Would Jesus speak Greek?

I, Brian · 03-12-2005, 01:16 AM

Just a curious point - we have Jesus referenced as speaking in Aramaic - but due to the earlier conquests of Alaenxander the Great and the spread of Greek language, wouldn't Greek then have been like a second language to an historical Jesus?

Point came up in another thread, and worth making its own.

Postmaster · 03-12-2005, 01:49 AM

Well it's almost 100% fact the Jesus spoke Greek, his friend saint Lazarus that was a Greek Cypriot went back to Cyprus and his tomb is in my home town of Larnaca today he went after Jesus bought him back from the dead to spread Christianity. Many Greeks at the time in "Palestine". Many would have been able to speak it and as Jesus performed so many miracles I'm sure it was no problem for him. They even say that his family was of Greek decent as were some of his disciples fled into Greece and Rome after Christ’s resurrection. So much Christian history in the Greek Islands, I recomend you visit some of the historical places if you ever want to Pilgrim.

robocombot · 03-12-2005, 02:14 AM

John's Gospel chapter 19:

19And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

Doesnt this show that people generally spoke those 3 languages?

Basstian · 03-12-2005, 03:55 AM

Ok simple History lesson I dont want to pull out a lot of material to prove all this I will state it and if anyone wants proof I will find it.

Greeks where not only the conquerors of the world but also the merchants. Their sailing abilities where the best and farthest advanced of any culture in the med. area as a result Greek became the language of trade and commerce for generations.
Anyone not speaking or lacking the ability to speak greek in this time would have been considered barbaric and uncivilized.
This subject runs much deeper than just did Jesus speek Greek but also how much influence did the Greek language have on the New testament. (not that thats a Bad thing) We must really give this language issue alot of consideration when "Rightly Dividing" the Bible.

Romans 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
1cor 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
1cor 14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
1cor 14:11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

My thoughts if Jesus was educated enough to astound them in the temple at age 12 than more than likely he was very literate according to the Worlds standards and Greek would have been a second language.

(PostMaster your Biased) LOL *Just Kidding*

Postmaster · 03-13-2005, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Romans 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

Wow even the Romans considered everyone that wasn't Greek or Roman Barbaric? However can the bible be racist like that!? Do you know what Greeks call themselves till this present day and even Greek Cypriots, Romehi. And some historians would even disagree that the Byzantines were even separate from the Romans (Byzantines is a historically made up name

). We loved them and they respected the Greeks, they only trusted Greek doctors and Greek map makers. Blood lines of Roman rulers were Greek and they literally copied every aspect of Greek life

Even till this present day we share a saying and it goes one face, one race (una fattsa, una rattsa.)

Have to add that I'm a Greek Maniac.

Charmingly foolish

Quahom1 · 03-13-2005, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postmaster

Wow even the Romans considered everyone that wasn't Greek or Roman Barbaric? However can the bible be racist like that!? Do you know what Greeks call themselves till this present day and even Greek Cypriots, Romehi. And some historians would even disagree that the Byzantines were even separate from the Romans (Byzantines is a historically made up name

). We loved them and they respected the Greeks, they only trusted Greek doctors and Greek map makers. Blood lines of Roman rulers were Greek and they literally copied every aspect of Greek life

Even till this present day we share a saying and it goes one face, one race (una fattsa, una rattsa.)

Have to add that I'm a Greek Maniac.

Charmingly foolish

Did not Paul write Romans? Was not Paul a Roman citizen? I don't think he was calling Greeks anything similar to Barbarians. In fact, it appears that he separated Greeks from barbarians, and stated his debt to them...

v/r

Q

Postmaster · 03-13-2005, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Wow even the Romans considered everyone that wasn't Greek or Roman Barbaric?

exactly

Quahom1 · 03-13-2005, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postmaster

exactly

Maybe this should go under a different thread, but what is racist about comparing an educated, civilized society to an uneducated, uncivilized group of people (civil and educated being based on the majority that rules at the time, as a given)? Bigoted, perhaps. But I see no corrilation with "race or racism". Is that what you meant?

But if you look further, Paul was stating his debt to the "barbarians" as well...

And is not he who perceives himself to be in debt to another, not also acknowledging that the "other" has some sort of authority over him? Not very racists or bigoted I think...more like humbled.

v/r

Q

Postmaster · 03-13-2005, 01:33 AM

I know this might well need to go under a different thread and I know I might start to sound schizophrenic but does that mean that civilised people are closer to God? If that's what the bible is saying, then what is exactly a barbaric person? I think it is unfair to say that. However sometimes we must generalise since sometimes we can't go about describing one and every single person of this world. But what you do find is people a like keep and breed and develop in ethnic groups a like

For instance Turkish Cypriots have 38% of Cyprus however 70% of the violent crime comes out of there. Economic difference are not even that great.

Quahom1 · 03-13-2005, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postmaster

I know this might well need to go under a different thread and I know I might start to sound schizophrenic but does that mean that civilised people are closer to God? If that's what the bible is saying, then what is exactly a barbaric person? I think it is unfair to say that. However sometimes we must generalise since sometimes we can't go about describing one and every single person of this world. But what you do find is people a like keep and breed and develop in ethnic groups a like

For instance Turkish Cypriots have 38% of Cyprus however 70% of the violent crime comes out of there. Economic difference are not even that great.

Good point(I don't mean you being Schizoid)

. And you present a lot of questions about who is and who is not.

v/r

Q

Basstian · 03-13-2005, 01:38 AM

I dont really think PM that the bible was making a rascist comment by holding the Romans and Greeks higher in in oppion than the Barbarians. I kind of read the term Barbaric in the same light as illiterate or uncivilized. You could have been greek or roman and if your where uneducated and acted at that time what would have been considerd not PC you would have been considered Barbaric.

Both cultures seemed to be very proud of there advances in civilization and held themselves and each other in higher esteem than the rest of the known world.
And as an example Paul as a roman said he owed a debt to both The wise and the unwise.

I think in that way he was setting an example opposite racism for the romans he was preaching to.

Quahom1 · 03-13-2005, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basstian

I dont really think PM that the bible was making a rascist comment by holding the Romans and Greeks higher in in oppion than the Barbarians. I kind of read the term Barbaric in the same light as illiterate or uncivilized. You could have been greek or roman and if your where uneducated and acted at that time what would have been considerd not PC you would have been considered Barbaric.

Both cultures seemed to be very proud of there advances in civilization and held themselves and each other in higher esteem than the rest of the known world.
And as an example Paul as a roman said he owed a debt to both The wise and the unwise.

I think in that way he was setting an example opposite racism for the romans he was preaching to.

Eh, how come it takes me two or three posts to say what you can do in one?

I'm either overly verbose, or an idiot, or both...

What Bas said PM, that's what I meant.

v/r

Q

Postmaster · 03-13-2005, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Good point(I don't mean you being Schizoid)

. And you present a lot of questions about who is and who is not.

v/r

Q

Your right, just as you think you discovered something about life she then has a way of turning round and showing you an opposite picture

The God blessed Greeks fell under Ottoman rule for a few hundred years

.....

And lost 10% of there population.

There goes Constantinople the capital of the Christian religion. Turks outside there doors today screeming at the preists to leave. Did you know that Constantinople has one of the highest earth quake risks in the world? And it's being hushed up by the Turkish goverment. Maybe there was a reason for why we lost the city?

We are people of free will, understanding that are the blessed people

But at the same time you use your free will to see the unity in everything of Gods creation and everything does really have a meaning. Abit of a contradicting statment. But thats how I try and look at everything. Nothing is right, yet everything is right.

Bellamente · 03-16-2005, 01:53 AM

Since Jesus was Jewish, would he have also known Hebrew?

Postmaster · 03-16-2005, 02:07 AM

Welcome you to the forum Bellamente

Aramaic was spoken more north Palestine where Jesus was bought up and educated. He probably could have spoke some Hebrew, how much is probably a guess? However I believe personally he could speak all 3 Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew, to me he was a God sent messenger and obviously a messenger should be able to give his message especially in a multi-lingual environment he lived in at the time