Dear Mr. Lim,

While the topic of whether or not Christ spoke Aramaic

or Greek is of no consequence to me personally, I

would like to clarify a couple of facts that you

stated on your website. I first want to make a

disclaimer. None of this information came as the

fruit of any kind of work or inherent intelligence on

my part. First of all, the Bible at the time of

Christ, the 46 books that comprised the Old Testament

at that time, was mostly written in Greek. Before

Christ's time (around 285-246 BC), Alexandria was home

to the largest library in the ancient world. The

Alexandrians commissioned, according to Jewish law

that six members from each of the twelve tribes be

present to transcribe the OT, 70 Jews to translate the

Bible into Greek and to keep it in their archives.

The Hebrew language was a dying language and Aramaic

was only spoken in Palestine at the time of Jesus. So

it's not a surprise that at the time of Jesus' public

ministry that the widely circulated Scripture was in

Greek. According to this, Christ did probably speak

Aramaic and could at least read Greek but what I don't

agree with is your interpretation of Jn 1: v 42. You

see, in this passage, Christ was more than likely

speaking Aramaic because he was 1)with fellow Jews,

his disciples and 2)they would all know Aramaic being

that was their native tongue. In Greek, there is a

masculine and feminine noun for "rock". These are

"petros" and "petra" respectively. "Petros" meaning

"small stone" and "petra" meaning "big rock". In

Aramaic, the word for rock is "kepha". In Aramaic,

there is no masculine or feminine distinction. So

when the writers of the New Testament (which was

written in Greek) sat down to write them, they wrote

"kepha" as "petros" because it would be inappropriate

to use a feminine form of the noun for a man. This

was understood by all the early Church fathers

especially St. Paul. There are several references to

the papal authority of Peter in Acts. Peter was

present for every major Church first: led the meeting

which elected the first apostle to replace Judas (Acts

1: 13-26), preached the first sermon at Pentecost

(Acts 2: 14), received the first converts (Acts 2:41),

performed the first miracle after Pentecost (Acts

3:6-7), etc., etc... Also, Peter's name is mentioned

191 times in the Gospels compared to the 130 times of

the rest of the Apostles COMBINED. He has a very

special role. That is that of the Pope. The Vicar of

Christ. Something that has been passed down through

the ages. Lastly, it seems that you recognize today's

popular version of the Bible as being divinely

inspired by God. The large majority of people agree

with the King James Version. The Catholic Church

approved the completed canon of the Bible in the year

405 AD and this was done by Pope Innocent I. So by

using quotes from the very Bible whose composite was

determined by the Holy Catholic Church to attack the

Catholic Church is ludicrous!! If you don't agree

with the Catholic Churches teaching then you should

reject the Bible as false. My only hope for this,

brother, is that you see the truth in these arguments

and recognize that the Catholic Church is the one true

Church on earth. The one Christ set up to be a light

for us all!! Although imperfect because it is run by

men it is infallible because of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for your time!!

Jared

=-=-==

Jared : Dear Mr. Lim,

D.Lim: Let this Mr. answer your scholastic assertion claiming to be truth.

Jared : While the topic of whether or not Christ spoke Aramaic

or Greek is of no consequence to me personally,

D.Lim: How really? Bother to act for no consequence?

Jared : I would like to clarify a couple of facts that you

stated on your website.

D.Lim: I would think they are pretty much conclusive if they are facts. Substituting facts with truth? What truth can this be if it is not factual?

Jared : I first want to make a disclaimer. None of this information came as the

fruit of any kind of work or inherent intelligence on my part.

D.Lim: You want to be copycat? Don�t! Be truthful, for it could cause you eternity separation from the Truth.

Jared : First of all, the Bible at the time of

Christ, the 46 books that comprised the Old Testament

at that time, was mostly written in Greek.

D.Lim: Well, there are 39 OT books in the LXX plus separate translation of the Apocrypha. They were not Roman Catholic in origin. The Hebrew OT was still being used.

Much of the Dead Sea scrolls are in Hebrew, indicating a Hebrew audience right through the time of Christ.

Where do your "truth" come from?

Jared : Before

Christ's time (around 285-246 BC), Alexandria was home

to the largest library in the ancient world. The

Alexandrians commissioned, according to Jewish law

that six members from each of the twelve tribes be

present to transcribe the OT, 70 Jews to translate the

Bible into Greek and to keep it in their archives.

D.Lim: No translation into Latin, although the Romans spoke Latin.

Jared : The Hebrew language was a dying language and Aramaic

was only spoken in Palestine at the time of Jesus.

D.Lim: Where is Palestine? Such name does not appear on maps at and before the time of Christ. Hebrew is used throughout history, kept alive in Jewish tradition. Biblical Greek speakers almost completely disappeared after 70AD.

It was the Jewish Christians in the later centuries who taught the believers who did not know Hebrew what the OT really teaches. Aramaic is virtually a dead language with very few tribal speakers nowadays, while Hebrew is spoken all over the world.

Aramaic was spoken in Syria, north of Judea at the time of Christ.

Your truth are not factual. Just wonder when you would ever repent.

Jared : So it's not a surprise that at the time of Jesus' public

ministry that the widely circulated Scripture was in Greek.

D.Lim: For Christians, it is a matter of Divine inspiration. Not a guess work. From the scholastic angle, no NT document in the first 3 centuries is found written in Aramaic or Hebrew; Not even the Gospel of Matthew.

Jared : According to this, Christ did probably speak

Aramaic and could at least read Greek but what I don't

agree with is your interpretation of Jn 1: v 42.

D.Lim: According to your guess work?

Jared : You see, in this passage, Christ was more than likely

speaking Aramaic because he was 1)with fellow Jews,

his disciples and 2)they would all know Aramaic being

that was their native tongue.

D.Lim: No indication that Christ was more likely speaking Aramaic with His disciples. On the contrary, Mark made special effort to include Aramaic lines of Jesus and translated them for the Greek readers, showing that Christ spoke Greek most of the time, and when He was with His disciples. This is no guess work.

No indication that Aramaic is more native than Greek.

No indication that Christ chose to speak the more native tongue with His disciples.

John1 v42: And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Jared : In Greek, there is a

masculine and feminine noun for "rock". These are

"petros" and "petra" respectively. "Petros" meaning

"small stone" and "petra" meaning "big rock". In

Aramaic, the word for rock is "kepha". In Aramaic,

there is no masculine or feminine distinction. So

when the writers of the New Testament (which was

written in Greek) sat down to write them, they wrote

"kepha" as "petros" because it would be inappropriate

to use a feminine form of the noun for a man.

D.Lim: In scriptural matters we are talking Divine Inspiration. Not guess work. No indication that the writers of the OT translated some of Christ�s words from Aramaic into Greek.

No indication that the Divine inspired NT writers had to translate things with human error.

The Greek NT is inspired by God and free from error.

D.Lim: When the writer wrote petros, it is petros. This is Divine inspiration.

No indication that the writers made a mistake in their writing, translation or understanding.

Petros being the name of Simon is used by the Apostle Peter himself( 1Pe 1v1; 2Pe 1v1 ). He certainly did not misunderstand his own self and the commission he received from Christ.

Petros is also used by Mark, Matthew, Luke and Paul( Ga 2vv7,8 ). They all came to the same conclusion. The whole Church receiving the letters, later Scriptures, came to the same conclusion.

This means the later Roman Catholic Church is wrong. Her followers are wrong.

Your truth do not become facts.

Jared : This was understood by all the early Church fathers

especially St. Paul.

D.Lim: It is Paul the Apostle who preached this doctrine of Divine inspiration in 2Tim3 vv16,17:

3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

D.Lim: "perfect, thoroughly furnished…" No poor or mis-translation.

Jared : There are several references to

the papal authority of Peter in Acts.

D.Lim: None as claimed by the Roman Catholic Church.

Jared : Peter was

present for every major Church first: led the meeting

which elected the first apostle to replace Judas (Acts

1: 13-26),

D.Lim: Acts 1v24: And they prayed. Acts 1v26: And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

No exception. They prayed. And the Holy Spirit indicated who the replacement was.

Jared : preached the first sermon at Pentecost

(Acts 2: 14), received the first converts (Acts 2:41),

performed the first miracle after Pentecost (Acts

3:6-7), etc., etc... Also, Peter's name is mentioned

191 times in the Gospels compared to the 130 times of

the rest of the Apostles COMBINED.

D.Lim: Petros is used 150 times in the entire NT. See, my Scriptures are not your Scriptures.

Where did you have your argument copied?

D.Lim: The Bible does not teach the idea that more occurence means greater importance. John 3v16 occurred once, and is most frequently quoted.

And Pentecost is a matter of the Baptism of the Spirit on the believers. God made the initiation.

Jared : He has a very special role. That is that of the Pope. The Vicar of Christ.

D.Lim: This is no scriptural teaching. Neither is this Bible or linguistic scholarship. The languages and the Bible do not yield such conclusion.

Jared : Something that has been passed down through the ages.

D.Lim: So many cults passed down their cultic teachings.

Scripture is Scripture.

Cultic tradition and heresies do not become Biblical tradition.

Jared : Lastly, it seems that you recognize today's

popular version of the Bible as being divinely

inspired by God. The large majority of people agree

with the King James Version. The Catholic Church

approved the completed canon of the Bible in the year

405 AD and this was done by Pope Innocent I.

D.Lim: Wrong again. The Catholic approved the Scriptures. But the Roman Church has nothing to do with it.

The Roman Catholic Church, which is in fact non-Christian and non-Catholic had a bible with more books than the Christian Bible and it was Latin as translated from the Christian manuscripts.

Jared : So by

using quotes from the very Bible whose composite was

determined by the Holy Catholic Church to attack the

Catholic Church is ludicrous!!

D.Lim: My Bible is not determined by the Roman Catholic Church. Its Greek and Hebrew texts are from critical sources. I do not rely on Latin. And I do not imagine you have the manuscripts. Also, I do not like RC translation.

The Holy Catholic Church is set against the RC Church as righteousness dictates.

Jared : If you don't agree

with the Catholic Churches teaching then you should

reject the Bible as false.

D.Lim: I see no logical reasoning here. The Catholic Church rejects RCs and RC bibles. Your bible is not my Bible.

Jared : My only hope for this,

brother, is that you see the truth in these arguments

and recognize that the Catholic Church is the one true

Church on earth.

D.Lim: I do recognise the Holy Catholic Church as the one true church and that it is enough to call it Christian Church.

And I see the deception and corruption in your argument.

Who taught you to lie this way? Your own invention?

Jared : The one Christ set up to be a light

for us all!! Although imperfect because it is run by

men it is infallible because of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for your time!!

Jared

D.Lim: I hope the facts I pointed out above tells you the truth is not what you assert as infallible. The Divine truth you have rejected in favor of your heart's desire.