Why Hebrew and Greek calligraphy?

Scripture Fine Art with Hebrew and Greek calligraphy

About the Hebrew and Greek

I like using Scripture calligraphed in Hebrew and Greek in my paintings. Some might feel that these languages are just for Bible scholars. Yet, it is such a wonderful inheritance we all share! Through these languages, the Word came to us. It is the closest we can get to the original meaning and worldview. Of course, there are many great translations available in a growing number of languages. However, there is something so awesome in discovering a little bit more about the original texts.

I am ever so grateful that I got to live in Jerusalem for a number of years. It was a wonderful eye opener to me to a great extent. That is where I learned Hebrew and felt like the Bible came to life in a different way.

Over the years, I tried to keep up reading my Hebrew Bible. A while ago, I inherited the Hebrew and Greek library of an aunt. I really wasn’t sure what to do with the Greek books, but slowly got interested. Eventually I signed up for an online Greek foundational course. The approach is all in Greek, just like I studied Hebrew by immersion. (Biblical Language Center)

Yet, even without taking courses in biblical languages, there are other ways to discover more about the original text and meaning of words. One way is to look up the definition of words in a Bible dictionary. I like to use the online platform www.biblehub.com. When looking at a passage ‘interlinear’, you get the original text and Strong’s numbers. By clicking on a number, the various ways the word has been translated comes up, as well as all the occurrences in Scripture where that particular word is used in the original text.

Also, a favourite book I like to mention is ‘Listening to the Language of the Bible’ by Lois Tverberg and Bruce Okkema. Focusing on 61 words in short chapters, it communicates biblical concepts with great depth and meaning. (This book has been translated into Dutch as well; ‘Luisteren naar de taal van de Bijbel’.)

My hope is that my art will help elevate the inheritance passed on to us, and will be an inspiration to stay curious to the endless insights waiting for us to be discovered.

(New amazing opportunities for online courses from Jerusalem recently commenced at the Jerusalem Seminary.)