The controversy over translations of the Holy Bible continues. While I agree that the King James Bible is probably the best we can do these days, I have to say that there are elements of the "King James Bible" movement that need to be addressed.
A statement that was made to me recently was that, since we don't have the original languages of Bible days, such as the Greek and Hebrew, we should not be trying to go back to those languages to find answers to our questions about God's Word.
I differ with this on several fronts. The first one would be that the King James had to have been translated from the Greek and Hebrew in the beginning, else where would it have come from. Secondly, archaeologists have determined that the scrolls that have been found with the Bible on them, are very close if not identical to the modern Greek and Hebrew.
Lastly, the Holy Spirit has been speaking, almost shouting, to me that we have our misunderstandings about the meanings of the Word of God in modern times because we are not seeking the Lord with all our heart and mind. We are reading His Word and not understanding it because we are relying on our own modern human insight rather than on the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Our culture is steeped in Psychology; particularly self esteem, self worth, self, self and more self. Because of this we are inclined to read the words of the King James bible in light of our brainwashed condition,cultural bents and personal desires.
The only cure to these misunderstandings is constant prayer and vigilance in our walk with the Lord. Everything that we believe must be confronted with the question, "Lord please, you show me the truth, I want only truth from the Holy Spirit."
At this point in time I am inclined to believe that the King James bible is the best we have, but even it is not perfect. That the only perfect inspired Word of God is in the original languages.
By the way, we don't have the original clay tablets that came to the Jews from Moses with the Ten Commandments on them, but copies of God's laws have been preserved by God all this time and they can be relied on to be His Law.
The moral of the story is this...Seek God with all our hearts, lean not on our own understanding, and He will reveal all that we ask for. God also says that we do not receive because we do not ask. Let's not just read the Word to gain knowledge according to our culture, let's read it to seek the mind of Christ and to obey Him, with a passion to honor God.
Gwendolyn
Hi Mom, I like your view on The King James Bible.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any excuses about not understanding God's Word. We just have a problem obeying it.
Keep up the good work In Christ. Love Steven
Given that the King James was first translated into Latin for the masses (Vulgate) and later into french before it was ever translated into English (first as an unauthorized attempt as the King was not willing to allow it at that time circa 1600) the fact that it is even close to the original Hebrew and Greek is a miracle.
ReplyDeleteGranted no matter how inspired by God a man may be men are falable and make errors and sometimes allow sin to corupt their effort. Rechecking the translation is not a terrible idea. Realizing that so many men have been involved in recopying the bible for many many centuries and every time the comon language changes it is conceiveable that the translation has too.
If you have the oportunity to learn Biblical Hebrew take it.
Thank you anonymous, if I could find very good lexicons for the Greek and the Hebrew, I would love to learn those languages. I have been praying that the Lord would show me which resources to use and where to find them.
ReplyDeleteGwen