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From:          James Trimm <jstrimm@swbell.net>
Subject:       [update] Hebrew Matthew Available
To:            update@nazarene.net

SANJ update:
All,

Would you like to study the Book of Matthew from the original Hebrew?

The Book of Matthew was originally written in Hebrew not Greek. This fact was attested to by many of the so-called "Church Fathers": Papias (150-170 CE), Ireneus (170 CE), Origen (210 CE), Eusebius (315 CE), Epiphanius (370 CE) and Jerome (382 CE).

The DuTillet version of Matthew is taken from a Hebrew manuscript of Matthew which was confiscated from Jews in Rome in 1553.  On August 12th, 1553, at the petition of Pietro, Cardinal Caraffa, the Inquisitor General , Pope Julius III signed a decree banning the Talmud in Rome.  The decree was executed on September 9th (Rosh HaShanna) and anything that looked like the Talmud, that is, anything written in Hebrew characters was confiscated as the Jewish homes and synagogues were ravished.  Jean DuTillet, Bishop of Brieu, France was visiting Rome at the time.  DuTillet was astounded to take notice of a Hebrew manuscript of Mattew among the other Hebrew manuscripts. DuTillet aquired the manuscript and returned to France, depositing it in the Biblioteque Nationale, Paris.  It remains there to this day as Hebrew ms. No. 132.

While most scholars have ignored the DuTillet Hebrew version of Matthew.  Hugh Schonfield stated his opinion that this Hebrew text underlies our current Greek text.   Schonfield writes:

..certain linguistic proofs... seem to show that the Hebrew text [DuTillet] underlies the Greek, and that certain renderings in the Greek may be due to a misread Hebrew original. (An Old Hebrew Text of St. Matthew's Gospel,  Hugh Schonfield; 1927, p. 17)

This is one of the primary Hebrew texts I am using for the Semitic New Testament Project.

SANJ has just published this text in Hebrew and English.  The Hebrew and English are each typeset on facing pages.  The English is on the left  page facing the typset Hebrew on the right.  In the front of the book is an introduction giving a short history of the manuscript as well as internal evidence that this Hebrew text underlies Greek Matthew.

There is also included a number of quotes from "Church Fathers" which testify to the Hebrew origin of Matthew.

SANJ is pleased to make this text available to the public.  This is the first time this Hebrew text has been published typeset with an English translation, and it is the first printing of the typset Hebrew text since 1879!  This is a must for your research library.

You may obtain this book from SANJ.

This message brought to you by SANJ and its affiliates: http//www.nazarene.net
SANJ is a non-profit organization

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From:          James Trimm <jstrimm@swbell.net>
Subject:       [update] Book of Enoch Available
To:            update@nazarene.net

SANJ update:

According to the Zohar Enoch's writings were passed from generation to generation. (Zohar 1:55a-55b)

The book seems to have been highly regarded by the ancient and mystical Essene sect of Judaism.  Seven fragmentary Aramaic copies of the book were found in cave four at Qumran.

We may conclude that the book was of some importance to the ancient Nazarenes.  The ancient Nazarene writer Y'hudah (Jude) quoted from the Book of Enoch:

 JUDE 1:14-15:

 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these saying,

Behold, YHWH comes with ten thousands of his det-apart-ones to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard words which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (1Enoch 1:9)

Moreover Rev. 20:13 is a near quote from 1Enoch 51:1.  There are several points of contact with the Book of Revelation.

The Book of Enoch centers largely around an account of the fallen angels of Gen. 6:1-7, how they cause the corruption of mankind and prompt the judgment of the world by the flood. The book tells us that these fallen angels were cast into a pit to await the time of judgment in the last days (summarized in 2Peter 2:2-10 & Jude 1:6-8?).  The book goes on to compare the flood to the final judgement and the days just before it to the last days (Thus prompting Yeshua's statement in Mt. 24:37-38?).  Could the "locusts" released from the pit (Rev. 9:1-11) tie-in with this?

As you can see there are close ties between the Book of Enoch and the New Testament.

Since this is such an important reference book SANJ is making a new edition available.

Unlike many editions of the past this edition is based as much as possible on the seven fragmentary Aramaic copies found at Qumran.  This edition also contains many footnotes and cross-ref. to the Tanak and New Testament.

This is an important book for the library of any serious biblical researcher. (Hey... Jude had a copy in his library)

This version of the Book of Enoch has been translated from the Aramaic by James Trimm (portions not extant in Aramaic were taken from the Greek and Ethiopic versions) Dr. Trimm has also inserted many footnotes and biblical cross-references. The Sacred names/titles appear as ELOHIM and YHWH. (We have also included the less significant 2Enoch in an appendix).

This book is being published as a reference book.  This publication should in no way imply that SANJ has canonized the Book of Enoch.

You may obtain this book from SANJ.

This message brought to you by SANJ and its affiliates: http//www.nazarene.net
SANJ is a non-profit organization

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