Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet Outreach

What’s in a Word? The Bible as YHWH’s Written Revelation

YHWH uses Scripture to communicate with Mankind. Taking a guided, discerning look at the manuscripts’ original languages, a person can enrich his or her understanding of the Salvation message.

THE VALUE OF STUDYING THE BIBLE IN ITS ORIGINAL LANGUAGES

Grammar (language structure) is a key starting point for biblical examination.
The first step to productive, profitable study (and with guided prayer!) is being familiar with the grammar of the original language — not an English translation. For this reason, it’s necessary to get acquainted with the language YHWH chose to communicate His inspired word. A text of Scripture only means what the grammar of that text supports. A person need not be a linguist to study Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek. There are many resources available to the genuinely interested seeker.

Reading the original language text develops a careful approach to interpretation.
The reader is guided to consider the possibilities of meaning which are inherent in the language of the text. This can be a very challenging step to take, as a person may encounter that the language does not support a long-held faith tradition, denominational doctrine or personal belief. Grammar study (e.g., the meaning of different verb tenses; how pronouns are used) can increase interpretive accuracy, thereby making contextual connections which may have otherwise been unclear in a translation version. Heart-felt study to know YHWH’s way and will requires a person to have an open mind to accept what is being said — and not to “fit” Scripture into a previously conceived teaching or belief.

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL DOCTRINE

Language serves as the essential, divinely given medium for revealing, preserving and understanding biblical doctrine, with the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek offering depth, nuance and precision often lost in translation. Studying these languages enables deeper interpretation, helps identify theological errors, and allows for accurate, context-sensitive communication of Scripture.

Many theological discussions start with comments such as, The Bible says…. or God says…. . The problem with these statements is that it assumes the Bible was originally written in English. Differing opinions tend to be based on faulty interpretations of the text that could be resolved by examining the original language. Once a text is recognized, its meanings and interpretations can then be discussed properly.

BIBLE WORD STUDIES AND BIBLE VERSE STUDIES

Devotional reading of the Bible is a daily, heart-focused practice of reading Scripture to hear YHWH’s voice, foster intimacy with Him, and apply His word to one’s life. Unlike academic study, it focuses on reflection, prayer and personal transformation. However, only deep study — rather than a “surface view” — unlocks spiritual truth and strengthens intellect. True growth requires prayerful, concentrated and focused study.

Bible word studies focus on analyzing specific Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek terms to uncover their precise, original meaning and nuances across different contexts. The goal is to understand the exact meaning the author intended for a specific term. Bible verse studies examine specific passages, verses, or chapters to understand their broader narrative, historical context, and immediate application.
Word studies and verse studies work together; a word study enhances a verse study, while a verse study provides the context for a word study.

Ready to delve in? Checkout the Bible Verse & Word Studies page!

HISTORY OF BIBLE VERSIONS/TRANSLATIONS

Why are there so many different Bible versions and translations?
Which one is “the best”?

Regardless of Satan’s attempt [through Man] to alter, defile and destroy YHWH’s written word, the Divine Will has been preserved through the centuries and shall be made known! Numerous translations do the Scriptures a “marvelous injustice” — but with prayer and asking for YHWH to guide all studies, and with continual seeking, the earnest seeker will not be led astray!

As Judaism evolved into a religion of “the book” with a canon of sacred texts as its core (what Christianity calls the “Old Testament”), access to those texts by all Jews was essential. For the growing number of Greek-speaking Jews dispersed throughout the Second Temple and post-Second Temple periods, a Greek translation was required.
The earliest known translation of the “Old Testament” is the Greek translation commonly referred to as the Septuagint. Its origins are shrouded in legend; it reached its final form centuries after the initial submission of the first component of the “Old Testament” — the Torah — to Greek.

The challenge confronting all translations is whether to strive for a literal rendition or to allow for a more free-flowing but looser translation that attempts to preserve the spirit and meaning of the original. The Septuagint was one of the most ambitious translating projects in all antiquity, and the first case of a major translation from an Eastern dialect into Greek.

There is evidence that many paraphrases and translations of parts of the Scriptures were made in various dialects for the people of England before the 14th Century. Anglo-Saxon translations were were often glosses, or literal translations written between lines of the Latin text of an older manuscript. These works were likely based on the Vulgate (translations from the Hebrew and Greek completed by Jerome, in the 4th Century).

Since the 14th Century, numerous religious personages and “reformers” have attempted to make the Word of YHWH increasingly accessible to the masses. England during the 16th Century was a land and period of seething confusion and much growth. The fact that the English Bible went through nine translations or revisions in less than 100 years reflects a keen and vital interest in religion. The “new learning” and the art of printing were in no small part responsible for this condition.