Aramaic Light on the Acts of the Apostles [Paperback]

Rocco A. Errico (Author), George M. Lamsa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2003

Aramaic Light on the Acts of the Apostles, New Testament Series Volume 4, is a unique commentary based on Aramaic, the language of Jesus, and on ancient Near/Middle Eastern customs and manners. This volume presents new insights into and understanding of the words and idioms as they were used by Jesus, his apostles and contemporaries.

The method and style of writing is simple, informative, and scholarly, without using specialized theological terminology. Dr. Errico and Dr. Lamsa acts as guides, revealing to the Western mind a more intimate picture of the socio-religious and psychological environment of the times. The book of Acts comes alive under their skillful and cultural approach. They bring clarification to many misunderstood verses of scripture and episodic experiences of the apostles and growth of Jesus’ spiritual movement under apostolic guidance. Topics include: The Ascension of Jesus, Pentecost and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Paul’s Conversion, Healing Methods, and more.

This volume is not just a revision of Dr. Lamsa’s commentaries, New Testament Commentary, 1945, and More Light on the Gospel, 1968. Dr. Errico has edited, expanded and annotated these previous works in the new format that Dr Lamsa desired. In addition, this book contains unpublished material that the two of them outlined prior to Dr Lamsa’s death in 1975. Dr Errico completed these comments and has added information derived from his continual research in Near Eastern Semitic studies.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

DR. ROCCO A. ERRICO, Ph.D., D.D., is an ordained minister, author and lecturer and one of the nations’s leading biblical scholars working from the original Aramaic texts. Dr. Errico is the recipient of numerous awards and academic degrees, including a doctorate in Letters from the College of Seminarians, The Apostolic Succession of Antioch and the Church of the East—American See, a doctorate in Divinity from St. Ephrem’s Institute in Sweden, and a doctorate in Philosophy from the School of Christianity in Los Angeles. For ten years he studied intensively with Dr. George M. Lamsa, world-renowned native Assyrian scholar of the Scriptures. In 1970 Dr. Errico established the Noohra Foundation, which is dedicated to helping people of all faiths to understand the Near Eastern background and Aramaic interpretation of the Bible.

GEORGE M. LAMSA, Th.D. (1892-1975) was born in a civilization with customs, manners and language almost identical to those in the time of Jesus. His native tongue was full of similar idioms and parables, untouched by the outside world in 1900 years. Dr. Lamsa’s formal education began under the priests and deacons of the ancient Church of the East and he later graduated with the highest honors ever bestowed from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Colleges in Iran and Turkey. After arriving in the United States, he devoted his life to translating the Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text and also authored numerous biblical commentaries.

Product Details

• Paperback: 254 pages
• Publisher: Noohra Foundation (December 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0963129295
• ISBN-13: 978-0963129291
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,156,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aramaic Light on the Acts of the Apostles., October 18, 2005

By 

Anthony Ianosel - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Aramaic Light on the Acts of the Apostles (Paperback)

I wish every serious Bible student should buy this book and all other books written by these biblical history experts born in the Semitic culture. For the first time in 1900 years, finally Christianity should appreciate the writings of a these sincere and honest Bible scholars BORN IN THE SEMITIC CULTURE where our Bible originated together with its authors! They really put their heart into their work in order so that we in the Western civilization may benefit greatly! Thousands upon thousands of Aramaic idioms in the Bible are EXPLAINED by these Semitic scholars (Dr. Lamsa/Errico--and others), wherein the Greek and English has been unable to clarify them in 1900 years. These works will put an END to so much CONFUSION and IGNORANCE that has been perpetrated upon millions of Christians in the name of GREED, AVARICE, EASY-LIFE, and noisy pulpit shows on Sundays!
God Almighty bless the authors of these superbly written books!
Anthony Ianosel, Esq.
Law Consultant & Researcher
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3.0 out of 5 stars The Acts from a Different Perspective, July 11, 2009

By 

A. J. Valasek (Clemmons, NC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Aramaic Light on the Acts of the Apostles (Paperback)

Rocco Errico takes the Acts of the Apostles and provides a different perspective on the language that is derived from Near Eastern thought and idomatic usage. Largely borrowing from the late George Lamsa's notes, Errico weaves an interesting take that is both reasonable and plausible for anyone open to discovery. This book is not scholarly and written in layman's language so it is not all that hard to digest.

This book takes some of the more traditionally difficult phrases from the Bible and provides surprisingly simple solutions to many of problems that are often responded to with forced interpretations that arise from a lack of understanding of the original context.

In the spirit of Talmudic tought, all interpretations are valid unless conclusively proven otherwise. While this means that one should consider different perspectives, it does not mean to focus solely upon one. In other words; read this view consider the context and make up your own mind.