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To: William Terrell
Wasn't the New Testament written in Greek, as opposed to Hebrew for the Old Testament?

Yes, but Jesus spoke in Aramaic (a language related to Hebrew), not Greek. He would not have said "gentile." The word Jews use that is translated as gentile is "goy," which refers to the nations descended from Noah, as listed in Genesis.

Is "goy" a Hebrew word, a Yiddish word, and if Yiddish, was the source Hebrew/Aramaic or some other root, like Germanic? Lots of different roots make up Yiddish.

Yiddish is not the source of anything. Yiddish is a Germanic language which Jews began to use in Eastern Europe in medieval times. It includes many Hebrew words, one of which is goy. The word goy is Hebrew and it appears in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament.

I think the important part was to "go unto the Lost Sheep of The House of Israel", which of course must be the descendents of the House of Israel.

It could mean that. It could also mean those who have lost faith.

58 posted on 08/06/2002 9:20:59 AM PDT by Inyokern
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To: Inyokern
Yes, but Jesus spoke in Aramaic (a language related to Hebrew), not Greek. He would not have said "gentile." The word Jews use that is translated as gentile is "goy," which refers to the nations descended from Noah, as listed in Genesis.

When I interrogate Strong's about the source of "gentile" in Matthew 10:5,6 it gives me this:

HEBREW:

01484 gowr {gore} or (fem.) gorah {go-raw'}

a variation of 01482; TWOT - 331a; n m

AV - whelp 2; 2

1) whelp

Strongs lists two references to the root Hebrew word for "gentile":

Jer 51:38 They shall roar [07580] (8799) together [03162] like lions [03715]: they shall yell [05286] (8804) as lions [0738]' whelps [01484].

Nah 2:12 The lion [0738] did tear in pieces [02963] (8802) enough [01767] for his whelps [01484], and strangled [02614] (8764) for his lionesses [03833], and filled [04390] (8762) his holes [02356] with prey [02964], and his dens [04585] with ravin [02966].

GREEK:

1484 ethnos {eth'-nos}

probably from 1486; TDNT - 2:364,201; n n

AV - Gentiles 93, nation 64, heathen 5, people 2; 164

1) a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together
1a) a company, troop, swarm
2) a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus
2a) the human family
3) a tribe, nation, people group
4) in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans,Gentiles
5) Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians

Strongs lists 164 references to the root Greek word for "gentile", Matthew 10:5,6 included. I don't see any references to the root being "not being descended from Noah". But, in any case, not being descended from Noah wouldn't mean much, would it? All the Semites, including Jacob were descended from Shem which includes all those who claim the covenant of Abraham. Noah had two other sons, Ham and Japheth, whose descendents don't claim that covenant.

It could mean that. It could also mean those who have lost faith.

I guess "go unto the Lost Sheep of The House of Israel", could mean that, if one were to ignore the plain wording. There was the House of Judah, which was there, in the area, and the House of Israel, which was dispersed by the Assyrians.

All were Israelites. It seems to take quite a bit of labor to interpret it the way you suggest, and very little to interpret it as refering to the lost House of Israel.

60 posted on 08/06/2002 10:12:45 AM PDT by William Terrell
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