the Script (To Demythologize Zeus)

Some Atheists, as well as some Messianic Jews (Jewish Christians) believe that the name “Jesus” was derived from the name “Zeus.” That’s one reason why many Messianics think we should call Jesus only by his Jewish name “Yeshua,” rather than an English transliteration of the New Testament Greek name “Iesous.”

Actually, there is evidence that the name “Iesous,” predates the mythology connected with the name “Zeus.” “Iesous” is a very old Greek transliteration of the name “Yehoshua” (Joshua), though the Jews consider it incorrect. The ancient Greek “Septuagint” name for the book of Joshua is “Iesous.” This is important evidence in favor of the Bible.

Atheists have also suggested a connection between “Zeus,” and “YHWH,” the personal name of God in the Hebrew Old Testament. Here again, evidence shows the name “YHWH” to be the oldest. Much of the following information may be difficult to find in print, but I suspect that many have been aware of it, and have rejected it without thinking it through. This may be one underlying reason for much of the argument over the name of Jesus.

My last post mentioned the difficulty of representing the Hebrew name for Jesus in the Greek language. That post is very important to the understanding of this one. The ancient Greeks would have had a similar problem with “YHWH,” the namesake of Jesus. To keep this short and simple, I’ll say that they lacked a proper “y,” as well as a proper “h.” The use of a “u” to represent the Hebrew “w” is fairly accurate.

A strange thing occurs if the transliteration process (from Hebrew, through Greek, to English) used in our old English versions of the Bible (Ref. King James version) is applied to “YHWH.” I have not been able to find such a transliteration of “YHWH,” or “Yah” (Jah), the shortened form of the name, anywhere (note; it’s possible that our word “God,” came from the pronunciation of “yod,” the “Y” of “YHWH”).

Perhaps we do have the transliteration, but we haven’t recognized it because it isn’t what we would expect. When I’ve attempted an internet search, what I find instead is psychological warfare against the name of Jesus. We do have another interesting Greek transliteration of “YHWH” which I intend to write about shortly.

The name “Jehovah,” is sometimes called a transliteration, but it does not follow the same pattern as Old Testament names which recur in the New Testament. It is only “JHVH” with vowels added to suggest a pronunciation, and has not come to our English Bible through the Greek language of the New Testament. That is because of the ancient tradition of always translating “YHWH,” as the word “Lord” instead, and not attempting to write, or pronounce the actual name (Ref. Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh, The Secret of YHWH, in my November 2011 archives). The name “YHWH” would appear, in some form, in many places in the New Testament if not for that tradition.

There are many examples in older versions of the Bible, such as the King James version, where an “h,” at the end of Old Testament names, becomes an “s,” in the New Testament. This has happened because the names were first adopted into the Greek language before coming to us. For example “Judas,” in Matthew 1:3, is “Judah” in the Old Testament.

Modern versions of the Bible, attempting to make the Bible easier to read, sometimes drop this information by spelling the names alike in both Testaments. This type of thing sometimes occurs even in older versions such as the King James.

In the transition from Hebrew to Greek, an “h” usually becomes an “e,” (eta) except at the end of a word. This is a general rule often followed in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament from the pre-Christian era. Many variations in spellings exist, and other Hebrew letters sometimes become an “e” so caution must be used in this study. The name Jehu (in Hebrew spelled Yhw ending with an “aleph”) isn’t found in the New Testament, but in 1st Chronicles 2:38 in the Septuagint, it becomes “Jeu.” The silent “aleph” may have been added to this name to distinguish it from “YHWH.”

The English “J” in “Jeu” was a “Y” in the Hebrew, and an “I” in the Greek. The “h” in the Hebrew name became an “e” (eta) in the Greek, remaining the same in the English translation of the Septuagint. The Hebrew “w” became “u” in the Greek, and was carried over to English. If there had actually been an “h” at the end, that final “h” would have become an “s” in a Greek transliteration. Following this procedure, a transliteration of “YHWH” through the Greek language into King James English could have given us the name “Jeus.”

That begins to look a bit mysterious because “Djeus,” or “Dyeus,” is considered to be the Proto-Indo-European origin of the name “Zeus.” This appears to also be the origin of “Deus,” the Latin word for God, as well as the Greek word “Theos.” The evidence suggests that “Zeus,” is a very ancient transliteration of the Hebrew name “YHWH.”

The use of a “Z” in the name “Zeus,” probably originated with the way some languages combine a “d” with other sounds, as in “Djeus,” or “Dyeus.” The Greek “Z” (Zeta) is pronounced “dzay’-tah.” “Z” is also often combined with other sounds. According to the Wikipedia article, “Jesus (name),” “Jesus” in Limburgish is “Zjezus.”

A “Y” in Middle Paleo-Hebrew is shaped like a “Z” with the addition of a short horizontal bar. That is another possible origin for the “Z” in “Zeus.” I intend to supply more details later.

Here is a very important fact which many atheists would ignore in an attempt to put their own spin on this information. The evidence shows the Hebrew name is the older, because there would be no need to transliterate “Zeus” to the Hebrew. The Hebrew alphabet could perfectly capture the pronunciation of “Zeus” in several different ways without a change in the sound of the name.

The Greek alphabet, on the other hand, would not permit the name “YHWH” to be written without significant changes. If the ancient Greeks wanted to record something about YHWH, they would have to either change (transliterate) the name, translate it as “Lord,” or use Hebrew letter symbols which would be meaningless to most Greeks.

Evidence shows that the Greeks tried all three methods at different times. That is probably why some stories about Zeus have elements in common with records from the Bible.

Except for pronouncing it, I have no problem with using the Hebrew name “YHWH” for God. I’m not going to use the name “Zeus” for God, because for most people, there is too much myth attached to the name. Only God himself could demythologize the name, but it probably began with an honest attempt by some ancestor of the Greeks to record the name of God.

For the record, some Aramaic Christians believe that Jesus should only be called by the Aramaic name “MarYah (Mar-Yah),” which is usually interpreted to mean “Lord.” I didn’t know that particular fact when I wrote my page “The Messiah.”

I ask any Christians or Jews who happen to read this to please understand that I am not equating ancient myths with the Bible. I think there’s proof that the Bible contains an accurate record of God’s interaction with man, and that some of its writings are the oldest in existence regardless of the age of our copies. If there is any truth in what the atheists are saying about “Jesus” and “Zeus,” then it is actually evidence that supports my statement. Atheists would have a stronger argument if they simply attribute the “zeus” sound in the name “Jesus” to coincidence.

There is much evidence however, that many of the ancient pagan myths are simply distorted, and fanciful, retellings of ancient events reported in the Bible. Likewise, many names of the “gods,” and heroes of the myths appear to have some foundation in the Bible. Biblical events are sometimes the source of information that has devolved into myth, but not the other way around.

The information I’ve given here needs to be studied and further refined, but it is very important. Whether atheist, or theist, whoever is aware of this has kept the secret. That may be because it runs counter to what many atheists would want to believe, and many theists would simply misunderstand it. The usual attitude is, “shout (or shoot) first and ask questions later.”

We need to get over that, if we’re going to get anywhere. The roots of this controversy may go back to the Tower of Babel, and it’s likely that God has preserved evidence of his truth in the design of languages.

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the Script ( JE S O S …_ _ _…)

The name Jesus means “the salvation of YHWH.” When the Greeks transliterated the Hebrew name “Yeshua” (Yeshuah, or Yshwh), as “Iesous,” it was primarily because that’s as close as their alphabet would permit them to reproduce it. “Iesous,” in turn has been adopted into our language as “Jesus.”

Peculiarities of different alphabets often create an inability to write, or pronounce a foreign word precisely though it may yet be recognizable. “Yes,” in different languages becomes “yah,” or “jah,” and sometimes the “h” is dropped. In English a “y” is sometimes used instead of an “i,” and in French, the word “Je,” means “I.”

In Exodus 3:14, God told Moses to tell the children of Israel; “I Am,” has sent me to you. If God had spoken part of that in French, it would be; “Je suis,” has sent me to you. It may be only coincidence that “Je suis” in the French language means “I Am,” but the resemblance to the name Jesus is striking. In the transliteration of names, “y,” “i,” and “j” are often interchanged.

Multiple words or syllables are often combined to form personal names. To form the name “Yeshua,” “Yah,” (YH) the short form of “YHWH,” the Hebrew personal name of God, is combined with “shuwa,” which like an S O S, means “a cry for help.” “Yeshua,” could be taken to mean either “the cry for God” or “the cry of God.”

I haven’t seen anything about the international Morse Code distress signal, S O S, having anything to do with “soza,” (ref. sos and sais) the Greek word for “saved,” but that could yet have been a factor. If not, then it’s  another handy coincidence. The Hebrew word for saved or savior (open, wide or free, safe), is “yasha.” The Greeks would have converted the ”sh” in the word to a simple “s,” and there’s probably a linguistic connection between yasha and soza.

When studying the name of Jesus in different languages, I ran upon writings of atheists claiming a connection between the names “Jesus” and “Zeus.” There’s much to be said about that also, and I pray to have a separate post written soon. It is nothing for a believer to fear. I also found writings by Messianic Jews correctly arguing for the truth of the New Testament, but agreeing with the atheists about the transliteration of the name “Jesus.” Some Messianic Jews (not all) think that we should call Jesus only by some form of his Jewish name. I also read writings of Christian apologists arguing for the accuracy of the English name, but denying any connection between “Zeus” and “Jesus.” Behind all the argument lies a psychological attempt to demoralize and weaken the faith of those who call on the name of Jesus. The same attitudes and forces that nailed Jesus to a cross, continue to crucify his good name. As I’ve seen this, I have better understood why the name of Jesus means so much to God (Philippians 2:5-11).

Transliteration processes vary with times and languages, but the English name, “Jesus,” follows an established method of adopting foreign words or names into our language. When all is said and done, I think that the name Jesus is a very good transliteration, and translation, of the name Yeshua.

It is fine for you to pronounce the name of Jesus in the way that it comes to you in your language. Wikipedia has a good online article with the title, “Jesus (name).” Include the parenthesis in your search. The article lists his name in many languages.

English-speaking Christians should not abandon the use of the word “God,” the name “Jehovah” (which is an attempt to pronounce YHWH), or our way of pronouncing Jesus. The confusion of languages at the tower of Babel trips our tongue and tricks our mind, but don’t let it get to you. Whichever way that we pronounce his name, the thing that matters most is that we are speaking of the only begotten Son of God, who was executed by crucifixion at Jerusalem nearly 2000 years ago, and resurrected three days later.

It is the time of year when it happened, and a special time to remember his suffering, death, resurrection, and his promise to return. His name is a one word prayer; “JE S O S.” All that call on the name of Jesus shall be saved (Acts 2:21-36).

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the Script (The Shroud of Truth)

Clear communication is difficult, and when it’s concerning a difficult subject that people have strong feelings about, then it can become nearly impossible. People start trying to shut each other up. At the tower of Babel, God divided man’s one original language into several (Genesis 11:1-9). It seems a strange thing for God to have done, but language barriers have made it more difficult for dictators to control the world’s population (ref. The Tower Code, my post of Oct. 12, 2014).

For us to have a real understanding of one another, and of God, we must have freedom of speech, even if we must begin with different languages. The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution recognizes the necessity of the freedoms of Religion, Speech, Press, Peaceable Assembly, and Petition. Without these things, there is no forum for reason, but only for fear and war. Yet today, all around the world by use of force and intimidation, terrorists seek to suppress basic human rights and freedoms.

If they could do so, by deception, violence, or whatever means, terrorists and dictators would silence all testimony of Jesus Christ. That will be a priority for Antichrist when he rises to power. Regardless of their claims, those who silence others by force are not following God’s example. Love and understanding cannot find full expression without freedom. These are things that God seeks to teach us that cannot simply be forced upon intelligent beings.

Man doesn’t want to play by the same rules, however. One of the most deceptive effects of man’s interpretations of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-13), is that we mistakenly come to believe we can readily distinguish between the two. In reality, only God can clearly do so. Evil often does not recognize itself as evil, and the only hope for its enlightenment is God, therefore God seeks depth of communication, and the freedom to reason (Isaiah 1:18) with man. The living God seeks to reveal himself to a lost world, while the world endeavors to shroud that revelation in secret.

Because of the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel, and due to the fact that languages evolve, as well as devolve, there is much confusion over the identity of God. What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you can tell (Proverbs 30:4)? What if God were to visit the earth as a man (ref. “Immanuel,” Isaiah 7:14, & 9:6)? What if he told us his name beforehand, but over time it became confused?

My mention of the name of Jesus isn’t intended to offend anyone, but is an attempt to offer a helpful line of reason. In prophecy, the name “Jesus” is associated with “the righteous Branch,” (ref. Septuagint translation, Zechariah 6:11-12). Where does a branch grow? What if the world didn’t recognize God, and we killed him by nailing him to a tree (Psalm 22:13-31, Isaiah 53)?

God, in the form of a man, didn’t have to turn the other cheek to man of course, but that’s what the Old Testament predicted would happen, and history records its fulfillment. Information on the fulfillment of these prophecies by Jesus is primarily recorded in the New Testament, but also in other religious writings of the era, as well as in a few secular records.

Mostly in the corrupted form of myths, much of the ancient world remembered the promise of God to send a deliverer. Most of the world did not, and does not however, accept that Jesus is that deliverer. Connected with a prophecy in Amos 6:10 (RSV), is the statement, “Hush (Shhh)! We must not mention the name of the Lord.” I don’t fully understand that particular prophecy, but it seems to me to contain an allusion to the Jewish practice of not speaking the personal name of God (YHWH) aloud, but saying “Lord” (Adonai) instead. My post, “Yud Heh Vav Heh, The Secret of YHWH,” in my November 2011 archives, is very important to the understanding of this present post, as well as those intended to follow.

In some areas of the world today, just as in the days of Rome (Revelation 6:9-11), Christians may be beheaded for confessing the name of Jesus. In the academic world, you might only encounter ridicule and censorship. “Shame,” is a Hebrew word that means “name,” but it’s ridiculous for the world to be ashamed of Jesus. That is like being ashamed of love, or of good behavior.

Relating to God, and to life, there is more confusion to be found in the present babble of propaganda and opinion, than in the multitude of languages. In the interest of freewill (Luke 2:25-35), God is allowing “the thoughts of many hearts to be revealed,” but someday, God will speak again. The thoughts that we dwell upon, other thoughts that we suppress, the words that we speak, and all our actions, have consequences. Whether for better, or for the worse, these things change the world that we live in. Many of these things serve to shroud the truth in mystery.

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the Script (Dark Sentences)

I remain skeptical of the “Bible code” generated by computer from alphabetical characters in the Hebrew Bible. There’s too much room for chance in the process. If such a code exists, we haven’t unlocked its secrets. A computer search for messages hidden in letters a certain number of spaces apart would yield mixed results. It would take a lot of “hits” to confirm the existence of a code.

From studying some things that are more evident, I am certain that background information does exist in the Bible however. The ancient Hebrew language is highly organized, and innuendo exists in the Bible. There are many instances where particular words hint at the broader meanings of a family of words, and interesting connections exist between languages also. I have written about a few of these things (ref. “Truth” in my March 2010 archives, “Altar, Alter” in January 2014, “Crystal, Chrysalis, and Christ” in July 2010, and also my blog page, “The Messiah”).

Such word associations can determine whether a passage of the Bible has special meaning to the reader. Sometimes one language might also reveal a facet of God’s truth that another may not.

Some would object to calling these language enigmas a code, but they have obviously been used as such in Bible prophecies. Hebrew letters each have an individual name and meaning, while the original pictographic precursor of the letter may convey a further thought. Other meanings may yet be communicated when letters are combined into syllables (ref. Syllabic writing). Shortened words acting as syllables, prefixes, and suffixes, are part of all languages, and all languages have families of words with related meanings. Some words may have an opposite meaning, but yet be related.

Hebrew letters also serve as numerals, as do letters of the Greek alphabet (and others), so a numerical code could be contained within the original writings of the Bible. Sections of it could remain intact, in spite of translations and transliterations. That would give even greater meaning to Bible warnings concerning the altering of the text.

We probably should have a word of caution here, because people often disagree on the interpretation of a simple reading of the Bible. Although a deeper study of the Bible can resolve many perplexing passages, other problems may arise in the process. I think we should set a rule for ourselves, that an interpretation of underlying meanings should not contradict a plain reading of the text.

Besides the Bible, it’s possible for other ancient writings to contain hidden information. The Copper Scroll, found in the same cave as some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, is an ancient document that might make use of such secrets of language.

The Copper Scroll is neither an ancient commentary, nor a copy of a biblical writing, as are the other scrolls. It is a list of various treasures, mostly silver and gold, presumed to be from the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, hidden in separate places prior to the Temple’s destruction. Altering a few words or numbers in the interpretation of the scroll could jeopardize its value as a map.

There’s a good chance that the claims of the scroll are truthful, but many of the landmarks have been lost. If some of the treasures are yet hidden somewhere, it’s possible that the scroll contains encrypted clues that could lead to a discovery. The writing is in a different dialect from the other scrolls, and a few Greek letters are inserted here and there in a mysterious fashion. Some serious scientists think the Greek letters do involve some sort of code. It could be interesting to apply “Bible Code” software, and other code-breaking techniques to the Copper Scroll.

The ultimate goal of truth is complete revelation, but concerning the Bible, just as it is in war, some knowledge must not be revealed to the enemy too soon. Foreknowledge must sometimes be kept secret from those who would seek to alter the future from the paths predicted by the Bible. Otherwise, God would be robbed of biblical evidences for Christ.

Many atheists claim they would be accepting of God if he would openly reveal himself, but that’s not necessarily true. Some people might be receptive, but many would not. God only knows. I’m sure that all of us would abuse knowledge of the future in some fashion if we actually had control of it. That is one of the reasons for some of the obscure passages of the Bible.

The Bible plainly says that Christ’s enemies would not have crucified him if they had fully known who he was (1st Corinthians 2:8). Some, while they wouldn’t have hesitated to torture a fellow human being, would have feared to treat the living God in the same manner (Jesus is recorded in Matthew 25:40 as saying that mistreatment of others is equal to mistreatment of God). Some people directly involved in the crucifixion would have feared to expose their true nature, and others would simply have tried to avoid fulfilling Bible predictions.

If earlier attempts on the life of Jesus, had been successful (Luke 4:28-30), he wouldn’t have completely fulfilled the prophetical writings concerning the suffering Messiah. The writings had to convey these prophecies to a later generation, and yet do so in a way that the enemy would not be able to alter them. The suffering of Christ is the foremost attempt of God to reveal his heart to a doubting world. Only one who truly loved mankind (the good shepherd, John 10:11-14) would have endured the cross when he could have avoided it (Matthew 26:50-56). The prophecies had to be fulfilled for God to gain our trust.

Knowledge of the future is considered in the Bible to be an evidence of authenticity. The “dark sentences” (Daniel 8:23-25), enigmas, and paradoxes of the Bible are there for a purpose. My last few posts have been about the tower of Babel, but endless books could be written on the subject. It’s all in the Bible, often in a condensed form, some of it written between the lines in undiscovered codes, and (ref. Proverbs 1:6, Psalms 49:4, and Numbers 12:8) in the “dark sayings of the wise.”

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the Script (The Tower Code)

If we study the history of the world’s great monuments, we find mixed information about the treatment of the laborers who built them. There is probably a little truth to all sides of the story. Some ancient workers may have benefitted from jobs while many others, elsewhere involved in the same projects, were slaves. The same situation continues to exist around the world today. Only God knows the whole story.

The Bible doesn’t  tell us plainly that slaves were used in the building of the tower of Babel, but there’s little doubt that they were. It can’t be assumed that all workers were treated equally, even though the world was called “one”, and had one language (Genesis 11:6).

Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-12) is assumed to have begun the building (Genesis 11:6) of the “tower to heaven.” The meaning of his name is uncertain, but it is probably derived from a combination of the Hebrew words “Namar,” (Stained, or Spotted) and “Radad,” which means “Conqueror.” Some biblical names have been altered through transliteration, or translation into other languages, and may not be the original name.

Throughout history, conquered people have often been forced to serve as slaves. A semi-voluntary union with powerful rulers, or surrender to coercion over a period of time, often leads to enslavement. In the day in which we live, the world’s citizens are well on the way to being monitored by computers. I think this is primarily a misguided response to terrorism and crime. At a certain stage, a few private meetings of world leaders will result in the clicks of a few buttons, and the world’s population will be enslaved by the Antichrist (see part 1 of Antichrist’s Control in my May 2011 archives). It’s important to remember that the Antichrist will be trusted and revered at first, and his deception only revealed when it’s too late.

I believe that God postponed the end, and spared ancient slaves some blood, sweat, and tears, by interrupting the building of the tower of Babel. Whenever God intervenes, or when he doesn’t, there is always some overriding reason for the course that he takes. The confusion of language at Babel had far-reaching effects. Could not God have foreseen that codes developed from obscure languages of American Indians, would alter the outcome of the World Wars of the twentieth century?

In particular, the Allies and the U.S. achieved several strategic victories because Hitler’s army could not unravel radio transmissions based on the language of the American Navajo tribe. This played a huge role in ending Hitler’s quest for world domination.

It’s likely that God gave Adam and Eve some form of writing to represent human speech, and that most of their early descendants may have been able to read and write. Later, the multiple languages of Babel made translation necessary. Incidentally, two branches of human language, the Hamitic, and the Semitic, get their names from two of Noah’s sons. This is more accurate historically than many would like to admit.

Pictographs are thought to be the oldest form of writing, and certain alphabetical symbols do appear to have been derived from them. It’s yet possible that an older form of writing existed. Pictographs could also have begun as an attempt to bridge language barriers, or to communicate with others who could neither read nor write. They are used in that manner even today. Thus, it could be that they have always existed simultaneously with other forms of writing.

Parts of the Bible date back to the origins of human writing, and the use and transformation of pictographs into letters of various alphabets would automatically create a code that would allow multiple layers of meaning to be communicated by any writer aware of the possibilities. Some writers of the Bible allude to the ancestral meanings of the little symbols that we call letters. I assume that ancient secular writers may have done this also.

One result of the creation of multiple languages at Babel was a kaleidoscope of cultures, making it more difficult for world conquerors to bring all of mankind under complete control. Conquerors who did manage to create world empires were not able to sustain them. The confusion of man’s language at Babel has hindered some of the terrible things which man has imagined to do (Genesis 11:6). Thank God for that. Looking back at the world’s empires, there are none that I would want to be living in.

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the Script (Secrets of Translation)

Difficulties arise whenever ancient writings are translated into other languages. Many words may not have an exact equivalent, and the meaning of some words may be unknown. In such cases the original word may be adopted into the new language. The translators will attempt to represent the pronunciation of the word, to whatever degree it is known, using letters of their own alphabet. Even this can be a challenge because of the lack of exact equivalents.

The result is often a variety of spellings. As an example, the name of the river “Pishon,” in Genesis 2:11 of the Bible (ref. Rivers of Eden in my October 2011 archives), comes to us from the Hebrew language. The Hebrew letters Pe (or Phe), Yowd, Siyn (or Shiyn) Vav, and Nuwn, are used in the spelling.

Even the spellings representing pronunciations of foreign letters vary, and sometimes arguments develop over their correctness. Pe may be written “pey,” and yowd may be “yud,” “yod,” or “jod.” Siyn and shiyn become “sin” and “shin,” and vav becomes “vau,” or “waw.” Nuwn becomes “Nun.” Note that we are not using the Hebrew alphabetical symbols here, but an English transliteration of the symbols.

Multiple spellings of Pishon exist; Pison (King James Version), Phisom (Septuagint), Phison (Josephus), and others. All of these are recognizable representations of the original word, and such differences usually aren’t very important. A serious disagreement develops however, over the transliteration of the Lord’s Hebrew name Yahweh, into the English Jehovah. I hope to write something on that subject soon.

Procedures of transliteration used when adopting foreign words vary over periods of time, and also depend upon the languages which the words pass through. Information sometimes reaches us that is a translation of earlier translations, and we may be altering marks of authenticity whenever we attempt to harmonize spellings and content of various records.

Human speech was first given to man by God, though Adam soon began to adapt his language. For instance, God allowed Adam to give names to the animals (Genesis 2:19). At the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), God translated man’s original language into several branches, and Genesis 10:32 tells us that the nations were divided according to their families.

More than simply a monument to man, the tower represented an uprising against God. I also intend to write more on this later. Anyway, the building of the tower ceased when suddenly, the workers could no longer understand each other. God has many ways of performing that which we call miracles, but in the final analysis, he’s using some principle of science in some way that we don’t currently understand. He has created the rules of science, and has the ability to circumvent them. Science is aware of these possibilities.

Keeping the tower of Babel in mind, and the miracle of the second chapter of Acts involving several different languages, it would be interesting to study the human brain searching for a scientific mechanism that might have been involved. Such scientific knowledge would be a very dangerous thing in the hands of man however.

Computers, with access to the right programs and information, can perform either encryption, or translation tasks quickly, so accepting the event of the confusion of languages should not present any great challenge, even to an atheist. Atheists should also easily understand the motives of the designers of the tower. While the confusion of languages ended the futile attempt at building a “tower to heaven,” it also made Bible translation a necessity.

If we can learn a little about the Hebrew and Greek languages of the ancient Bible, and the history of its translation, we’ll have a fuller understanding of it. Actually, I think that would apply to translations in all languages. It could be easier for a particular people, because of their language, to grasp some facet of understanding. Some people are quick to point out to me, that we don’t have to know any of this stuff, but only to have faith. I understand that, but I think that some people also need to understand more about that Bible before they can believe it. Faith and understanding go hand in hand.

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