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Parables and Proverbs: Jesus and Solomon |
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As I continue to plow through the creation of the New Testament for the Ancient Roots Translinear Bible (ARTB), I’m struck with how many Greek-based words we use to describe our Christian faith that aren’t found in the original Old Testament Hebrew: words like parable, apostle, church, and baptism, to name a few. Each one of these has required a lot of thought on my part about how to handle it—and given me some insights along the way.
PARABLES AND PROVERBS
The Greek New Testament uses two different words PARABLE (parabole) and PROVERBS (paroimia). In most bible translations, Jesus spoke in parables, while the book of Proverbs is ascribed to Solomon. I grew up with these words partitioned separately in my brain, knowing that Jesus was an excellent parable-teller and that people were amazed at his wisdom. Thus, I never thought about comparing Jesus with Solomon.
But in the Aramaic New Testament, the word parable disappears. Jesus was telling proverbs, and was a superb “proverb-teller”. Is this a minor point, or does it give us some understanding about why people were amazed?
JESUS AND SOLOMON
Solomon was considered the wisest king who ever lived on the earth. Multiple stories about his wisdom and how he prayed for wisdom are in the Old Testament (I Kings 3). The book of Proverbs (the majority are ascribed to Solomon) has been a source of wisdom for all of us. They are short, generally two lines.
Jesus outdid Solomon, the king of proverbs! His style of proverbs in a longer story was easier to understand and remember. I cannot recite a chapter of Proverbs, but I can tell you the story of the prodigal son, the Samaritan taking care of the traveler, the widow finding her coins, etc. (If the Gospels had been written in Old Testament style, Jesus’ life would have been split into two separate books: What he did (like Chronicles for David and Solomon) and what he said (like Psalms and Proverbs by David and Solomon, respectively). We would have a second book of Proverbs!)
People were amazed. How could this carpenter’s son outdo Solomon? People came from far and near to hear Solomon. We have confirmation that thousands of people came to hear Jesus. Even as a young lad, his wisdom impressed the priests in Jerusalem.
The Wise King of the Jews
I’ve never heard preaching about Jesus being a fulfillment of Solomon as the greatest king of the Jewish nation. But the fact that that title was so easily be added above his head on Good Friday lets me know that the subject must have been in general discussion at the time of Christ. Jesus was like Solomon in one other key way: Solomon, son of David, built the first permanent temple. Jesus, son of David, built the eternal temple!
Enjoy the last half of summertime. I’m a little behind schedule, but still close to being finished with the Ancient Roots New Testament by the end of the year. I’ll keep you posted. One of the ARTB fans sent me this poem from T.S. Eliot. It captures completely the journey I’m on to recover what the “locusts have eaten”:
Words strain,
Crack and sometimes break, under the burden,
Under the tension, slip, slide, perish,
Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place,
Will not stay still.
T. S. Eliot
I want the original words back—down to the smallest detail!
A. Frances Werner
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I’m continuing to press ahead on finishing the Ancient Roots Translinear Bible (ARTB) New Testament. Just thought I’d share an interesting insight with you about CRUCIFIXION. I had always thought that the cruel form of capital punishment of crucifixion was an invention of the Romans at the time of Christ. But the Aramaic New Testament helps uncover that the concept probably occured at the time of Ezra, during the return from Bablyon, approximately 400BC.
There is a Hebrew word “zaqap” (Strong’s number 2210) which is “erect” in the Ancient Roots Translinear Bible (ARTB). It occurs twice in the Old Testament:
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Ps 145:14
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Yahweh puts erect all the fallen and all the crippled.
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Ps 146:8
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Yahweh unseals the blind. Yahweh erects the crippled. Yahweh loves the righteous!
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(If you haven’t tried the WordSearch feature on www.AncientRoots.com, give it a whirl! Simply enter the number 2210 in the Strong’s number box, and these verses will pop up.)
The single Aramaic use in the Old Testament is spelled the same “zaqap” (Strong’s number 2211), and also is listed as “erect” in the ARTB in Ezra 6:11.
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I set a statute that any mortal altering this decision has the wood razed from his house. Erect it and injure him over it. Serve his house to the garbage-heap for this.
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When you get to the New Testament, the usage of the root 2211 explodes. It changes a tiny bit in spelling, but is clearly is the word “CRUCIFY” as the crowd calls for Jesus’ death. It also has a related root which is the word “CROSS”.
As usual, the Hebrew/Aramaic vocabulary is wonderful in its richness. They clearly differentiated between HANGING on a tree (ie an actual TREE with a NOOSE), and dying by being hung on a manmade structure by manmade means which is CRUCIFIXION in the New Testament (NAILED to a CROSS). The Ezra 6:11 verse catches the transition: Tear down the house, ERECT a manmade structure, and INJURE him over it. Sure sounds like crucifixion to me.
You may want to make a note in your ARTB text.
I also received a note about this information from a reader:
Your research is confirmed by historical references. It was used even before Ezra.
Acccording to Josephus and other authorities, Haman was crucified on a cross by Ahasuerus, King of Persia.Crucifixion was used extensively by the Persians:
Wikipedia has-
"It was in use particularly among the Persians, Seleucids, Carthaginians, and Romans from about the 6th century BC to the 4th century AD, when in the year 337 Emperor Constantine I abolished it in his empire, out of veneration for Jesus Christ, the most famous victim of crucifixion.[1][2] "
A. Frances Werner
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I received a question from a reader:
First I want to thank you for the swift processing and sending of the Ancient Roots Translinear Bible (ARTB). What a breath of fresh air. Secondly, I was wondering what Hebrew name for Jesus will be used in the New Testament when it comes out?
I've been doing research. It's amazing how many different spellings and renderings of Jesus name there are in the Hebrew. I read one article where the person said Yahushua is the real name of Jesus. Others say Yahshua or Yahoshua, Yeshua. I didn't know if you were a sacred name person or what. As you can see, I ask a lot of questions but I do so to learn. I love to learn.
The final decision for the name of Jesus has not been made. We will likely do a survey of the readers in the near future.
At this point, the spelling of the Hebrew alternative would be Yeshua. There are two main groups who are studying the ARTB. Those who are coming from a Hebrew/Aramaic perspective who would like to see all names and places in Hebrew/Aramaic, and those who are only familiar with a Greek New Testament who would be lost if Bartholomew was listed as "Bar-Tolmai, a disciple of Yeshua".
Glad you are enjoying ARTB!
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Genesis 1:1 "In the Beginning" |
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I had a question from a reader about Genesis 1:1. The Ancient Roots Translinear Bible (ARTB) uses the phrase, "First, God created . . .". Most other versions use the phrase "In the beginning". Other translators use other words. Why did ARTB pick the word "first"?
From the reader: My attention has recently brought to the works of Gerald Shroeder, in one of his books he asserts the following: The opening word, usually translated as "In the beginning," is the Hebrew Be'reasheet. Be'reasheet can mean "In the beginning of" but not "In the beginning." The difficulty with the preposition "of" is that its object is absent from the sentence and so the usual English translation merely drops it. Rather than changing the meaning of the Hebrew and ignoring the "of," the 2,100 year old Jerusalem translation of Genesis into Aramaic realizes that Be'reacheet is a compound word: the prefix Be' – with; and raesheet – a first wisdom. The meaning becomes: "With wisdom God created the heavens and the earth." Having obtained your ARTB bible, with which I am particularly pleased with, I wondered if you could give me your opinion on Shroeder's assertion about the meaning of the Hebrew for "In the beginning".
– with; and raesheet – a first wisdom. The meaning becomes: "With wisdom God created the heavens and the earth." Having obtained your ARTB bible, with which I am particularly pleased with, I wondered if you could give me your opinion on Shroeder's assertion about the meaning of the Hebrew for "In the beginning".
I have always been troubled by the first word(s) of Genesis. They are very tough--and there's a lot of discussion about it. The word "first" or "beginning" definitely matches the Aramaic form (Strongs' number 7225). And I absolutely agree with your points about the prepositions.
I am very close to Shroeder's position, but slightly different. Shroeder chose to emphasize the word "widsom" from the notion of "first wisdom", but I have emphasized the word "first". Here's why. In a translinear methodology, I chose the best English word that matched ALL of the occurances of Strong's number 7225. Take a look at the entries that come up when you type in "7225" in the Number box of the "ARTB Bible Search" page on menu to the left.
Genesis 1:1 can work either with "first" or "wisdom". But the next entry, Genesis 10:10 says "His FIRST realm had Babylon . . .". The word "Wisdom" wouldn't work there or in most of the remaining uses. Thus, the ARTB uses the word "first".
A. Frances Werner
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Truth in Translation review |
I have to admit I was a little concerned about my own ability to review this outstanding work by Ms. Werner. In review of other works by this author, she has shown herself to know her business when it comes to the true Word of God. I was a little afraid that her new book, Truth In Translation, which analyzes the accuracy of 20 English versions of the Bible, would not be understood by a simple person like me. I was dead wrong.
As I began to read this work I found it was presented in a factual way, yet easy to follow and understand. I soon found myself submerged in the read, and I was shocked at how many errors were found in just about every translation written of the Word of God. In translating into English, it appears we can use several different words to mean one thing, the translators chose which words to use or not to use. Think it isn't that important? Think again, the switching around of words can throw an entire different light on what our Heavenly Father is trying to teach us in His Word. Some of the examples our author shows us in this book will boggle your mind. I like how our author put it, that translators have no problem going back and forth with words like worship/bow and hear/obey. I don't know about you, but to me worship has a totally different meaning than to bow. And certainly if God said to obey, I would know it wasn't just a casual remark, but a command. How about you?
I truly wish I had the words to tell you what an eye-opener this book will be to you as you compare your translation of the Bible with the information inside these pages. You will see that you are not feasting on many of the true meanings in the Word, nor absorbing what God is wanting to enter your spirit.I know that I haven't come near to doing justice in my review concerning the importance of this book. To me, it is like a bell ringing telling the translators and publishers that we want the pure Word of God, as exact as it can be translated, and I am sure that is what God wants as well.
Thank you, Ms. Werner, for the research and hard work you have done to bring this to our attention. I highly recommend this book to all those who want the pure Word of God. You will be amazed as you see for yourself what I am talking about. I also recommend, Ancient Roots Translinear Bible, which I have found to open my eyes to many of the truths of God's Word.
In conclusion, if you are truly seeking what your Creator is saying in His Word, don't be afraid to let your voice be heard, demanding a pure translation of the Words you live your life by. Highly recommended.
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