WHY THERE ARE SO MANY HATERS IN THE GOSPELS... AND IN YOUTH MINISTRY.
WHO’RE YOU AND WHERE’D YOU GET YER ARAMAIC?
One of the most common ways to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law mocked Galileans was through dialect.
It was believed that Galileans could not speak correctly because their Aramaic was was different. I know. Super high school.
In one Talmudic passage a man from Galilee tried to make a purchase in Jerusalem and he called the item an amar. This caused the seller to make fun of him:
“You idiot Galilean— do you want something to ride on ( a donkey is hamar)? Or something to drink ( wine = hamar)? Or something to wear (wool= ‘amar)? Or something to sacrifice (lamb = immar)?”
b Erub 53.b
It sounds harsh, but Galileans did sound different. In the gospels Peter is identified as a follower of Jesus after the crucifixion because his accent gives him away: “You are also one of them for your accent betrays you.” (Matt 26.73 or Mark 14.70).
Galilean Aramaic had lost the normal differences between its gutturals. Or for example, the name Lazarus in the gospels is a Galilean mistake in pronunciation— it is a quieted initial guttural vowel form of Eleazar. Super nerd-a-rific I know… but hang with me.
Do you see why some of the politically and socially connected elites frown upon Jesus? It’s not because he is uneducated— he actually trained for 20-25 years in Torah… but like a Galilean sage not like a temple city professional scribe.
Once this settles, you’ll start to see why every Jerusalem homeboy is ticked that Jesus is so talented and NOT part of the religious high and holy rollers in J-Town. The best teachers of the law are supposed to be on our team.
HERE’S THE TURBO BUTTON.
How many times as a youth pastor do people take you less seriously because of your job title or how you dress or how you teach students?
Many times, youth pastors are the most talented people on a staff, navigating two cultures of parent and student, when they belong somewhere in the middle… and people will insinuate that someday you’ll grow up and be a REAL pastor.
Just being transparent— I have been a PhD student in one of the best programs in the country working as a YP with pastors that didn’t really know biblical studies existed… and STILL I was told that someday I’d be able to be legit or climb the religion ladder. …and it made me feel like Jesus.
Because Jesus would rather teach teenagers, and he would rather be misunderstood than irrelevant. I feel you dog. So yeah, folks may not like the way you talk, but the pure Jesus way looks backwards or backwoods to religious establishment a lotta times. The truest faith in heart and deed may speak funny teenager Aramaic and that’s okay. You have unbelievably important work to do and you are accountable to God and the family systems you care for. Fist bump.
Pastor Mark and Pastor Heather
