Notes for Episode #75
Quotes from Philo of Alexandria and the Aramaic Targums that help us to better understand the language of John's prologue.
Quotes from Philo of Alexandria (20 BC - 50 AD)
“God, like a shepherd and a king, governs…[his people] according to law and justice; appointing, as their immediate superintendent, his own Word (logos), his first-born son, who is to receive the charge of this sacred company, as the lieutenant of the great king; for it is said somewhere, “Behold, I am he! I will send my messenger before thy face, who shall keep thee in the road” (On Husbandry, 51).
“Why, then, does [God] use the expression, “In the image of God I made man,” as if he were speaking of that of some other God, and not of having made him in the likeness of himself? This expression is used with great beauty and wisdom. For it was impossible that anything mortal should be made in the likeness of the most high God the Father of the universe; but it could only be made in the likeness of the second God, who is the Word of the other…” (On Providence 1:1)
“[God] on occasion took the place of an angel, as far as appearance went, without changing his own real nature, for the advantage of him who was not, as yet, able to bear the sight of the true God…those who are unable to bear the sight of God, look upon his image, his Angel-Word, as himself” (On Dreams 1:238).
Examples of “The Word” in the Aramaic Targums
Standard English translations of the Old Testament below are taken from the World English Bible (WEB), whereas the specific Aramaic translations are provided after each citation.
Gen 1:27
ENGLISH: “God created man in his own image.”
ARAMAIC: “Then the Word of the Lord created mankind in his image” — Targum Neofiti
Gen 15:6
ENGLISH: “[Abram] believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
ARAMAIC: “Abram believed in the name of the Word of the Lord, and it was reckoned to him for merit” — Targum Neofiti (cf. Jn 1:10-12, Rev 19:13)
Gen 17:1-2
ENGLISH: “Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’”
ARAMAIC 1: “[T]he Lord was revealed to Abram and said to him, ‘I am El Shaddai. Worship before Me and be whole. And I will establish My covenant between My Word and you, and I will increase you very much.’” —Targum Onqelos and Jonathan
ARAMAIC 2: “[T]he Word of the Lord was revealed to Abram and said to him, ‘I am the God of the heavens. Worship before Me in truth and be whole in good work. And I will establish My covenant between Myself and you, and I will strengthen you very much.’” — Targum Neofiti
Gen 22:15-18
ENGLISH: “The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, and said, ‘I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh…’”
ARAMAIC: “Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from the heavens, and he said, “By My Word I swear, says the Lord…” —Targum Onqelos and Jonathan (cf. Heb 6:13-14)
Ex 3:1-4
ENGLISH: “Moses…came to God’s mountain, to Horeb. The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush…God called to him out of the midst of the bush…”
ARAMAIC: “Moses…came to the mountain where the glory of the Shekhinah of the Lord was revealed to him at Horeb. And the angel of the Lord was revealed to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a thorn bush…and the Word of the Lord called to him from the midst of the bush…”— Targum Neofiti
Ex 6:7
ENGLISH: “I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”
ARAMAIC: “And I will separate you to My name for a holy people, and My Word will be a redeeming God for you, and you will know that I am the Lord your God, who redeemed you from under the yoke of the servitude of the Egyptians.” — Targum Neofiti
Ex 13:21-22
ENGLISH: “Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light…”
ARAMAIC: “And the Word of the Lord led before them by day in the pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in the pillar of the cloud of fire to give them light…”— Targum Neofiti
Ex 17:5-6
ENGLISH: “Yahweh said to Moses…‘Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it...’”
ARAMAIC: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, My Word will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall smite the rock that water may come out from it...”
— Targum Neofiti (compare with Paul’s comments in 1Cor 10:1-4 in which he says that the Israelites “drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.” The “spiritual rock” was Yahweh himself (Dt 32:4, Ps 18:31, 19:14, Is 8:14, 26:4, 118:22 ).
Ex 34:5-7
ENGLISH: “Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with [Moses] there, and proclaimed the name of Yahweh. Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, ‘Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth…’”
ARAMAIC: “Moses called on the name of the Word of the Lord. And the Lord caused His Shekhinah to pass before him, and He called out, ‘The Lord, Lord, Merciful and Gracious God, patient, and near to mercy, and abundantly doing kindness and truth…’” — Targum Ps. Jonathan (compare with the language of Jn 1:14-15: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”).
Num 14:11
ENGLISH: “Yahweh said to Moses, ‘How long will this people despise me, and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them?’”
ARAMAIC: “How long will they not believe in the name of My Word, according to all My miraculous signs that I have done among them?” — Targum Neofiti (cf., Jn 12:37-38 “Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him…”).
Lev 25:38
ENGLISH: “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.”’
ARAMAIC: “I am the Lord your God who has brought you redeemed out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan that My Word might be a redeeming God to you.” — Targum Neofiti
Dt 1:32-33
ENGLISH: “Yet in this thing you didn’t believe Yahweh your God, who went before you in the way, to seek you out a place to pitch your tents in…”
ARAMAIC: “You did not believe in the name of the Word of the Lord your God, who leads before you in the way, to establish for you a place for your dwelling…” — Targum Neofiti (cf., Jn 14:1-6).
Dt. 5:24
ENGLISH: “Behold, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness…”
ARAMAIC: “Behold, the Word of the Lord our God has shown us His glory…” —Targum Neofiti (cf., Jn 1:14, “The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory…”).
Dt. 26:17
ENGLISH: “You have declared Yahweh this day to be your God, and that you would walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and listen to his voice…”
ARAMAIC: “Today you have made the Word of the Lord to be king over you, to be a redeeming God, to walk in upright ways before Him, and to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His legal decisions, and to heed the voice of His Word.” —Targum Neofiti
Dt 32:39
ENGLISH: “See now that I, even I, am he. There is no god with me…”
ARAMAIC 1: “See now that I, I in My Word am He, and there is no other god except Me…” —Targum Neofiti
ARAMAIC 2: “When the Word of the Lord will be revealed to deliver His people, He will say to all the nations, ‘See now that I am He who is and was, and I am He who will be, and there is no other god except Me.’” — Targum Ps. Jonathan (compare with the language of Rev 1:4, “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come”).
Is 43:10
ENGLISH: “‘You are my witnesses,’ says Yahweh, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he…”
ARAMAIC: “You are witnesses before Me says the Lord, and My servant the Messiah with whom I am pleased, in order that you might know and believe before Me, and might understand that I am He…” — Targum Onqelos and Jonathan (cf., Jn 8:24, “Unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins”).
Is 46:3-4
ENGLISH: “Listen to me, house of Jacob…I am he, and even to gray hairs will I carry you. I have made, and I will bear; yes, I will carry, and will deliver.”
ARAMAIC: “Receive My Word, O those of the house of Jacob…Forever I am He, and for ever and ever My Word is alive. I created all mankind; I scattered them among the nations, I will also forgive their sins and will pardon.” — Targum Onqelos and Jonathan (cf., Jn 8:23-24, “You are of this world; I am not of this world….unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Is 52:6
ENGLISH: “[M]y people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who does speak; behold, it is I.”
ARAMAIC: “My name will be exalted among the nations. Therefore, in that time you will know that I am He. I have spoken and My Word is alive.” — Targum Onqelos and Jonathan (cf., Jn 4:25-26, “When [the Messiah] has come, he will declare to us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who speaks to you.”
Is 52:13
ENGLISH: “Behold, my servant shall deal wisely, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.”
ARAMAIC: “Behold, My servant the Messiah will be successful; he will be lifted up and increase and be very strong…” — Targum Onqelos and Jonathan (The translator includes another reference to the “Messiah” in Is 53:10, showing that the same individual is in view throughout the entire Song of the Suffering Servant).
Is 55:3
ENGLISH: “Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you…”
ARAMAIC: “Incline your ear and receive My Word; hear that your being might be established. And I will make an eternal covenant with you… — Targum Onqelos and Jonathan (cf., Jn 5:39-40).
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Your excellent series related to John’s Gospel continues !! Thank you.
Great to see the Aramaic comparison. Thank you.