the more correct understanding of the Story.

One very important part is the "Realm of Heaven".  Matthew changes from the "Kingdom of Heaven" Phrase to - using Moffat's Terminology - The Realm of Heaven.  The first use "that we find" in Matthew is in the Beatitudes, Mt. 5: 3 through 5: 20.  Interesting enough as it is!

What is this telling us?  It is telling us that the "Realm of Heaven" is a Real, Physical Place.  It is where the Priests prepare themselves before their Temple Duty.  http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articl...service-of Please read the Section "Priestly Guard".  Notice that the people are sitting in the Synoptics but standing in John at the Denial of Peter Passages.

The Priests must gather in the Realm of Heaven and walk to the Chamber of the Hearth and then through the door to the Chamber of the Flames.

Matthew 23: 13 (Moffatt):

[13] "But woe to you, you impious scribes and Pharisees! you shut the Realm of heaven in men's faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor will you let those enter who are on the point of entering.

This is a PHYSICAL description of people who are preventing people from getting into a Place that they are lawfully allowed to enter. There is much that is hidden here.

Matthew 5: 20 (RSV):

[20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 

What's your explanation for some Greek mss. having πύλη/'gate,' while other Greek mss. have θυρας/'door'?
I envision a translation done from the original Aramaic into Greek coming up with say πύλη/'gate,' and then a revisor later coming along and tweaking the translation by substituting θυρας/'door.'

Both the Peshitta and the by-A.D. 175 Diatessaron have "Jesus answered and said to them."

Luke 13:23-24 - Someone asked Him if few would be saved. Jesus answered and said to them:
"Struggle to enter through the narrow gate, for I tell you that many will try to enter, but they will not be able to.
Jesus answered and said to them - this is the reading of the Aramean Peshitta. The reading of the Greek NA28, MHT and TR reads: "He said to them." Although the question is asked by 'someone', Jesus answers to 'them' (plural). The question was undoubtedly the question of superiors.
gate - the word in Aramaic Peshitta can mean both 'gate' and 'door'. In the reading of the Greek MHT and TR, the Greek word πύλη stands for 'gate' (<G4439>), while in the reading of the Greek NA28 we find the word θυρας (<G2374>), which means 'door'.

Diatessaron 31:7-8
And a man asked him, Are those that shall be saved few? Jesus answered and said unto them, Strive ye to enter at the narrow door: I say unto you now, that many shall seek to enter, and shall not be able--

The correct reading should be "DOOR"!

There is a different Passage that gives "Gate":

Matthew 7: 7 - 12 (RSV):

[7]"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
[8] For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
[9] Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
[10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
[11] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
[12] So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
[13] "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
[14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. 

This is a Herod Story.  Herod builds a Safe Harbor at Caesarea to provide a Port from which grain may be transported to Judea.  He sells almost everything in the Palace to buy grain from Petronius, Procurator of Egypt to feed Judea during an Intense Famine.  Note the Jokes:


[9] Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
[10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
and:
[11] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children...

This is Herod.  "If you then, who are evil..." refers to Herod (not to you and me - at least here!)  The "Gate" here is the narrow passage into the Port:




This is NOT the Narrow Door!

This the meaning of the verse:

Mark 9: 42 (RSV):

[42]"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.



I believe that this points to a Document that was torn up and rewritten in a Massive Cut and Paste Document.  The 2 Sections in Matthew and Luke form a Consistent Story.  There is a Door that leads to the "Realm of Heaven" and it is so small that you must "turn as a child" in order to enter and be saved.  "Saved from what?"  Violence and Death and there are only a few who may enter and be saved.

Again, thank you, DF!!

CW