CHAPTER SEVEN Have you ever wondered about the sign which was placed over the cross of Christ? The notice was writ ten in three languages, Greek He brew, and Latin. Palestine at that time was a tri-langual country. The language of the common people was Hebrew or Western Aramaic. The language of culture, commerce, and education was Greek. Latin was also spoken since Palestine was un der Roman control. Everyone on that occasion was to understand who this Man was hanging on the coss. Pilate ordered the inscription thusly. This gives us something of the back ground of the early church. The Old Testament was given in Hebrew and the New in Greek, because God has always followed tbe principle of re vealing Himself to people in their own tongue. When the resurrected Saviour talked to Saul on the road to Damascus He spoke to him in Ar amaic. As far as we know the con verted Paul spoke three languages. Bom in a Jewish home gave him Aramaic. His education gave him Greek, and we see him in Athens speaking to the people in this lan guage. Since he was also a citizen of Rome by birth we find him talk ing to the head of the Roman sol diers in their native Latin. Our Lord chose the Aramaic and this is what remained in Paul’s mind, for he tes tifies of that fact some 20 years later when recounting before the rulers his conversion experience. This indi cates to me that when Jesus did per sonal work He spoke to men in the language of their own home and heart. Similarly it’s interesting to see that at Pentecost there were many differ ent languages represented. The Holy Spirit demonstrated to all who were there that the Apostles were author ized, empowered, and commissioned of God to carry His Word to the uttermost parts of the earth. The
miracle He chose to authenticate this event was that every person there heard in his own native tongue the wonderful works of God. You see, the language for the communi cation of the Gospel to the peoples of the earth is to be determined by the language of the hearer. The de termining factor is not the language of the messenger. This is why the Wycliffe Bible Translators are com mitted to giving people God’s Word written in their own tongue.
Pete Schwepker (center) talking over plans for this year’s catalogs with mem bers of the Public Relations staff.
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