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Hebrew, the Language of God’s Word
Yeshua spoke in His mother tongue: Hebrew. The original Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and Yeshua often quoted scriptures in Hebrew. He spoke to His Jewish disciples in Hebrew. He also spoke Aramaic and Greek or Latin when necessary. The writing on the cross, “King of the Jews”, was first in Hebrew – the main language in use in Israel at the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and then also in Latin and Greek [John 19:19-20.]
The angel Gabriel spoke Hebrew to Miriam when he came to announce to her that she would have a Son by the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit.) The angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid. You have found favor with God. See! You are to become a mother and have a Son. You are to give Him the name Jesus”.
However, the above scripture is the English translation of Hebrew. The angel’s name is Gavriel, which means in Hebrew “God is my strength”. Mary’s original name is a Hebrew name – Miriam, and Joseph is the Hebrew name Yoseph. The angel told Miriam in Hebrew that the name of the baby would be Yeshua. The English letters of Jesus come from the Hebrew letters of Yeshua, His original Hebrew name. The word Jesus, which is the wonderful English Name of our Savior, has no meaning in the English language, but in Hebrew Yeshua means Salvation.
When Miriam asked Gabriel, how that could be, the angel quoted the scripture in Hebrew from Gen. 15:28: “ki lo yipale’ me’Elohim kol davar”, translated, “for nothing is impossible for God”.
The angel Gavriel (Gabriel) appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” He then said…After her baby is born, name him Jesus, “because he will save his people from their sins.”
He actually spoke in Hebrew because he said: name him Yeshua (Salvation) because he will Yoshia (save) his people (Israel) from their sins. Only in Hebrew does His name have meaning – salvation, and the verb Yoshia (save) is a derivative of the noun Yeshua, salvation.
Yeshua’s Words and Their Influence Today in Israel
God’s Word is alive, powerful (Heb. 4:12) and influences every area of life. Yeshua lived here in the land of Israel and His supreme teachings touched all peoples and cultures. In Israel, modern Hebrew, which is based mainly on the ancient biblical language, is the most popular language and has also incorporated many words and sayings from other sources and cultures.
Some of Yeshua’s sayings are used today in Israel and other places, and people don’t realize that He is the source. For example, Israelis often say of a person who is down-to-earth and has roots in the Israeli culture that “He is the salt-of-the-earth”, today. (In Matt. 5:13 Yeshua said to His followers that they were the salt of the earth.)
Another saying is, “…. no prophet is accepted in his hometown” (Luke 4:24) There is no other mention of that saying by anyone else before Yeshua. Yet it is a saying often used by Israelis, and most of them do not know that Yeshua was the One who said it first.
Another saying that Yeshua used, is found in Matthew 7:3, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” This saying has become part of the writings of the Rabbis in the oral law that many Israelis use, not knowing that it was Yeshua who originated this saying.
At the end of John’s wonderful gospel, John 20:30-31, and 21:25, He said that there were also many other things that Yeshua did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Glory – Kavod
The word glory has many interpretations. The manifest presence of God is a level of glory. It is the Hebrew word, Kavod, which comes from the word Koved, meaning weight, heavy. There are two types of weight.
- There is the physically heavy weight. This word in Hebrew is Mishkal. Weight in the physical realm.
- Then there is the weight that carries with it authority, like the word of an important person. The words of an important person carry great weight; when he speaks, they cause people to submit to what he says.
When Yeshua walked in the earth, He showed the manifest Presence of God, the miraculous works of God, the attributes of God, the nature of God; all of this is glory. People marveled at how He spoke with such authority, teaching unlike any of the teachers of that day. His words carried weight – Kavod.
There is another term in Hebrew Israelis use often to tell someone who has done something great, or succeeded in something: “Kol Ha Kavod,” which literally means, all the Kavod – power and honor. As believers, we say that only Yeshua deserves to receive ALL the Kavod – the glory and the honor.
Please Pray: As our hearts yearn and we pray for our people, ask that God will touch them with a terrific hunger and thirst for His Word, and that His awesome love will melt away the many prejudices against Yeshua, enabling them to look upon Him and consider His wonderful life-giving teachings.
We love and appreciate you very much. Thank you for your faithfulness in standing with us for the salvation of Israel, in prayer and financial support. We pray for you too from Zion, for God to supply all your needs and bless you greatly.
We would love to hear from you – any comments, questions, and/or prayer requests.