To Live is Christ — meekly, quietly, gently

The news this week involves a pastor in Florida who has interpreted Scripture loosely. His idea about burning books comes from a passage where people who had been involved in witchcraft came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. After they were given new life in Him, they realized the errors of their past. 

And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Acts 19:18–19)

These early Christians burned their own sinful books. They were not burning the books of other people. If this was the case, then I should be lighting a match to all books that do not line up with the Word of God, which could mean most books in print.

Aside from getting far more media coverage that it deserves, this news story points to the importance of correctly reading and interpreting Scripture, something sadly lacking in many churches. It also raises the question often asked by non-Christians: “How do you know who has the right translation or interpretation?”

That is a valid question. The Bible was written in Hebrew, Greek, and some parts in Aramaic. To translate it into English is the first challenge. A translator needs to know those languages, but also those cultures. They had figures of speech just as we do. We might say or hear, “That’s the way the cookie crumbles” and know what it means, but what about someone from another culture? And did the ancient Israelites say things that sounds about as odd? And how can anyone know the difference between a colloquialism and a literal statement?

I looked again at the verses in Isaiah that I’ve been reading and decided to read them in a “literal” translation, which is word for word. This is what the Young’s Literal Bible says:

And made hath Jehovah of Hosts, for all the peoples in this mount, a banquet of fat things, a banquet of preserved things, fat things full of marrow, preserved things refined. (Isaiah 25:6, YLT)

Huh? Without knowing the way people talked back then, this is almost gibberish. However, many scholars put decades of research and prayer into understanding this passage and others like it. They study the original languages and all things necessary to get the gist of what it means. Then they translate it into the English of the day. When King James was ruling, the English of that day became the still-popular King James Bible.

These days, many scholars have translated several Bible versions using contemporary terms. This helps modern readers understand words written centuries before. For the above passage, the Contemporary English Version says it like this:

On this mountain the Lord All-Powerful will prepare for all nations a feast of the finest foods. Choice wines and the best meats will be served. (Isaiah 25:6)

Probably all Bibles have some translation quirks and foibles, but most of them convey the general meaning. (A few, such as those translated by cults, should be burned.) However, interpretation of what has been translated is another challenge. Volumes are written on how to properly understand the Bible, yet hearing God speak does not necessarily require a degree in Hermeneutics or years of scholarly study. Even children can understand the Word of God — if their hearts are right!

This is on my mind because of the news story. I realize it might have been lack of scholarly interpretation that caused this book burning brouhaha, but maybe not. God is amazingly able to get around our “dull minds” if we are willing to hear Him. He can speak through the old KJV and use even the loosest modern paraphrase — if I have a meek and quiet spirit.

I know that If I have my mind already made up, my ears lose their sensitivity to the truth, no matter how clearly it is written. Understanding the Word of God is vital to doing the will of God, but so also is having a soft and humble heart. Instead of dictating what others should do (with their books or their lives), I always need to pay attention to the state of my own heart.