“VIA” – The Name

“VIA” is Latin for “the way” or “by way of,” ablative form of via “way, road, channel, course,” It is also from Fr. viable “capable of life” (1539), from vie “life” (from L. vita “life;”) [1]

There are four specific meanings from the name:

A grave stone from Avdat with both symbols of a menorah and a cross, evidence of a Jewish believer in Jesus - see footnote 2

1. The early followers of Jesus were not originally called “Christians.” Rather, they were known as a Jewish sect called “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22). Part of the journey of faith is remembrance, that is to strive towards understand and exemplifing God’s original intent in and through the person of Jesus. As Jesus study undergoes continual rigorous attention, it is becoming more evident that Jesus was advancing a new way of bringing about God’s Kingdom, i.e. God’s rule and reign here on earth, thus identifying those followers of him as members of the Way.

1b. Jesus called himself “the way.” (John 14:6) This may be an allusion to Deuteronomy 5:33, again as part of the inauguration of a new way of life and Kingdom.

VIAlogue seeks to understand this way of living, to share it with others as the best way towards life.

Roman mile marker from Capernaum (כפר-נחום)

2. A main trade route through ancient Israel is now called the “Via Maris” [3] [the way of the sea (דרך הים)]. Part of this significance is its influence on the world. As a trade route, the Via Maris was influential to all of the major cultural societies that relied upon trade and commerce for living.

VIAlogue seeks to be a positive influence, a contributor to surrounding cultural societies through the medium of blogging.

3. The word “via” in American English just simply means “through the medium or agency of” (www.m-w.com, s.v “via”) or “by a route that touches or passes through; by way of:… (www.dictionary.com, s.v. “via”) The “agency” or “medium” or “route” is not the destination, nor the glory of the travel (unless you’re driving a MINI). Rather, it is merely a conduit, a means through which you get to a destination or goal. It could be understood also as a carrier service, e.g., sending a piece of mail via the USPS.

VIAlogue seeks not to become the end-all be-all blog, but rather a simple conduit of life, love, faith, and truth to the blogosphere.

A view from the hiking trail between Korazin and Capernaum (כורזין וכפר-נחום)

4. Philosophically I believe life is a journey, a path to be traversed upon, step by step. In other words, life is a “way.”

Additionally, the possible connection of “via” with the word “vie” meaning “life” is an added element of value to the name. May this blog be a positive contributor to the abundance of that end.

To Life! לחיים

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[1] cf. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=via&searchmode=none
[2] ἔζησεν ὁ μακάριος Γερμανος Αλεξανδρου ἔτη Ι Ζ καὶ μηνὰς Ζ καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν ἄγαμος ἐν μηνὶ διοῦ Θ΄ ινδις ΙΔ ἔτους ΥΜΕ [He lived, the blessed Germanos of Alexander, 17 years and 7 months and he died unmarried in the ninth month of Zeus, in the index (or sign) 14 of the year 445.]
[3] cf. Isaiah 9:1 (8:23 בתנייך; Matthew 4:15. There is some debate about this name and even its location. cf. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/ViaMaris.html, http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=1546, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Maris, and Anson Rainey, R. Steven Notley, The Sacred Bridge (CARTA Jerusalem 2006), 165.