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Since we have a couple other threads going that deal with legalism and the Pharisees, I thought I'd post this video that is a former Pharisee talking about the Pharisees and their belief system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tddCNY6U77Y

I've only listened to the first half of this video but have found it extremely interesting so far, even eye opening. I'm to the part now where he's talking about the book "Hebrew Matthew", and I'm not sure what to make of his claim about the NT being written originally in Hebrew and the Greek version being a translation. I'm suspending "judgment" on that. Perhaps visiting the Bible Museum would help clear up the issue.

If you don't have time to watch it all, I found the first half of it very engaging and it can help you get some ideas, even from a Jewish perspective, of why Jesus said the things he did about the Pharisees.

Really fascinating!

I suppose the Pharisee's emphasis of the written Torah being subservient to the Oral Torah is where the Orthodox church gets the idea of the oral teaching of the apostles superseding the written teaching?

CADude wrote:I'm to the part now where he's talking about the book "Hebrew Matthew", and I'm not sure what to make of his claim about the NT being written originally in Hebrew and the Greek version being a translation. I'm suspending "judgment" on that.

If he is claiming that Matthew was translated from Hebrew, I'm skeptical too. But that's probably not the main point of the video ;->

Bootstrap wrote:
If he is claiming that Matthew was translated from Hebrew, I'm skeptical too. But that's probably not the main point of the video ;->

It's not the main point of the first half of the video. Not sure yet, but I think he's pretty heavily invested in the idea that much of the NT was originally written in Hebrew, but that comes into focus in the latter half of the video.

CADude wrote:

Bootstrap wrote:If he is claiming that Matthew was translated from Hebrew, I'm skeptical too. But that's probably not the main point of the video ;->

It's not the main point of the first half of the video. Not sure yet, but I think he's pretty heavily invested in the idea that much of the NT was originally written in Hebrew, but that comes into focus in the latter half of the video.

Does he also claim to know what Hebrew words would have been used in the original? At that point, I tend to check out entirely. I don't think there's good evidence for his view, but even if he is right, that doesn't give us the freedom to guess what the Hebrew would have said. After all, we aren't even native speakers of ancient Hebrew and ancient Greek, and we are unlikely to be able to guess this kind of thing accurately.

Bootstrap wrote:

CADude wrote:

Bootstrap wrote:If he is claiming that Matthew was translated from Hebrew, I'm skeptical too. But that's probably not the main point of the video ;->

It's not the main point of the first half of the video. Not sure yet, but I think he's pretty heavily invested in the idea that much of the NT was originally written in Hebrew, but that comes into focus in the latter half of the video.

Does he also claim to know what Hebrew words would have been used in the original? At that point, I tend to check out entirely. I don't think there's good evidence for his view, but even if he is right, that doesn't give us the freedom to guess what the Hebrew would have said. After all, we aren't even native speakers of ancient Hebrew and ancient Greek, and we are unlikely to be able to guess this kind of thing accurately.

He doesn't guess. And his thesis makes quite a bit of sense. I would suggest actually listening to him before judging him. He might be wrong, but he's not a quack.

Great video, CA. Intriguing talk - gives me food for thought.

lesterb wrote:

Bootstrap wrote:Does he also claim to know what Hebrew words would have been used in the original? At that point, I tend to check out entirely.

He doesn't guess. And his thesis makes quite a bit of sense. I would suggest actually listening to him before judging him. He might be wrong, but he's not a quack.

I asked that as a question for a reason. I try not to judge things I have not read. And I don't have 2 hours to spare for this in the next few days at least.

Gordon is a former Orthodox Jew converted to Karaite Judaism.
Karaites have an ineresting theology and credit Orthodox Talmudic Jews for the 2,000 year exile and lack of a third temple.
Much truth in their writings, however thy do not believe Jesus is the Messiah.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karaite_Judaism