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Did Jesus speak in Hebrew or in Aramaic?
- Thread starter 37818
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Silverhair
Well-Known Member
Simple answer YES. Christ would have spoken in a language common at the time.
Hebrew, Greek & Latin were written on the sign over His head when on the cross so He would have been aware of those languages. When He referred to the OT could He have spoken in Aramaic, sure.
But the question is, does it really matter?
Hebrew, Greek & Latin were written on the sign over His head when on the cross so He would have been aware of those languages. When He referred to the OT could He have spoken in Aramaic, sure.
But the question is, does it really matter?
Ben1445
Well-Known Member
I never gave it much thought until I heard about Hebrew being a dead language in close proximity to my own reading of Acts 21 when “Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,”
It’s amazing how quickly you can revive a dead language! Or not. They were speaking Hebrew.
It’s amazing how quickly you can revive a dead language! Or not. They were speaking Hebrew.
The scriptures makes the answer to this question clear if we discern them by the Spirit and through the scriptures and consider that two groups of Jews occupied the land when Jesus came to speak to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They were the orthodox and the Grecians and it seems they were not always friends. Comparing the scriptures and reasoning will give us the answer.
Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
One must remember why Jesus came. It was to restore the kingdom and the throne to Israel. It makes a great deal of importance what language his people speak according to OT prophecy of the restored kingdom.
Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
One must remember why Jesus came. It was to restore the kingdom and the throne to Israel. It makes a great deal of importance what language his people speak according to OT prophecy of the restored kingdom.
Tea
Active Member
Since Jesus is God and God is omniscient, it doesn’t matter because He was capable of speaking in every language that ever existed or will exist.
David Lamb
Well-Known Member
I am unsure what difference it would make if somebody could give a definitive answer to the question of whether Jesus spoke in Hebrew or in Aramaic (or both). How would it affect us as Christians?
Ben1445
Well-Known Member
In my experience, it changes the way people study Scripture.
I have seen people “translate the Greek” into Aramaic, to find out what Jesus “really” said.
What they end up doing is translating two different Greek words into one Aramaic word and remove the force of the illustration or point by the comparison of the words.
David Lamb
Well-Known Member
I haven't come across the idea of translating the Greek into Aramaic. Most, if not all, languages have idioms, so I can understand how a knowledge of Aramaic idioms might help, but not translating all of the words of Jesus in the bible from Greek into Aramaic.
Ben1445
Well-Known Member
In my experience, it is not all. Just where a person might need to change the force of a word to entrench their denominational beliefs. It is not faithful translation.
The way I understand it, if the Bible was given to us in Greek and Hebrew, all the idioms needed would be understood in the language of record.
It turns it into some kind of Indiana Jones like process where the Bible is not potentially hard to understand on a spiritual basis but also literally hard to understand with physical barriers because you have to find the right other language to decode it.
I don’t mean this is how anyone reasonable would explain it. But this is what interpretation of Scripture is reduced to if you can’t take the original language provided by the text and translate it into the needed language.
It’s not exactly an on thread topic thought but it is related.
Aramaic (primary spoken language of the audience He ministered to). I am sure He could have spoken any language needed. But it is safe to assume He spoke, primarily, Aramaic. This is kinda like the Scriptures He quoted (this was probably not the Hebrew Scriptures we know of but the text - probably Greek - that was commonly avaliable to Jews outside of Jerusalem).
Ben1445
Well-Known Member
I find it unrealistic to say that the Jews did not speak Hebrew.
A quick look at the stubbornness (not in a bad way necessarily) of people today shows that they are the same people as they were in the time of Christ.
If God can preserve His Word, He can preserve His people, but the language they used to speak, they quit using because they?? had an identity crisis? I can’t remember once when they have not been able to figure out who they are and what language they speak.
If Jesus came to Israel, He spoke their language. There are a couple instances called out where Jesus spoke Aramaic. What difference do a couple make if that was what Jesus always spoke? Why mention it?
The religious leaders in the Temple would speak anything but Hebrew? I don’t think so.
37818
Well-Known Member
Only in believing what was actually true. Otherwise, this is not a known essential.
atpollard
Well-Known Member
Having visited Miami, FL ... I suspect Jesus spoke the language of his immediate audience. Aramaic in Samaria, Hebrew in synagogue and Jerusalem, perhaps Greek in the Decapolis and Latin in the Courts. Jesus primary goal was to reach his audience.
37818
Well-Known Member
The disagreement is over whether primary language being used is the Aramaic or the Hebrew.
That is what I was saying. The primary language used is Aramaic.
Ben1445
Well-Known Member
They showed disdain towards other half Jews but would use any language but their own given the chance? I don’t see it.
It depends on which Jews. The religious leaders in Jerusalm did speak Hebrew (and Aramaic, which was the common Jewish language at the time).
Most Jews around Jerusalm spoke Aramaic as their common language but also knew Heberew (paticularly when studying). It is kinda the same here (in the US) with devot Jews. They typically know Hebrew but speak English as their normal language.
Had Jesus taught in Hebrew He probably would have been understood by many He was speaking to. Had He spoken Aramaic He would have been understood by all He was speaking to.
I think we can agree that we don't know... but we can guess.
The New Testament was written in clean, clear Koine Greek.
The disciples certainly had a handle on that language.
The language of general communication for the Hebrews at that time was Aramaic.
The language found in the scrolls of Qumran were a mix of Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew; Hebrew (as one might guess for religious scrolls) was predominant. Aramaic being the language of public life and communication. Greek was for the politicians and foreigners- perhaps a bit of the Roman's Latin in there as well
Not long after The Jesus time on earth....
Acts 22:2
(NA28) ἀκούσαντες δὲ ὅτι τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ ⸀προσεφώνει* °αὐτοῖς, μᾶλλον ⸂παρέσχον ἡσυχίαν⸃.* καὶ φησίν·
The bolded words are close to being transliterated in the NASB.
(NASB 2020) And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect*, they became even more quiet; and he *said, 1
* I.e., Jewish Aramaic
(ESV) And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language,* they became even more quiet. And he said:
*Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)
(NIV 2011) When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said:
(CSB) When they heard that he was addressing them in Aramaic*, they became even quieter.
* Or Hebrew
(LEB) And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Aramaic language, ⌊they became even more silent⌋. And he said,
Now I'm almost sure I saw a photo in one of the old Bibles of Jesus writing in the dust - can someone look that up and see what language he wrote in?
Rob
Many around Jerusalm did look down on Jews from Nazareth and the Galilean area. Jerusalem was their religious hub. But the common language of the Jews in the 1st century was Arabic.
Had Jesus chosen the religious leaders as His Disciples and limited His ministry to the "upper class" Jews then you may have a point.
You say that you cannot imagine the Jews using any language (when given the chance) than Hebrew.
Are you aware that the New Testament - even books written specifically to a Jewish audience - were not written in Hebrew?