Hebrewisms of Bible- Part 3.
The most elegant of the Greek language and the most generally used was that of Attic. It is broad stroked in every book of the N.T. Attic with its poetic dialect was used extensively by Paul. Examples follow.
Acts 17:28, “For in Him = (Christ) we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets = (Greek poets) have said, For we are also his offspring.”
1 Corinthians 15:33, “Be not deceived; evil communications = (evil company) corrupt good manners = (habits.)”
Titus 1:12, “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cre-tians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies = (lazy gluttons.)”
Because the writers of the N.T. were Jews, they were acquainted with both the Hebrew Idioms, and the common language of the people. Therefore when they used a Greek word, one corresponding to a Hebrew word, having a similar meaning, they used it in the Hebrew sense, each word or Idiom having either a common or appropriated sense.
Following are some Hebraisms found principally in the N.T. An example such as, “To be called,” “To arise,” or, “To be found,” to the Jew meant the same as, “To be.”
Example, “To be called,” in the following verses means in the Hebrew way of speaking, “To be;”
Matthew 5:9, “They shall be called the children of God.” Or, They are, “to be,” the children of God.
Matthew 5:19, “He shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.” Or, He is, “to be” the least in the kingdom of heaven.”
1 John 3:1, “That we should be called the sons of God.” Or, “We are “to be” the sons of God.
The same applies to the word “arise.” In all places where the word arise in the O. T. appears, it means no other than actual being, or existing, this according to Hebrew idiom.
2 Samuel 11:20, “If the king’s wrath arise.” Or, wrath already exists in the king.
Esther 4:14, “Enlargement and deliverance shall arise to the Jews.” Or, enlargement and deliverance already exists to the Jew.
Proverbs 24:22, “Their calamity shall arise suddenly.” Or, their calamity already exists.
So the idea of the word, “arise,” to the Jew when used in the N.T., signifies also no other than actual being, or existing.
Luke 24:38, “Why do thoughts arise in your hearts?” Or, “Why are they there?”
Matthew 24:24, “There shall arise false Christ’s,: Or, “There shall actually be at that time such persons according to my prediction.”
“To be found,” has the same importance, with the above mentioned expressions, and according to the O.T, one is put for the other. “To be found,” is equivalent to, “Was,” in the N.T.
1 Samuel 25:28, “Evil hath not been found in thee.” N.T. “evil “was” not in thee.”
2 Chronicles 19:3, “Good things found in thee.” N.T. “Good things exists in thee.”
Isaiah 51:3, “Joy and gladness shall be found therein. N.T. “Joy and gladness was therein.”
Daniel 5:12, “An excellent spirit was found in Daniel.” N.T., “An excellent spirit was in Daniel.”
In the N.T., “To be found,” is an imitation of the above form of Hebraism, “To be.”
Luke 17:18, “There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” O.T. Hebraism, “None were to be found to give glory,” etc.
1 Corinthians 4:2, “That a man be found faithful.” O.T. Hebraism, “That man is to be faithful.”
Philippians 2:8, “Being found in fashion as a man.” O.T. Hebraism, “To be in the fashion of a man.”
Hebrews 11:5, “Enoch was not found,” which is the same as, “Enoch was not,” is seen from comparing, Genesis 5:24, to which Hebrews 11:5 refers.
1 Peter 2:22, “Neither was guile found in his mouth.” This is taken from
Isaiah 53:9, “Neither was there any deceit = (guile) in his mouth.” So it appears in these, as well as other texts, “To be found,” is equivalent to, “Was.”
Phil Laspino www.seekfirstwisdom.com