 Spiritual: February 15, 2006 Issue [#877] |
  Spiritual
This week: Edited by: Puditat  
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Spiritual: relating to the spirit or soul and not to physical matter; intangible. Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus
This newsletter explores ideas of the spiritual nature that exists in each and every one of us in an open and non-judgemental manner.
Each editor brings to the newsletter their own backgrounds, experiences, beliefs and opinions. Whether you disagree, agree, doubt or applaud the views expressed, let us all show respect to each other. Together we can learn something about the many varied aspects of the spiritual self and enjoy our differences in true meaning of the Spirit of Community.
Enjoy! 
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Biblical Translations
The subject for this week arises from some questions raised by readers. Their comments/queries are:
Jesus Christ IS our Lord and Savior, without Him, there is no entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
I'm curious which Bible you use? There are many Bibles out there that have been changed throughout the years, and I do believe yours is one of them. There is much debate on Bibles and their translations, but for my experience, and my husbands, the King James Version is the only way to go. Do you know there are actual verses cut from other Bibles? This verse is from the KJV, see how different it is from yours...
KJV: Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Uniqueey
I have compared your quoted Scriptures to my own from the New International Version (NIV), and see no conflict. They are differently worded, yes, but the meaning is the same as far as I can see. Please note: the Scriptures quoted specifically refer to the book or Revelation, and not to the whole 'book' of the Bible.
Hi, Puditat
I am a new member here and am so glad I signed up for your newsletter! You have a lot of spiritual insight.
Concerning the on going debate about the Bible translations, I have the following opinion.
I trust the KJV because the scholars who translated it were "under fire" for their believes and that the English of the time was a grand poetic language.
I graduated from seminary and am convinced that many of today's Bible scholars are more into intellect than faith. It isn't the version, it is the believes of the scholars who translate the versions. I am very wary of the modern scholars I listen to.
-William
williampadgett
Thank you for the compliment, and the comments. Indeed, faith is a crucial component - when translating, interpreting, reading, or meditating on the Scriptures.
God may very well be the first one to ever employ the use of a copyright clause. Yay, God!
It's ironic, then, that certain books have been omitted (http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/). Demand for new translations and versions of the Bible never seems to dry up. Revision amounts to adding or taking away from the original. Is it so much to ask, that we all learn Aramaic, to read the Word of God? (I think it may be, but I pose the question to those who feel it crucial to take the Bible literally. A writer with firsthand experience in translation and paraphrasing, I'd argue that learning the original language is the only way to read the literal Word of God. And you must read it for yourself, rather than trusting others to feed you their interpretations.
I agree that writing is a gift from God, the creative author of the universe. (To anyone who may feel a need to spit curses and argue evolution now - why must the two be mutually exclusive?)
Holly Jahangiri
In an ideal world, it may be best to learn the languages and read the original texts, except that the 'original's' are not even that. You'll find why I say this in the editorial that follows. The omission of certain books you refer to, known as the Apocrypha, is also discussed below.
I hate to be "picky", but, Jessiebelle, if we all learned Aramaic we would only be able to read about 5 chapters of Daniel and a couple in Ezra! But you are absolutely right - the only "original" Word of God" is in the original languages. Every translation (including the KJV) add or take away words and rearrange them or they would not make sense to us. The real question is - have they added or taken away from the meaning? I do speak and read both Greek and Hebrew fluently so I will be interested in the ongoing debate (I also work in translating the Bible into languages other than English, though at present I am senior editor of a series of Bible Commentaries).
hobnobkitkat
Wow, fluent in Hebrew AND Greek!  It sounds like you have much more experience and knowledge to write this newsletter than I have! Gosh, how to make a gal nervous...I hope that I do not reveal myself as too much of an ignorant in this newsletter. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When this topic was first raised in the feedback section to this newsletter, I was excited. Here was a topic I have studied as part of my Bible College course. However, the closer I got to writing this edition, the more nervous I felt. It was not my ability to answer the questions making me feel so, but the reason for the asking, and my weighty responsibility in not sending anyone down a wrong path.
For many of you reading this newsletter, you are doing so because it is what I have written. For those of you who have always wondered about the reliability of the Biblical texts, I first ask you to examine your motives.
 Do you wish to know out of concern to avoid sinning against God?
Do you have an intellectual interest or curiosity about the subject?
Are you hoping to find an excuse not to read the Bible?
The first and second points are fine, it is in the area of the third that I hold some concern.
As you read through the rest of this editorial, I ask you maintain the Holy Spirit foremost in your focus, so He can reveal the truths, and give peace to your hearts and minds.
I will open with a quote from my study text, as I can not think of a better way tp put it myself.
"When we use the Bible we can easily assume that it is a perfect record of God's word. This is simply not true. We need to consider the following factors...:
1. The original scriptures were written in Hebrew and Greek, so most of us need an English translation to be able to read it. Any translation process involves loss of meaning.
2. The original language manuscripts that we have to use for translation are not original writings. Sometimes they are several generation copies. All the copies have variations as the copying process was a labourious hand writing process using difficult materials."
Introduction to Bible Interpretation, Jack Zoutenbier
I can almost feel your reaction ... then it's not real/accurate/reliable at all. Before you charge off on an uncontrolled stallion of opinion, read the rest of this.
I think we can all agree that any Bible we pick up and read today is a translation - i.e. it has been translated from the original language to a language we can read and understand, be it English, Indian, Portugese, etc.
There are, however, different types of translation that affect the version we read.
Literal translations
Translated by: conveying the original form as accurately as possible. Emphasis given to correct meanings of individual words and reconstructing the grammar.
Examples: New American Standard, King James
Results: Language tends to be stilted and colloquialisms lost. Accurate in form but not always an accurate reproduction of the meaning.
Free/Paraphrase
Translated by: The thought expressed in the original is reworded into modern English.
Examples: Living Bible, The Message
Results: Easy to read; proverbs and poetry carry more impact. Carries the translators own interpretations, and lacks precision for in-depth study.
Dynamic Equivalence
Translated by: The original meaning is kept intact, but is translated into current language and thought forms.
Examples: New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, New English Bible
Results: Easy to read and accurate in that it reconstructs the same meaning as the original text.
Special Translations
Some Bibles are arranged for specific purposes.
Amplified: accurately translated, but additions made to aid the reader's comprehension.
Topical: Scriptures are arranged by subject.
Chronological: Scriptures are arranged in sequence of their occurrence. Useful for historical studies of the period, comprehension of timelines and understanding of events.
Interlinear: Greek text with a word for word translation, with an English translation, such as NIV, in a separate column. Enables easier word studies against the original language.
All of these perform a specific function. Some are faithful to the original structure, some are faithful to the meaning/intent, of the Scriptures. It is usually recommended that someone have more than one type of bible. One to read, such as a Free/Paraphrase version, and one to study from, eg. Literal or Dynamic Equivalence, is a great place to start.
To provide a colourful illustration for the importance of stressing meaning over a word-for-word translation, consider this example given by Mark L Strauss in "Distorting Scripture?":
"In some languages of Northern Ghana the phrase meaning 'he got married' translates literally into English as 'he ate a woman'....In another West African language a literal translation of Jesus' words to James and John, "Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?" (Mark 10:38), comes across as one drunkard challenging another to a drinking contest."
The translations are not about adding to or taking away from God's word, but about presenting God's word in a comprehensible manner. The Bible fulfills a part of the Great Commission "...Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Mark 16:15
Are there Scriptures Missing from the Bible?
On first reasonable appearances, the answer would be "yes". Newer translations, such as NIV, look to be missing verses, or parts of verses - example: John 5:4, 1 John 5:7.
To understand why this is, we must first look at the structure of the Bible. When the original writings were made, they did not include the divisions of chapter and verse we use. These were added much later as a useful referencing tool. Imagine trying to find a Scripture without this benefit!
The King James Version was translated in 1611. Since that time older manuscripts have been discovered, which are more accurate than those the KJV was based on. In these older manuscripts, certain portions of 'scripture' do not appear. Segments such as John 5:4 were actually additions or expansions made by various translators, and not a true piece of original Scripture. Thus they have been eliminated from later translations to be in line with the oldest, and most reliable documents. Because the numbering system was added to Scriptures much later, we are left with gaps where these extraneous pieces were removed.
So, in this respect, the later translations are truer in content than the KJV.
Are there Books Missing from the Bible?
Some faiths use a Bible which contains an additional 14 books in the Old Testament, known as the Apocrypha.
There is a Canon governing which books are divinely appointed to be included in the Bible. There is debate over when the Old Testament Canon was developed, although opinions do agree that it was complete before the time of Christ. It is therefore a very old and established make-up, one which Jesus himself used. "And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." Luke 24:27
The books of the Apocrypha were not a part of the Hebrew Bible. Furthermore none of the Apocrypha is referenced, quoted or alluded to in the New Testament, unlike the commonly accepted Old Testament books.
The Canon of the New Testament is a lot newer, but was complete by the end of the fourth century.
I hope this goes some way to answering your queries. It is rather complex and in my attempts at brevity, I hope I have not overlooked any vital information. Please feel free to ask any clarfying questions if you wish. 
Long ago I learned from your statues that you established them to last forever.
Psalm 119:152
Till next time;
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Your editorial on parables was excellent. The simplicity of the messages was illustrated by the simplicity of your editorial. It was very well said.
As far as the comments by the other authors regarding your content, I think your content is fine. You are the editor, you write what you feel is right. If others feel that it is propaganda, that's is unfortunate. However, I comend you for speaking boldly about your faith, after all that is what you know best. For you to do otherwise would be an injustice. I find it awkward for anyone of one belief to be speaking out for or against another belief, so why should you be expected to do so. Stick to what you know, don't water it down, be kind and gentle but be true to your belief. I believe that most of the readers in here are intellegent enough to form their own opinion.
You are a very gifted editor, and I am always pleased to see your contribution.
PlannerDan
You are truly a messenger. Your feedback is one to give me strength and confirms my purpose. Thank you, ever so much. 
I just want to say how much I appreciated your editorial, and I applaud you for using the workers in the vinyard. Many of the parables seem tame, this one makes it clear the Jesus expressed powerful and challenging ideas and He did so through story. As a firm supporter of narrative theology, I thank you.
Blessings,
Chuck
chucksmith
I'm glad you enjoyed that editorial on parables. I love Jesus' parables and if any seem tame, then perhaps those are the very ones that should be studied for deeper truths. 
In the Christmas feedback, someone made the point that they would remain steadfast in their belief without apology to those who might find this "exclusionary or elitist" (saying Merry Christmas)
Jesus said "You must be born again". He also said, "If you will not confess me before men, I will not confess you before My Father in Heaven." [Puditat 's emphasis] We are told to "come out from among them". If we are to follow the example of our Savior, then we are called to be exclusionary. Jesus said,"I Am the way, the truth, the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me." "There is no other Name under Heaven, by which men may be saved." Elitist? If Christians don't follow Christ, that is the ultimate hypocrisy! We are called to love and pray for all people, the goal being to lead them to the Lord. Jesus said,"If you are not with me,you are against me." He left no place for neutrality. To those who find Christians exclusionary and elitist, I would say, yes we are. It's what keeps us from being hypocrits!
nancy-s
Excellent points! Thank you so much for adding those thoughts to this discussion.
Hello,
This is an enjoyable newsletter. I am writing now because I have read some of the reviews of this newsletter that I respect but I do not agree with. I had not read many of your newsletters, maybe this is the second, but what I can say is that Christ is not restricted to christians, he is for all, his teachings is true for his time and now. Christ, as well as other prophets were for all humanity and they enrich our spirit. So, in my opinion, one can speak about Christ under the title of "spirituality"
essence of thought
Yes, you are so right about Christ being for everyone. I appreciate your support of Christ being discussed under Spirituality. Jesus is a very instrinsic part to my own Spiritual life. I wish all people had your openness. |
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