The verse below, as found in The Immanence Bible, is from what is now called Chapter Five of Matthew. Of course, Bibles did not have verse numbers until more than 1,000 years after Jesus' appearance on the planet. Humans did divide the writings into chapters early on. But verse numbers came much later. In TIB we go back in time: there are chapter numbers, but only subsections of 10 verses per unit within each chapter.
So, the first verse of Matthew 5 in TIB is this one:
Seeing the multitudes, he goes up
onto a mountain. When he sits down.
those who are thinking
come to him.
Mountains are good places to learn and think. And a good place leave the multitudes behind. When Jesus goes up onto a mountain, those who wanted to engage with him, as they thought things through, headed in his direction. It is an interesting commentary on our culture that most of our Bibles translate the Greek word MATHETES as "disciple." That is not necessarily a bad translation. The problem is that this Greek word comes from the root sense of "learning." Not from "to discipline." TIBIV tries to reflect that etymology a little more clearly and perhaps let us hear Jesus in a fresh way.
That's the point of this new translation, The Immanence Bible Book of Matthew, Compact Edition. Jesus was not dictating precisely how a human life is to be lived. He was thinking through the idea of "the kingdom of heaven." Or, as TIB translates (very literally), "the realm of upward vision." Jesus wants us to think about life: about how we all might live in accord with the highest vision we have of human society. That's the point of this challenge/teaching as found in Matthew 5.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Matthew 3:3 Listening in the Wilderness
"The voice of one crying, 'In the wilderness make ready the way of the Presence.
Make the paths straight.'"
Part of the mission of The Immanence Bible, Book of Matthew is to allow the reader to think a little less anthropomorphically while reading the story of Jesus. One way to accomplish this mission is by translating KURIOS by a variety of words (as all English Bibles do). The primary translation used here is "Presence." It is this Presence that guides and leads us in our lives.
In the verse above, John joins with Isaiah in calling for a wilderness experience that makes way for the Presence. Sometimes it takes a less familiar, more 'primitive' setting, for us to hear the inner voice. And as we listen, we make ready the way for this Presence. And then as we live our guidance, we are making the paths straight (even if they take a very winding way!).
And sometimes it takes a different setting, in the area of Bible translation, to help us listen to the inward voice. Enjoy reading of Immanence.
Make the paths straight.'"
Part of the mission of The Immanence Bible, Book of Matthew is to allow the reader to think a little less anthropomorphically while reading the story of Jesus. One way to accomplish this mission is by translating KURIOS by a variety of words (as all English Bibles do). The primary translation used here is "Presence." It is this Presence that guides and leads us in our lives.
In the verse above, John joins with Isaiah in calling for a wilderness experience that makes way for the Presence. Sometimes it takes a less familiar, more 'primitive' setting, for us to hear the inner voice. And as we listen, we make ready the way for this Presence. And then as we live our guidance, we are making the paths straight (even if they take a very winding way!).
And sometimes it takes a different setting, in the area of Bible translation, to help us listen to the inward voice. Enjoy reading of Immanence.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
The Immanence Bible
Here's a verse from Matthew 3 about the new translation, The Immanence Bible, Book of Matthew, Compact Edition.
"In those days, John the Baptizer came, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea,
"Change your thinking, for the realm of upward vision is so close!"
John's message was "in the wilderness." It was a primitive call, stripped of all theological embellishment. It cut to the quick. The crying need, from his perspective, was for all of us to "Change your thinking..." The Immanence Bible (TIB) translates the Greek word in a non-traditional way. Usually "repent", the Greek word comes from a two-part word, literally "after-mind."
The word repent is a good one, but has acquired too much theological baggage. John's call was for our minds to be renovated. The need for clarity of thought is still obvious in our day. It is our thinking process that lies at the root of many of our problems. We need to reorient our brains! The impetus for John's call was the realization of just how close this new realm was.
In the TIB, the literal translation of "realm" is used rather than "kingdom." And, the more literal "upward vision" is used as the translation for OURANOS, usually "heaven" in most versions. It is important, in this 21st century, that our thinking begin to be revived. We need to be able to hear Jesus (and John the Baptizer) as clearly as possible. TIB intends to help us think through our faith as we do some deep listening to Jesus' teaching. Yes, The Immanence Bible is definitely a supplemental version to use along with other translations. But, it remains an essentially literal Bible, even as it strives to remain faithful to the spirit of Jesus' Way.
Enjoy reading! And may you be driven back to the message of well-being that Jesus proclaimed.
"In those days, John the Baptizer came, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea,
"Change your thinking, for the realm of upward vision is so close!"
John's message was "in the wilderness." It was a primitive call, stripped of all theological embellishment. It cut to the quick. The crying need, from his perspective, was for all of us to "Change your thinking..." The Immanence Bible (TIB) translates the Greek word in a non-traditional way. Usually "repent", the Greek word comes from a two-part word, literally "after-mind."
The word repent is a good one, but has acquired too much theological baggage. John's call was for our minds to be renovated. The need for clarity of thought is still obvious in our day. It is our thinking process that lies at the root of many of our problems. We need to reorient our brains! The impetus for John's call was the realization of just how close this new realm was.
In the TIB, the literal translation of "realm" is used rather than "kingdom." And, the more literal "upward vision" is used as the translation for OURANOS, usually "heaven" in most versions. It is important, in this 21st century, that our thinking begin to be revived. We need to be able to hear Jesus (and John the Baptizer) as clearly as possible. TIB intends to help us think through our faith as we do some deep listening to Jesus' teaching. Yes, The Immanence Bible is definitely a supplemental version to use along with other translations. But, it remains an essentially literal Bible, even as it strives to remain faithful to the spirit of Jesus' Way.
Enjoy reading! And may you be driven back to the message of well-being that Jesus proclaimed.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Matthew 18:15
"And if thy same-uterus un-mark against thee, under-lead, expose his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained they same-uterus."
On the back cover of the Etymological New Testament we read this sentence, "The ENT can feel both didactic and literary; stilted and lovely." In the verse above, the language definitely tends toward the stilted and didactic! But the purpose of the ENT is provide information while encouraging us to slow down as we read the text.
In this case, the etymology of the word "brother" is from two words. The ENT hyphenates to show that they are one word in Greek. Our brother or sister is ultra-literally from the "same-uterus." While this feels very strange to the ears of an English reader, the information can be helpful.
Rather than the common word "sin", the ENT uses the very literal "un-mark." When our family member misses the mark in their relationship with us, we are then to "under-lead" (go) and "expose" their fault. The literal sense of the word typically translated "rebuke" is simply to make clear, or expose, in what way there has been a missing of the mark. Human relationships can easily malfunction. And it is good to make the nature of that "miss" very clear. The word rebuke can be a good translation, but in this context, may be a little too emphatic.
If we under-lead and expose the un-mark AND if our same-uterus truly hears us, we have gained back our family member. If they do not hear, then there is a further step to take, which will be covered in the next post.
On the back cover of the Etymological New Testament we read this sentence, "The ENT can feel both didactic and literary; stilted and lovely." In the verse above, the language definitely tends toward the stilted and didactic! But the purpose of the ENT is provide information while encouraging us to slow down as we read the text.
In this case, the etymology of the word "brother" is from two words. The ENT hyphenates to show that they are one word in Greek. Our brother or sister is ultra-literally from the "same-uterus." While this feels very strange to the ears of an English reader, the information can be helpful.
Rather than the common word "sin", the ENT uses the very literal "un-mark." When our family member misses the mark in their relationship with us, we are then to "under-lead" (go) and "expose" their fault. The literal sense of the word typically translated "rebuke" is simply to make clear, or expose, in what way there has been a missing of the mark. Human relationships can easily malfunction. And it is good to make the nature of that "miss" very clear. The word rebuke can be a good translation, but in this context, may be a little too emphatic.
If we under-lead and expose the un-mark AND if our same-uterus truly hears us, we have gained back our family member. If they do not hear, then there is a further step to take, which will be covered in the next post.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Matthew 18:8
"And if thy hand or they foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into a fire of unconditional-being."
Much of the Bible is not literally true. That sounds like an odd thing to say. "God is Light." Literally true? Of course not, God is not a set of photons (or particles, depending on your theory of light). We know that God is spirit (or "wind" as in the Etymological New Testament). But we still speak of many of his bodily parts in a very anthropomorphic way.
But some readers of the NT tend to miss the point of this figure of speech, above, as Matthew quotes Jesus. Yes, Jesus is using hyperbole to make a very clear point about offending other human beings. And about the importance of life and entering into it as freely and gracefully as possible.
To become a stumbling block in the way of others is to find ourselves "cast into a fire of unconditional-being." Another figure of speech to help us grasp the importance of his teaching. As noted earlier, the family of words typically translated as "age" or "eternal" or "everlasting" stem from the literal three part word UN-IF-BEING. Or, unconditional-being. We can find ourselves growing into this "life without limits." Or spiraling downward into a fire of our unconditional being.
Much of the Bible is not literally true. That sounds like an odd thing to say. "God is Light." Literally true? Of course not, God is not a set of photons (or particles, depending on your theory of light). We know that God is spirit (or "wind" as in the Etymological New Testament). But we still speak of many of his bodily parts in a very anthropomorphic way.
But some readers of the NT tend to miss the point of this figure of speech, above, as Matthew quotes Jesus. Yes, Jesus is using hyperbole to make a very clear point about offending other human beings. And about the importance of life and entering into it as freely and gracefully as possible.
To become a stumbling block in the way of others is to find ourselves "cast into a fire of unconditional-being." Another figure of speech to help us grasp the importance of his teaching. As noted earlier, the family of words typically translated as "age" or "eternal" or "everlasting" stem from the literal three part word UN-IF-BEING. Or, unconditional-being. We can find ourselves growing into this "life without limits." Or spiraling downward into a fire of our unconditional being.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Matthew 18:7
"Woe unto the system because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come; but woe to that human through whom the occasion cometh!"
The Greek word KOSMOS indicates an orderly or systematic arrangement. It is translated most frequently as "world" in conventional Bibles. But they also translate this word as "jewelry" and "order" etc. The Etymological New Testament consistently translates with the ultra-literal English word "system." In the verse above, the system is the culturally organized system of human beings. Too often this system works against human life. The structures of our society can become our enemies if they become an end unto themselves.
Jesus pronounces a woe upon the type of culture, or system, that harms children. Because of the way society is structured, this occasion will come, but woe to the particular people who implement the harm to others. Just because the system is evil, we are not innocent in our participation within it. To listen to Jesus' teaching is to feel the imperative to challenge the system within which we find ourselves.
The Greek word KOSMOS indicates an orderly or systematic arrangement. It is translated most frequently as "world" in conventional Bibles. But they also translate this word as "jewelry" and "order" etc. The Etymological New Testament consistently translates with the ultra-literal English word "system." In the verse above, the system is the culturally organized system of human beings. Too often this system works against human life. The structures of our society can become our enemies if they become an end unto themselves.
Jesus pronounces a woe upon the type of culture, or system, that harms children. Because of the way society is structured, this occasion will come, but woe to the particular people who implement the harm to others. Just because the system is evil, we are not innocent in our participation within it. To listen to Jesus' teaching is to feel the imperative to challenge the system within which we find ourselves.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Matthew 18:1,2
"In that hour came the learners unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the realm of upward-vision? And he called to him a little girl, and set her in the midst of them,"
Those who travelled with and followed Jesus were not called "disciples", but "learners." That is, the Greek original stems from the word for learning rather than from the word for discipline. Our attitude toward life is to be one of learning. And part of this learning involved the understanding the essential nature of greatness. At least in the "realm of upward-vision", this openness to life, that every child begins with, is the hallmark of greatness.
The Etymological New Testament twofold purpose is to provide literal etymological information concerning the Greek text AND to cause the reader to think a little more deeply of Jesus' message. In this passage, the Greek word means a boy or girl. Virtually all English translations imply through male pronouns that the child is a boy. In order to convey the possibilities, the ENT opts for the feminine sense. Thus, Jesus calls "a little girl" to himself and "set her in the midst of them."
May our hearts and minds continue to be open to Life.
Those who travelled with and followed Jesus were not called "disciples", but "learners." That is, the Greek original stems from the word for learning rather than from the word for discipline. Our attitude toward life is to be one of learning. And part of this learning involved the understanding the essential nature of greatness. At least in the "realm of upward-vision", this openness to life, that every child begins with, is the hallmark of greatness.
The Etymological New Testament twofold purpose is to provide literal etymological information concerning the Greek text AND to cause the reader to think a little more deeply of Jesus' message. In this passage, the Greek word means a boy or girl. Virtually all English translations imply through male pronouns that the child is a boy. In order to convey the possibilities, the ENT opts for the feminine sense. Thus, Jesus calls "a little girl" to himself and "set her in the midst of them."
May our hearts and minds continue to be open to Life.
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