Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “The Reading of the Word”. A most illuminating study of the power of accurate and understandable translations. The study this week is the first recorded account of the then Bible, translated into the language of the hearers. “The people had returned from Babylon where they had lived for many years and the primary language was Aramaic. Therefore, hearing the Hebrew reading may not have been easy to understand for many, especially the younger generations” (quarterly for November 5). And the response of the people when they understood was phenomenal (read Nehemiah 8)! Amazing. Hearing the words of Scripture and UNDERSTANDING THEM led to contrition, confession and repentance. “The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). But first must come understanding. And if the Word of God is not understood, then its sharpness is blunted and the discernment of “the thoughts and intents of the heart” are missed.
How many Christians do you know who maintain that the “King James Version” (KJV) is the only correct version? That all other translations are spurious and mislead. Yet the KJV is written in Elizabethan English. It can be hard for modern readers to understand. Because of this, our beloved KJV can be misunderstood and can mislead. Yikes! As a result of this discrepancy between 15th and 20th Century English, the editor of the Revised Standard Version Committee (Luther Weigle) decided to compile a list of over 800 words used in the KJV that have either fallen into disuse and whose meaning is unknown to modern readers... or have a startling different or even opposite meaning than the original meaning of the word used by the KJV writers (the title of Weigle’s book is “The King James Bible Word Book”). It’s quite illuminating to read this book and see why modern English translations are needed and why well-intentioned persons have undertaken this task.
Translating the ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts into other languages is a sacred trust, a sacred work. And the task is Herculean. Any that have undertaken this task, almost exclusively, have no ulterior motives than to make the “Word” understandable. In fact, if any translator seeks to twist the words of the ancient languages to suit their own particular interpretation, there would be a hue and cry from the academic community. Such is the case with our own “Clear Word” translation from our own Jack Blanco. Regarding the “Clear Word”, learned scholars in academia have stated, “A cursory examination of “The Clear Word Bible” reveals the prolific addition of many ideas not found in Scripture”, so academia maintains. They call “The Clear Word Bible” a paraphrase that “take(s) great liberty with the biblical text and seek(s) to convey the meaning of the author using contemporary phrases and metaphors.” And this is true. Elder Blanco himself issues this very caution in the preface to the “Clear Word”. He calls it a "devotional paraphrase of the Bible expanded for clarity". As a result of his caution, I find that his insights are most helpful. But I do not, cannot, use his work for authoritative quoting. Only a true “translation” will suffice.
I encourage any to read widely the varied translations. Read the incomparable KJV. It is most eloquent and much of our memorized texts come from this “Authorized” revised version. Yes, the KJV could be more accurately called a “revised version” and not a translation. It is a revision of The Great Bible” “The Bishops Bible” and “The Geneva Bible” and is almost 90% Tyndale’s work. Reading modern translations along with the KJV adds depth of meaning and understanding that can be missed if the KJV is used alone. Much like the Children of Israel in Nehemiah’s day where Aramaic and Hebrew are similar languages. But until the people heard God’s word (which was written in Hebrew) in their Aramaic vernacular, the true meaning and import was not caught. Once they heard the “Word” in the vernacular of the day, then they were impressed and the sharpness of the “Word” was felt once more. This is the purpose of the “Word” and Satan will do anything to keep us from feeling that sharpness. Even by leading us to venerate a certain translation that is becoming partly unintelligible to modern readers over time. God has shown us in His Son that He will not stand afar off and expect us to come to Him. He initiates the relationship by coming to us where we are. He knows that it is the only way to get us to come to Him. Let us not allow the praiseworthy KJV be a barrier to understanding. Let us be like Nehemiah who was anxious for his hearers to understand and did not let the original Hebrew become a barrier. Let us be like Paul who sought to win others by all means; and who proclaims:
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you (1 Corinthians 9; 19-23).
With brotherly love,
Jim