.
The Greek Language And The New
Testament
Why was the New Testament written in Greek?
Why
was the New Testament originally written in GREEK?
.
The spoken tongue used by both the disciples and
Christ was highly likely Aramaic, even though such a Semitic language was not
the original one used by the Jews.
.
Greek
was the leading written and spoken language of the eastern Mediterranean world
when Rome ruled the world during the New Testament period.
Indeed,
it remained the dominant language, especially in the large cities of
Alexandria, Antioch, etc., until after the Arab Muslim conquest, long after the
time the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D.
By
the time of the New Testament church in the first century A.D., Hellenism had
greatly influenced and changed the people and culture of Judea.
Greek,
not Hebrew, was the commonly used language of Palestine during the rule of the
Roman Empire.
The
ability to speak this language was a needed skill in the Roman world as it was
used as the standard way of communicating, carrying out business, and so on.
Greek
was written and used during the early church period to communicate between
people who grew up in different areas of the world and whose native tongues
were quite different.
The
well-known Jewish historian of the first century, Josephus, stated that the
ability to speak Greek was very common not only among the general populous but
also among servants and slaves.
Some
evidence that Christ spoke the Greek language does exist in the Bible.
Jesus
utilized at least two Grecian words for love
in his well-known post-resurrection conversation with Peter regarding how much
he loved him.
He
used the word AGAPE, which is a
deep love and PHILEO, which is brotherly
love toward someone we like (see John 21: 15
- 17).
These
words have no exact corresponding word either in Old Testament Hebrew or in
Aramaic.
Jesus' play on words for "stone" and "rock,"
while talking with Peter in Matthew 16:18, also uses Grecian words that cannot
be replicated in another language.
"And I also say to you that you are Peter (Petros, Strong's Concordance #G4074, which literally means
a stone), and on this rock (Petra, Strong's #G4073,
which literally means a massive rock) I
will build My church . . ." (Matthew
16:18)
Mark
7 records the story of a Gentile woman who requested Jesus heal her young
daughter.
After
being initially rebuffed, she persisted with her request.
Jesus responded that he was sent to save and serve
Israelites and that “It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs”
(Mark 7:27).
The
word he used for “dogs” was the Grecian word for a puppy or dog (Kunarion, Strong's Concordance #G2952), commonly used in reference to household pets.
He
could have, but did not, use the much harsher Hebrew term for dogs commonly
used by the Jews in their hatred and contempt for Gentiles.
Additionally,
Pontius Pilate could well have questioned Jesus in Greek, since few non-Romans
in Judea spoke Latin.
It
is highly unlikely Pilate would have known the local languages of the
"despised" and conquered peoples he ruled in the name of the mighty
Roman Empire.
Hence
Jesus, befitting a Jew raised in 'Galilee of the Gentiles' (Isaiah 9:1),
could converse with people of both Jewish and gentile backgrounds.
Since
the apostles and evangelists in the early New Testament church wished to reach
as large an audience as possible, they chose to write their inspired words in
Greek and not Aramaic, Hebrew or some other language.
Their
choice, given that the Bible is the most popular book ever printed, proved wise
indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment