The meaning of hebraistic terms as expressed in biblical Greek

Abstract

The term Hebraisti, a non-Greek expression written in Greek letters and found in both the Old and New Testament Scriptures, has been consistently shown to refer specifically to the Hebrew language. In contrast, the term Suristi is used to denote Aramaic. Other Greek terms – dialektō, glōssa, and phone – are used more generally to indicate ‘language’ or ‘speech’. This study confirms that all words identified as Hebraisti in the biblical texts are indeed of Hebrew origin. Findings support the conclusion that Hebrew remained a living spoken language during the time of Jesus, contrary to the common assumption that Aramaic had entirely supplanted it.
Contribution: This study provides a clear linguistic delineation within biblical texts by demonstrating that the term Hebraisti, although a non-Greek word transcribed in Greek script, specifically denotes the Hebrew language, while the term Suristi refers to Aramaic. Such clarification refines our understanding of language references in both the Old and New Testament Scriptures, and aids in more precise textual and exegetical analysis.