The Whole Word of God?

[thessalonian]

The Bible was not written in English. The english versions are translations. Now words in English do not have a one to one correspondence with Greek and Hebrew. That is a simple fact. For instance the word love in English from what I understand has 7 counterparts in Greek that translate love in english. Now the problem then becomes, does any one English Bible contain the full Word of God? Does one have to know Hebrew and Greek to get the full Word of God?
Does one have to read multiple bibles to get the full Word of God?
Does one have to have the English Bibles + fallible concordances to get the full Word of God?

Of course from a Catholic perspective the WOG is carried on in scripture and oral teaching so this is not so problematic. Just interested in your thoughts.

 

[Merry Menagerie]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. ...

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.) full of grace and truth.

 

[pearlz]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. ...

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.) full of grace and truth.

Im just curious what your quote has to do with his question? Hes asking about the different translations, and how the certain words have different meanings in other languges. Why do people answer questions with a bible quote? Makes me wonder if they can think on thier own.

 

[thessalonian]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. ...

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.) full of grace and truth.

Im just curious what your quote has to do with his question? Hes asking about the different translations, and how the certain words have different meanings in other languges. Why do people answer questions with a bible quote? Makes me wonder if they can think on thier own.

Thank you.

 

[Rick W]

Depends on what you need/want.
The basics are there... that Christ died, was buried and rose again.
Going further can answer questions in greater depth particularly His diety and how all this came about. Depending on your hunger for truth greater in-depth study is needed. There's as much there as anyone could need or understand.
But then the love for Christ must be there also. Without it the bible becomes nothing more than a rule book or the rantings of madmen. Academics is one thing, belief is quite another.

 

[PHIL121]

No matter what language the Bible is in, it remains the word of God. The fact that there ARE languages is not part of God's plan but man's arrogance (The Tower of Babel).

Revelation of God's word is not an intellectual pursuit (although that may aid in it) but a spiritual one.

God will reveal to you what He chooses to reveal, based upon how you seek Him.

 

[Merry Menagerie]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. ...

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.) full of grace and truth.

Im just curious what your quote has to do with his question? Hes asking about the different translations, and how the certain words have different meanings in other languges. Why do people answer questions with a bible quote? Makes me wonder if they can think on thier own.

I thought the topic was about the Word of God! Least that was what the title was. I believe the Word of God to be Christ and Christ is in us. And he's translated perfectly! He's quite capable of guiding me through scripture, whether there are errors or not.

 

[thessalonian]

No matter what language the Bible is in, it remains the word of God. The fact that there ARE languages is not part of God's plan but man's arrogance (The Tower of Babel).

Revelation of God's word is not an intellectual pursuit (although that may aid in it) but a spiritual one.

God will reveal to you what He chooses to reveal, based upon how you seek Him.

So it is not neccessary to have the fullness of the Word of God in writting?
So are you saying that God reveals what is lost in the translation?

 

[thessalonian]

Depends on what you need/want.
The basics are there... that Christ died, was buried and rose again.
Going further can answer questions in greater depth particularly His diety and how all this came about. Depending on your hunger for truth greater in-depth study is needed. There's as much there as anyone could need or understand.
But then the love for Christ must be there also. Without it the bible becomes nothing more than a rule book or the rantings of madmen. Academics is one thing, belief is quite another.

What I want/need? Aren't the holy scriptures said to contain all that is neccessary for salvation. (this is an axiom I hear from Protestants, not Catholics). Are you saying it's really not all neccessary. I know for me if I am not growing in the word of God I am backsliding. Now it seems to me it is all quite neccessary and not just an acedemic pursuit.

 

[Rick W]

If you already had your answer why ask the question?

 

[thessalonian]

If you already had your answer why ask the question?

This happens to be a discussion board, not a question or answer board. Questions are sometimes meant to provoke thought more than search for answers. I am not on this board because I think you people know more than me. I am not a seeker. The Catholic faith is the fullness of the truth. I am hear to provoke thought on your end and the responses you give do help me reflect on the truths of my faith and actually help support them in the negative sense, i.e. your errors make the truth show brighter as the darkness in the night makes the light of the stars shine brighter. Thus I learn indirectly from you. This likely will be offensive to you. Sorry for that but the truth many times offends.

I have my answer from a Catholic perspective, which is quite different, and easier to reconcile with this issue. I want to see how Protestants would answer, as the question seems to present a bit of a conundrum, in my view, for you. Haven't seen anything yet to change that.

Blessings

 

[Rick W]

I see. So you're here to challenge.
Ok, well, take a number and have a seat... it's a long line.

 

[Vic C.]

Time out... lets stay on track people.

Thanks,
Vic

 

[Rick W]

People hunger for truth in varying degrees obviously.
Need/want is that which will satisfy that hunger. While some make study of scripture their entire life some do not. Some attend seminary, some don't. Some have a desire to become a pastor, some do not. People need/want a varying quantity to appease their hunger. Not all believers strive to become theologians holding PHDs in a field of studying scripture.

My needs differ from yours. Your wants differ from mine. You may delve into a particular area while I may very well focus on another.
The "Full Word of God" serves all.
I seriously doubt any one person has the mental capacity much less the desire to become an authority in depth of all and everything the bible has to offer. Nor the time on earth to do so.

 

[TheScarletPimpernel]

In english or another language. Can you get the sense of the whole word of God into any language beyond Greek and Hebrew.

My beliefs on this matter are that translations from scripture are teachings derived from scripture. There are so many factors involved in each person's understanding and use of language that really a translation is an approximation of the scriptures into the lingo which currently in use. A translator can try has hard as he can to pass on the information to another but he can't give any guarentee that the person receiving it is going to understand what is being conveyed or that he has understood thier way of speaking 100%. So he does his best or the teams do thier best but all admit that thier translations are not infallible in every circumstance. If you read the foreword or preface of your bible , something like the ESV will say:

We know no bible translation is perfect or final; but we also know that God uses imperfect or inadequate things to His honour and praise. So to our Triune God and to His people we offer what we have done, with our prayers that it may prove useful, with gratitude for much help given, and with ongoing wonder that our God should ever have entrusted us to such a momentous task.

So. It's up to the translater to do the best job he can to make himself understood and up to the reader to understand. If he then wants to query something he has difficulty with, he can ask others or he can do a bit more research himself. If he wants to read the scriptures in thier original language, he can learn that himself. Learning other languages I've heard such as german or latin can all help to illuminate things as well but well, you must decide at some point to apply yourself to it and educate yourself enough to be actually able to do something with what you've then learned. Whose it up to if not anyone but each? And to each his own!

 

[thessalonian]

People hunger for truth in varying degrees obviously.
Need/want is that which will satisfy that hunger. While some make study of scripture their entire life some do not. Some attend seminary, some don't. Some have a desire to become a pastor, some do not. People need/want a varying quantity to appease their hunger. Not all believers strive to become theologians holding PHDs in a field of studying scripture.

My needs differ from yours. Your wants differ from mine. You may delve into a particular area while I may very well focus on another.
The "Full Word of God" serves all.
I seriously doubt any one person has the mental capacity much less the desire to become an authority in depth of all and everything the bible has to offer. Nor the time on earth to do so.

I agree with your post actually. God's word is infinite and applies to each one of our life experiences in some fashion. That's not the point of this thread. Your post was off topic. TheScarletPimpernel has expressed an acceptable view, though it presents a glaring hole. The understandings of the translator must be correct or the scriptures will be corrupted. There is wide variety of belief in Protestantism that affects the scriptures. You cannot say that Protestant scriptures are not corrupt if what he has said is correct.

 

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Hi Thessalonian,

Thanks for your remarks. I wouldn't go so far myself as to call them corrupted as to call them theo-logically or theo-illogically biased in some instances. You won't hardly notice them if you are a newcomer to reading scripture but once you come to certain key issues, such as women in the church, authority and the position of man in relation to God, Osas, Spiritual gifts, denominations, all the basically "hot potatoes" over which there is endless controversy, that is where you are going to run into hot water. And here I say is where the phrase "caveat emptor" very much applies! And let me restate once more, "to each his own"!