Koine: The Language of the Roman Empire
Excavations all over the middle eastern world have discovered various materials from stone, metal, papyrus, wax, pottery on which were written the Greek language called “koine” or common Greek. This is the Greek forced on to the world by Alexander the Great when he conquered the known world.
Before Alexander the Greek language was an assortment of various dialects each one localized to a small area. Alexander wanted a Greek language common to all peoples. It was called “koine.” This is the language of the New Testament as well as volumes of other writings that have been discovered. Among them were old discarded office records, books, legal documents, bills of divorce, personal letters, tax papers, family letters, notes, diaries, etc.
Those contemporary with the New Testament show how people thought, their values, customs, ideas as well as how they wrote and used words. One of the great sources of koine writings came from writings on broken pottery which are called the “ostraca.” These were less expensive and were the main writing materials of the poor.
The koine Greek was more popular in Rome than was Latin. Rome accepted all the cult religions and was their center. Rome’s policy was to allow their subjects to have their own religion as long as they accepted Emperor worship. One of the titles of the Emperor was the koine word, “kurios,” which means “Lord.” It was a divine title of the emperor! It was the main word used by the LXX (Septuagint) translation of the Old Testament when they translated the Hebrew word, YHVH.
Paul said there were many “lords” but for Christians there is only one Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor. 8:5-6). Festus referred to Caesar as “lord” when planning to send Paul to Rome (Acts 25:26). Polycarp, John’s disciple, was asked, “What is the harm in saying, ‘Lord Caesar.” He still refused and like Jesus, was put to death by Rome.
But we are told that Jesus has been exalted and given a name above every name and that every knee will bow and “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11 NAS).
Before Alexander the Greek language was an assortment of various dialects each one localized to a small area. Alexander wanted a Greek language common to all peoples. It was called “koine.” This is the language of the New Testament as well as volumes of other writings that have been discovered. Among them were old discarded office records, books, legal documents, bills of divorce, personal letters, tax papers, family letters, notes, diaries, etc.
Those contemporary with the New Testament show how people thought, their values, customs, ideas as well as how they wrote and used words. One of the great sources of koine writings came from writings on broken pottery which are called the “ostraca.” These were less expensive and were the main writing materials of the poor.
The koine Greek was more popular in Rome than was Latin. Rome accepted all the cult religions and was their center. Rome’s policy was to allow their subjects to have their own religion as long as they accepted Emperor worship. One of the titles of the Emperor was the koine word, “kurios,” which means “Lord.” It was a divine title of the emperor! It was the main word used by the LXX (Septuagint) translation of the Old Testament when they translated the Hebrew word, YHVH.
Paul said there were many “lords” but for Christians there is only one Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor. 8:5-6). Festus referred to Caesar as “lord” when planning to send Paul to Rome (Acts 25:26). Polycarp, John’s disciple, was asked, “What is the harm in saying, ‘Lord Caesar.” He still refused and like Jesus, was put to death by Rome.
But we are told that Jesus has been exalted and given a name above every name and that every knee will bow and “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11 NAS).
posted by guardianministries at
6:00 PM
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