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        As stated by A.P. Adams, "The life of a Christian is faith; (GaI. 3: 11) the foundation of faith is knowledge; (Rom. 10: 17).  Knowledge  of God, as given through God's secret [now revealed] Christ himself, is the only thing that will establish, advance, and keep steady, a disciple of Christ."  Our mission is to provide the writings of spiritually inspired and gifted servants of God to assist  those in their spiritual search.  In this portion of our web site we offer a brief view of George M. Lamsa.  From his book titled, Idioms in the Bible Explained and A Key to the Original Gospel,⁽¹⁾ we offer the book's commentaries on Lamsa's diversified background and in particular his informative translation of Matthew 27: 45-47.
        As to George Lamsa's background, the Harper Collins Publishers wrote, "World-renowned Bible translator and commentator George M. Lamsa explains nearly one thousand crucial idioms that will enrich reading of the Old and New Testaments for student and general reader alike.
        Lamsa, who was raised speaking Aramaic in a community that followed customs largely unchanged since the time of Christ, offers fresh, accurate translations of important idioms, metaphors, and figures of speech found in Scripture--and provides clear explanations of their meaning in the biblical context.
       Just as Shakespeare, Milton, and Browning wrote in the vernacular for English speaking people, Moses, the prophets, and the apostles wrote for their own people in the plain language of their times, so that even the unlearned might understand God's Word. Over the centuries, inaccurate translations and misunderstanding of customs and concepts have led to difficulties in bringing the biblical message to contemporary English speaking readers.
        For example, when a man says to Jesus, 'Let me bury my father,' Lamsa points out that this expression means, 'Let me first take care of my father until he dies.' Traditionally, scholars assumed that this man's father was dead and that Jesus was not interested in his burial. Lamsa's scholarship offers a more accurate understanding of the intent and spirit of this passage.
         Idioms in the Bible Explained & A Key to the Original Gospels goes far in correcting such errors that have crept into biblical scholarship. Obscure and difficult passages from both Old and New Testaments are listed and compared with the King James Version (though it will be helpful when used with any English version). These make clear the original meaning of such ancient idioms and assure that our grasp of the biblical message is more sound and rewarding."
        We direct searchers for additional understanding to the  informative translation of Matthew 27: 45-47. Referencing Idioms in the Bible Explained & A Key to the Original Gospels, page 102, page 103 and including page 104, George M. Lamsa wrote: "

         All versions of the Gospels have retained these words in the original tongue and given them a different meaning. Matthew, according to Eastern version, does not translate them, because he wrote to the people who had seen Jesus and heard Him preaching. It also seems probable that the later writers did not  agree on its exact meaning when they translated them into Greek. This term even at present is only used by the Aramaic speaking people in Assyria, the same language which the Galileans spoke at the time of our Lord. This phrase in Aramaic means, 'My God, my God, for this I was kept. (this was my destiny-- I was born for this).'
         Jesus did not quote the Psalms. If He had He would have said these words in Hebrew instead of Aramaic, and if He had translated them from Hebrew He would have used the Aramaic word 'nashatani,' which means 'forsaken me,' instead of the word 'shabacktani,' which in this case means, 'kept me.' Even the soldiers who stood by the cross did not understand what Jesus said in that hour of agony and suffering. They thought that He was calling on Elijah because the word Elijah in Aramaic is 'Elia,' which is similar to that for God, 'Eli.'
         In those last minutes of suffering Jesus watched the crowd, which was composed of Rabbis, Priests, men and women of Jerusalem, who had come up to watch Him dying. Some insulted Him. Others spitting in His face, and others calling Him names and challenging his claim that He is a man of God but instead that he was a malefactor and sinner. Jesus only made a statement to Himself and to the friends who were also standing and hiding in the crowds near the Cross. That He was born for that hour, that He may bear witness to the truth and open the way for the others who were to be crucified-- that was His destiny. There was nothing else that could have given such a glorious victory as the Cross.
         The disciples and women who were from Galilee never for a moment could have thought that Jesus said that God had forsaken Him. How could He say that when He had told His disciples that the whole world would forsake Him, even they, but that the Father would be with Him. When he told Peter that if He wished He could bring angels to fight for Him, and when He said, 'Father, let it be Thy wish if I should drink this cup.' These words, 'Eli, Eli, lmana sabachthani,' even today are used by Assyrians when they suffer and die unjustly. Instead of complaint and dissatisfaction, they leave everything to God. They believe that it is God's desire that they should pass through such experiences."

        George Lamsa chose the King James text from which to select the idioms for his book; the reason being the King James text is widely used in the Christian world.  One error factor of  the King James translators as Lamsa has stated, "they (the translators) translated many Eastern idioms and metaphors literally, not knowing their true meaning.  For instance, `You shall handle snakes.' They did not know that the word 'snake' refers to 'an enemy.'  'Beware of dogs,' was not understood to be 'beware of gossipers,' in Semitic languages."
        We repeat, the "Idioms in the Bible Explained & A Key to the Original Gospels goes far in correcting such errors that have crept into biblical scholarship. Obscure and difficult passages from both Old and New Testaments are listed and compared with the King James Version (though it will be helpful when used with any English version). These make clear the original meaning of such ancient idioms and assure that our grasp of the biblical message is more sound and rewarding."
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(1)Lamsa, George M. Idioms in the Bible Explained & A Key to the Original Gospels  Published by HarperCollins Publishers, 10 East 53rd St., New York, NY 10022.

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