Interesting Questions-03
"Why not publish your own Bible?"
Letter to the Editor:
PASUGO dated March 1996, p.2
YOUR PREACHERS USE different translations of the
Bible in delivering a sermon. I was thinking that you do this to
suit your own set of reasoning. But upon speaking to a member of
your Church I was informed that it is necessary to use different
translations of the Bible for there are Bible translations that
contain mistranslated verses. If this is true, Why don't you publish
your own Bible and put all the correct translation of the verses in
it? And given the premise that there are translations that contain
errors, how are we to know which one is right?
Carlos Reyes
Dagupan City, Philippines
Editor's Reply:
Your suggestion that the Iglesia ni Cristo publish
her own Bible with all the correct translation of mistranslated
verses is both well-meaning and appealing. It would be truly
convenient and handy to have just one Bible with all the verses that
we cite or quote from different translations gathered in one
compendium.
By publishing her own Bible, the Iglesia ni Cristo
will in effect have a "sanitized" version of the Scriptures--tailor
made for her teachings. This is the very thing that the Iglesia ni
Cristo avoids, that is, to be accused of manipulating the Scriptures
to suit her doctrines.
How, then, are we to know which particular
translation of the Bible to use, for example in delivering a sermon?
Apostle Paul states the guiding principle to the doctrines of the
Bible, thus:
"This is what we speak, not in
words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit,
expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." (I Cor.2:13, New
International version)
Therefore, there must be no contradiction between
the different version of the Bible because spiritual things are
compared to spiritual truths. But one may ask, "Who is in a position
to compare spiritual things to spiritual truths?" Are all preachers
that we see and hear nowadays are qualified to compare spiritual
things with spiritual truths, more so preach the gospel? Apostle
Paul answers us, thus:
"And how shall they preach
unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet
of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of
good things!" (Rom. 10:15, New King James Version)
A preacher of the Gospel therefore must be sent by
God. Why must he be sent by God? Apostle John states, thus:
"The one whom God has send
speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his
Spirit. (John 3:34, Today's English Version)
Moreover, the messenger sent by God is entrusted
with the ministry and message of reconciliation (cf. II Cor.
5:18-20)
Therefore, even if there are translations of the
Bible that contain mistranslated verses, the commissioned preachers
of God can identify them because they have been given God's spirit
for them to understand His will written in the Bible (cf. I Cor.
2:12). □
___________________
Note: Some words and
phrases are in italics for emphasis.