Is the Background of God's Word Greek or Jewish?
- Thread starter koverbd
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synergy
Active Member
The Greek Speaking Jews were the ones that understood the value of Greek logic, thought, philosophy, academics, and they were the ones who produced the Septuagint (LXX) that launched the Greek NT Apostolic Church.First of all there is no Greek biblical view. There is no Greek culture. However, there were Greek speaking Jewscommunicating the Hebrew mindset, thoughts and the Hebrew Biblical view and culture through the Greek language which was common at the time.
You just vomited out all your prejudices against the Greek-speaking Jews who converted to Christianity, the Apostles, the Greek OT (endorsed by the Apostles), and the Greek NT.
FreeInChrist
Active Member
Um, synergy...
Here is a little chart I have because as a "WASP" myself, I am appalled that so many people are very antisemitic toward their savior. That is, of those that know Jesus was a Jew.... not all do.
But some heavy weights in the reformation and forward were... it is good to know.
| Teacher | Predestinarian? | Attitude toward Jews | Advocacy of Persecution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Calvin (1509–1564) | Yes | Theological critique; Jews rejected covenant | No | Framed Jews as covenant people who rejected Christ; no calls for violence |
| Theodore Beza (1519–1605) | Yes | Theological critique | No | Reinforced Calvinist view; Jews as rejected covenant people |
| John Knox (1513–1572) | Yes | Theological critique | No | Harsh judgment of Jews, but no advocacy of violence; follower of Calvin |
| Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) | Some predestinarian influence | Critical; Jews in error | Mild | Favored restrictions on Jewish worship and civic participation, but not extreme violence |
| Johannes Oecolampadius (1482–1531) | Some predestinarian influence | Critical | Mild | Opposed Jewish practices and civic rights, no call for execution or violence |
| Martin Luther (1483–1546) | No clear predestinarian system, but influenced by it | Extremely hostile | Yes, explicit | Later writings called for burning synagogues, destroying homes, banning Jews; very influential on later anti-Semitism |
Key takeaways:
- Most predestinarian teachers were theologically anti-Jewish, meaning they saw Jews as having rejected God’s covenant in Christ, but did not advocate physical violence.
- Martin Luther stands out as exceptionally violent and explicitly anti-Semitic, even though his system wasn’t fully predestinarian.
- The Reformed/Calvinist tradition tended to theological critique + exclusion, while Lutheran tradition (in Luther himself) could slide into violent anti-Judaism.
But since you brought up German........ here is another anti-semite chart for you to check.
Predestinarian / Reformation-era Teachers and Anti-Jewish Attitudes
| Teacher | German? | Predestinarian? | Attitude toward Jews | Timeline / Evolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther (1483–1546) |  Yes (German, Saxony) | Not fully predestinarian | Early tolerance → extreme hostility | 1523: “That Jesus Christ Was Born a Jew” (hope for conversion). 1543: “On the Jews and Their Lies” (calls for burning synagogues, destroying homes, banning Jews). |
| John Calvin (1509–1564) |  No (French/Swiss) | Yes | Theological critique, mild | Constantly viewed Jews as covenant people who rejected Christ; no violence advocated. |
| Theodore Beza (1519–1605) | No (French/Swiss) | Yes | Theological critique | Wrote commentaries emphasizing Jews as rejected covenant people; no calls for violence. |
| John Knox (1513–1572) | No (Scottish) | Yes | Theological critique | Harsh theological judgment, but no advocacy of violence; influenced by Calvin. |
| Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) | No (Swiss) | Some predestinarian influence | Critical; restricted Jewish worship | Favored civic restrictions on Jews; mild hostility; no extreme violence. |
| Johannes Oecolampadius (1482–1531) | No (Swiss) | Some predestinarian influence | Critical; restricted rights | Opposed Jewish practices and civic privileges; no call for execution. |
You are wrong on all accounts. Your bias and ignorance is overwhelming. Jews that converted to Yeshua were Messianic JewsThe Greek Speaking Jews were the ones that understood the value of Greek logic, thought, philosophy, academics, and they were the ones who produced the Septuagint (LXX) that launched the Greek NT Apostolic Church.
You just vomited out all your prejudices against the Greek-speaking Jews who converted to Christianity, the Apostles, the Greek OT (endorsed by the Apostles), and the Greek NT.
The word Christian wasn't coined a word until well after the resurrection. The Apostles are Messianic Jews . The Greek Old Testament was translated from Hebrew. Do you know why? I do. I prefer the Masoretic text for the Tanakh and so do the Rabbinical scholors and Sages. I also prefer the Textus Receptus for the B'rit Hadashah. However, I use the Youngs literal translation for the New Testament Scripture study.Let me give you an example. During Nazi Germany. Jewish
owned businesses communicated in both Hebrew and German. Why? German was the common language in that country. Was a Jewish speaking German of the German mindset, worldview and thought process. No He was still of the Hebrew mindset, thought process and worldview. He did not give up his Jewish culture and traditions either.
Greek was just a language tool and nothing else, besides Hebrew was a better language with deeper word meanings.
Shalom
P.S. I never eat at Greek restaurants. Lol
FreeInChrist
Active Member
Question. Are you Greek or Greek orthodox?The Greek Speaking Jews were the ones that understood the value of Greek logic, thought, philosophy, academics, and they were the ones who produced the Septuagint (LXX) that launched the Greek NT Apostolic Church.
You just vomited out all your prejudices against the Greek-speaking Jews who converted to Christianity, the Apostles, the Greek OT (endorsed by the Apostles), and the Greek NT.
synergy
Active Member
I am Greek as far as the Greek OT (LXX) and the Greek NT is Greek.
The Tanakh is originally written in Hebrew. There is no Greek logic, but there is Greek paganism. Look at the pagan holiday of Easter. Its not connected to Passover like it should be. Salvation is of the Jews
not Greeks or Gentiles.Shalom
synergy
Active Member
The phrase “Messianic Jews” is a modern construct, emerging only in the late 20th century, and it did not even exist in the first-century world in which the apostles lived and wrote. The apostles could not have self-identified with a term that had not yet been coined. They did not possess a time machine. They identified as Jews who believed Jesus is the Messiah, but more decisively, as members of the New Covenant inaugurated by Christ, one that transcended ethnic and religious categories (Galatians 3:28). To project the modern term “Messianic Jews” backward onto the apostolic era is anachronistic and misleading, obscuring the profound divide that the apostles themselves recognized between the old covenant and the New Covenant in Christ.You are wrong on all accounts. Your bias and ignorance is overwhelming. Jews that converted to Yeshua were Messianic Jews
The Septuagint was not produced merely as a convenience; it was created because Greek-speaking Jews of the diaspora no longer understood Hebrew sufficiently. More importantly, the Septuagint often preserves earlier Hebrew textual traditions than the Masoretic Text, which was standardized nearly a millennium later. The preference of later rabbinic authorities for the Masoretic Text reflects post-Christian Jewish hatred of Christians, not neutral textual criticism.
Your Nazi Germany analogy is logically flawed. Language is never “just a tool”; it shapes thought, theology, and interpretation. Greek is not a shallow substitute for Hebrew but a language of extraordinary philosophical and conceptual precision, which is precisely why the New Testament was written in Greek and not Hebrew or Aramaic. Key Christian doctrines—logos, ousia, hypostasis, charis—cannot be reduced to Hebrew categories without distortion. The apostles did not merely translate Hebrew ideas into Greek words; they articulated revelation within a Greek linguistic and conceptual world under divine providence. To argue that Hebrew is inherently superior or “deeper” is linguistic romanticism, not scholarship, and it ignores the fact that God Himself chose Greek as the primary vehicle for the gospel’s global proclamation.Let me give you an example. During Nazi Germany. Jewish
Why? German was the common language in that country. Was a Jewish speaking German of the German mindset, worldview and thought process. No He was still of the Hebrew mindset, thought process and worldview. He did not give up his Jewish culture and traditions either.
Greek was just a language tool and nothing else, besides Hebrew was a better language with deeper word meanings.
Shalom
P.S. I never eat at Greek restaurants. Lol
Greek pagan gods, primarily known as the Twelve Olympians, formed the core of ancient Greek religion and continue to be revered in modern Hellenic Polytheism. They were believed to reside on Mount Olympus and represented various aspects of human life and the natural world.
The Twelve Olympians
- Zeus (Jupiter): King of the gods and ruler of the sky, lightning, and justice.
- Hera (Juno): Queen of the gods and goddess of marriage, women, and childbirth.
- Poseidon (Neptune): God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.
- Demeter (Ceres): Goddess of the harvest, agriculture, and the fertility of the earth.
- Athena (Minerva): Goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and handicrafts.
- Apollo: God of light, prophecy, music, poetry, and healing.
- Artemis (Diana): Goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and the moon.
- Ares (Mars): God of war, violence, and courage.
- Aphrodite (Venus): Goddess of love, beauty, and desire.
- Hephaestus (Vulcan): God of fire, smithing, and craftsmanship.
- Hermes (Mercury): Messenger of the gods; god of travel, trade, and thieves.
- Dionysus (Liber) or Hestia (Vesta): Dionysus is the god of wine and ecstasy; Hestia is the goddess of the hearth and domesticity.
Other Significant Deities
Beyond the Olympians, the Greek pantheon included numerous other powerful entities:
- Hades (Pluto): King of the Underworld and god of the dead.
- Persephone (Proserpina): Queen of the Underworld and goddess of spring growth.
- Hecate (Trivia): Goddess of magic, witchcraft, and crossroads.
- Pan (Faunus): God of the wild, shepherds, and rustic music.
- The Fates (Moirai): Three sisters who controlled the thread of life for every mortal and god.
- Primordial Deities: Ancient beings like Gaia (Earth), Uranus (Sky), and Nyx (Night) who predated the Olympians.
FreeInChrist
Active Member
Okay.... but here I just found ....... and yes, salvation is of the Jews... Not Greeks or Gentiles....I agree after all @jeremiah1five has spent months convincing me of this. Now there are 2. And you are told in Matt that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing ...... So after you read this following I wont bother you again.The Tanakh is originally written in Hebrew. There is no Greek logic, but there is Greek paganism. Look at the pagan holiday of Easter. Its not connected to Passover like it should be. Salvation is of the Jews
Shalom
Which Bibles translated from Greek used “Easter”?
King James Version (1611) – English, translated from Greek
- Acts 12:4 → uses “Easter”
- Greek word: πάσχα (pascha)
- KJV: “…intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”
Earlier English Bibles translated from Greek that also used “Easter”
All of these were based on the Greek New Testament:| Translation | Date | Language | Used “Easter”? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyndale NT | 1526 | English | (ester) |
| Coverdale Bible | 1535 | English | |
| Great Bible | 1539 | English | |
| Bishops’ Bible | 1568 | English | |
| King James Version | 1611 | English | |
Greek Bibles themselves never use “Easter”
Every Greek manuscript and printed Greek New Testament says:No ancient or modern Greek Bible uses a different word meaning “Easter” there — because the text itself is already Greek.
So:
- Greek → Greek: always πάσχα
- Greek → English:
- KJV & early English Bibles = Easter
- Modern English Bibles = Passover
Bottom Line
Only English translations from Greek ever inserted “Easter.”The Greek text itself never did.
That’s why Acts 12:4 is such a powerful example of tradition overriding translation —
synergy
Active Member
So what? It was the LXX that launched the Greek NT Apostolic Church with many thanks to the Alexandrian Jews who wrote it.
The Greek word commonly translated as “Easter” in Christian usage is Pascha (Πάσχα), which is a direct borrowing and translation of the Hebrew word Pesach (פֶּסַח), meaning Passover. This linguistic connection reflects the historical and theological reality that the Christian celebration of Christ’s resurrection arose directly from the Jewish Passover context, since Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred during Passover week. Rather than being a separate or unrelated festival, Pascha preserves the original Passover meaning, emphasizing deliverance and redemption, now understood by Christians as fulfilled in Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28).Salvation is of the Jews
Shalom
synergy
Active Member
What does all that have anything to do with the Greek NT Apostolic Church, which was assisted by Greek Speaking Jews, who had earlier produced the Greek OT, that provided the basis of the Greek NT???
Greek is a shallow substitute for Hebrew. Even your vile Antisemitic early Church Father Martin Luther praised Hebrew as the beautiful heart language of God that ever existed. There is no key Christian doctrines in the B'rit Hadashah, but there is Messianic doctrines in the B'rit Hadashah.
Shalom
FreeInChrist
Active Member
Pascha preserves the original Passover meaning, emphasizing deliverance and redemption, now understood by Christians as fulfilled in Christ.
It most cretainly does but there is no where that Pascha was ever translated as Easter.
The Greek word πάσχα (pascha) never means “Easter.” It always means “Passover.”
It is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew פֶּסַח (Pesach).
In every Greek manuscript of the New Testament: πάσχα = Passover
It refers to:
the Jewish feast
the Passover lamb
the Passover meal
the Passover season and
the week of Passover (Unleavened Bread)
There is no Greek word for “Easter” in the New Testament.
So what exactly do you think the reason was for the translators to translate it as Easter in those bibles?
Ironically I did a quick search and asked~" So why did “Easter” end up in the NT?"
And I never expected such a statement as this, though it does not surprise me.
Why they did this (and it matters)
These translators knew Greek and They knew πάσχα = Passover.But in England:
“Easter” was already the church feast
Passover was viewed as “Jewish”
The Roman church calendar had replaced the biblical feast
Translators conformed to ecclesiastical tradition
So they translated theology, not text.
Before English, Latin always said: pascha = Passover
Jerome’s Vulgate never used a pagan term. It kept pascha.
The corruption happened when English church culture took over the text.
No Greek manuscript ever says “Easter.”
No early Christian writer ever thought pascha meant Easter.
Only post-Roman English church tradition turned Passover into Easter ....
and then forced that tradition back into the Bible.
Makes you wonder what else man changed in the bible.
Look at the Greek NT and you will find more mistranslations. Look at Romans 10:4 and Hebrews 8:6
Shalom
synergy
Active Member
You continue to vomit out baseless prejudistic views.
Since when is Martin Luther my Early Church Father???? You continue to make baseless assumptions as is typical of Judaizers.
So through the B'rit Hadashah, all Jewish Believers recognize the Greek Apostolic and Patristic Fathers who formed the Canon of the Greek New Testament. Excellent! Now we're getting somewhere.
synergy
Active Member
So your biggest complaint against the Apostolic Greek NT Church (about a pagan holiday called Easter) just crashed and burned in a big ball of fire.
We are not going anywhere. All Jewish
believers recognizes their faith and trust in Yeshua despite the Greek language mis interpretations of the New Covenant Scriptures. We don't recognize the so called Greek Apostolic and Patristic Fathers anymore than you recognize the great Jewish Rabbinical theologians and Sages that influenced the Covenant Scriptures. Shalom
You might think of going back to.the pagan 3rd world country of Greece.
I don't think so. Christmas and Easter are pagan holidays celebrated by Christians and unbelievers. Easter is connected to the pagan Greek god of fertility Eostre. God didn't approve of the New Covenant in Greek, but he permitted it. Just like God didn't approve of the Israelites in Egyptian slavery, but permitted it for 400 years.So your biggest complaint against the Apostolic Greek NT Church (about a pagan holiday called Easter) just crashed and burned in a big ball of fire.
Shalom.
I remind you again that Hebrew is Gods preferred language not Greek. When God wrote the 10 commandments on stone tablets on Mt Sinai it was in Hebrew.So your biggest complaint against the Apostolic Greek NT Church (about a pagan holiday called Easter) just crashed and burned in a big ball of fire.
When Yeshua was answering your Pharasee friends about the woman caught in adultery
and writing on the ground with his finger my bet he was writing in Hebrew or Aramaic not Greek.
Shalom
