The Hebrew Bible Supports Oneness

The Hebrew Bible Supports Oneness

To answer the question about translations of the New Testament (NT) into Hebrew that point toward the concept of Oneness (Singular / Radical Monotheistic Exegesis), we must dissect this very carefully.

Because the answer depends on: What is meant by "Hebrew translation"?

The Hebrew used in 19th-century translations is Modern Hebrew (or Medieval Hebrew), whose grammar differs from that of the Old Testament Hebrew.

Forcing the Oneness concept into the NT by translating it back into Hebrew is a theological engineering project, not an archaeological discovery.

There are 3 types of "Hebrew NT" that need to be distinguished. Let me arrange them from the oldest to the youngest:

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1. THE OLDEST TRANSLATIONS (1st to 4th Century AD): Nothing "Oneness"

These are the original NT manuscripts and the Syriac/Peshitta translation (not Hebrew).

Fact: The NT was written in Koine Greek. A complete translation into Hebrew did not exist in the early centuries. What existed were Targums (Aramaic paraphrases) or quotations of verses in rabbinic writings.

Oneness concept? The oldest manuscripts (Greek) actually do not support modern Oneness (which rejects the Trinity). The oldest manuscripts, such as Papyrus P52 (ca. 125 AD) and Codex Sinaiticus (ca. 350 AD), explicitly contain early Trinitarian formulas, for example in Matthew 28:19 ("in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"). Thus, there is no ancient Hebrew translation that is "older" because at that time a complete Hebrew translation did not yet exist.

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2. THE FIRST COMPLETE HEBREW TRANSLATION (9th to 14th Century AD): Dagesh / Targum Hashiv'im

The first complete translation of the NT into Hebrew was made by medieval Jewish rabbis, not by Christians. Their purpose was to debate against Christianity.

Manuscript: Targum Hashiv'im (Hebrew version of the Seventy translation) and manuscripts in the Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris collection.

Character: This translation is actually very anti-Oneness. The rabbis deliberately translated the word "Kyrios" (Lord) for Jesus into terms that were demeaning, and they translated "Holy Spirit" with words that emphasized separation, not unity.

Age: Much younger than the Greek manuscripts (about 800 years later).

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3. MODERN "ONENESS" HEBREW TRANSLATIONS (20th to 21st Century): Salkinson-Ginsburg & Roth Translations

This is the one most often used by Oneness Pentecostal groups or Jehovah's Witnesses (to reject the Trinity). This translation was made by Franz Delitzsch (1877) and revised by Isaac Salkinson and Ginsburg.

Age: Late 19th to mid-20th century.

Oneness Engineering: This translation deliberately translates John 1:1 ("kai Theos en ho Logos" = the Word was God) into "vehaElohim hayah haDavar" which can be interpreted as "the Word was the same as God" or even revised by Oneness groups into "the Word was a god" (following the footsteps of the NWT translation).

Important Fact: This translation is NOT an ancient manuscript. It is a retro-translation from Greek to Modern Hebrew, done to prove a specific theological agenda.

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CONCLUSION: Which Is Older?

If we are talking about the physical age of the manuscripts:

1. The original Greek manuscripts (1st-4th century AD) = OLDEST.

2. The first complete Hebrew translation (9th-14th century AD) = OLD.

3. The Hebrew translation used to support Oneness (19th-20th century AD) = YOUNGEST (only 100-150 years old).

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Important Warning:

Oneness groups often claim that Hebrew is "more ancient" and "purer" than Greek, so modern Hebrew translations are more authoritative. Scientifically, this is a logical fallacy (anachronism).

If you want concrete evidence: Take John 1:1 in Codex Sinaiticus (ca. 350 AD). There it is written καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος (the Word was God). No Hebrew translation, however old or young, can change the fact that the oldest manuscript states that Jesus is Theos (God) qualitatively.