Hebraic Analysis of Luke 3:21-22

Hebraic Analysis of Luke 3:21-22 Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael Harvey Koplitz @2024. Copyright Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz, D.Min., Ph.D. All rights reserved. 2 Introduction When a person is baptized as an infant and grows up in the church, different paradigms become a part of their religious DNA. The church has a message to give about Jesus Christ and His importance. Very few people study the theology and doctrines of the church to determine for themselves the accuracy of the church. The Proto-Orthodox church, which survived the pressures of the Roman Empire, decided to oppose any expression of Christianity that did not fit its dogma in its infancy. In addition, the ProtoOrthodox church would permanently destroy any writings that the rival Christians had developed. The Gnostic Christians of Northern Egypt viewed the life of Jesus of Nazareth in a completely different way than the Proto-Orthodox church did. They saw the message about the Kingdom of Heaven as the vital purpose of Jesus. His birth, death, and resurrection are not mentioned in the Gnostic Gospels. However, did the ProtoOrthodox church destroy the Gnostic Gospels when they crushed said movement? The answer is yes and no. Yes, they destroyed what they got their hands on. No, because in 1948, copies of the Gnostic religious books were discovered in Alexandria, Egypt. Once these documents were translated, the world learned what the Gnostic Christians believed. It is fascinatingly different than what the Proto-Orthodox said about these followers of Christ. Why is this understanding critical? Much research points to a different situation in the early years than what the church espouses. A lot of this information is available to anyone today. However, the Seminaries and churches will not openly discuss these 3 other writings about Jesus and His disciples. The scholars teaching in most Seminaries have learned their lessons from the church and closed-minded mentors who refuse to look at other possibilities. This is because the Western European world took Christianity and changed it from a Near Eastern religion to Western religion. There is a theory that Paul converted Mithras House Churches into Jesus House Churches. This is clear from the connection between the Mithras' and Christianity's rituals. For example, baptism was the initiation ritual of Mithras. Communion did not originate with Jesus. This ritual was a part of Mithras, where the followers would share his flesh (bread) and drink his blood (wine). There are many more rituals that Christianity picked up from Mithras. A good reference is "Christianity's Need for Mithras," which the author wrote. Did Paul create the churches in the letters he sent, which comprise the New Testament, and if so, they must have been Jewish groups who became Jewish Christians? They would have continued with their Hebraic rituals and saw Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah that the prophets of old had promised. They would have adopted many of Jesus' teachings and tried to live by them. The letters in the New Testament are written in Greek. However, most Jews in the Roman Empire did not speak Greek; instead, they spoke Aramaic and Hebrew. These congregations would not have understood a Greek letter from Paul. Therefore, the letters in the New Testament must have been written in Aramaic and then transliterated into Greek. The same can be said for the Gospels, all of them. The church, over the centuries, decided who wrote the Gospels and their intent. The only 4 Gospel we can assign to a writer is Luke. The other three are up in the air about who wrote them. While in Seminary, the author was taught that the entire New Testament was originally written in Koine Greek. However, that raised the question, "Did Jesus speak Greek?" The Seminary instructors said, "no, Jesus did not speak Greek." Then the New Testament, especially the Gospels, must have been written in Aramaic. After all, Jesus spoke Aramaic and Hebrew. We know this because He was a poor tekton (a stonemason or carpenter) from an impoverished city named Nazareth. Being born to a Jewish family in Galilee, he would have learned the traditions of His people and trade. He would have learned to speak Aramaic, the language of the area. He would have learned Hebrew because that was the language of the synagogue and the Temple in Jerusalem. In other words, Hebrew was the language of God, and Jewish males learned the language. Suppose you are ready to toss this manuscript into the nearest trash can or delete it off your electronic device at this point in the introduction. In that case, the writer has your attention. This is the reaction when the writer has spoken with persons who had been indoctrinated into the church's position since birth. The author did not come into the church environment until he was 35. Therefore, the church's paradigms, dogma, and doctrine were not a part of his DNA. Instead, he questioned a lot. He found many inconsistencies between the Bible and the doctrines of the church. Seminary was an experience to learn what the church had evolved into two-thousand years after the death of Jesus. 5 There are more parts to the premise that the New Testament was originally written in Aramaic and will be explored. For the reader to grasp the subsequent phases of the proof, an open mind is critical. 6 Culture and Language Let us continue in the journey of examining the New Testament to determine its original language. Nothing in stone tells us that Aramaic is the Original Language of the New Testament. However, nothing says that Koine Greek was the original language of the New Testament either. Therefore, we have two theories about the original language of the New Testament. The author admits that the Seminary he attended drove home the belief that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, except for a few spots. The New Testament was initially written in Koine Greek. The writers' research has been searching for the original meaning of Scripture for many years. The methodology for this work is called "Ancient Bible Study Methods." The method was developed by Dr. Anne Davis of the Bible Learning University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The author studied this method with Dr. Davis as his mentor. It became clear that the search for the original meaning of the Scriptures requires that the culture and language be examined. So, the author's methodology is Dr. Davis' work, plus his Ph.D. studies combining the method, culture, and language. The language examination is easy for the Old Testament because it was written in Hebrew, and about one-half of Daniel is in Aramaic. It does not take long to realize that idioms and figures of speech in the Hebrew of the Old Testament revealed a lot about the people and situation of the day when the scrolls were written. The Targums were a valuable resource because they are the Aramaic translations the rabbis did for the people living outside of Judea. The rabbis added commentary to the Targums 7 because they knew that some of the idioms and speech used in the Near East would not translate well into the different areas where the Jews lived. The culture of the Near East has been essentially the same in many aspects since the days of Jesus. Many practices of Jesus' day are still in use today. The culture of the Jews of the Near East is built into the language. Often an Aramaic or Hebrew word has a deep meaning that is only fully understood by natives living in that culture. The Old Testament is filled with cultural items that do not need to be spelled out because the people knew their culture in the author's time. Suppose the New Testament in Koine Greek is a transliteration of the Aramaic. The culture, figures of speech, and idioms will be easily identified when examining the Peshitta (the Aramaic version of the New Testament). Indeed many of the so-called difficult words of Jesus are not tricky when examined in the light of the culture of Jesus' day. An example is "faith to move a mountain," Jesus said these words to His disciples. The church determined that this meant complete faith in Jesus. From the western European Greek point of view, that makes sense. What else could it possibly mean? "Faith to move a mountain" is an Aramaic idiomatic expression. What Jesus said to His followers when he said this is that his disciples needed to be faithful so that they could change the "government's view through their words." The governing body for Judaism resided on the top of a mountain. Jerusalem, with its Temple, was built on the top of Mount Zion, a very tall mountain. This idiom survived because the Aramaic Gospels were transliterated into Koine Greek. Numerous other examples support this position. 8 Suppose the culture and language idioms of Jesus' day can be found in the Koine Greek because it was transliterated. In that case, it supports the theory of the Aramaic versions being the original language of the Gospels and possibly even more. 9 The Aramaic Version of the New Testament The Peshitta is the accepted Aramaic translation of the New Testament for many churches of the East. Peshitta means "simple, true, direct, and original." It is a collection of scrolls that were compiled in 150 CE. There were some revisions to the Peshitta in the fifth and sixth centuries. The Greek version of the New Testament is a transliteration of the Peshitta.1 For centuries, the Catholic church has used the Latin version of the Bible, the Vulgate, and still uses it. The Vulgate was developed around 350 CE by Jerome by order of the Pope at that time. Erasmus (1466 – 1536) was the person who put together the Greek New Testament for the Catholic church. "The New Testament, brought to light in the original Greek tongue, was compiled and made available for humanity to study and learn. Although working under and deeply associated with the Roman Catholic Church, the learned scholar declared his disagreement with those who wanted to keep the Scriptures from the common people. He said, "If only the farmer would sing something from them at his plow, the weaver moves his shuttle to their tune, the traveler lighten the boredom of his journey with Scriptural stories!" Little did he know that the work he was about to produce would change the world forever. This Greek New Testament, in printed form, would become the standard of the New Testament, launching the translations of Martin Luther and William Tyndale into the world. Thus, fulfilling his dream that all men would read the 1 Rocco A. Errico and George M. Lamsa, Aramaic Light on Galatians through Hebrews: A Commentary Based on Aramaic, the Language of Jesus, and Ancient near Eastern Customs (Smyma, GA: Noohra Foundation, 2005). 10 Bible for themselves in their common language. His new "study Bible" had two main parts, the Greek text, and a revised Latin edition, which was more elegant and accurate than the traditional translation of Jerome's Latin Vulgate. Erasmus prefaced this monumental work of scholarship with an exhortation to Bible study. He proclaimed that the New Testament contains the "philosophy of Christ," simple and accessible teaching with the power to transform lives."2 The church recognized Erasmus' Greek New Testament in 1515 CE. The church in the Near East has been using the Peshitta as the original language of the New Testament since 150 CE. If the Greek New Testament was important to the church as an original language, then why did it adopt the Vulgate in 350 CE? The church should have adopted the Greek New Testament at the beginning. The Peshitta, translated into English, is used to examine Paul's letters. The rest of the methodology that the author developed for Ancient Bible Study Methods is the framework of this research. 2 “Erasmus Greek New Testament,” Insight of the King, accessed February 18, 2022, https://www.insightoftheking.com/erasmus-greek-new-testament.html. 11 The Messianic Tradition Change One problem for Peter and the Disciples was that they claimed Yeshua to be the Messiah that the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures spoke. However, Yeshua did not do what these traditions said. The main tradition was that the Messiah would destroy oppressive Romans and reinstate the Kingdom of Israel. Yeshua would then be declared the king and sit on David's throne in Jerusalem. That did not occur. None of the messianic traditions of the day worked. So, what was the new movement going to do? They turned to the prophets and discovered Isaiah 50-53. These chapters are referred to as the Suffering Servant chapters. The Yeshua movement decided that the Suffering Servant was Yeshua. The portrayal of Yeshua's life does fit the Suffering Servant chapters. However, rabbinical interpretation then and now sees the Suffering Servant as the nation of Israel. Indeed, these chapters do describe the history of Israel. Nations have wanted to destroy the Jewish people since the time of Abraham. The diaspora from the Babylonia Exile and the Assyrian invasions looked to squelch the Jewish people. The LORD promised that a remnant of the people would always survive. That is true throughout the 4,000-year history of the Jewish people. Many nations tried to destroy them, and the LORD intervened to ensure that a remnant of the people survived. Paul must have been convinced in his encounter with Yeshua on the Damascus road that Yeshua was the Suffering Servant. It is clear from Paul's writings that he did believe this. For Paul, the Messiah was the Spiritual Messiah that the Kabbalah spoke. The 12 Kabbalah says that there will be two Messiahs. This theology is based on Zachariah 9:9. The first Messiah is Messiah ben Joseph. This Messiah was to restore the Kingdom of Heaven, a spiritual Kingdom. The second Messiah will be Messiah ben David. This Messiah was to restore the Kingdom of Israel. The Midrash from the Kabbalah did not state that the Messiah was two different souls. 13 The Kabbalah There is a large amount of material in print about the Kabbalah. The Kabbalah referred to is Moses's Secret Work from Mount Sinai. Legends say Moses received three items on Mount Sinai when he met the LORD. The first is the written law. The written law is called the Torah. The second is the oral law. The oral law was put into a written form around 200 CE called the Mishnah. The third is the secret law called the Kabbalah. The secrets of the Kabbalah are based on the Torah and were written down around 200 CE. The main books of the Kabbalah are the Zohar and the Book of Creation. Many of Yeshua's statements have Kabbalah undertones. Yeshua would have known the Kabbalah. Paul would have known the basics, at least, of the Kabbalah because of his religious education and training. There are Kabbalistic ideas in the Gospels and Paul's letters. Kabbalistic verses will be highlighted in the chapters of the letters. 14 Methodology The methodology employed is to use "Ancient Bible Study Methods" integrated with Jesus's day's customs and culture to examine the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, thus gathering a more in-depth understanding by learning the Scriptures in the way the people of Jesus's day did. I have titled the methodology of analyzing a passage of Scripture in a Hebraic manner the "Process of Discovery." The author developed this methodology, which combines various linguistic and cultural understanding areas. There are several sections to the process, and not all the parts apply to every passage of Scripture. The overall result of developing this process is to give the reader a framework for studying the Word in more depth. The "Process of Discovery" starts with a Scripture passage. An examination of the linguistic structure of the passage is next. The linguistic structure includes parallelism, chiastic structures, and repetition. Formatting the passage in its linguistic form allows the reader to visualize what the first-century CE listener was hearing. Their corresponding sections label the chiasms, for example, A, B, C, B', A.' Not all passages of the Scriptures have a poetic form. The next step is to "question the narrative." The narrative process of questioning the narrative assumes the reader knows nothing about the passage. Therefore, the questions go from simple to complex. The next task is to identify any linguistic patterns. Linguistic patterns include, but are not limited to, irony, simile, metaphor, symbolism, idioms, hyperbole, figurative language, personification, and allegory. 15 A review of any translation inconsistencies discovered between the English NAU version and Hebrew or Greek versions is done. Sometimes, a Hebrew or Greek word is translated in more than one way. Inconsistencies also can be created by the translation committee, which may have decided to use traditional language instead of the actual translation. The decision of the translation committee is in the Preface or Introduction to the Bible. Perhaps some of the inconsistencies were intentionally added to convey some deeper meaning. An examination of every discrepancy is done. The passage is analyzed for any echoes of the Hebrew Scriptures in the Christian Scriptures. An echo occurs using a passage from the Hebrew Scriptures in the Christian Scriptures.3 Also, echoes are found when Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy) passages are used in other Hebrew Bible books. Cross-references in the Scripture are references from one verse to another verse, which can help the reader understand the verse. The names of persons mentioned in the passage are listed. Many Hebrew names have meaning and may be associated with places or actions. Jewish parents used to name their children based on what they felt God had in store for their children. An example is Abraham, whose original name was Abram and was changed to mean eternal father (God changed Abram's name to Abraham, indicating a function he was to perform). When the Hebrew Bible gives names, many occurrences mean something unique. The same importance can occur for the names of places. The time it takes to travel between locations can supply insight into the event. 3 Mitzvot are the 613 commandments found in the Torah that please God. There are positive and negative commandments. The list was first development by Maimonides. The full list can be found at: ttp://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm. 16 Keyphrases are identified in verses when they are essential to understanding that passage. There are no rules for selecting the keywords. Searching for other occurrences of the keywords in Scripture in concordance is necessary to understand the Word's usage; this must be done in either Hebrew or Greek, not in English. A classic Hebraic approach is to find the usage of a word in the Scripture by finding other verses that contain the Word. The usage of a word in its original language is discovered by searching the Scripture in the language of the Word. Verses that contain the Word are identified, and a pattern for the usage of the Word is discovered. Each verse is examined to see what the usage of the Word is, which may reveal a model for the Word's usage. The first usage of the Word in the Scripture, primarily if used in the Torah, is essential for Hebrew words. The Christian Scriptures are used for Greek words to determine the Word usage in the Scripture. Sometimes, finding the equivalent Greek Word in the Septuagint can be beneficial as analyzing its Hebrew usage. The Rules of Hillel are used when applicable. Hillel was a Torah scholar who lived shortly before Jesus' day. Hillel developed several rules for Torah students to interpret the Scriptures, which refer to halachic Midrash. In several cases, these rules are helpful in the analysis of the Scripture. The cultural implications from the writing period are done after the linguistic analysis is completed. The culture is crucial because it is not explicitly referenced in the biblical narratives, as indicated earlier. From the linguistic analysis and the cultural understanding, it is possible to obtain a deeper meaning of the Scripture beyond the plain text's literal meaning. That is what the listeners of Jesus's time were doing. They put linguistics and culture together without even having to contemplate it. 17 The analysis will lead to findings explaining the passage's meaning in Jesus's day. Most of the time, the Hebraic analysis leads to the desire for more in-depth analysis to fully understand what Jesus was talking about or what was happening to Him. Whatever the result, a new, more in-depth understanding of the Scripture is obtained. The components of the Process of Discovery are: Language Process of Discovery Linguistics Section Linguistic Structure Discussion Questioning the Passage Verse Comparison of citations or proof text Translation Inconsistencies Biblical Personalities Biblical Locations Phrase Study 18 Linguistic Echoes Rules of Hillel Culture Section Discussion Questioning the passage Cultural Echoes Culture and Linguistics Section Discussion Thoughts Only the applicable sections are included in this document. 19 Luke 3:21-22 Language Peshitta New American Standard 1995 21 And it occurred, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized. And as he prayed, the heavens were opened; 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him, in the bodily likeness of a dove: and there was a voice from heaven, which said: Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I have delight. 21 aNow when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was bpraying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “aYou are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” 20 References to the New American Standard 1995 Luke 3:21 a Luke 3:21, 22: Matt 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11 b Matt 14:23; Luke 5:16; 9:18, 28f Luke 3:22 a Ps 2:7; Is 42:1; Matt 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 9:35; 2 Pet 1:17 21 Koine Greek Luke 3:21 22 22 Language Process of Discovery Linguistics Section Linguistic Structure [Earthly action] 21 aNow when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was bpraying, heaven was opened, [Heavenly action] 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “aYou are My beloved Son, in You I am wellpleased.” Discussion Luke’s gospel does not identify who did Yeshua’s baptism. Christian tradition says that John the Baptist did it. The other Gospels say John the Baptist did it. However, in Luke’s gospel John is arrested before the baptism. Questioning the Passage 1. Why did the author of Luke’s gospel place John in jail before Yeshua baptism? The general belief is that the author of Luke’s gospel wanted to conclude John the Baptist's ministry before beginning the ministry of Yeshua. By doing so, he caused the confusion about who did Yeshua’s baptism. Communities that only had this gospel did not know that it was John the Baptist who did Yeshua’s baptism. 23 2. What does the “voice came out of heaven” signify? (v. 22) The "voice from heaven" refers to a supernatural or divine voice that is heard in various religious contexts, often conveying messages, guidance, or declarations of significance. In religious texts and traditions, the voice from heaven is associated with divine communication, signaling a direct interaction between the earthly realm and the divine realm. In the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, there are several instances of a voice from heaven being heard: At Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, a voice from heaven was heard affirming Jesus' identity and mission. In the Gospel accounts, the voice says, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22). On a mountain, during the Transfiguration of Jesus in front of Peter, James, and John, a voice from heaven speaks, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; Listen to him!" (Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35). In the Book of Acts, a voice from heaven accompanies the conversion of the apostle Paul (then known as Saul) on the road. The voice identifies itself as Jesus and instructs Paul (Acts 9:4-6). Throughout the Bible, there are additional instances of a voice from heaven being heard during significant events or divine revelations, such as during the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:10-11) and in prophetic visions (Revelation 10:4). 24 The voice from heaven is often interpreted as a manifestation of God's presence, authority, and communication with humanity. It serves to authenticate and validate divine actions, teachings, and revelations in various religious contexts. A voice from heaven was a common feature of apocalyptic literature. The sages of Israel taught that the Spirit had departed from the earth with the last of the prophets, but that on occasion God caused a voice to come forth from heaven.4 3. What is the symbolism of heaven opening? (v. 22) The opening of heaven is an apocalypse to motif that can be found in the Hebrew Scriptures and in apocalyptic writings. Therefore, the opening of heaven signals that Yeshua is the Messiah and that the fulfillment of Israel’s eschatological expectations is about to happen.5 4. What is the symbolism of “my beloved son?” (v. 22) The affirmation of Jesus as God’s son resonates with declarations of sonship throughout Israel’s history. Isaac was promised a child of the covenant, the son whom Abraham loved. The King of Israel was acclaimed as the son of God, as the coronation Psalm suggests which can be found in Psalm two verse seven. Later in history Israel designated itself as God’s son in the suffering servant passage is found in Isaiah chapter 50 through 55.6 4 1. The New Interpreter’s Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005). IBID. 6 IBID. 5 25 Culture Section Discussion The Mikvah ritual, also known as ritual immersion, was a significant practice in ancient Jewish culture during the time of Jesus. It involved the immersion of a person in a natural body of water, or a specially constructed pool called a Mikvah. The purpose of this ritual was primarily for purification and spiritual cleansing. In Jesus' time, the Mikvah was used for various purposes: Observant Jews would immerse themselves in a Mikvah before participating in acts of worship, such as entering the Temple in Jerusalem or engaging in communal prayers. It was also used to regain ritual purity after coming into contact with sources of ritual impurity, such as touching a dead body or engaging in activities that rendered a person impure according to Jewish law. Proselytes who converted to Judaism would undergo immersion in a Mikvah as part of their conversion process, symbolizing their spiritual rebirth into the Jewish faith. Jewish women would immerse themselves in a Mikvah following their menstrual cycles as a ritual of purification before resuming marital relations. The Mikvah was essential for maintaining spiritual purity and was regulated by strict rules and procedures outlined in Jewish religious texts. These practices and beliefs surrounding ritual immersion continue to be observed in traditional Jewish communities today. 26 Questioning the passage 1. Why did John baptize people in the Jordan? John the Baptist baptized people in the Jordan River as part of his ministry and message of repentance and spiritual renewal. The act of baptism in the Jordan had significant symbolic and religious meanings in Jewish tradition. Baptism in the Jordan River symbolized purification from sin and spiritual cleansing. It was a ritual act that signified a person's desire to turn away from their sinful ways and seek forgiveness. John the Baptist saw himself as a prophetic figure, echoing the tradition of Old Testament prophets who called people to repentance and preparation for the coming of God's kingdom. John's baptism was closely associated with the anticipation of the Messiah. He preached to the people, urging them to repent and be baptized as a preparation for the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah, who would bring salvation and redemption. Baptism in the Jordan River resonated with Jewish rituals of purification, such as the immersion in a Mikvah, which was a common practice for spiritual cleansing in Jewish tradition. Overall, John the Baptist's baptism in the Jordan River was a powerful symbol of spiritual renewal, repentance, and preparation for the coming of the Messiah, drawing on both Jewish religious practices and prophetic traditions. 27 2. What is the symbolism of the “dove?” (v. 22) The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit for several reasons, rooted in both biblical narratives and ancient cultural symbolism: In many cultures and traditions, the dove is a symbol of peace, purity, and innocence. It carries connotations of gentleness, tranquility, and divine presence. This symbolism aligns with the attributes associated with the Holy Spirit, such as bringing peace, comfort, and spiritual purity. The dove was also a significant symbol in ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Mesopotamia and Egypt. It was often associated with deities related to fertility, creation, and renewal. This cultural background likely influenced the adoption of the dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In summary, the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit because of its biblical association with Jesus' baptism, its cultural symbolism of peace and purity, and its historical significance in ancient Near Eastern cultures. Thoughts We think about Jesus' baptism, we should think about our baptism. What did your baptism mean to you? Since Jesus offers a forgiveness of sin through baptism, should not we be doing something for him? 28