EVIDENCE FOR ARAMAIC PRIMACY

California Regional Corrections Center in Norco California

When I was in Jr. College I began serving as a volunteer doing Prison Ministry at CRC California Regional Corrections Center in Norco California. It was over an hour each way so it gave me time to mentally rehearse what we were going to cover that day. Initially we were focusing upon the weekly Torah Portions as well as the other sections from the Prophets; Writings; and, the New Testament.

The Men in the Bible Study group expressed an interest in digging into Prophecy as the head of our congregation was already covering these topics each week. So we took a democratic approach; and, voted (I refrained) to see where they wanted to start; and, they wound up agreeing they wanted to start in the book of Daniel.

I had already been studying Daniel myself; but, nowhere near the level I did to prepare to teach these men each week. I have been an a position in the past where I earned a very generous six figure income; and, have experienced both poverty and homelessness as well. I must admit that this was some of the more intrinsically rewarding work I have ever done. 

My intent was to make this study group one that was on par with what someone earning a PhD might study as we examined the text. We would dig deeply each week into the text; and, because the Book of Daniel was written in both Hebrew; and, Aramaic it only made sense for me to dig into the History of Aramaic; and, its usage throughout the Middle East in times of antiquity. This Aramaic thread would lead me in several directions. 

The start it led me to discovering a version of the Bible I had never heard of before called The Peshitta. A text that is native to the Middle East. What we use here in the West is foreign to them. Secondarily it would lead me into the Targums which are themselves Aramaic translations of the Old Testament. And thirdly it would lead me to the Samaritan Pentateuch. 

As I dug into the vast Middle Eastern usage of Aramaic by the Akkadians; Assyrians; Babylonians; & Persians who employed it as a "common tongue" used in the ruling of their nations; the more I began to see how important it was for us to properly understand the New Testament. I would also become familiar with how all three of these Empires likewise used a Cuneiform style writing system for all of their Official Government documentation. Two Languages to Rule. One tongue was official; the other considered "common."

Because the Children of Israel from both the Northern; and, Southern Tribes found themselves in far away lands where Aramaic was the common tongue; upon their return to the land of their forefathers known as Israel, it would make necessary the use of men called "Meturgeman" (Aramaic for Translators).

Because the Priestly class of Levites who were teaching would read; write; and speak Hebrew the many who had been in captivity in Assyria; Babylon; and, Persia for some 80 + years (for those in Babylon) the use of Hebrew as their everyday common tongue would become lost. The Meturgeman would give the people the the "sense" of what was said AFTER the Levites would read the Hebrew Scrolls publicly on Sabbath.

This led to the creation of the Targums; and, my friends these are more important than you can possibly imagine. All the language we see in the Gospel of John comes right out of the Targums. If you have never studied them I would encourage you strenuously to do so. The Targums are NOT Talmudic. They are an Aramaic word for word translation of the Hebrew that is based upon Hebrew Texts that pre-date the Masoretic Text. Which is why we should study them.

These are published by McNamera 

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