Is the Lamsa Bible a literal Peshitta translation

[Matthew]

Dear Otto,

The Peshitta is the official Bible of the Church of the East.
The name Peshitta in Aramaic means "Straight", in other
words, the original and pure New Testament. The Peshitta
is the only authentic and pure text which contains the
books in the New Testament that were written in Aramaic,
the Language of Mshikha (the Messiah) and His Disciples.

In reference to the originality of the Peshitta, the words of
His Holiness Mar Eshai Shimun, Catholicos Patriarch of
the Church of the East, are summarized as follows:

"With reference to....the originality of the Peshitta text, as
the Patriarch and Head of the Holy Apostolic and Catholic
Church of the East, we wish to state, that the Church of the
East received the scriptures from the hands of the blessed
Apostles themselves in the Aramaic original, the language
spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and that the
Peshitta is the text of the Church of the East which has
come down from the Biblical times without any change or
revision."

Mar Eshai Shimun
by Grace, Catholicos Patriarch of the East
April 5, 1957

--
regards,
Matthew L. Hedrick

[Matthew Johnson]

Post by Matthew
Dear Otto,
The Peshitta is the official Bible of the Church of the East.
The name Peshitta in Aramaic means "Straight", in other
words, the original and pure New Testament. The Peshitta
is the only authentic and pure text which contains the
books in the New Testament that were written in Aramaic,
the Language of Mshikha (the Messiah) and His Disciples.

The Church of the East says this, yes. But most Western Scholars agree that the
Peshitta New Testament shows numerous signs of having been a translation of the
Greek New Testament. Furthermore, we have partial translations into Syriac that
are even older, such as the Curetonian Syriac.

See, for example, http://www.skypoint.com/members/waltzmn/Versions.html#Peshitta

Note, in particular, that the earliest Syriac authors do not _quote_ the
Peshitta. Now why would this be, if the Peshitta were the "authentic and pure
text"?

[snip]

[Matthew]

Post by Matthew
Dear Otto,
The Peshitta is the official Bible of the Church of the East.
The name Peshitta in Aramaic means "Straight", in other
words, the original and pure New Testament. The Peshitta
is the only authentic and pure text which contains the
books in the New Testament that were written in Aramaic,
the Language of Mshikha (the Messiah) and His Disciples.

The Church of the East says this, yes. But most Western Scholars agree tha=

t the

Can you tell us who are these "most Western Scholars"? Please cite
references to scholarly writings. At the very least, you should be
able to produce names and titles of *minimum* 12 scholars.

Peshitta New Testament shows numerous signs of having been a translation o=

f the

Greek New Testament.

Can you show proof? If you are serious and want a scholarly analysis
on this subject, please read the book "Was the New Testament Really
Written in Greek?" by Dr Rowan Williams and Dr Bruce Metzger. It
retails for just US $20 per copy and was endorsed by 384 scholars from
various denominations.

Furthermore, we have partial translations into Syriac that
are even older, such as the Curetonian Syriac.

Dr Paul Younan, a Western Orthodox Christian scholar has written a
book that refutes this. He refers "Curetonian Syriac" as a
translation by Rabulla who used the Greek text called Codex Bezae (aka
Manuscript D) as his base text. This Greek Codex Bezae is in turn is
an early translation of the Peshitta. This scholarly book is titled
"Old Scratch or Old Syriac" and retails for US $30 per copy. After
reading this book, anyone will be convinced the so-called "Old Syriac"
is a forgery by Western Christians to defame Eastern Christians.

Note, in particular, that the earliest Syriac authors do not _quote_ the
Peshitta. Now why would this be, if the Peshitta were the "authentic and p=

ure

text"?

Please name these "earliest Syriac authors" so that we can judge by
studying their original writings.

--
------------------------------
Subducat se sibi ut haereat Deo
Quidquid boni habet tribuat illi a quo factus est
(Sanctus Aurelius Augustinus, Ser. 96)

Hmm.... Augustine on vanity? Am I correct? I find Latin really hard
but Syriac is so simple. Perhaps, it is because I am an Egyptian?

--
regards,
Matthew L. Hedrick