Showing posts with label jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jesus. Show all posts

Monday, November 12, 2007

What was the language Jesus spoke in his preachings?

They say it was mainly Aramaic, sometimes Hebrew. But I want to think it Koine. Here's my article based on my mere assumptions.

I think Jesus was able to speak, use, understand workable Koine, not to say standard Greek.

I admit his native tongue was Aramaic, though, he must have understood Hebrew, at least what is written in Scriptures.

The reason he had to establish new religion somehow must have been related to his native tongue. He must have felt alienated from Hebrew dominated Pharisee society and Koine dominated Levant world.

That said, however, I assume his entire preachings were basically held in Koine.

What he wanted must be preaching as many people as possible.

His choice of universal language must have been the reason his teachings had dominated in Levant world, and his teaching itself matches the universality of its language.  

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Cause of his death

Pilate asked Jesus only whether he was a son of God. Jesus didn't deny and said as he said so. Virtually he admitted that he was a son of God. At that time a title son of God was only used for Caesar or more specifically for Epiphanes. Pilate must have known Jesus was guilty for high treason judging from the way he replied.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Son of man

Jesus... he was a son of Josef and Mary so naturally he was a son of man. And he described himself as a son of man many times, he didn't say he is a son of God even one time. If I remember correctly he was asked by Pilate whether he is a son of God, he said just 'as you said so' . This is a form of negation.
Christianity was started by people who believed Jesus is a son of God.
At that time the title son of God was used to refer to Octavianus, Emperor of Rome.
Actually a son of God is as good as the alternate name for king.

But if you think the title son of man is a humble expression, you are misled.

Is any ordinary person claim on purpose he is a son of man?

What Jesus wanted to connote was that he was originally a son of God but he was born from human parents.

Thus a son of man is more glorious than a son of God in meaning.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Gatekeeper

There are tens of thousands of shrines in which you know two gatekeepers are guarding in front of the entrance. Those figureheads are called Komainu - dog of foreign origin. Their head is similar to lion's and the body ordinary dog. Those figureheads were so common in ancient Babylonia, Persia, etc. I know the gate of the Garden of Eden was protected by two cherubim so I wonder cherubim must have something to do with Japan's Komainu.

By the way I encountered some article that says the Garden of Eden stands for a womb. Certainly Bible says they can't back to the garden once they left there. In this article that says the cherubim represent unborn babies who were killed before their birth for some reason, usually economic one.

Related to this but not directly though are the origin of cross. Jesus was crucified but the fact does not automatically deduce as to why cross has been used as a symbol of Christianity for a long time. So when I encountered the article that suggests the similarity of the brazen serpent and Seraphim, I thought this must have something to do with cross. I had half a mind that cross must have represented the ascension of Jesus. Jesus was born as human and he later must have resurrected in spirit. My conclusion is cherubim, seraphim are representing spirits after death. Cross must be representing humans with wings, hoping to ascend. 

Back again gatekeepers. We sometimes pay respect to shrines. This practice is so common in Japan. If inside the gate represents the Garden of Eden, the shrine must be playing the similar role. Inside the shrine is called 'sanctuary' as a matter of fact. We weren't caught in the gate. We weren't a gatekeeper yet.