Would it be better if Christianity tried to go back to the original language the bible was written in?

Question

To better understand god's word

Answer 1

Might, but you'd have to learn the following:

Hebrew
Aramaic
Greek and:
All the sociological and cultural nuances that give a language its connotative definitions.

Lots of people DO read the Scriptures in the original tongues. They're called "theologians". I'm one of them. It takes about 5 years to become proficient and a lifetime to gain understanding.

Answer 2

Christianity does indeed go back to the original language the Bible was written in. If you go to your local Christian bookstore, you'll see all sorts of study helps related to the original languages of the Bible such as Greek/Hebrew interlinear Bibles, Greek/Hebrew dictionaries, Greek/Hebrew word studies, cultural studies, idiom studies, etc. It is all very accessible and any minister worth their salt will use such tools in expositing scripture. And many individual Christians use these tools as well, or even take classes (for example, I'm no theologian but I've taken a couple classes in classical Greek).

So I guess the answer to your question from my perspective would be no, it wouldn't be better; it would be the same as what's going on now. Though you're right, it would be better if more Christians did use the tools available in regards to the original languages--but it's understandable that they don't because it isn't easy.

Answer 3

For the most part that has already happened, at least in Protestant Christianity. Sure, most Christians read English translations but unlike the Latin Vulgate that was the mainstay of the Catholic church for centuries, today's translations have been well researched by scholars who went back to the original Greek and Hebrew renderings and these are readily available.

If you go to the Free Stuff page @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/ you can find a link to download the e-Sword software and it has the KJV with Stong's numbers so that when you run your mouse pointer over the number next to each word it brings up the original word along with a short definintion.

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God (430) created1254 (853) the heaven8064 and the earth.776

H430
אלהים
'ĕlôhîym
el-o-heem'
Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (G2316), and the Word was God.


G2316
θεός
theos
theh'-os
Of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively a magistrate; by Hebraism very: - X exceeding, God, god [-ly, -ward].

Answer 4

Not at all. First it was written in several languages and second how could we understand it. The papists tried to keep it in Latin for centuries and it led to a great decline in the church ignorance in the people and leaders alike. For preachers and translators who are skilled in this field it is good and necessary as it preserves the integrity or our translated word and the original intent. What we have in our language truly is the Word of God

Answer 5

It would certainly be interesting, if it were possible.

I don't know how many people can translate Aramaic into common current languages, though. I recently ran across a site that had what are said to be direct translations of "The Lord's Prayer" from Aramaic to English. These had a very different flavor than the commonly accepted translation. I'll see if I can dig it up.


EDIT: Here's the site I had found previously:

http://www.thenazareneway.com/lords_prayer.htm

Answer 6

If there is a need to check whether the translation of any verse in the Bible follows closely the original text, it is useful to go back to the original text. Unless there is a critical difference the translation may be sufficient for us to accept and follow. It is a easier approach to check when a need arises.

Answer 7

How on earth are you and I and people all over the world to read the WORD of God when it is written in a foreign language

Answer 8

No, To understand Gods word, takes time, study, and help with mature persons that have a clear understanding of the bible.

Answer 9

It sure wouldn't hurt for them to look at what it means in that language. A lot of people don't realize that one Hebrew word could mean 20 different things. That it totally depends on the context of the rest of what is written in order to give you the meaning of that word. Then again, there are words we use now to which there wasn't a word for it in Hebrew... such as "Homosexual". And when, in the Hebrew, it speaks of men laying with men, the context is rape. People tend to overlook that sort of thing, even when it's displayed in the English... such as with Lot and the angel visitors. The men outside wanted to Rape them... not just go in and have tea and then, maybe, sex. It was rape they wanted... But hatred of other groups blinds some people to the context, I guess.

Answer 10

I find it fascinating to read the Bible in Hebrew, but it really doesn't add very much unless you put the words back into their original historical context.

For example, you know that Abaham and Sarah couldn't have kids (because they were related). Did you know that in their time women were punished with death if they couldn't have children? (According to Hammurabi's laws, they were thrown into the Euphrates river. If they survived, they were considered to have been favored by the gods.)

This puts Abraham up a few notches, in context, seeing how he was denied children until the end of his life but refused to give up his wife. Never even spoke of divorce.