Endeavouring to Reveal the Best and Most Logical Readings From
Amongst the Ancient Versions of the Holy Bible
As indicated in the title, with God’s help, we have endeavoured to find the best renderings in the ancient versions and in some cases, deduce what most likely was the original reading because of slight errors that could have occurred in transcribing. We try to prove these points through the help of the writings of other scholars and of their commentaries or from other ancient writings concerning similar matters.
Book Two of Kings
18:26 *Syrian language] #0762. for 'Aramaic' ('Aramiyth') in the Hebrew. Also found at Ezr 4:7; Isa. 36:11; and Dan 2:4. See Nehemiah 13:24.
I Chronicles
The Real Jabez Prayer
1Chronicles 4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. (Authorized Version (AV))
1Ch 4:9 And Igabes was more famous than his brethren; and his mother called his name Igabes, saying, I have born as a sorrowful one. 10 And Igabes called on the God of Israel, saying, γ O that thou wouldest indeed bless me, and enlarge my coasts, that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest make me know that thou wilt not grieve me! And God δ granted him all that he asked. (γ Gr. if blessing thou wouldest bless. δ Gr. brought upon him.) (BSept).
1Ch 4:9 Igabes indeed was the most honourable of his brethren. Now his mother had called his name Igabes, saying, I have brought him forth Os-gabes [with sorrow]. [10] And Igabes called on the God of Israel, and said, If Thou wilt bless me with blessings and enlarge my borders, let Thy hand be with me, and give me knowledge that I may not debase myself. Accordingly God gave him all that he asked. (CSept).
BEST: 1Ch 4:9 And one of them was dear to his father and to his mother, so they called his name Our Eyes. 10 And they said to him, The Lord shall surely bless you and enlarge your territory, and his hand shall be with you and shall deliver you from evil, that it may not have power over you, and he shall grant you that which you request of him. ( Lamsa Version)

SYRIAC.-"And one of these was dear to his father and to his mother; and he called his name [Syriac] ainai, MY EYE. And he said to him, In blessing may the Lord bless thee, and enlarge thy boundary; and may his hand be with thee; and may he preserve thee from evil, that it may not rule over thee; and may he give to thee whatsoever thou shalt request of him!"

ARABIC.-"And this one (Hastahar or Harum) was beloved of his father and his mother: and they called his name [Arabic] aina, MY EYE; and they said unto him, May the Lord bless thee, and multiply thy people, and may his hand be present with thee, because thou wast born in Beth-lehem!" (Adam Clark’s Commentary (ACC))
Note how selfish or self-centered the prayer is in the first three versions. How could this ever be a prayer that God would bless or honour? Adam Clark also notes that in 1 Chronicles 2:55 “And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.” that Jabez is the name of a place, not a person. The prayers or wishes for God’s blessings in the latter versions are those of his parents for their child, My Eye or Our Eyes. Their prayer or wishes are similar to the statements of the angel about John the Baptist (Luke 1:14-17) and about Jesus (Luke 1:32-33).
The last ones are therefore the most logical and the correct ones and it suggests too that the Aramaic or Syriac and the Arabic texts are translations of texts or a line of texts older or much different than those used by the translators of the Septuagint. This therefore suggests that we should be giving more precedence to these versions than the much later Masoretic text of about 900 A. D. and of which the old AV was translated.
If these conclusions are correct and are therefore Biblical, then all the hype about the importance of the Prayer of Jabez according to the regular King James Version or AV is foolishness and unscriptural.
The Book of Proverbs
Eyelids Do Not See
Proverbs 4:25 “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids* look straight* before thee.” Authorized Version (AV). WRONG See below
4:25 "Let thine eyes look straight forward and thine eyelids wink justly."(CSept)
"Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent 'to' just 'things'." (BSept)
Consider this, that the eyelids do not look, as they are blinds for the eyes. On considering further the definition of yashar or jasher in Strong's, quoted below, the Sept. readings are the most logical as they indicate being "upright(-ly)".
*eyelids] 06079. Pepe `aph`aph, af-af' from 5774; an eyelash (as fluttering); figuratively, morning ray:--dawning, eye-lid. See Hebrew 05774 (`uwph)
*look straight] 03474. rvy yashar, yaw-shar' a primitive root; to be straight or even; figuratively, to be (causatively, to make) right, pleasant, prosperous:--direct, fit, seem good (meet), + please (will), be (esteem, go) right (on), bring (look, make, take the) straight (way), be upright(-ly).
Missing Words
Proverbs 5:1 (AV) “My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:”
5:1 CSept "My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thine ear to my {words, that thou mayst keep a good} understanding." The words in the {...} are apparently missing in the Hebrew and Aramaic texts.
The Book of Isaiah
How Could a Son be His Everlasting Father?
Isaiah 9:6 (AV) “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
9:6 CTSept. "Because for us a child is born, and to us a son is given, whose government is on his own shoulder; and his name is a called 'The Messenger of Great Counsel'. For I will bring peace on the rulers and health for him." BSept. has ". . . counsel (footnote: 'Alex.' + Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty One, Potentate, Prince of Peace, Father of the age to come. Compare Heb. 2.2.")." Note here that the word translated Father here, if it was representing the general word for Father in the Hebrew, that same word is also translated in the AV as chief 3x, forefathers 1x, patrimony 1x, principal 1x. Dr. George M. Lamsa in his Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text has “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government will be upon his shoulder: and his name is called Wonderful Counsellor, The Mighty One, The Everlasting God, The Prince of Peace.”
The Hebrew of the Masoretic text could also be translated something like this: "For a child is born to us; a son is given to us; and the government is on his shoulder; and his name is called Wonderful, Counselor of God, Mighty One of an everlasting Father, Ruler of Peace." The Hebrew word that is translated God here could also be translated as Superior One.
In other words, this verse Isaiah 9:6 is no proof that Jesus is the Father God or God the Father, for where there are two or more nouns or substantives next to each other, they could also be simply representing construct relationships. That means that one is genitive or belonging to another. Even a string of words could be genitive to each other as “the spear of the servant of the king of Israel.” In Hebrew this is generally all written without any need for the word for of or for any ending of a suffice to indicate this.
It is the construction that corresponds to the expression “of” in English, שי סס “the horse of the man” or “the man’s horse.” The substantive סס is said to be in the construct state, and the substantive שי is in the absolute state. The governing substantive always stands first, never takes the article, and must be followed immediately by the substantive in the absolute state. They form a compound word,. . . .
The word in the construct state cannot be indefinite while the word in the absolute state is definite. Either both states are definite or they are both indefinite.
Book of Daniel
12:7 [CTSept.> And I heard the man clothed with {the fine robes} who was over the water of the river. He lifted up his right and his left hand to heaven and swore by Him Who liveth forever and ever that it will be until a time of times and the half of a time. When {an end is put to the dispersion, they will know all these things.} [Lamsa> And I heard the man clothed in costly array who stood above the waters of the river. He held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half a time; and when holy people are delivered, all these things shall be fulfilled. *time ... half] 3 1/2 years or 1260 days but each day may represent a year.
Gospel of John
5:2 *Hebrew tongue] In Greek 'Hebraisti'. Lamsa simply has 'Hebrew'.
Acts of the Apostles
11:19 *Jews only] This indicates that the Gospel was being first preached to Jews wherever they were.
The Letter to the Hebrews
First of all, this was most likely written first in the Hebrew, in the very language of the people to whom it was written.

In 1537 Munster had published Hebrew Matthew (as discussed in above). Twenty years later, in 1557, a second edition was printed containing a complete Hebrew text of Hebrews in an appendix.
Translated from the Greek
1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (AV) made: Greek vocabulary (Strong’s) #4160.
3:2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. {appointed: Gr. made} (AV) Greek vocabulary (Strong’s) #4160.
Note that Ethelbert W. Bullinger, D. D. says that the above ποιέω basically means “to make, produce, create.”
Joseph Bryant Rotherham, in his Emphasisied Bible (1916) translates the same Greeks words as made and so does A. E. Knoch, in his Concordant Literal New Testament (1966). Another translator who also agrees with the above is Darby. The Revised Version has a footnote indicating that in the Greek this word is really a word meaning made.
Almost all the other translators of the Bibles we have checked and we have many, have been indoctrinated by the Trinitarian Roman Catholic Church to conform their translation to agree with the Trinitarian teachings of the same church. Even the famous translator, Robert Young was deceived by the devil through the followers of his most deceived so-called Christian Church.
Translated from the Aramaic or Hebrew
1:2 And in these last days he has spoken to us by his son whom he appointed heir of everything and in whom he made the worlds, (The Way Int.) (made: Aramaic vocabulary word #2255a)
3:2 who was faithful to him who made him as [was] Moses with all his house. (The Way Int.) (made: Aramaic word #2255a).
Notes in The Concordance to the Peshitta Version of the Aramaic New Testament on this vocabulary word 2255: (v) do, make, work; (shaph) subdue, subject. This vocabulary word is also translated by The Way International as made, kept, do, did, brought to pass, commit, performed, and accomplished.
Janet M. Magiera, also translates this same #2255a as made. James Murdock, D. D., also does so.
Even the famous Aramaic translator George M. Lamsa and James Scott Trimm who translated from the Hebrew and Aramaic Old and New Testaments, erred as the others.
This is the 1769 edition or rather revision, which is now the regular common version rather than first 1611 edition, the one that was originally authorized by King James of Great Britain.
Sir Launcelot Lee Brenton, The Septuagint Version of the [Greek] Old Testament with an English Translation (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons Limited , first published in 1844).
Charles Thomson, edited by C. A. Muses , The Septuagint Bible (Indian Hills, Colorado: The Falcon’s Wing Press, 1954)
George M. Lamsa, Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text (San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1968)
Kyle M. Yates, Ph.D., revised ed. by John Joseph Owens, The Essentials of Biblical Hebrew (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, n. d.), p. 29.
Understanding the Bible Better
by Clifford Robert Besson
The Need to Read other Ancient Holy Books
If one wants to be really blessed by God, read from the original languages of the following books or at least from one or more English translations of them. They will enhance, complete, or furnish some missing facts on important Bible characters, on Bible customs or ways of life, on neighbouring friends and foes, and on more examples of God’s dealings with man and nature.
Other Writings were Available
One should realize that why a lot of information is left out of the writings of Moses, Joshua, Jeremiah, Isaiah, etc. of the Old Testament and of the writings of Matthew, Mark, Paul, etc. of the New Testament is that most of the other information was readily available in homes of their friends, in the libraries of Egypt or in many of the cities and towns of the Mediterranean or in the libraries of most of the Hebrew or Judaic Synagogues of their world. Every now and then, archaeologists find some of these very copies, such as with the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Could Other Writings be Inspired as Well?
God not only helped the writers of the Old and New Testaments but he most likely often helped the same writers when they wrote their other books that were left out. At times God most likely helped or inspired other writers as well, such as Enoch. He was definitely helped and inspired by God. Enoch was such a holy man that God took him without the regular need to die as with the rest of us. ( Ge 5:24 "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”) The writer of Jude quoted from one of his books (Jude 1:14). Then consider the Book of Jasher, Joshua quoted from it at 10:13 and the writer of 2nd Samuel wrote about it (1:18).
Not Many will Even Read the Bible
God knew that he would have a hard time getting all of us or even most of us to read sixty-six books of the Bible never mind the below listed extra sixty-six books or collections of books. God therefore had the most important books set aside, as the standard for determining doctrine and for understanding the way of salvation.
One Reason Why Many Writings were Left Out
In the book The Infinity Bible Code Footnote by Al Neal, he shows and proves that the present order of the books in the King James Authorized Version and their chapter numbers are exactly where God wanted them to be in order to produce God’s infinity code. It is a code based on the Hebrew and Greek numerical values of words and the placements of translations of these same words one or more times in the very chapters that corresponds to their numerical values. For example, the word נטש in Hebrew is the word that is translated Adversary, Satan, and Resist. It also has these letter values נ = 50, ט = 9, ש = 300, which add up to a total of 359 but this number corresponds to the 359th chapter of the Bible, which is 1 Chronicles 21. The first verse of this chapter says, “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” It just so happens that this is also the very first time that that Hebrew word is ever translated Satan in the Holy Bible.
Amazing Example Concerning Witchcraft
Another example is the word פשכ in Hebrew with letters of the values of 80, 300, and 20 respectively. This thus adds up to a total of 400 and is the word for the English translation of use witchcraft. This value of 400 corresponds to II Chronicles 33, which is the 400th chapter of the Holy Bible. On checking out that chapter to see if the words use witchcraft are found there, you will find used witchcraft in verse six. The only two other times that witchcraft is found, is in 1 Samuel 15:23 (“sin of witchcraft” and Galations 5:20 (“Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred”). On viewing Al Neal’s video tape on The Infinity Bible Code, you will find him giving a lecture showing examples of perhaps fifty or more remarkable match ups of word values to their chapter number placements.
The Need to Prove Inspiration
So the above examples that prove verbal inspiration of words, book placements, and even chapter numbers and placements, indicate one of the reasons why many books and chapters of some books were left out. It was to help prove inspiration of the Holy Bible and to encourage people to at least read those books and chapters that were placed in the Bible. Seeing that is the case, many of the other books and missing chapters are very likely still good for our reading and learning.
Examples of Ancient Holy Books
Here are some of the ancient books that were available during Bible times and for many years during the establishment of the Christian Church: The Septuagint Old Testament Bible (from the Greek), The Aramaic Bible (Dr. George M. Lamsa’s Holy Bible is from Aramaic manuscripts, mostly from the Peshitta Bible); Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, Book of Jasher Footnote (M. M. Noah & A. S. Gould of New York edition of 1844 is translated from the Hebrew), Book of Jubilees (one edition is a translation from the Ethiopic language); The Apocalypse of Baruch; The Apocalypse of Ezra (4 Ezra or 2 Esdras), Enoch I (from the Ethiopic); The Assumption of Moses; The Forgotten Books of Eden Footnote containing the following: 1 & 2 Books of Adam and Eve, The Secrets of Enoch[II Enoch] (preserved only in the Slavonic), The Psalms of Solomon, The Odes of Solomon, Letter of Aristeas (on the formation of the Septuagint Bible), The Fourth Book of Maccabees, The Story of Ahikar, and The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs [The Sons of Jacob]; The Apocrypha (I. Esdras; II. Esdras; Tobit; Judith; The Rest of the Chapters of Esther [as found in the Septuagint Bible]; The Wisdom of Solomon; The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or, Ecclesiasticus; Baruch; The Song of the Three Holy Children; The History of Susanna; The History of the Destruction of Bel and the Dragon, cut off from the end of Daniel; The Prayer of Manasses; The First and Second Books of the Maccabees) Footnote ; Early Christian Writings (a book containing a collection of the writings of some of the following Apostolic Fathers: Clement, one of the church leaders of Rome during the first century A. D. and possibly the same one of Philippians 4:3; Ignatius, a Bishop of Antioch, who on his way to be martyred in Rome wrote seven letters to churches and friends; Polycarp and an account of his martyrdom; unknown early writer to Diognetus; the Apostle Barnabas (Acts 4:36; 15:22; 1 Cor. 9:6; and Gal. 2:1); an unknown writer of the Didache). Then there is The Sonnini Manuscript, better known as The Lost Chapter of Acts of the Apostles; and The Lost Books of the Bible [Times], containing the following three Apocryphal books: Mary Protevangelion, I. Infancy, and II. Infancy (these three may be fictional while the rest seem to be historical, though one or more may have some facts wrong, possibly through scribal errors in the existent copy) and the very interesting writings on Christ and Abgarus, Nicodemus, The Apostles’ Creed; Laodiceans, Paul and Seneca, Paul and Thecla, I. Clement* Footnote , II. Clement, Barnabas*, Ephesians*, Magnesians*, Trallians*, Romans*, Philadelphians*, Smyrnaeans*, Polycarp*, Philippians*, I. Hermas – Visions, II. Hermas – Commands, III. Hermas – Similitudes, Letters of Herod and Pilate, and “The Last Gospel of Peter”. After you have read the above listed books see The Other Bible, edited by Willis Barnstone for a few more interesting ancient writings and the catalogue of The Association of the Covenant People (see footnote one for the addresses).
Only Some Insignificant Differences at Times
There are sometimes some minor discrepancies between the facts mentioned in the above list of ancient scriptures Footnote but most often they are usually insignificant. At times though, the versions or facts mentioned in one or more of the above, make much more sense and are more consistent with the rest of Bible teachings. They therefore are quite significant and indicate that some of the manuscripts that the Bible were based on, must have had serious scribal errors or some people may have deliberately deleted certain words or inserted extra words or modified the words of the Bible manuscript in their possessions, in order to reflect their bias or their denominational church teaching at that time.
One Example of Corruption in the Bible
Examples of the last suggested differences in the Bible from other ancient writings can be seen at 1 John 5:7, 8 where it reads in the King James Authorized Version (AV) “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth.” As seen from all the earliest manuscripts in the Greek and Aramaic, the above words must have been added for no Greek manuscript before the sixteenth century has those words (NIV Bible notes).
Another Example of Corruption in the Bible
At Matthew 28:19, 20, the AV reads “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with alway, even Footnote unto the end of the world. Amen”. All of the above words that have been double underlined were added as well as the latter single underlined words. This is clearly shown from the writings of the early Church fathers before the time of the Emperor Constantine who teamed up with the priests and the Bishop of Rome around 313 A. D. The early Church leaders would often quote from the gospels but when they quoted from Saint Matthew’s writings, they never quoted the above underlined words, even when they were quoting from the last words of Matthew’s gospel.
Eusebius Did not See the Present Version
“ Eusebius (265 A.D. -- 339 A.D.) as proclaimed Bishop of Caesarea” wrote in (1) Book III, Chapter 7, 136 (a-d), p. 157 Whereas He, who conceived nothing human or mortal, see how truly He speaks with the voice of God, saying in these very words to those disciples of His, the poorest of the poor: "Go forth, and make disciples of all the nations." and "Go, and make disciples of all the nations in my Name." He also most accurately forecasts the future when He says: "for this gospel must first be preached to all the world, for a witness to all nations." (4) Book IX, Chapter 11, 445 (c), p. 175 And He bids His own disciples after their rejection, "Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name." Footnote
Shem Tov’s Matthew Hebrew Gospel
There has also been found, a Hebrew manuscript of Matthew’s gospel, the Shem Tov's Matthew Hebrew Gospel. It reads (19) ”Go (20) and (teach) them to carry out all the things which I have commanded you forever.” Footnote
Concerning this Hebrew manuscript please read the following:
In summary, Eusebius, a noted historian, inherited from Pamphilus a famous library begun by Origen that could have easily contained the original Hebrew text of Matthew, or if not, a copy of the original Matthew text. Jerome (A.D. 331-A.D. 420) supports this in the following statement recorded in the citation below:
Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers - "Matthew, who is also Levi … composed a Gospel … in the Hebrew language and characters… Furthermore, the Hebrew itself is preserved to this day in the library at Caesarea which the martyr Pamphilus so diligently collected." Footnote
The Proof of the Gospel, by Eusebius as edited by W.J. Ferrar - Note 3 of Book 3, ch.5, p. 137: That Matthew "wrote in Hebrew the Gospel that bears his name" is stated by Eusebius in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius, iii. 24. In The Proof of the Gospel, Book 3, ch.7, p. 157, he cited that only one phrase, "in my name" was after, "Go forth, and make disciples of all the nations." Footnote
Time for things of this World
Many people appear to have lots of time for reading their regular newspapers, magazines, or pocket books for a half hour or more, or have time to watch worldly television programs, to talk and talk on the phone on many things that do not matter, or to spend hours in sport activities, in card games, or surfing the internet but appear to have not much time for spiritual matters. Supplemental readings of literature from Bible times would greatly improve their spiritual understandings and should greatly improve their faith in the God of the Bible.
One Should Become More Perceptive
As shown from the above two examples, one would more likely perceive that something was wrong with the AV reading or any readings from other translations, upon reading some or more of the supplemental books.
A Big Blessing to this Writer
Reading most of the above books, besides reading the whole Bible through, at least seven or eight times, and listening to the New Testament over a dozen times, has helped this writer to understand God and the Bible much better. This practice has also helped him to believe and see miracles of a blind man being healed of God; another man’s left leg move out about half an inch, and his back healed; healing of the eye sight of a young girl who had to wear very thick eye glasses; and experience the healing of sickness upon just speaking on the phone to the sick; plus numerous other miracles of God, such as provisions just when they were needed.
New Testament Writers Used Some of the Other Ancient Books
Upon checking out The Greek New Testament of the United Bible Societies, you will find that the writers of the New Testament used much supplemental books or manuscripts besides the regular books of the Old Testament. Here is a list of the books and manuscripts listed under “Index of Allusions and Verbal Parallels:” Ascension of Isaiah, Baruch, Enoch, 1 Esdras, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Psalms of Solomon, Sirach, Susanna, Tobit, Wisdom, Phaenomena by Aratus, Cleanthes’, de Oraculis by Epimenides, and Thais by Menander.
One other example was found written by Hugh J. Schonfield, the author of The Original New Testament, (p. 113, note 49) who says that at Matthew 25:34-36, “The language derives from Test. XII Patriarchs, Test. Joseph 1:3-7, where the Patriarch Joseph refers in similar language to God’s dealings with him in Egypt.”
So please read other ancient holy books besides the Bible for extra blessings.
Truth and Light Ministries Inc., P. O. Box 79, Ethelbert, Manitoba, Canada R0L 0T0, ph. (204) 742-3306 or crbesson@mts.net
Psalm 82
Victory Version (a revised Young’s Literal Translation)
1 A Psalm of Asaph. Superiors have stood in the company of a Superior One (1). In the midst of superiors he does judge. (Ex 18:21; 21:6; 22:9, 27, 28; Deut 10:17; 2Ch 19:6,7; Ps 82:6; 138:1; Ec 5:8; John 10:34, 35; Acts 23:5) 2 Till when do ye judge perversely? And the face of the wicked lift up? Think on this. (De 1:17; 2Ch 19:7; Pr 18:5) 3 Judge ye the weak and fatherless. The afflicted and the poor declare righteous. (De 24:17; Jer 22:8) 4 Let the weak and needy escape, From the hand of the wicked deliver them. ( Job 29:12; Pr 24:11) 5 They knew not, nor do they understand, In darkness they walk habitually, Moved are all the foundations of earth. ( Ps 11:3; 75:3; Mic 3:1)
6 I--I have said, `Superiors ye are, And sons of Most High--all of you, (Gen 14:18; Ex 22:9,28; Ps 82:1; Joh 10:34) 7 But as man ye die, and as one of the heads ye fall, (Num 16:2, 35; Job 21:32; Ps 49:12; Eze 31:14) 8 Rise, O Superiors, judge the earth, For you have an inheritance among all the nations! (Ps 2:8; Mic 7:2,7; Re 11:15)
82:1 Superior One This may mean a Superior [to them, one more Superior than them all. In others words, God almighty].
The Original Matthew 28:19
by Cliff Besson
George Howard's Hebrew Gospel of Matthew [with an English translation on the right-hand pages] shows us what was most likely in the verse originally. It reads: "Go to them." This agrees with the statements found in a Coptic manuscript which is translated in the book: Coptic Texts, Volume V: Miscellaneous Coptic Texts in the dialect of Upper Egypt by E. A. Wallis Budge (London: British Museum, 1915, p. 637). It also agrees with numerous other writings, facts of logic, and with the troubles of the times between the learned Arius and his followers and some other factions of Christianity.
The Authorized Version for Mt 28:19 and 20 has “Go ye therefore Footnote , and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen (1).”
Note that Jesus is claimed to have said that his disciples were to baptize converts in just one name: “in the name” but what name? It then stipulates that it is the name of three entities, three different beings.
Why would they have the same one name? Does this make sense? Maybe with two but not with three. One would be . . . (Jēhʹwah/Jehovah/JHVH/JHWH/YHWH/Yahweh, Jesus/Yahshua/Yashua, or some other name) Senior and the other would be . . . Junior but what would the third one be, . . . Juniorette? Is this not ridiculous?
The Hebrew word for Jēh´wah or the other spellings for the same word can be found over seven thousand times in the Old Testament (Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible p. 70) while the Greek word for Jesus can be found 949 times (Dake’s p. 62). So according to the Bible these two names must be for two distinct personages, for the context of the Bible passages almost always show them as such. There are only a few places where Jesus says that his words are or were the words that his father was telling him to say.
Some people baptize in the whole phrase “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Note that this verse does not say to baptize in this phrase of “in the name of . . . .” It just says “in the name of . . . .”
Does it not appear that someone has tampered with the text or has corrupted it by adding something to it? It appears though that God allowed it to be so for now but he had them leave a big clue that something was not right with the term name rather than names.
So what does this suggest then? Does it not suggest that somehow someone placed those added words in to promote a three-in-one concept that was prevalent amongst pagans of Egypt, India (amongst the Hindus), Japan, Babylonia, Rome, and Greece (see our chapter 55 in The Day of the LORD is at Hand! Volume One).
Some people have indicated that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are names of these entities, people, or Gods but they are not names. They are titles of memberships in the family of God. For more details about this problem see our chapter 54 in the above mentioned book. For now though, the following information about George Howard explains a lot about what was most likely in the original writing of the Saint Matthew.
The above mentioned University of Georgia professor has actually translated Matthew 28:19-20 as "19 Go 20 and (teach) them to carry out all the things which I have commanded you forever." rather than an awkward "Go to them and teach to them to . . . ." The Hebrew though, for verse nineteen (19) actually consists of two words, which mean "go to them." The word teach in (teach) means that this particular word is included in one manuscript but was missing in the main manuscript that was used as the base for the text.
The reference to a confirmation in Coptic refers to a Coptic letter by Apa Cyril (ca. 315 - 386), the Archbishop of Jerusalem at that time, who explains or reveals as to why there are no Greek, Aramaic, Latin, Coptic, or Hebrew manuscripts (other than the Shem Tov manuscripts mentioned by George Howard) of Matthew 28:19 from before the time of about A.D. 370. There are a few manuscripts of Matthew's Gospel in different languages or translations before this time but they are all missing Matthew 28:19-20.
The Archbishop of Jerusalem relates as to how he persuaded Annarikhus, a saintly monk to destroy all of his religious scrolls or books, including possibly one of the only two remaining manuscripts of Matthew's Gospel that contained the original unaltered reading that was similar to the Hebrew manuscript(s) of the Gospel of Matthew that were later found in Spain in the fourteenth century. Thank God, they were then copied down while they were still readable by the author and physician Shem-tob ben-Isaac ben-Shaprut (sometimes called Ibn Shaprut) in his Jewish polemical treatise entitled Even Bohan (or The Touchstone).
The present translations from the Greek and even from the Aramaic of Mt 28:19 have caused a lot of confusion in the Church, as to how one name could be the same name for each one of these entities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). It has also caused disputes as to how one should baptize, whether as to how Peter and others baptized (Acts 2:38;10:48; 19:5; 22:16; Rom. 6:3; 1 Pet. 3:21; Titus3:5) or as to how Christ Jesus supposedly told his disciples to baptize.
The web sites mentioned below, support this finding as does our book The Day of the LORD is at Hand! Volume One: Revelations on the Real God of the Universe, (chapter 54) which can be found at http://truthandlightministries.org or http://tlm55.org.
These web site references should help support any efforts to inform church friends of the corruptions that occurred in the Bible text of Matthew 28:19, so that they may correct their doctrines and correct their method of baptizing as well.
The first (1st) reference mentions many good points such as this: “The Catholic Encyclopedia, II, page 263: "The baptismal formula was changed from the name of Jesus Christ to the words Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by the Catholic Church in the second century."
The second (2nd) reference mentions “. . . according to a wide scholarly consensus, it is not an authentic saying of Jesus, not even an elaboration of a Jesus-saying on baptism" (The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 1, 1992, page 585).”
The third (3rd) reference mentions many of the writings of Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesarea, who died in about 340. This man of God in his writings, quoted many times from the end of Matthew’s Gospel, such as around 28:19 but not as it is presently in the Greek New Testament and in the other translations of the original.
The fourth (4th) reference mentions “There is absolutely NO manuscript in any language that contains it prior to the Trinitarian controversies.”
The fifth (5th) reference has a photograph of Gordon Howard’s Matthew 28:9-20.
Please check out each reference for other valuable information as to what else supports the above statements, on the original reading of the end of Matthew’s gospel, which was most likely written in the very language of the Hebrew people that he was trying to reach with his gospel. He must have realized that no way would they accept it, if it was in a foreign pagan language such as Greek.
Among the early authorities for a Hebrew original are: Papias, the disciple of John and companion of Polycarp: "Matthew wrote the divine oracles in the Hebrew dialect, and each one interpreted them as best he could" (ap. Eus. H. E. iii. 39). St. Irenaeus: "But Matthew, among the Jews, produced a written record of the Gospel in their own dialect" (Adv. Haeres. iii. 1).
Eusebius, H. E. v. 19, writes thus: "Pantaenus is said to have gone even to the Indies, and found there, among those who acknowledged Christ, the Gospel of Matthew which had reached them before his arrival. These believers Bartholomew the Apostle had instructed in the Christian faith, and left with them the book of Matthew, written in Hebrew, and it was preserved among them down to the time named." St. Jerome repeats the same story of Pantaenus ( de Viris Illus. c. 36): "Pantaenus went to India, and found that Bartholomew, one of the Twelve Apostles, had preached there the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to Matthew, which, written in Hebrew, he brought back with him to Alexandria." (1) http://www.angelfire.com/ms/seanie/Matt.html (2) http://www.godglorified.com/matthew_2819.htm (3) http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/matt2819-willis.htm (4) http://jesus-messiah.com/apologetics/catholic/matthew2819.html (5) http://jesus-messiah.com/apologetics/catholic/mat2819.html (6) http://jesus-messiah.com/apologetics/catholic/matthew-proof.html
Here are a few more quotes: from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (the present Pope Benedict XVI):
He makes this confession as to the origin of the chief Trinity text of Matthew 28:19. "The basic form of our (Matthew 28:19 Trinitarian) profession of faith took shape during the course of the second and third centuries in connection with the ceremony of baptism. So far as its place of origin is concerned, the text (Matthew 28:19) came from the city of Rome." The Trinity baptism and text of Matthew 28:19 therefore did not originate from the original Church that started in Jerusalem around AD 33. It was rather as the evidence proves a later invention of Roman Catholicism completely fabricated. Very few know about these historical facts. (http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/matt2819-willis.htm
The above can also found at http://english.sdaglobal.org/research/mt2819.htm, http://spiritandtruthministry.com/BaptismalFormula.html http://www.goedbericht.nl/NT/Matteus/28-doopformule.html http://www.dimensionsoftruth.org/Supplement.htm
"The basic form of our (Matthew 28:19 Trinitarian) profession of faith took shape during the course of the second and third centuries in connection with the ceremony of baptism. So far as its place of origin is concerned, the text (Matthew 28:19) came from the city of Rome." --Catholic Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (the present Pope Benedict XVI) (http://www.timeandbeing.com/Application/Doctrine/Godhead/Bible/Matthew28v19.htm, http://www.antenna.nl/anaisnin/anais.htm)
For remarks on the other main verses in 1 John 5:6-8 that have been used to support the Trinity doctrine, see our chapters 51 and 52 in our The Day of the LORD is at Hand!, Volume One.
(1) This word in the Greek manuscripts is sometimes missing.
Cliff Besson, Truth and Light Ministries Inc. P. O. Box 79, Ethelbert, MB R0L 0T0 Canada, contending for the faith, which was once delivered unto the saints of the Bible days [Jude 3b]. crbesson@mts.net
The Original Matthew 28c.wpd April 28, 2008 (7:42pm).
Numerical Significance of Words
by Clifford Robert Besson
This method is done by simply using our English alphabet and giving each letter a value according to their placements in our alphabet. For example, the letter a is given a value of one (1) while the letter z, which is the last letter in the alphabet gets the value of twenty-six (26). This method is called the Placement Value Code (PVC). Another code that uses the spelled out value of the placement value of the letters of the alphabet is the Expanded Placement Value Code (EPVC). For example, the letter a has a value of one (1) but this word one has a value of thirty-four (34) while the z has a value of twenty-six, which is a word with the value of 159. One can even go a step further by adding the two values together, the one and the thirty-four to get a total value of 35 for the letter a and a total value of (26 + 159) 185 for the letter z.
When considering this concept with the names of Jesus and Lucifer though, it appears that the total value of the two codes may not actually apply in Bible Numerics though. See the name Jesus below. See our web site for other possible Bible number codes.
Jēh´wah, the Father and creator of the Universe and Father of Jesus = 10,5,8,23, 1,8 = 55 = (24th day of February), December, Heaven, opera, horn, wages, cloud, part, Elihu (in Job 32), tarp, pass, Judean, the v, [Bad ones that Jehwah can definitely handle>] Satan, Santa, nut, filth, (the number on a girl’s shirt that had “Playgirl 55").
Jesus = 10,5,19,21,19 = 74 = (74th day of the year is 15 March), cross, the king, son God, Messiah, gospel, ruler, parables (The totals of the vowels in the last sets of words which all add up to 74 = 153 while the consonants in the same words add up to 439 [Mr. Joe Welbers]), Jewish, heavens, beauty, parent, Joshua, hundred, English, according, quota, point, the home, Besson, holiday, nuclear, energy, Lucille, petro, Susan, foreign, weapon, who is, error, eighty, hexagon, gematria, Lucifer. Expanded gematria for the letters of Jesus = 394 while the expanded gematria for the letters of Lucifer = 493 [the reverse of Jesus]. As Jesus and Lucifer have the same sum totals in the simple basic numeric system then it means that Jesus is a perfect match to handle Lucifer for us.
Expression, this word has a numerical simple code value total of (5,24,16, 18,5,19,19,9,15,14=) 144. Psa 144:1 “<A Psalm of David.> Blessed be Jēh´wah my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:” Some other words of the same value are arrow smith, forty four, seventy one, the Santa Claus, the witchcraft, the scoundrel, [Versus] the God presence, [and] the strength. May 24 in a common year is also the 144th day of the year. Consider also Rev. 21:17. Evangelist Ed. F. Vallowe, in his Biblical Mathematics, 144 meant “the Spirit guided life.” In other words, Expression is a very powerful term and what is needed against the sin in the world and any warfare against God and the believer. We believe it is a better translation for the Greek and Aramaic terms that have been translated as Logos and Word in the Gospel of John 1:1ff. For example:
1:1 In the beginning was the expression and that expression was with the Superior One and a superior one was that expression. 2 This expression was in the beginning with the Superior One.
Note that in the Greek text, there are definite articles as noted above with the use of the English 'the' and no definite article at the second mention of a superior one with the use of our English 'a', which is our indefinite article, so we translated the passage just as in the Greek for if that is what God meant, how else would he put it?
Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary has these meanings for the word Expression:
1. the act of expressing or setting forth in words: the free expression of political opinions.
2. a particular word, phrase, or form of words: old-fashioned expressions.
3. the manner or form in which a thing is expressed in words; wording; phrasing: delicacy of expression.
4. the power of expressing in words: joy beyond expression.
5. indication of feeling, spirit, character, etc., as on the face, in the voice, or in artistic execution: the lyric expression embodied in his poetry.
6. a look or intonation expressing personal reaction, feeling, etc.: a shocked expression.
7. the quality or power of expressing an attitude, emotion, etc.: a face that lacks expression; to read with expression.
8. the act of expressing or representing, as by symbols.
9. Math. a symbol or a combination of symbols representing a value, relation, or the like.
10. Ling. the stylistic characteristics of an utterance (opposed to meaning).
11. Ling. the system of verbal utterances specific to a language (opposed to content).
12. the act of expressing or pressing out.
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Superior One [Most likely the best alternative term often translated as god or God for the Hebrew words El and Eloah, the Aramaic ̓alāhā, and the Greek word Theos], Bible numerics of this phrase =19,21, 16,5, 18, 9, 15, 18 [=121],15, 14,5 [=34]= 155 = Christianity and June 4 is the 155th day of a common year.
Some Examples of Given Names and their Significances Numerically
Leland (as in Leland Blane Chapman of Dog the Bounty Hunter posse team) = 12,5,12,1, 14, 4= 48 = son, live, tree, blood, long, noble, Hosea, Aron, Jonah, James, maker, (February 17=48 th day). The # 48 spelled out to fortyeight = 133 but forty-eight = +35 for the hyphen so 168 [Bad terms >] sex, wet, evil, thief. As Leland has the same numerical sum as these bad terms, it means that he can be a very good one to handle these things.
Blane (see above) 2,12,1,14,5 = 34 = 3rd February, “ ” (quotation marks), 2·17, one, so, leap, (Bible meaning: Endurance, Don Kistler), free, grace, heat, cold, pale, bier, dark. #34 spelled out as thirty four = 160 or thirty-four = 195 [+ 35 for the hyphen]. #160 = vigorous one while #60 = four, word, washed, caravan, bracket, second, believe, with, norm, holy, order. #195 = all holy beings as one, the real God with us while #95 = almighty, I am that I am, summit, the real God, intrepid, emergency, Tuesday, angel light, evil force, moisten, 5th April.
Leland Blane, the above two names together = 48 + 34 = 82 = 23rd March, spectra, Calvary, primate, Eastern, tongue, forgive, mighty, Meshikhah (Aramaic for Messiah), anointed, the way, the Lord, the sign.
Isaac (as in Abraham’s long awaited son from his first wife Sarah) = 9,19,1,1, 3= 33 = (Promise according to D. K. ) (February 2 = 33rd day) the, amen, magic, Kepa, seed, bird, name, gay, [Bad term>] ill.
Leland Isaac, a different combination, (48 + 33) = 81 = beginning, the tree, tower, honest, washing, good food, oblique, grocery, fear not, hosts, the son, [Bad term>] wizard. As Leland Isaac has the same numerical sum as this bad term, it means that he can be a very good one to handle bad things like a wizard. Plus the third last letter in each name is ‘a’ for one or unity.
Anita Karen = 1,14,9,20,1 =45 and 11,1,18,5,14=49 so 45+49= 94. Anita = 45 = milk, comma, use, east [Possibly bad >] gods, cinema, pit, lies, and mole, while Karen = 49= alive, sign, way, year, eight, realm, axes, ton, not, days, logo, that, yes, lord, Lord, pro, enigma. The two together though = 94 = November, London, submerged, judgment, wealthy, festival, patriarch, the Giver, the Church, spelling and [Bad one>] abortion. As with Leland Isaac, Anita Karen should be able to handle any bad things like abortion.
Hailey Anne = 8,1,9.12,5,25 (= 60) 1,14,14,5 (=34) = 94 for the same word associations as for Anita Karen. The #60 = four, word, washed, caravan, bracket, second, believe, holy, order, with, norm while #60 spelled out = sixty =97 and March 1 = 60th day of the year. #97 = foreigner, product, Supreme, Believers. Note that as the significance of numbers seem to repeat themselves after the number 40 once or more times then 97 - (2x40) = 17, which is for Q, (Victory, D. K.), Mac, El and January 17 is of course the 17th day of the year. The # 34 = one, so, dark, cold, pale, bier, leap, free, grace, heat. February 3 is the 34th day. (Endurance, D. K.).
Lee = 12,5,5 = 22 = V, v, calf, babel, car, go, (Bible meaning for this number is Light/Making Manifest, according to author Don Kistler in The Arithmetic of God!!!)
Hailey-Anne Lee: Hailey-Anne = 94 + the extra 35 for the hyphen = 129 = Holy Ghost, May 9th + Lee 22 = 151 = Clifford Robert, Switzerland, nuclear power, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, little season (Rev. 20.3), He Who is True, King James Version.
Jade Lauren = 10,1,4,5 (= 20) 12,1,21,18,5,14 (= 71) = 91. (#20 = (Redemption, D. K.), Cabala, T, t plus spelled out = twenty =107= Unitarian, Be-er, existing, minister, the son God, apostles, prosper, receptus.) (#71= March 12th, crooked, unreal, Talmud, fire bird, secure, smart, Moses, Babylon, native, hearts, catholic, crusade, temple, for ages, snow, royal, sphere, Sheshach (Jer. 25.26; 51.41). The total of both words = 91 = 1st April, spirit, sickening, prison, drunkard, vanity, Shriner, Jaobulon (secret name of the deity of Masonry), Phoenix, dentist, for now, Raymond, liberty, the Father, Spirit, evangelical.
Clifford Robert = 3,12,9,6,6,15,18,4 = 73 and 18,15,2,5, 18, 20 = 68 but together = 141. Clifford = 73= kingdom, Egypt, Joseph, muscle, italics, Hezekiah, Arbiter, perfect, ours, season, count, crown, surface, patience, flying, united, paradise, living, children, union, normal, eighteen, (73 years is the length of the sojourn of Communism in the Soviet Union while March 14 is the 73rd day of the year.). [Bad ones>] crutch, stink, sour, circus, shrine. Robert = 68 = (68th day of the year falls on 9 March), July, ticket, house, lords, Tyre, poly, married, Logos, praise, pillar, sweat [Bad >] drunk. The two together = 141 = tribulation, [Bad >] Purgatory. The 41 though = . . . (ellipsis), box, key, (Deception, D. K.), king, dream, lock, mine, home, lit awake, good, [Bad >] blind, freak. If Anita Karen and Clifford Robert were to team together they should be able to handle very nicely all the bad terms. The total is then 94+141 = 235 = 200 = the Son of the Highest while the 35 = to, jet, dodge, (Hope, D. K.), naked, par, bran, bond, [Possible bad>] hind?
Patricia = 16,1,20,18,9,3,9,1 = 77 = 18th March, Victor, Christ, Jeremiel (arch angel in 2 Esdras 4:36), power, disciple, shoot, rosy, the Head God, valley, council, the Godhead, great God, the elder, glory, Purim, exist, stair, the faith.
Henry, Janzen, Francis, courage = 70 = stop, post, the rod (the = 33 + any word that has a value of 37 then adds up to 70), the angel, the hit, the shade, the side, courage, very, tops, end time, sabotage, shadow, Vatican, whelmed, (.March 11th is the 70th day of the year).
Frederick Melville = (6,18,5,4,5,18,9,3,11 = ) 79 + (13,5,12,22,9,12, 12,5 =) 90 = 169 The number 79 = William, loving, cripple, sinner, ground, sword, your, wonder, the guide, the branch (33+46), super, March 20th, and virgin while the number 90 = 31st March, Mumford, Freedom Canada, Matthew, Stonham, Anderson, free will, True God, Holy Bible, Three One (56+34). The #169 = Phoenix Building, Thursday Sabbath, June 18th while 100 = thirty, socialism, Breshnev, Kosygin, vivifier, benediction and 69 = ghost, port, smith, Garry, York, wealth, miller, Frederica, the law (33+36), Zedekiah, Jeremiah, husband, secret, serve, peaceful, bishop, good man, archangel.
Truth and Light Ministries = (20,18,21,20,8=) 87 + (1,14,4=) 19 + (12,9,7,8,20=) 56 + (13,9,14,9,19,20,18,9,5,19=) 153 = 315 (November 11th). Regarding the #3 in #300, it is concerning divine completion, perfection, deity, and resurrection Footnote , and #15 = (The Bible meaning is Rest [D. Kistler]), an, face, while #15 written out as fifteen = 65 = March 6th, seven, beloved, centre, center, today, horse, state, Uriel (angel in 2 Esdras 4.1), breast, to be, Be-er (2,5,35,5, 18= 65), prayer, prince, white. The third last letters in seven and beloved are both v which = 22 (twenty two = 165), (Light/Making Manifest [D. Kistler]), babel, car, go. The third last letter gives a clue or determination of what kind of a noun or person is the one that has that third last letter (Mr. J. Welbers of St. Boniface, MB).
Wine Versus New Wine
by Clifford Besson
In the Holy Bible there are much warnings about even drinking wine. Here are some samples from the Holy Bible:
Pr.20:1 Wine is a scorner--strong drink is noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise. 21:17 Whoso is loving mirth is a poor man, Whoso is loving wine and oil maketh no wealth. 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? who hath plaint? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? 30 Those tarrying by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine. 31 See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright. 32 Its latter end--as a serpent it biteth, And as a basilisk it stingeth. 33 Thine eyes see strange women, And thy heart speaketh perverse things. 34 And thou hast been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down on the top of a mast. 35 `They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake--I seek it yet again!' 31:4 Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink. 5 Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction. Is. 5:11 Woe to those rising early in the morning, Strong drink they pursue! Tarrying in twilight, wine inflameth them! 28:7 And even these through wine have erred, And through strong drink have wandered, Priest and prophet erred through strong drink, They have been swallowed up of the wine, They wandered because of the strong drink, They have erred in seeing, They have stumbled judicially. Hab. 2:5 And also, because the wine is treacherous…. Eph. 5:18 "[A]nd be not drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in the Spirit, 19 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the God and Father;" (Young's Literal Translation of the Bible)
Now because of the above verses, how could Jesus even make wine at a wedding. Here is the passage from John 2:
1 And the third day a marriage happened in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there, 2 and also Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage; 3 and wine having failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, `Wine they have not;' 4 Jesus saith to her, `What--to me and to thee, woman? not yet is mine hour come.' 5 His mother saith to the ministrants, `Whatever he may say to you--do.' 6 And there were there six water-jugs of stone, placed according to the purifying of the Jews, holding each two or three measures. 7 Jesus saith to them, `Fill the water-jugs with water;' and they filled them--unto the brim; 8 and he saith to them, `Draw out, now, and bear to the director of the apartment;' and they bare. 9 And as the director of the apartment tasted the water become wine, and knew not whence it is, (but the ministrants knew, who have drawn the water,) the director of the feast doth call the bridegroom, 10 and saith to him, `Every man, at first, the good wine doth set forth; and when they may have drunk freely, then the inferior; thou didst keep the good wine till now.' (Young's Literal Translation of the Bible)
Let us consider first what the Greek Scriptures have for the above underlined words in John 2:3 oinou, oinon, 9 oinon, ton kalon oinon, and ton kalon oinon. The meanings of the first of these words are simply "wine, the fermented juice of the grape." The other two words in the Greek are for saying the good.
According to the Aramaic, they are chamraa (#1031) for wine and the word tavaa (#1135) for good. In the Aramaic the word for the is understood or included with the meanings for nouns.
So far, the Aramaic appears to say the same as the Greek words, with the qualifier of the word for good in each language. At the place of old and new wine in the same bottles made of skins (wineskins)(Matthew 9:17), the Greek as with the Aramaic, uses the same word for wine as well with the qualifier of neon, new (as for time) while the Aramaic uses cha(d)thaa (922) for new, as in renew. The Greek word for new though, in regards to a new leather skin bag, is kainos for new in quality, of different character. Note the similarity between the Greek and Aramaic words for new in this case.
There is one main thing different though, between the Greek word for wine and the Aramaic word for wine. First of all though, the word for wine in the Aramaic could also be translated ass, as in "the millstone of an ass" (Matthew 18:6). In a way, it sure says a lot for someone who may drink too much of the fermented chamraa (#1031). He makes himself act like the other chamraa. It definitely appears that God designed this vocabulary to try to teach people lessons on life and as a warning.
On checking on similar spellings of the word chamraa, to see what it may have been derived from, here is what can be found. #1019 is cham for the verb be hot or burn; #1022 is chemaa for the verb wither, fade; and #1026 is chemal for the verb gather in. On checking other words of a similar nature as that of the beverage type, this is what was found: #1706 for mayaa, water; #1906 for meshchaa, ointment, oil; and #1301 for yaldaa, birth, offspring, fruit.
Note that the same numerals as for chamraa is used for this one, with the zero and the three being reversed, suggesting from the principles revealed in the study of Theomatics, that this is more from God or more of heaven than the other, which is earthy. The zero seems to mean neutrality, that it could be either way but the three suggests the other unseen world, like in the third heavens.
By noting the similarities for two other words that are also liquids, it appears that the Aramaic word for the liquid from grapes, is just that, a liquid from grapes rather than the bad implications of the meaning of the word wine.
One other place where new wine is mentioned is at the description of what happened on the Day of Pentecost, at Acts 2:13. The word there though is different than all the others for it is gleukous in the Greek for sweet wine, which have a higher percentage (18-20%) of alcohol than most dinner wines (10-14%). In the Aramaic there is a similar change of words. It uses #1888 for meriithaa, "new wine", which has the same essential meanings as the Greek word.
Cliff Besson, P. O. Box 79, Ethelbert MB R0L 0T0, Phone (204) 742-3306
C:\Documents and Settings\Cliff Besson\My Documents\Volume 2\Wine Versus New Wine - 2.wpd Revised March 26, 2010 (12:06pm)
Remarriage According to the Bible
by Clifford Besson
Deuteronomy 24:4
(Deu 24:4 LITV) her former husband who sent her away is not to take her again to be his wife, after she is defiled. For it is a hateful thing before Jehovah, and you shall not cause the land to sin which Jehovah your God is giving to you as an inheritance.
Deu 24:4 (Brenton: from the Septuagint) the former husband who sent her away shall not be able to return and take her to himself for a wife, after she has been defiled; because it is an abomination before the Lord thy God, and ye shall not defile the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee to inherit.
Deu 24:4 (Lamsa from the Aramaic) Then her former husband, who sent her away, has no right to take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord; and you shall not cause the land to sin, which the Lord your God give you for an inheritance.
Notes now from the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
Her former: Jer_3:1 LITV They say, If a man sends away his wife, and she goes from him and will be for another man, will he return to her again? Would not that land be greatly defiled? But you play the harlot with many lovers; yet would you come back to Me, says Jehovah.
thou shalt: Lev_18:24-28; Do not defile yourself with all these, for with all these the nations have been defiled, which I am casting out before you; 1Co 3:17 If anyone corrupts the sanctuary of God, God will bring that one to corruption; for the sanctuary of God is holy, which you are.
Jos_22:17-18 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not been cleansed until this day? Yea, a plague came on the company of Jehovah; Jos 22:18 that you turn away today from following after Jehovah? And it shall be that today you rebel against Jehovah, and tomorrow He shall be angry with all the company of Israel.
Clarke’s Commentary
Deu_24:1-5 contain two laws concerning the relation of a man to his wife. The first (Deu_24:1-4) has reference to divorce. In these verses, however, divorce is not established as a right; all that is done is, that in case of a divorce a reunion with the divorced wife is forbidden, if in the meantime she had married another man, even though the second husband had also put her away, or had died. The four verses form a period, in which Deu_24:1-3 are the clauses of the protasis, which describe the matter treated about; and Deu_24:4 contains the apodosis, with the law concerning the point in question. If a man married a wife, and he put her away with a letter of divorce, because she did not please him any longer, and the divorced woman married another man, and he either put her away in the same manner or died, the first husband could not take her as his wife again. The putting away (divorce) of a wife with a letter of divorce, which the husband gave to the wife whom he put away, is assumed as a custom founded upon tradition. This tradition left the question of divorce entirely at the will of the husband: “if the wife does not find favour in his eyes (i.e., does not please him), because he has found in her something shameful” (Deu_23:15). עֶרְוָה, nakedness, shame, disgrace (Isa_20:4; 1Sa_20:30); in connection with דָּבָר, the shame of a thing, i.e., a shameful thing (lxx ἄσχημον πρα?γμα; Vulg. aliquam faetiditatem). The meaning of this expression as a ground of divorce was disputed even among the Rabbins. Hillel's school interpret it in the widest and most lax manner possible, according to the explanation of the Pharisees in Mat_19:3, “for every cause.” They no doubt followed the rendering of Onkelos, פִתְגָם עֲבֵירַת, the transgression of a thing; but this is contrary to the use of the word עֶרְוָה, to which the interpretation given by Shammai adhered more strictly. His explanation of דָּבָר עֶרְוַת is “rem impudicam, libidinem, lasciviam, impudicitiam.” Adultery, to which some of the Rabbins would restrict the expression, is certainly not to be thought of, because this was to be punished with death.
(Note: For the different views of the Rabbins upon this subject, see Mishnah tract. Gittin ix. 10; Buxtorf, de sponsal. et divort. pp. 88ff.; Selden, uxor ebr. l. iii. c. 18 and 20; and Lightfoot, horae ebr. et talm. ad Matth. v. 31f.)
כְּרִיתֻת סֶפֶר, βιβλίον ἀποστασίου, a letter of divorce; כְּרִיתֻת, hewing off, cutting off, sc., from the man, with whom the wife was to be one flesh (Gen_2:24). The custom of giving letters of divorce was probably adopted by the Israelites in Egypt, where the practice of writing had already found its way into all the relations of life.
(Note: The rabbinical rules on the grounds of divorce and the letter of divorce, according to Maimonides, have been collected by Surenhusius, ad Mishn. tr. Gittin, c. 1 (T. iii. pp. 322f. of the Mishnah of Sur.), where different specimens of letters of divorce are given; the latter also in Lightfoot, l.c.)
The law that the first husband could not take his divorced wife back again, if she had married another husband in the meantime, even supposing that the second husband was dead, would necessarily put a check upon frivolous divorces. Moses could not entirely abolish the traditional custom, if only “because of the hardness of the people's hearts” (Mat_19:8). The thought, therefore, of the impossibility of reunion with the first husband, after the wife had contracted a second marriage, would put some restraint upon a frivolous rupture of the marriage tie: it would have this effect, that whilst, on the one hand, the man would reflect when inducements to divorce his wife presented themselves, and would recall a rash act if it had been performed, before the wife he had put away had married another husband; on the other hand, the wife would yield more readily to the will of her husband, and seek to avoid furnishing him with an inducement for divorce. But this effect would be still more readily produced by the reason assigned by Moses, namely, that the divorced woman was defiled (הֻטַּמָּאָה, Hothpael, as in Num_1:47) by her marriage with a second husband. The second marriage of a woman who had been divorced is designated by Moses a defilement of the woman, primarily no doubt with reference to the fact that the emissio seminis in sexual intercourse rendered unclean, though not merely in the sense of such a defilement as was removed in the evening by simple washing, but as a moral defilement, i.e., blemishing, desecration of the sexual communion with was sanctified by marriage, in the same sense in which adultery is called a defilement in Lev_18:20 and Num_5:13-14. Thus the second marriage of a divorced woman was placed implicite upon a par with adultery, and some approach made towards the teaching of Christ concerning marriage: “Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery” (Mat_5:32). - But if the second marriage of a divorced woman was a moral defilement, of course the wife could not marry the first again even after the death of her second husband, not only because such a reunion would lower the dignity of the woman, and the woman would appear too much like property, which could be disposed of at one time and reclaimed at another (Schultz), but because the defilement of the wife would be thereby repeated, and even increased, as the moral defilement which the divorced wife acquired through the second marriage was not removed by a divorce from the second husband, nor yet by his death. Such defilement was an abomination before Jehovah, by which they would cause the land to sin, i.e., stain it with sin, as much as by the sins of incest and unnatural licentiousness (Lev_18:25).
Attached to this law, which is intended to prevent a frivolous severance of the marriage tie, there is another in Deu_24:5, which was of a more positive character, and adapted to fortify the marriage bond. The newly married man was not required to perform military service for a whole year; “and there shall not come (anything) upon him with regard to any matter.” The meaning of this last clause is to be found in what follows: “Free shall he be for his house for a year,” i.e., they shall put no public burdens upon him, that he may devote himself entirely to his newly established domestic relations, and be able to gladden his wife (compare Deu_20:7).