And I have seen the fruit of the Hebrew Roots movement for decades now and I reject it as another form of Judaism/Gnosticism which has been around since the beginning of the church. Nothing antisemitic about that and claiming antisemiticism is like pulling the race card when there is no good defence. I am not intimidated.
As to your Masters in Theology, it is difficult to imagine being able to graduate without knowing that Aramaic was the common language of the Jews at the time of Christ. Modern textbooks, oldest text books, or ancient historians all agree.
But no one ever concedes in CC so we can just move on.
AGAIN, I am indeed aware of the current attitude among gentile scholars that Aramaic was the predominant language of Israel in Jesus' time. Please stop insisting I'm not aware of it. It is this awareness I question.
AGAIN, I assert this assumption may be flawed. These flaws have been discovered in archaeological sites in Israel as well as other nations in the Arab community.
I personally walked a dig in Bahrain many years ago that had uncovered some unusual cultural facts about Solomon's kingdom. The government of Bahrain erected a monument to celebrate the discoveries there.
Please don't live in the same antique attitude as those who don't get their hands dirty searching for truth. Scholars who live in dusty closets cannot be assumed to hold all things to be accurate. One has to go out there and dig, sometimes literally.
I've studied the nature of Hebrew poetry in Psalms and Proverbs. You must admit few Christians are aware it even exists. I've pointed out the existence of Hebrew
idioms in the gospel of Matthew that indicate its origin wasn't Aramaic or Greek. Those idioms are there to be discovered by anyone who reads the English version of the gospel.
And and and, most sentences begin with And. That's a Hebrew idiom, not Aramaic or Greek. It's not proof of course, but it's a very heavy suggestion to be sure.
And that's very plain to be read, again
And again
And again.
And it's almost aggravating to read it.
And I'm sure the read must agree.
AGAIN, I was employed at a local college. During that time I interviewed professors about the efficacy of students' use of Wikipedia for research. They generally felt that Wikipedia was doing a good job of filtering information. Read the bottom of any article and you may find additions written there for clarification. I've entered a few myself and had them published there.
Professors do NOT, however, consider Wikipedia the final word on anything. Ask one. Every one I consulted considered references to Wikipedia to be one of several that must be included in any student bibliography. Surely those who seek Biblical truth in historic/scholarly references ought to do the same.
AGAIN, I wish to reiterate to the reader that Hebrew was used much more than has been assumed by the gentile academic community.
For instance, I'm aware of a growing trend among Jews who study Hebrew that the written words contain
musical notation. I've personally attended a few concerts by a fellow who had studied Hebrew as musical notation for many years. He even learned how to build his own harp to play them.
This is a strange development and appears to have been inspired (by something) consistently across political and geographic boundaries at the same time with the same results.
The fellow I listened to played and sang several of the psalms of David, which were composed in Hebrew literary style
and incorporated Hebrew musical notation in the actual Hebrew words. The melody was very soothing. I can understand now how King Saul was calmed from his demonic ravings by them.
You and I are certainly aware of the insistence of gentiles that Aramaic was predominant. You ought also be aware that these same scholars, hidden away in their dusty library stacks, are as incapable of intellectual change as the mountains are that stretch into the sky. It's a fact of life, academically speaking. I know because I worked and studied among them for many years.
It's up to those who are independent of the pressures felt by professional scholars to glean the truth of things. The journey is the reward as much as the treasure found in it.
that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
