Question of the Day: Why are so very few of Jesus ACTUAL WORDS...

by Terry 88 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Terry

  Why are so very few of Jesus ACTUAL words recorded exactly?

  The New Testament is almost entirely written in Greek.

  Jesus spoke Aramaic. Maybe a bit of what was called "market Greek". A smattering of Hebrew....perhaps.

  Nationally, Jews: largely Aramaic. They had done so for five hundred years. Greek secondarily. Hebrew: rarely.

  Hebrew was practically a lost cause except in extreme hermetic circles (Hassidim)

  Jews had lost Hebrew from two hammer blows historically

  1.Babylonian Captivity 2.Greeks conquering the "known" world and Helenizing

  With the above well in mind, I have to ask:

  WHY are the words of Jesus (except for FEW brief instances) only given in Greek?

  Wouldn't you want the EXACT words of the Son of God?

  Talitha kum (Ταλιθα κουμ)

  Mark 5:41

  And taking the hand of the child, he said to her, "Talitha kum", which translates as, "Little girl, I say to you, get up."

  This verse gives an Aramaic phrase, attributed to Jesus bringing the girl back to life, with a transliteration into Greek, as ταλιθα κουμ.

  Mark 7:34

  And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," which is 'be opened'.

  Raca (Ρακα)

  Matthew 5:22

  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother [without a cause] shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

  Eli Eli lema sabachthani (Ηλει Ηλει λεμα σαβαχθανει)

  Matthew 27:46

  Around the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, saying "Eli Eli lema sabachthani?" which is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

  Mark 15:34

  And at the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, "Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my God, for what have you forsaken me?"

  Jesus' exact words were lost early on in the ORAL transmission.

  Otherwise EVERY word would be given UNtranslated first: "Eli Eli lama sabachtani" 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

  If Jesus exact words were lost--only the GIST of what he said remained. To what degree we cannot determine.

  The garble should tell us something signficant if we are willing to listen.

  How can anybody argue the MEANING of Jesus sayings if we don't even really have them?

  We have half-remembered approximations!

  Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote in Aramaic, by the way.
• 

  TotallyADD

  Thanks Terry, I love your comments and your research. I am not that smart so your research helps me understand these matters better. Totally ADD
• 

  transhuman68

  It's Jesus own fault. The only time he ever wrote anything was with his finger in the sand- and no-one thought to record that!
• 

  Terry

  If Jesus is the most important link between God and man you would think PRESERVING HIS EXACT WORDS would be

  the MOST IMPORTANT task ever set before humanity!

  Wouldn't you?

  Think how many religious arguments consist of parsing this word versus that word!

  Microscopic examination of interpretations make up Watchtower Docrtine almost certainly.

  We have the Apostle Paul's words because HE wrote them.

  Jesus wrote NOTHING.

  Why can't we admit we have never thought about this deeply?

  There is a reason Jesus never wrote anything.

  There is a reason we hardly have any EXACT quotes from Jesus.

  There is a reason christianity purports to be about Jesus but is more about AUTHORITY, RULES and SCARE TACTICS.

  Have you considered what the answers might be to the above??
• 

  designs

  As God Jesus could speak Aramaic and everyone would hear in their native language................

  He invented MIPS
• 

  Quentin

  Now I gotta go do more re-search....You rouge, I want to stay warm and cuddly in my comfort zone... But noooo....have to use my brain..

  Interesting questions to answer by the way.
• 

  Terry

  Imagine trying to settle a life or death issue in a court of law without BEST EVIDENCE.

  Take a LAST WILL and TESTAMENT, for example.

  "Well, your Honor, the deceased...I am told by reliable sources...wanted all of his money and possessions to go to me!"

  "What evidence do you have of this?"

  "Your Honor, I wrote this down last night, it states clearly what I was told my Rich Uncle wanted me to have."

  "CASE DISMISSED"!
• 

  tec

  There is a reason Jesus never wrote anything

  Because the Spirit teaches. We don't need the written word. Jesus was all about the Holy Spirit. Not about the written word, except to show as proof to those who had not (or cannot) put their faith in the Spirit. Hopefully, to lead them toward trusting the spirit.

  Tammy
• 

  Mr. Falcon

  Interesting thread, Terry.

  It seems like when God's message gets sifted through humans, it suddenly becomes 99.9% guesswork.
• 

  Terry

  There is a reason Jesus never wrote anything

  Because the Spirit teaches. We don't need the written word. Jesus was all about the Holy Spirit. Not about the written word, except to show as proof to those who had not (or cannot) put their faith in the Spirit. Hopefully, to lead them toward trusting the spirit.

  Tammy

  Okay, Tammy, what about this consideration: Competing VERSIONS of the Jesus message have split opinion and interpretation into shards like a dropped and broken mirror. Which piece reflects something worthy of the Lord's intentions?

  Are we all doomed to our personal preferences like what color lipstick or style of shoe we wear? Is religion, then, condemned to the lastest "fashions"?

  Where is the unity of fellowship? Everybody brings contrary ideas to the table.

  What has split Christianity apart is that every fellowship ends up with the same AUTHORITY issues. Who gets to tell you what is right and wrong.

  You can't stay in a fellowship very long without having to agree/disagree and mark yourself as IN/OUT.

  Why is Christianity absolutely obsessed with the unprovable aspects of divinity and apocalypse?

  Why is the bible worshipped as being a source of absolute truth?

  The "Holy Spirit" was operating in Jonestown according to survivors. At least they "thought" so.