03-25-2010, 01:37 AM
This is a bit off-topic from the Greek aspect of splitting the word, but I was looking today a little closer at the R:Ch:M root, the peal form, in the Aramaic. It has numerous uses in the Hebrew OT as well. It looks to be of the nature of "to favor". A noun form of the same root is pretty clearly translated as "a friend", which could be derived from "a favored person".
So in terms of the substance of the word, in the Aramaic, I think Yeshua is probably asking him something to the effect of, are you "favoring" me. Or, to delve into its most colloquial form, something like are you "liking" me, although my guess is that "favoring" is closer to it.
So in terms of the substance of the word, in the Aramaic, I think Yeshua is probably asking him something to the effect of, are you "favoring" me. Or, to delve into its most colloquial form, something like are you "liking" me, although my guess is that "favoring" is closer to it.