My Neighbor Jesus: In the Light of His Own Language, People, and Time

by George M. Lamsa, Victor Paul Wierwille (Introduction)

Neighbor Jesus In the Light of His Own Language, People, and Time GEORGE M. LAMSA With a Prefatory Note ly HENRY WfSHAM LAMER HARPER BROTHERS PUBLISHERS Neva Tort and London MY NEIGHBOR JESUS Copyright, 1932, by Harper Brothers Printed in the United States of America SEVENTH EDITION This book is affectionately dedicated to John d. Roebling with deepest appreciation for his interest in preserving the language of our Lord Contents Prefatory Note Ix Introduction xiii I. Nearer to Jesus i II. God Our Father 1 1 IIL The Healer 18 IV. A Test Case 32 V. The Courageous Challenge 37 VI. True Treasure 48 VII. Oriental Hospitality 55 VIII. Rich Men 59 IX. Let the Dead Bury the Dead 68 X. Days of Gloom 73 V1H CONTENTS XL At the Gate 85 XII. Washing the Feet 97 XIIL The Betrayal 104 XIV. Before Pilate 122 XV. On the Cross 129 XVI. The Resurrection 140 Prefatory Note The author of this book is an Assyrian. His people, now struggling for bare existence in a non-fertile corner of Iraq, are the pitiful surviving remnant of that conquering race which for thousands of years dominated the fertile heart of Asia Minor, living and writing mighty volumes of world art and world history. They that once came down like a wolf on the fold are themselves today scattered Christian sheep, harried by their fierce neighbors. These present Assyrians, largely mixed with the blood of the captive Tribes, represent the old est existing Christian Church. Their bishops claim an unbroken succession stretching back practically to the time of Jesus. Their Gospel text dates from the second century, nearly two hundred years X PREFATORY NOTE closer to the event than the Greek MSS. on which our version is based, and free from that transla tion into a foreign idiom which proverbially de stroys the integrity of the written word. Their native tongue, alone of all spoken now, is that Aramaic Jesus spoke. They still live and think and talk as did the people among whom Jesus was born and to whom he revealed his message. Mr. Lamsa grew up and was trained for the priesthood amid these unchanged ancient cus toms and traditions. From this background of a peculiar intimacy, and with tireless study of the neglected old Aramaic MSS., the author has drawn a portrait of Jesus through native eyes, bringing fresh il lumination on many points to Western readers. Again and again dark and troublesome passages, on which commentators have produced libraries of labored explanation, become clear and obvious in the light of the colloquial speech, which the writer knows as only a native knows a language, and the local Oriental habits of thought of those for whom our Gospels were first recorded. Strangely enough, considering the vast litera ture on the subject, this seems to be the first such PREFATORY NOTE xi presentation of the historical Jesus by one who speaks Aramaic. HENRY WYSHAM LANIER

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2007

Reviews

[Christopher H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

Well written explanation or retelling of the life, death and resurrection of our Lord JESUS from the (perhaps) Eastern, Oriental viewpoint. Here in the West we have a perspective of this through the Greco-Roman viewpoint and ideas successively added on generations after. Here in the West this book is worth reading to better gain an understanding of what our Lord meant when HE uttered HIS teachings. Thank you, Mr. Lamsa (posthumously) for this concise and easily readable book.

[James Burge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insight

More insight into the thought processes and attitudes of a people raised with an alternative view and understanding. Very much enjoyed and gained from this book.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need to come back and reread this after reading more of the Bible. Well written. I love Jesus.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus in his own time.

This straightforward account of Jesus from original documents translated from Aramaic, by George Lamsa, gives a different feel and interpretation of the well known story. For instance, the word for “camel” and “rope” are the same in Aramaic, changes the metaphor of the rich man’s ability to get into heaven being as difficult as a “camel” /“rope” through a needles’s eye. There are many such comparisons.. Born and raised there himself, George Lamsa tells of a culture that has not changed much since the time ofJesus, 2000 years ago. I enjoyed his telling of the story. I am also a fan of the Lamsa Bible, a favorite translation of mine for many years.

[Billy McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

short but informative.