I find it odd that God would set up His word (in the NT) so that it could only properly be understood in a single language. That seems like very poor planning on His part. :) It would appear that God's intention was to only relate to Greek speakers, and the rest of the world would be totally dependent on them to know God. That is a very difficult concept to accept. :)
“It would appear that God’s intention was to only relate to Greek speakers, and the rest of the world would be totally dependent on them to know God. That is a very difficult concept to accept. :)”
Well, FK, there are a couple of ways to look at that. First is that that is exactly what God intended, or so it seems, given that the NT was written in Greek. The second is close to the first. What God intended was that people who are serious about Christianity would develop a language of theology and perhaps of worship which EXACTLY expressed what the Greek said. I pick #2.
This, of course, is precisly what the Slavs and to some extent Arabs did. The West, for reasons having to do with the Latin Western Empire and the predominence of Frankish thought in the post Empire period, chose otherwise. By the time the Reformers came along, the horse had long since left the barn.
It is interesting that the German Luther developed for his translation of the Bible was a sort of theological language, though not one designed to convey exactly what the Greek original said.
Perhaps He set it up so that it would be understood in a single Church, transmitted in a way transcending language, from Apostle to their successors and their successor..s.
If God were practical and understood how languages work, perhaps would not rely upon words and translations of words and translations of translations of words.
That is a very difficult concept to accept.
Yes, transmitting spiritual knowledge accross the ages sola language would not be very wise. :)