In the Greek New Testament, there are often Aramaic words/phrases that are written in the Aramaic (or a Greek transliteration of the Aramaic), then followed by a translation, such as in Mk 5.41. Mark 5:41 (KJV) Of course, we find these “translations” usually lacking in the Aramaic Peshitta, as it’s all Aramaic anyway. Since the audience is Aramaic-speaking, there is no need to translate the phrase. Mark 5:41 (Younan) However, there are three places where the “translation” (an explanation actually) still occurs in the Peshitta, and Greek primacists are only too eager to say, “Look at how silly the Peshitta is! It mentions the phrase in Aramaic, then says it in Aramaic again!” These few examples actually have good reason for allegedly “doubling up” (gloss) – and the repeated phrase is always different. 1) In Mk 3.17, Jesus calls James and John, “sons of thunder’. The Peshitta then follows with the “translation/explanation”, just like the Greek, because “bnay raghshee”, “sons of thunder”, can also mean “sons of rage”. Gospel writer Mark merely explains that the intended meaning was “thunder’. 2) The Peshitta again seemingly repeats itself in Ac 1.19 with “akeldama”, “field of blood”, followed by an explanation. This explanation is given, because “akeldama” was a local nickname for that field and would most probably not have been understood by foreigners, even if they spoke Aramaic. 3) In Mk 15.34, we have the famous “my God, my God, why have you spared me?” As expected, in the Greek, we are given a translation. But in the Aramaic, we are also given this explanation. The reason is most likely that Jesus, coming from Galillee, spoke the Gallilean dialect of Aramaic. Mark, then “translates” the words into the Judean dialect of Aramaic, so his audience could understand. This is somewhat confirmed by some Jews at the time, thinking that Jesus called out to Elijah.
|