Curious: Why do Christians, who do not know Hebrew, try and define Hebrew words?

Question

I keep encountering Christians who try and tell me what the Hebrew Scriptures say, yet they cannot read Hebrew. Doesn't make sense to me. It is like me trying to tell someone who speaks Japanese (which I do not) what their words mean.

Case in point read djmantx’s answer closely; he basically says that since the grammatically correct way to translate the sentence is unimpressive it is okay to change a word to make it more impressive. Should we be messing around with the word of G-d?

Answer 1

They use this tool called "strong's Numbers" that provides the root word used in the Tanakh.

What most users of it fail to realize is, that the meaning of the root word, and the meaning of the word they are looking at, can be radically different.

Using English. look at the difference between "Sutra", and "Suture". They both come from the same root "sew".
"Sew" relates to mending;
"Suture" refers to an immovable joint, especially of the head;
"Sutra" refers a short sacred discourse.

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And For DJMantX:
1: There are only two books in the New Testament, for which any claim can be made, for being originally written in Hebrew --- Matthew, and The Epistle to the Hebrews. _None_ of the currently available translations of the Bible, into English, make use of Hebrew as a source language. If, and this is a mighty big if, those two books were originally written in Hebrew, then you have a translation from Hebrew, to Greek, to English. And along the way, the meaning of the original word can be lost.
Appealing to the LXX doesn't help your case either. Look at how else the word is translated into English. And how the other passages in the Tanakh that use the same word in Hebrew, and translated into Greek.
Claiming Aramaic supremacy doesn't help your case either. That word distrinctly means "young female of marriage age". [And this applies in both the Isaiah, and Matthew passage that you did not cite, but referred to.]

Playing the Grammar card doesn't work, becuase grammer does change over time.

Since you want to quote Isaiah 7:14, I'd suggest you look at the context of that passage. What happens before that verse? What happens after that verse? What is the rest of the story?

You might want to start using the Stone Edition Tanakh, as your study Bible.

Answer 2

I think it's actually commendable.

If I wanted to really get my teeth into a text, I would try to find a version that is as close to the original as possible. In the case of the Bible, that means using a text in the original Hebrew and Greek and Aramaic languages. And while most people don't know these languages, they can use a variety of resources to help them - there are a multitude of commentaries available in the market to help students of the Bible make sense of the original texts. I'd say this is better than relying on a single translation for study, because the creators of that translation may have a theological axe to grind and interpret passages in ways that don't completely reflect their true meaning.

I don't think I would act as though I were an authority figure on ancient languages if I were to undertake this method of study, but such people would occasionally be able to infuse an interesting perspective into discussion or reflection based upon what they have learned. What's wrong with that? Or would you prefer that people just accept the work of others as "good enough" and not demonstrate any intellectual curiosity of their own?

Answer 3

Ok, now I am both a Christian and a Bible Scholar if you will. When I say that "this means that in Hebrew or Greek" it will be because I have researched it out and can verify the same. Although with me it would be the Greek

I agree with Patrick, for I too enjoy haiku, even write some- not a word of Japanese though
Sandy did compare Christianity to Taco Bell- no offence taken. Actually it was kinda funny
My pick for best answer- indianadude- well said
Just had to get in my 2 points worth

Answer 4

excellent point.
now, it is true that SOME christians know hebrew and latin etc.., but most don't. I think the question is directed to those people.
And regarding using tranlsations, I agree with what rosends said, "they don't quite capture it".
I remember watching, a long time ago, pulp fiction in hebrew. At one point Samuel Jackson yells something like "Absof**kinglutely!" To which it was translated into "nachon" (a mild "correct"). Something is definitely lost in translation. But more than that, even if one wants to assume that the translation was pretty good, that wouldn't privelage someone to try and expound ON THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE!
If I read a japanese haiku translation, I'm not going to argue with someone fluent in japanese about the connotations of a particular japanese word! sayounara minasan!

Answer 5

Thus is why In Islam we must learn Arabic to read Quran and translations are only for beginners to learn in there own language.

And ofcourse Translation is not the same as the original script and thus the doubt is justifiable.

Furthermore, the Hebrow itself did not get a dictionary till 1500 somthing so even the original script might had different wording than the current dictionary.

You raised a basic issue that many is not aware of although history books speaks the facts.

Answer 6

Since the Bible we use today is translated from Hebrew it is important that we understand the Hebrew words as they were written at the time. Due to this we now understand that some of the bible was translated a little incorrectly, hence the necessity to understand the original format. I don't read Hebrew, but I will spend hours researching any one particular Hebrew word to get a better understanding of what is being taught in the Bible that I am reading.

Answer 7

There are already so many people who had done the translation and have the commentry to help us. Why study the language?

If I say Sayonara means good bye. Am I wrong? But I don't speak Japanese? However, since it is so common, and even songs were writing about it, how wrong can it be?

Konichiwa, means halo, or something like that. Am I wrong? But I don't speak Japanese? BUt how wrong can I be?

So what is wrong when Christian read a word of Hebrew and their meaning, as it was already written and agreed by so many theologians?

What is your problem? What are you coming from? What you hope to achieve?

Answer 8

People naturally try to define the words that seem very mysterious to them, especially with religious languages. Many of the English speaking Christians are highly misinformed about Hebrew Scriptures. The fact that they try to define it, you should try to take it as them being curious about your language and religion. It's got the same sort of appeal as Chinese tattoos with "love" or "happiness" written in some characters, which you never see on most Asian people, but you see on a white girls more often. Besides,a lot (but not all) Christians, like all other religious peoples, have very deep rooted beliefs, even if their roots aren't quite what they think they are. So, stay chill and try to understand. Many times those who don't read the Bible interpret it anyway, same deal.

Answer 9

Most are too lazy or have anther things going on in their life to try and learn Hebrew. Some do try and learn, but only know a few key words. Most the Christians who tell you what Hebrew scripture says learn it from someone but dont know themselves. I know that cows can be led upstairs but not down..yet ive never tried it, doesn't mean its not true. Although this is where translation can be mixed up.

Answer 10

Whatever their churches say, they believe.

This excerpt is sort of offtopic, but I think it's interesting:


It is helpful to study the books of the Christian Scriptures in chronological order. One can detect how particular beliefs -- e.g. the virgin birth -- apparently developed through time. Modern versions of the Bible are reasonably accurate translations of the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, but still reflect the prejudices of the translators, and the belief systems of the religious institutions which sponsored them. Older translations, like the KJV, are less reliable because their translators had less complete knowledge of Hebrew, and had access to fewer ancient manuscripts. Recent findings of the physical, social and medical sciences have shown that some parts of the Bible cannot be considered accurate. (e.g. the creation stories, mental illness caused by demon infestation, concepts of the structure of the universe, creation of rainbows, origin of various languages, etc). >

The above is from http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_inte.htm