Orthodoxy & Scripture 2: Writing the New Testament

This video is the second in my series in Holy Scripture. In this video, I begin discussing the New Testament, paying special attention to Matthean priority, as opposed to Markan priority.

Read more from St. Papias of Hierapolis, a very interesting and somewhat mysterious Apostolic Father, here: http://chronicon.net/church%20fathers...

Read the Peshitta, the Bible in the language of Christ: http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/

More information about Aramaic primacy (the theory that most or all of the New Testament is originally Aramaic, translated into Greek): http://www.aramaicnt.org/ (I don't agree with everything on this site or in their position, but they present some rather compelling arguments)

Read more about Matthean priority, the Augustinian hypothesis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthean...

For more about St. Paul the Apostle's letter to the Romans, visit: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13156...

To read more about the Ebionites, visit: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ebionit...

There is an excellent podcast series on the Apocalypse of St. John, exploring its history, context, and content, here: http://www.myocn.net/index.php/Beyond...

If you want to contact me, my e-mail address is davidpwithun@yahoo.com

Don't forget to check out my blog at http://piousfabrications.blogspot.com If you're interested in learning more about Scripture, you might want to check out my ongoing debate with a Reformed Baptist about Sola Scriptura.

Thanks for watching!

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  Education

[gregory lee]

There is good reason to believe that Revelation was written before 70 AD. A great defense of this is by Kenneth Gentry "Before Jerusalem Fell". There are other scholars who have believed this as well. Manly because of the internal evidence.

[David Withun]

I've seen some of the arguments before, and I think there are some good reasons, but I'm not convinced yet. I'll check out the book you recommended. Thanks!

[psevdhome]

By the way you are slightly wrong about Revelations not being included in the lectionary. Because it is marked as the "Great Reading" for some feasts. The Great Reading is probably most familiar to us from the night of Easter, when the Acts of the Apostles are read in their entirety. I do not know if you are familiar with this custom, but here in Finland we do practise it. It is quite solemn actually and a great way to spend the fast before the Easter service too ;) Thanks for a great video!!!

[David Withun]

I appreciate that correction. I found out about the Finnish Church's use of the Apocalypse after I made this video. The Coptic Church, I've read since I made this video, has a tradition very similar to that as well. The omission wasn't intentional, believe me!

[HighCarro]

Speaking of dates!

I believe that Marks gospel was written down within 37 AD! This is because Mark never named Caiaphas by name, he only said high priest! I believe that Caiaphas was High priest under the time Mark wrote the gospel! And thats why Mark never named him by name!

[David Withun]

Very interesting; I'll have to look into it more. Thanks for posting this!

[gda295]

I think you meant Mathew at 1:45 when you said Mark...that is how I wish to interpret that few seconds at any rate. 

[Ahridium777]

AND ARAMEANS AND CHALDEANS ARE JUST NAMES OF THE SAME THING AS WE SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE ISRAELITES AND SYRIANS and we should include here REAL SYRIANS NOT ARABS!

[Ahridium777]

Aramaic is infact also a jewish language as the jews infact are only politically jews, but the reallity they are aramaic as all others. See Abraham wanted isaac to mary in padan aram as a chaldean(As Abraham of UR in CHALDEA wanted it) he marys only chaldeans or arameans, also the son of ISAAC namely JACOB ISRAEL MARIED IN PADAN ARAM BETH ARAM NAHARAIM! And not in ISRAEL because in ISRAEL in the BEGINS were tomany KANAANITES! JEWS INFACT ARE NOT ONLY ARAMEANS, they are SONS OF ARAMEANS.

[Ahridium777]

And even the talmudic toldoth yeshu ha notsri you can find that the disciples of jesus were infact aramaic even by name, jews caleld them in aramaic way: It is taught: Yeshu had five disciples - Matai, Nekai, Netzer, Buni, and Todah. This are not greek names. And jews spoke at that time also aramaic by the way as many jews speak today, because hebrew and aramaic are sister tongues, dont forget that!

[Ahridium777]

Luke was neither greek nor jewish, he was jewish by religion, but aramaic by blood because of the nothern israel peninusla which was more near to syria as abraham was infact aramaic!And israel was aramaic and only juda who separated from israel called themselfes in extreme form jewish!Aramaic is the holy language!

[Ahridium777]

Luke was not greek, he spoke greek cause he was a doctor healer. His name was Luqi, Matthew was Matti, Peter was Kipha, John was Yukhanna short Yuki, all were aramaic names. Like Yaku was for Yahkub. All were aramaic and from aramaic was translated into greek and from greek to syriac some, while some other places were directly wroten from old into new aramaic namely quadratic to syriac = christian aramaic, to differentiate from the non christians!

[Solomon Cobb]

There is one problem with this whole conversation, and that is the notion that the entire new testament was written in the same language also. It was written by different writers at different times, in different places. Luke, i am sure wrote his in Greek, while Matthew was likely to write in Hebrew, you see? Of course it is possible that one of them was written in Aramaic after the oral tradition, but where is that evidence. You see? What is the point of that kind of speculation, we have Greek.

[Solomon Cobb]

Luke was a Greek, and Greek was the language that would allow the Gospel to spread further and faster. Why would you think that God would have let it be in Aramaic? That would have stiffled it's process. Does that make sense. God played a role in the writing and spread of the Bible itself, by preparing the world for Jesus. Look at the Greek philosophers and what they were doing as the prophets began to talk of the coming messiah. I think mister Roth has wasted some time with this subject, really