Some Very “Key” Differences Between Hebrew And Greek
“Key” To Understanding The Difference Between The Bible and Western Tradition – And English
At the end we will provide a written succinct summary of these “key” differences.
We would very much encourage you to please see our extended teaching – explanation on this; why? We believe it provides much more in-depth information, which the site is about, in our teaching. We also include a summary of a number of “key” Hebrew words in the Bible as well as some of the KG words most commonly found in the KG text. It is “key” to keep well in mind that the RCS authors think Hebraically (often!) but must use KG words for a KG audience.
We of course include a brief summary of the meanings of Hebrew names of the Personal LORD, Yeshua Hamashiach, and the Ruach Hakodesh.
We cannot stress enough; the Bible, especially the Hebrew Scriptures and the words of Yeshua, must be read with the heart not the “head”. That is, many obstacles, problems, misunderstandings, misconceptions, misapprehensions, etc. could be avoided by “hearing” the Bible with the heart rather than “reading” it with the intellect.
A very fine contemporary Orthodox Jewish rabbi cites a great rabbi who in a Hebrew work on ethics, morals, discipline, teaching, and commitment (a Hebrew word that is the “key” word of Proverbs) says the following about the Torah. There are other rabbis who also say the same thing. That is, that Torah Knowledge is different than secular knowledge, which is information. The Torah, and we add, the Bible for that matter, is not religious science or religious mathematics. The Torah is the Will of God, cf. Mt. 7:21-24, especially v. 21, and that reality informs and infuses the Torah and the Scriptures.
Torah and science are not at all necessarily at odds, but one cannot approach the Bible as though one is trying to figure out how to make a smaller, cheaper cellphone. If we may make an analogy, if one approached Beethoven from a primarily technical approach – say his chord structure or use of musical scales, etc., but did not listen to Beethoven played by a great orchestra with a conductor knowledgeable and sensitive to its nuances, one would miss the richness, depth, and heart of Beethoven’s music.
While the Bible is not a work of art, neither is it nor does it have to be a Western based rationale and logically logical book written by Greek or Western philosophers or scientists.
Incidentally as we have pointed out elsewhere, Paul in Athens in Acts 17 sees that not only, in Luke’s Greek “wholly full of idols, specifically referring to the city” (Acts 17:16), but that the best the Athenians for all their “intellect” can come up with is, “(a) statue to (an) “agnosto Theo” “unknown God”.
We must first note that the Bible is 77% Hebrew (with a few middle chapters in Daniel and a verse in the Prophet Jeremiah in Aramaic, the close “sister” Semitic language of Hebrew). Further, and extremely “key” is that the Gospels not only record words and teaching originally spoken in Hebrew and Aramaic, but that the Koine (“common”) Greek of the RCS is not “Attic Greek” the Greek of the philosophers and the classics. “Attic Greek” is much more sophisticated than the KG (Koine Greek) of the RCS.
Even the scholars who are the most strident defenders of Western Tradition readily point out that Hebraisms abound in Matthew and Yochanon in particular – including Yochanon’s Letters and Revelation – and that Paul too has Hebraisms in his KG. We open these up for you in our teaching in order for you to gain additional insight into the hearts and minds of the RCS writers – and Yeshua of course too!
In short for here “why Hebrew”? In Acts 26:14-15 Paul in speaking with Jewish officials, says that Yeshua spoke to him “b’ivrit” “in Hebrew”. Not even KG, nor Latin, nor Olde or contemporary English – but Hebrew. We elsewhere have pointed out that if Hebrew is largely “irrelevant” as it sadly is in far too much Western Teaching, why does the Ruach Hakodesh inspire Luke to record Paul saying “Yeshua spoke to me in Hebrew”? Why record the language at all if it is “irrelevant”? Why not Greek? Why not “Latin”? Why not “English”?
The extremely extremely “key” question is how can the Bible be correctly understood and applied – when its overwhelming overarching language is far too largely unknown among the (non-Jewish) followers of Yeshua? The World has misconceptions about the Bible because the Jew is not “allowed” or sought after to open up its richer, more accurate, authentic and inner meaning.
The result? Far too many misconceptions and too much of the Bible’s Truth, richness, beauty, wisdom, depth, accuracy and authenticity and inner meaning as well as its plain meaning and what is intended, is left by the wayside.
Our “mission – function – purpose” is not to tell you “what you must think or else” but rather to help you think for yourself. It is to aide and assist and encourage by opening up the Word for you but not “dictating” to you “here’s what you “must” think”. Rather, we would encourage and help you to see for yourself, based on the Word accurately represented.
It is however, in your hands. We are extremely aware of Jacob’s – not “James” – warning to his fellow Jewish followers of Yeshua “few should be teachers…you will be judged the more harshly”, to paraphrase Jacob 3:1.
With this in mind and first and foremost to be honoring to the LORD, and to the Mashiach, here are some “keys” to Hebrew and Greek!
Quickly lest we forget Hebrew is the only language the Father communicates to Man in. Thus, how can it not be “key” to more deeply understanding and applying the will of the Father Mt. 7:21-23. We have explained the details of this elsewhere.
Lastly for here, we would posit as one of the great Jewish teachers and philosophers of the 20th century in effect asked, “If Yeshua was meant to be “JC”, why deposit his cradle in Bethlehem, meaning “House of Bread” in Hebrew in a village in Israel”? Why not if not at the oracle of Delphi then at least in Athens?” (Cf. Acts 17:16-23, vss. 16, 21, 23 and 32 in particular)
For more, we strongly encourage you to see our in-depth, we hope, extended teaching on Hebrew. It includes brief explanations of the names of the Personal LORD, Yeshua Hamashiach, and the Ruach Hakodesh, from their Hebrew originals. This will help your understanding of God!
“Hebrew” means to “cross over, pass over”. Not “Passover”, which is a different word from a verb “to skip haltingly”. Abraham is first called a Hebrew in Gen. 14:13. Please see the extended teaching for more on the spiritual significance of the meaning of “Hebrew”.
Gentiles especially should be fully aware that Paul in Gal. 3 calls Abraham their father. Not the Early Gentile Fathers nor the “Re-formers” but Abraham the “Ivri” the Hebrew is the Gentiles spiritual father!
Greek; “Ellene” in Greek, thus “Hellenist – Hellenistic”. “Greek” in Hebrew comes from “Yavan” “Javan” in English, cf. Zech. 9:13, Gen. 10:2. “Javan” is a descendent of Yephet (“Japhet” in English), a son of Noah whose name in Hebrew means “beautiful”.
The ancient Greeks certainly followed in the name of their ancestor as they lived and brought much beauty to the World.
Lest we forget, Noah’s son “Shem” “name” in Hebrew, is the one from whom Abraham descended (cf. Gen. 9:18-27, 10:1, v. 21, 11:11-26). Note that Gen. 11:26 mentions Avram later to be called Abraham (“father of many peoples”) by the LORD Gen. 17:4-6.
- Who is it the Personal LORD begins to reveal His Name to? Abraham Gen. 12:1 etc. The LORD does so, not through “systematic explanation of Who and what He Is” but rather through His actions and His Personal revelation to the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – not the Early Gentile Fathers – and to Moshe, Joshua, David, Solomon, the Prophets etc.
- The LORD did not give Moshe an “intellectually compelling argument” full of “reason and logic” that Moshe would “present” to Pharaoh in order to “intellectually convince “Pharaoh” let My People go”. Cf. Ex. 4:22-24.
- The LORD acted through His Creation and through the Hebrew Moshe and Aaron. In short for here the Ten Plagues were a concrete demonstration that the LORD is Master of the Universe through the use not of the “Intellect”, but through material, physical means and action.
The LORD showed His control over the Egyptian “gods” of the Nile River and the “sheep”. The LORD demonstrated His control of Nature. Lastly, the LORD demonstrated His control of Life itself – through the death of the firstborn.
In short for here we must note 2 very “key” things:
- Hebrew’s idea of “wholeness” and “connectedness” are clearly demonstrated. The “whole” of the firstborn (in Hebrew “specially chosen” because at a deeper level “firstborn” is not about who or what is merely born “first”) including cattle, died. This was during the ten plagues brought upon Egypt by the LORD. Why?
There is no Greek based “separation and compartmentalization” in Hebrew. This cannot be emphasized strongly or often enough for Christians, fed the Word through Athens/Western Europe rather than Jerusalem. The removal of “separation and compartmentalization” is “key” to understanding and applying Yeshua’s emphasis on “wholeness” and in Hebrew “absolute compound oneness absolute one”, as he and the Father Yochanon 17:20-23. For the LORD and the Lord Yeshua the World is “whole” even when to us it seems broken; everything is “connected”. Thus, the cattle could not be “separated and compartmentalized” from Egypt’s firstborn human males in this instance – as with the Flood; please see ahead.
- The Bible principle of “measure like before (a) measure”. “What goes around comes around” actually originally is based on “measure for measure” which predates Hinduism’s “karma”.
Both Yeshua and Paul use “measure like before (a) measure”. For Yeshua see Mt. 7:1-2, Lk. 6:37. For Paul see 2 Cor. 9:6.
- “Key” – The Flood of Gen. 6. The above is why even the animals had to perish in the Flood – not just In short for here, Man’s inhumanity to Man had corrupted the World not just Man. Man was supposed to be a “partner” of God – cf. 1 Cor. 3:6 “I planted, Apollos watered but – in strong contrast – (KG “alla”) specifically referring to the God, gave (the) growth”.
In context Paul takes the Corinthians to task in 1 Cor. 3:1-5 for their “denominations” of “Paul” “Apollos” and “Mashiach”. That is for their Greek mindedness of separating and dividing over various views about an idea – the Greeks loved to do this cf. Acts 17:21.
- “Flood” in Hebrew means “wither”. As one of the great 19th century Orthodox Jewish Torah teachers astutely and correctly points out, Man had “withered” towards Man, as Gen. 6 shows.
Thus the “withering Flood” was a physical manifestation of an end brought about by the spiritual condition and actions of Man toward each other.
In its “totality” the World had become “corrupt”. We should note that the same Hebrew word translated “corrupt” is also the word in Hebrew for “slaughter” in Gen. 6.
In short “measure for measure”; “corrupt” Man – in this instance – brought about “slaughter”.
Yet rather than showing “God is cruel or uncaring” we see graciousness exercised by the LORD in the “Wither – Flood”. How? The end of Gen. 6:17 in Hebrew is not merely that all life outside Noah’s Ark “died”. In Hebrew it was “gavah” which includes the meaning “numb”.
Despite how it may be translated, the Hebrew text does not use the Hebrew word for “death-die”. Some translations may have “expired” which is more accurate. The word “gavah” includes the meaning and idea of “numb”.
You may find it of interest that with the deaths of all 3 Patriarchs and Aaron, the Torah does not merely say – in Hebrew – they “died”. In each instance their death is immediately preceded with that they became “numb, unfeeling”; then, they died.
If you have ever held the hand of a loved one at a bedside vigil as they lay dying, when they could no longer respond even to squeeze your hand, you know exactly what this means…
The Torah in its subtle wisdom and Truth and deeper depth is not merely stating “all life outside the Ark died. The Torah’s Hebrew tells us life “became numb, and expired”.
- How is any of this “graciousness” on the part of the LORD? Do we see an account of terror and panic of people and animals desperately racing up hills to escape the Flood? No. There is no “terror” as Pharaoh’s charioteers did experience when they realized “the LORD fights for Israel” Ex. 14:25, cf. Ex. 14:13-14.
- Despite Man’s corruption – not “theologically” about God but towards each other – Gen. 6:11-12 – God exercises graciousness in that Man and beast are spared from being terrified when the waters rise. God allows Man to become numb, as one of the great 19th century Orthodox Jewish Torah teachers and Hebrew philologists (those who study words) astutely and correctly points out. Man had become physically what he already had become spiritually.
- Why is this extremely “key” to see?
Post-Biblical Gentile leadership, in rejecting Jerusalem for Athens as the source of truth, does 2 very “key” things.
- In embracing Greek and rejecting Hebrew, which it knows nothing of anyway, separation and compartmentalization are introduced into the Body of Mashiach – that is supposed to be “one”! Cf. Yochanon 17:20-23, 1 Cor. 12:12-27, Phpn. 2:2-3, etc. Cf. Ex. 24:3! This eventually leads to 1,001 “denominations”.
- An artificial dichotomy is set up – “OT – NT” Rather than seeing the Word of God, in KG, “the Word of the God” (KG “ton logon ton Theou” Acts 18:11 etc.) “wholistically”.
- “OT – NT” is in fact never – ever – found on the lips of Yeshua. He does not think or see it that There is no “OT – NT” dichotomy by Yeshua at the Last Seder Lk. 22. If ever Yeshua was going to do this, would not the Last Seder have been the perfect time?
Luke’s KG for “new” is “kainos” – “renewed, new in quality” – not “neos” “new in time” i.e. “brand new”. We explain this in our teaching in greater detail elsewhere.
The above “excursus” was critical we believe, in order so that you hopefully have some additional insight and explanation as to why certain things Biblically are seen one way, when they should or could be seen another way.
“Excursus” is classic of if not Hebrew then of Jewish thinking. A “key” example in the RCS – Paul’s use of “excursus” regarding the Jewish idea known in Latin as “the Rapture” in 1 Thess. 4:13-18.
Paul does not write 1 Thess. as “a discourse on “the Correct Doctrinal Position On The Rapture”. It is to answer the very human and heartfelt question the Thessalonians had about their loved ones who had died before them.
1 Thess. 4 begins with Paul encouraging the Thessalonians to live a godly life pleasing to the LORD and to exercise love “complete devotion to the other”, even more so. Paul begins chapter 5 reassuring the Thessalonians about the End and continues to encourage them – as he has the whole Letter.
In between 1 Thess. 4:1 and 5:1 is an excursus to answer a question. It ends 1 Thess. 4:18, that the Thessalonians should “Oste parakaliete allelons en tois logois toutois” “so that come alongside (each other) and call – encourage, reciprocating – back and forth (to one another) by means of specifically referring to these words.”
We highlighted “these” “toutois” in KG because in KG Paul puts it last for emphasis. “These words” are to come along side (parakaleite, “para” – “alongside” and a form of “kaleo”, “call”, “encourage”) and encourage. Not to “sxisma” “split and divide and start whole “denominations based on differing positions”.
- Hebrew – Wholeness, totality, and connectedness based. Action, active, flow, movement. “Concrete not concept” oriented. Physical – material seen as good since the “totality” of the Word is created by God Gen. 1:1, etc., etc.
- “Heart not head”
- Thinking and expressing in short, complete thoughts and clauses strung together “like pearls on a strand”, connected by “and”.
- Greek – Separation and compartmentalization rooted
- Fixed and static
- “Position” oriented
- Passive
- Idea – concept oriented where Hebrew is “concrete”; example below
- Greek syntax (sentence structure) are main clauses and subordinate thought and expression followed by main thought. Tends to put things first or last in a sentence for emphasis. We bring this out in our teaching and explanation – commentary so you can see where the writer’s original emphasis is – and is not. Greek can have a 100-word sentence that makes perfect sense, unheard of in Hebrew.
- “Key” – English and English translations reflect Greek, and in the case of the KJV, Latin, much much more so than Hebrew.
- A “key” reason why the Bible “seems” to have its main characters sound like English speakers when they are not (!!) is because translations tend to be more concerned that the translation “resonate” with its “intended market” rather than with how the Bible actually This is because the concern is that this will be “too difficult” or “not resonate” or not be “easily understood” if it does not “sound” English.
This is a very “key” reason why Moshe, David and Solomon, the Prophets, the authors of the Psalms, Yeshua, the Taught ones and Paul, etc. sound like Americans or native “English” speakers in the English translations you commonly read, when in fact “English” is as far away from them as Los Angeles from Jerusalem!
To the “Jewish brothers” Yeshua in English comes across as though he is “JC”, an English-speaking American Gentile from the “Bible Belt” 150 years ago.
That is no more accurate and authentic than portraying Shakespeare like an Orthodox Jew living in an Orthodox section of Jerusalem!
- Hebrew – Begins with the universal, the “Big Picture” and moves to concrete specifics. Absolutely unparalleled for understanding the Personal LORD and the Mashiach as they were intended to be understood. Cf. Mt. 7:21-24.
- Hebrew is a poor choice for philosophy and abstractions. Hebrew is ideal for both the deep and mystical depth of things and for very concrete ideas and actions.
- Hebrew is the best choice to know what God wants, expects, and what we are to “be and do”. It is a poor choice for theorizing and theology and speculation. Greek or English are much better suited for that.
- Hebrew is very
- Tends to hyperbole
- Not a lot of adjectives
- Very very bold – the Prophets in Hebrew can be absolutely devastating. Very direct though can be both bold, direct, and nuanced at the same time – without contradiction
- Short, to the point. NO wasted words. (We fail this).
- Hebrew tends to use repetition to make a point. Hebrew tends to use repetition to make a point. Example; Yochanon’s (“John” in English) Gospel tends to have Yeshua saying not just “Amen” but “Amen amen” when he begins making a particularly “key” point or desiring to get his fellow Jews to listen.
more to follow