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Jesus spoke Aramaic [Ecumenic]
Christusrex ^ | Autumn 1998 | Fr. Massimo Pazzini, O.F.M.

Posted on 06/03/2008 7:55:15 AM PDT by NYer

A question arises time and again from prilgrims visiting the Holy Land: What was the language that Jesus spoke? They ask: What was the language of Palestine in the times of Jesus? What languages did Jesus speak? Were there any indications found in the Gospels?

Palestine, given that it was always a crossroads for entire peoples in their spontaneous, and often times forced, migrations, was by necessity a multi-lingual land. It was a place where they spoke several languages at the same time. That is, in the times of Jesus, there were no less than two local languages spoken and understood by the majority of the people: Hebrew and Aramaic. Two “international” languages were also used: Greek and Latin. These however were spoken by a small group of persons found in State Administration and Education.

The Hebrew language, the same language used in writing the Books of the Old Testament, came into common usage in the Liturgy of the Shabbat (Sabbath) of the Synagogue, even though there were few who understood it clearly.

Besides Hebrew, there was another language -- Aramaic -- which had already been used along side for some centuries. This language was the “familiar” language which the people spoke in most of the villages and towns of Palestine, particularly in the North (Nazareth, Capharnaum, etc.) Where Jesus was educated, grew up, and spent the major portion of His life. It was also understood and spoken outside the confines of this region.

Besides the “local” languages, there were two other “international” languages. These two languages were spoken in the towns where there were persons of learning, and administrators of the State, as numerous inscriptions of the times have testified and come down to us. While in the villages such as Nazareth and Capharnaum, the dominant language, if not the only one, was Aramaic.

One incident recorded in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 4: 16-30) helps us understand tha the Hebrew language was familiar to Jesus. In this passage, it says that Jesus read the Scroll of the Law (from the Prophet Isaiah) in the Synagogue at Nazareth. Certainly this Reading was done in Hebrew. The few words that Jesus added by way of comment were most probably spoken in Aramaic. A little like our Church, before the liturgy was reformed, when the Readings were proclaimed in Latin but the Homily was given in the native language of the people.

This, therefore, was the atmosphere in which Jesus grew up. It was a multi-lingual environment in which Hebew and Aramaic had to at least have the advantage of usage in the ordinary conversations of daily life.

The Palestinian Substructure

Besides these logical deductions, derived from Gospel texts and common sense, there are other elements -- quite “probable” in our view -- that allow us to reconstruct the Mid-Eastern Cultural Foundation, and thus. . . some Aramaic words and phrases spoken by Jesus.

The New Testament, written in Greek, allows us a glimpse, here and there, among the transcribed and translated words, of genuine Palestinian “root” words. This is the case with a number of proper names, whether of persons or places, that easily go back to Aramaic origins. For example: Bariona, Barabba. Names of persons, clearly of Aramaic origin, composed of the word bar which means son, with the addition of the name of the father. Or, Capharnaum translated, although with some difficulty, from the form Kafar Nahum, the Village of Nahum, or also the name Aceldama, as found in the Book of Acts 1:19, which unites two words Haquel dema, that is “Camp of Blood.”

There are also names of women: Marta (Luke 10:38), and Tabita (Acts 9:36) which mean respectively: Madame (or Woman), and Gazelle. (These were well-known and frequently used names in the times of Jesus, taken from Aramaic.) The name of Peter -- Cefa -- corresponds to the Aramaic form of Kefa which means Rock. The name Golgata (Matt. 27:33), and Gabbata (John 19:13) recalling the accounts of the Passion, are derived from two words with the sense of “(place of) the skull” and “the elevated place.”

The Words certainly spoken by Jesus

Some words that the Evangelists put into the mouth of Jesus turn out to be very interesting. For example: Effeta or Effata ( the Command form of the word patah with the meaning of to to open) is faithfully written down by the Evangelists. Or, Talita Qum which means: Arise little child! Also Abba (Mark 14:36 and Gal. 4:6) which means Papa/Father, and is still used in present-day Israel. Recall the Aramaic phrase so well recorded by the Evangelists, and spoken by Jesus as He was dying on the Cross: Eloi Eloi lema sabactani. These Words, found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, are interpreted for us as a Prayer of Jesus. They were in fact the beginning of Psalm 22, spoken by Jesus in Aramaic, and faithfully written down by the Evangelists in Greek. It is possible that the Evangelists wished to preserve and hand down through their writings some words certainly spoken by Jesus, words which the Early Christians (since they spoke Aramaic) faithfully remembered.

Scarcely had the words been written down when there were some that were justly counted among the words “certainly” spoken by Jesus. Linguistic analysis and comparisons of contemporary Aramaic dialects with that of Jesus confirm this.

Jesus spoke Aramaic in Galilee

In the light of this data, the hypothesis -- often aired in the last two centuries -- that Jesus spoke Greek or Latin is impossible to accept. Or better yet, anyone who would wish to hold such an hypothesis must prove it. Specialists of the Aramaic language have analyzed closely this topic, and had come to distinguish various Aramaic dialects in the contemporary Palestine of Jesus as testified to by inscriptions thus discovered. B Based on this data, they are able to distinguish seven dialects that were shared by seven different localities in this small region: 1. Aramaic of Judea. 2. Aramaic of Southern Judea. 3. Aramaic of Samaria. 4. Aramaic of Galilee. 5. Aramaic from beyond Jordan. 6. Aramaic from Damascus. Aramaic spoken in the Orontes River Basin of Syria.

It is a question about a relatively restricted region that would now embrace the actual area of the present State of Israel, and parts of the bordering countries of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Also if this distinction seems a bit artificial, nevertheless it becomes quite clear that there were local differences in the Aramaic language. These changes did not affect the mutual comprehension of the inhabitants of the different localities (realizing that the distance between these various localities was small and contact was frequent).

Jesus certainly spoke the Aramaic dialect of Galilee, but His words were “Jerusalem-ized”, so to speak, for the Early Church, and transmitted to us in the dialect of Jerusalem. It is well recorded that the difference between the Jerusalem and Galilee dialects was small and, all things considered, quite negligible.

A theme that impassions students has been the reconstruction of the “Our Father.” It is thought that Jesus had taught this prayer in his own language, and therefore in Aramaic. Nonetheless, in the Gospels, it is the Greek version that remained for Christians of Gentile origin as well as the Primitive Church of Jerusalem. Though the Church of Jerusalem, which spoke Aramaic, continued to recite it in the original language without feeling any necessity to put it down in writing.

These brief considerations show us that Jesus, Son of His times and His earth, did not disdain to immerse Himself in the language and culture in which He lived.


TOPICS: Ecumenism; History; Judaism; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: aramaic; epigraphyandlanguage; galilee; jesus; language; sepphoris; yehudahanasi
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To: NYer
Lets clear up one point: during Jesus’ life “Palestine” did not exist. The name Palestine was imposed by the Romans after the suppression of the Bar Koba revolt in 136 AD. To call the area Palestine before the middle of the second century< AD is an outright slander that no Christian should be guilty of.
21 posted on 06/03/2008 10:29:51 AM PDT by quadrant
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To: quadrant

INRI. I is J in Aramaic. Just ask Indiana Jones.


22 posted on 06/03/2008 10:39:43 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: quadrant

INRI. I is J in Aramaic. Just ask Indiana Jones.


23 posted on 06/03/2008 10:39:50 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: NYer

“In the light of this data, the hypothesis — often aired in the last two centuries — that Jesus spoke Greek or Latin is impossible to accept.”

As to Greek, that’s simply absurd. Worse, its a stupid thing to say. I don’t know who this Franciscan is, beyond that fact that he teaches or taught at some relatively obscure Franciscan school, but he ought to go back to school himself!


24 posted on 06/03/2008 11:06:34 AM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated)
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To: NYer
Thank you. I found my Ave Maria but it is in Chaldean, not Aramaic (not that I would know the difference). It is beautiful -- I might re-post it on Youtube.
25 posted on 06/03/2008 11:09:25 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture™)
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To: NYer

Well, we all know that Jesus spoke exclusively in the King’s (James) English — all those TV movies say so.....


26 posted on 06/03/2008 11:21:40 AM PDT by mikrofon (Linguistics BUMP)
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To: Petronski
XS>However YHvH chose to breath His Holy Word in Koine Greek.

Proof?

You need proof that the Bible, G-d'd Holy Word, was written in Koine Greek ?

Sorry; I can't help you if you don't believe that fact,
which is attested to by the Roman church.


27 posted on 06/03/2008 11:22:16 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (you shall know that I, YHvH, your Savior, and your Redeemer, am the Elohim of Ya'aqob. Isaiah 60:16)
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To: NYer

He speaks English in all of the movies I’ve seen about him.


28 posted on 06/03/2008 11:27:43 AM PDT by HenpeckedCon (Deport them all... Let God sort them out!)
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To: XeniaSt
You need proof that the Bible, God's Holy Word, was written in Koine Greek ?

That's not what I asked.

You said: However God chose to breath His Holy Word in Koine Greek.

Can you prove that?

29 posted on 06/03/2008 11:28:43 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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Comment #30 Removed by Moderator

To: Petronski
I will stop when you become Jesuitical.

baruch HaShem


31 posted on 06/03/2008 11:37:49 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (you shall know that I, YHvH, your Savior, and your Redeemer, am the Elohim of Ya'aqob. Isaiah 60:16)
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To: XeniaSt

That reply makes no sense.


32 posted on 06/03/2008 11:42:12 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: XeniaSt; Petronski
I will stop when you become Jesuitical.

*****************

Now I'm stumped, for sure.

33 posted on 06/03/2008 11:43:17 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: trisham

I’m beginning to feel insulted. Are Jesuits even Catholic anymore?

;OP


34 posted on 06/03/2008 11:46:23 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Petronski; trisham

Hey now, not ALL Jesuits are crazy. Save it for the Paulist Fathers! :-P


35 posted on 06/03/2008 11:51:35 AM PDT by thefrankbaum (Ad maiorem Dei gloriam)
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To: Petronski
I’m beginning to feel insulted. Are Jesuits even Catholic anymore?

******************

I think so, but after spending some time on this forum today, I'm not sure if I'm coming or going. :)

I think I'll go out to the garden for a while and try to regain a bit of clarity.

36 posted on 06/03/2008 11:52:15 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: massgopguy

actually, that was Latin...


37 posted on 06/03/2008 11:53:51 AM PDT by stefanbatory
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To: thefrankbaum

No offense intended.

I was taught by Benedictines (and one very intelligent Byzantine woman).


38 posted on 06/03/2008 11:54:06 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Proverbs 3-5

39 posted on 06/03/2008 12:41:21 PM PDT by naturalized ("The time has come," He said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!")
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To: Petronski
Dear Petronski,

When I was in high school, the priests used to call me “the little Jesuit.” Since they were Trinitarians, I don't think they meant it as a compliment.

Does that count?

;-)


sitetest

40 posted on 06/03/2008 12:59:58 PM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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