The question of whether or not the Bible was written in Latin is a common one and the answer is actually more complicated than you might think. Despite popular belief, the Bible was not written entirely in Latin but rather in a mix of languages and contexts. At various times, portions or all of the Bible were either originally or eventually written in ancient Hebrew and Aramaic, Greek, and Latin. To understand the history and context of these languages and what roll they played in the writing of the Bible, we must first explore a bit of ancient linguistics and the ordering of the Bible itself.
Ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek were the original and most commonly used languages when the books of the Bible were written. In the days of the first century CE, Latin was becoming the dominant language of the Roman Empire and therefore the language used in most of the scriptures eventually translated into Latin.
The ordering of the Bible is a significant component to understanding how and when languages were utilized in its compilation. Many of the books were written early on, however, the canon of scripture that Catholics and Protestants adhere to today was not in place until the year 397, during the Council of Carthage.
The Bible is composed of two main sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is the larger of the two sections and represents God’s covenant with ancient Israel. It is comprised of 39 books, with most written in Hebrew and a few in Aramaic, including Daniel and Ezra, which were written in Hebrew with some portions in Aramaic. On the other hand, the New Testament was written in Greek, the dominant language of its time period, and contains 27 books.
The oldest extant Latin Bible is the Codex Amiatinus, an early copy of the Latin Vulgate, which is believed to have been created around 700 CE. It was commissioned by the Abbot Ceolfrith of the Wearmouth-Jarrow monastery in Anglo-Saxon England to be inspired by the earlier works of Saint Jerome, who is widely known in Church history for his translation of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin.
However, it wasn’t until the early Middle Ages, during the 12th century, when the Bible was widely seen as the unified scripture it is today. The Latin Vulgate translation, written and published by Jerome, was the authoritative version for centuries. That said, the Bible wasn’t just in the Latin language for this several hundred year period. Scriptures were also available in Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, and other local dialects.
Literal Translation
The literal translation of the Latin Vulgate was often an issue, as it was criticized both for being inaccurate and abstract. As a result, some translations were made in local languages and dialects, often resulting in a variety of interpretations of the same script. This interpretation would vary depending on the language, so a translation in Latin would often differ from one written in Aramaic, Greek, or Hebrew.
It wasn’t until the 16th century when Martin Luther, a German monk, discovered what the Bible authors originally wrote. He translated the Bible into German and published it in 1522. His work encouraged others to translate to their native languages. This transformation of the Bible sparked the new wave of translations, which eventually lead to historical versions such as the King James Version in English published in 1611.
The Latin-speaking church, it should be said, is not the only component of Christianity that has shaped the look and feel of the Bible over the ages. Many other languages and cultures have made their mark on the holy scripture and its plethora of translations. The Coptic language has played a significant role in translating the Bible for Coptic-speaking countries in Africa and the Middle East, while most Catholics and Protestants in Europe read the Bible in German, Swedish, and Italian.
Impact of Language
The language in which a text is written has a huge impact on perceptions within that text. For example, the Greek translation of the Bible was often interpreted differently than the Latin version and the translation from Latin to Greek was not always literal. By saying this, it is possible to draw attention to how cultural contexts and meaning can become warped and ill-defined when moving between languages.
The development of languages, especially those belonging to Christianity, has a lasting impact on our understanding of the Bible. The Latin language allowed Christianity to spread much wider than it ever did when the scriptures were first written. Latin gave the church a singular language which enabled greater control over the understanding of scripture and its interpretation.
The use of Latin has also given us a rich variety of religious discourse and artwork. From the works of Thomas Aquinas to Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel, much of Christianity is shared through the Latin bible and language. This has served as the dominant language of the Church for over two and a half thousand years.
Although the Latin language has been an integral part of Catholic and Protestant Christianity, it is not the primary language of those denominations today. However, the use of Latin has affected the shape and production of the Bible, the faith-based interpretations, and languages used today.
Vernacular Bible
The Latin Bible dominated religious scripture until the early 16th century when Martin Luther began his translation project from the original Greek and Hebrew texts. This movement inspired a shift from ecclesiastic Latin to vernacular translations, encouraging the use of local languages in certain countries. This introduced a massive change—an increased accessibility to the scriptures which had been jealously guarded by the Church.
Vernacular translations allowed the Bible to become democratized, making it accessible to non-classicists and unleashing a new wave of inner-textual experimentation. For example, in Lytton’s translation of the New Testament into Cornish, a language that was once spoken in western England, his narrative focuses on prophecy, exploring the themes of power and identity throughout the text.
Once commonly considered a privilege of elites, the proliferation of the printed Bible and its translations into vernacular languages has had a positive impact. More people were able to read and study the scriptures of their own gods, allowing individuals to question and challenge their hitherto limited knowledge and understanding. This is not only true for individual communities but also for the Western world more broadly as culture, customs and ideals began to shift.
Translating the Bible
Translating the Bible is an incredibly difficult task, as it requires knowledge of the original language, its context and its culture. The task of translating the Bible into the Latin language was the prodigious undertaking of many religious scholars, most notably Saint Jerome, who was commissioned by the pope in 382 CE to create the Latin Vulgate. This work, which was completed in 406, provided the Catholic Church with a consistent and unchallenged version of scripture for hundreds of years.
Over time however, many new translations of the Bible have been done in various languages, leading to an increased democratization of the scriptural content. This effort has allowed religious texts to be available to a wider audience and read in a more understandable way. It has also allowed for a greater level of interpretation and discussion among those who study the Bible.
Today, the Latin bible still holds great sway within the Catholic Church. Latin texts can still be found in some Masses and prayers, casting a lasting influence upon Christian culture. However, due to its usage in the Middle Ages, Latin was uniquely able to shape and inform our understanding of the Bible, giving itself an eternity of influence.
Significance of Latin
One of the most significant aspects of Latin within the Bible is its use in biblical commentaries, which comprised a large portion of theological study until the late Middle Ages. This form of textual analysis gave rise to an understanding of the scripture that was highly focused on the language and its meaning, fostering a much deeper understanding of the text.
The fundamental role Latin played in the shaping of the Bible often goes unnoticed. It provided a common language and consistent interpretations, allowing the Catholic Church to control the formation of the scripture until the introduction of vernacular translations in the 16th century. This one language served as a connector between nations and cultures and served to foster a unified understanding of scripture in Europe, and eventually, to the rest of the world.
Though Latin has since faded in importance, its influence is still evident. Without its role in the formation and growth of Christianity, the Bible we know today, and the way we interact with it, would be markedly different.
Modern Usage of Latin
Though no longer the primary language of the Church, Latin still plays a special role within the larger Christian faith. It is used in the titles of papal bulls, official documents, and many other spiritual texts, as well as for the consecration of bread and wine during Mass.
As such, Latin is still used to signify a level of sanctified faith and precisely define nuanced theological concepts, often in a way that cannot be done with other languages. It has also become somewhat of a cultural symbol, representing a connection to the ancient church and offering stability and consistency to the practice of Christian worship.
All in all, it is fair to say that Latin has played an important role in the formation, interpretation, and usage of the Bible. Its presence, although no longer in the forefront, continues to be felt in churches and places of worship around the world.
