Language

I am taking a class on the Synoptic Gospels. The professor, a very good priest, is a language scholar. He often gives us the Greek translation of some key words. It is very interesting to read, or understand the literal translation of the Greek words because they are so much more powerful.

For example:

When Jesus rebukes the demons and says, "quiet" (Mark 4 -I think) the Greek very literally means, "be muzzled". "Be muzzled" is a much more powerful command, and brings to mind strong images. Even "be silent" is better then quiet.

Another example is the word "coming" in the sense of the "Kingdom of God will come...or is at hand". Some Greek translations means "come near" which indicates that "the Kingdom" is talking about a person. Coming near, means the messiah-- the anointed one, is "coming near" instead of just coming by or coming along.

There are other examples too, but my point is that ancient Greek is a fore more precise and powerful language then our own.