Session 3: The Languages of the Bible

The Bible was written in ancient Hebrew, ancient Aramaic, and Koine Greek. Tracing every occurrence of a word throughout the Bible is a powerful way to better understand the range of meaning for the word. Tracing a New Testament word back through its use in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible can reveal connections the author intended to make.

The Bible develops one whole set of ideas in two different languages. If we want to study biblical words, we need to know how to work in two languages. One work bridges these two languages and literary collections. It’s called the Septuagint. And it’s the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible.

Sir John Walton helps us better navigate the barriers of understanding a text in his postulation that: “Effective communication requires a body of agreed-upon words, terms and ideas, a common ground of understanding… For the audience, if they are not native to the language and culture of the speaker, this means reaching common ground may require seeking out additional information or explanation. In othe words, the audience has adapt a new and unfamiliar culture.”