Introduction
The book of Islam – the Quran (or Koran) – can never be
considered a Quran if translated out of Arabic into another language. A
translated Quran is not the Quran! Arabic is seen as a sacred language, and any
translation a mere interpretation. “…any translation of God’s Book is a human
effort. It is not, and will never be a Scripture.”[i]
Christians, on the other hand, have no problem calling a translation Scripture or The Bible.
Inspiration gave the word of God (2
Timothy 3:15-17). We validly speak of having the inspired word of God
today – but, as a process, inspiration is past tense. Preservation keeps the
word of God (Isaiah
30:8). Translation multiplies the word of God – makes it available to
every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.
By what authority do Christians translate the
Bible out of its original languages? Most of us assume, presuppose – maybe
never think about whether or not there is heavenly authorization to translate
the inspired scriptures out of the original tongues into other languages. Does
any command, precept, or example in the Bible itself support it?
Christians have often neglected a careful
exposition of why we gladly translate the Bible into other languages. Often it
is not taught. Nevertheless, most Bible-believers intuit that they can and
should use Bibles translated into their own languages. A few arrogant academics
adamantly assert that those who don’t know the Bible in the original languages
do not know the Bible. Thankfully, these are few and far between – and folks
who are poor readers in their first language are some of the best
living-out-the-Bible-Christians that I know! On one hand, Christians are able
to recognize and appreciate scholarship. On the other hand, true Christians do
not create castes of greater and lesser degrees based on the languages in which
they read their Bibles!
History
Christians translate the Bible for historical,
practical, and theological reasons. I will address the first and last of these
three. Practically, Christians do not demand converts to read and speak any of
the Biblical languages. In fact, they encourage them to find and learn of him
in a language they understand.
Creeds and Confessions
Most of our Baptist confessions of faith have not
addressed the translation of the Bible. I know of only a few – the London Confession of
1677/1689, the Orthodox
Creed of 1679, Philadelphia
Confession of 1742 (a revision of the 1689 London Confession). This
is unfortunate, in that we have not kept it before us confessionally. Books of
Systematic Theology sometimes address the topic.
An Orthodox Creed: Or, a Protestant Confession of
Faith of 1679 (General Baptist)
Article XXXVII. Of the Sacred Scripture. The
Authority of the holy Scripture, dependeth not upon the Authority of any Man,
but only upon the Authority of God,(331) who hath delivered and revealed his
mind therein unto us, and containeth all things necessary for Salvation;(332)
so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be
required of any Man, that it should be believed as an Article of the Christian
Faith, or be thought requisite to Salvation.(333) Neither ought we (since we
have the Scriptures delivered to us now) to depend upon, hearken to, or regard
the pretended immediate Inspirations, Dreams, or Prophetical Predictions, by or
from any Person whatsoever, lest we be deluded by them.(334) Nor yet do we believe
that the Works of Creation, nor the Law written in the Heart, (viz.) Natural
Religion (as some call it), or the Light within Man, as such, is sufficient to
inform Man of Christ the Mediator, or of the way to Salvation, or Eternal Life
by him;(335) but the holy Scriptures are necessary to instruct all Men into the
way of Salvation, and eternal Life. And we do believe, that all People ought to
have them in their Mother Tongue,(336) and diligently, and constantly to read
them in their particular Places and Families, for their Edification, and
Comfort. And endeavour to frame their Lives, according to the direction of
God’s Word, both in Faith and Practice, the holy Scriptures being of no private
Interpretation, but ought to be interpreted according to the Analogie of Faith,
and is the best Interpreter of it self;(337) and is sole Judge in
Controversie.(338) And no Decrees of Popes, or Councils, or Writings of any
Person whatsoever, are of equal Authority with the sacred Scriptures. And by
the holy Scriptures we understand, the Canonical Books of the Old and New
Testament, as they are now translated into our English Mother-Tongue, of which
there hath never been any doubt of their Verity, and Authority, in the
Protestant Churches of Christ to this Day.
(331: 2
Pet. 1.19, 20, 21. 2 Tim. 3.15, 16, 17.; 332: Joh. 20.30, 31. & 21.25.; 333:
Mat. 22.29. John 5.39, 46, 47. & 10.35. & 17.23. Prov. 30.5, 6. Josh.
1.7. Rev. 22.18. Deut. 12.32.; 334:
Isa. 8.20. 2 Pet. 1.19. 2 John 7, 8, 9, 10. Mat. 24.23, 24, 25, 26. 2 Thess.
2.7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15.; 335: I Cor. 1.20, 21, 22, 23, 24. & 2.6, 7, 8, 9,
13, 14. Rom. 15.4, 5. & 16.25, 26. & 1.16, 17, 18. Gal. 5.22. Rom.
11.31, 32. & 10.13. to the 21.; 336: I Cor. 14.4, 9, 10, 11, 19. Col.
3.16.; 337: 2 Pet. 1.20, 21. Acts 15.15, 16.; 338: Mat. 22.29, 30. Acts 17.10,
11, 12, 13. & 18.28.)
London Baptist Confession of 1689 (Particular
Baptist)
1.8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the
native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek
(which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the
nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and
providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so as in all
controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to them. But because
these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right
unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to
read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar
language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God dwelling
plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner, and through
patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.
(Romans 3:2; Isaiah 8:20; Acts 15:15; John 5:39; 1
Corinthians 14:6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28; Colossians 3:16)
The translators of the King James Bible gave the
following defense of the work of translation (in “The
Translators to the Reader,” King James Bible, 1611):
But how shall men meditate in that, which they
cannot understand? How shall they understand that which is kept close in an
unknown tongue? as it is written, Except I know the power of the voice, I shall
be to him that speaketh, a Barbarian, and he that speaketh, shall be a
Barbarian to me. [1 Cor 14] The Apostle excepteth no tongue; not Hebrew the
ancientest, not Greek the most copious, not Latin the finest. Nature taught a
natural man to confess, that all of us in those tongues which we do not
understand, are plainly deaf; we may turn the deaf ear unto them...Therefore as
one complaineth, that always in the Senate of Rome, there was one or other that
called for an interpreter: so lest the Church be driven to the like exigent, it
is necessary to have translations in a readiness. Translation it is that
openeth the window, to let in the light; that breaketh the shell, that we may
eat the kernel; that putteth aside the curtain, that we may look into the most
Holy place; that removeth the cover of the well, that we may come by the water,
even as Jacob rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, by which means
the flocks of Laban were watered [Gen 29:10]. Indeed without translation into
the vulgar tongue, the unlearned are but like children at Jacob’s well (which
was deep) [John 4:11] without a bucket or something to draw with; or as that
person mentioned by Isaiah, to whom when a sealed book was delivered, with this
motion, Read this, I pray thee, he was fain to make this answer, I cannot, for
it is sealed. [Isa 29:11]
William Tyndale, as quoted in the Actes and Monuments of these Latter and
Perillous Days, touching Matters of the Church by John Foxe, 1563 Edition,
Book 3, p.570
“I defie the Pope and all his laws (and said), If
God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to
know more of the Scripture, than he doest.”
History and Tradition
History and tradition are not authoritative, but
support the principles we find in Scripture. Jews were translators of the Old
Testament Scriptures. The Targums,
some possibly dated to 400 BC, are Aramaic translations or paraphrases of the
Old Testament.[ii] The OT was translated into
Greek in the 2nd and 3rd centuries before the time of Christ (called the Septuagint or LXX). The apostles may
have used the Targums (quoted in Greek) or quoted from the LXX in their
writings. Christians were translators of both the Old and New Testaments, from
early post-apostolic times.
Origen’s
Hexapla,
compiled sometime before AD 240, organized the Old Testament into six columns –
the Hebrew text, a transliteration of the Hebrew into Greek characters, and
four Greek translations. Jerome’s translation into Latin was commissioned AD
382 and was done sometime afterward – but there were also Latin translations
prior to that of Jerome. These considered together are called Vetus Latina, Old Latin or Old Italic, and are perhaps
the earliest Christian translation of the Bible. According to The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), it was in North
Africa (or possibly Antioch in the East) rather than Rome that the earliest
translation of the scriptures into Latin was made – possibly as early as the
middle of the 2nd century AD. Also in the 2nd century (circa AD 150) a Syrian
named Tatian
created a “harmony” of all four Gospels translated from Greek into Syriac. There
is some evidence that Ulfilas, or
Wulfila created an alphabet for the Goths, and translated the Bible
into Visigothic using that alphabet by about 389. The alphabet and Bible
translation served the purpose of Ulfilas propagating his Christian views among
the Goths.
The research of William
Stephen Gilly (1789–1855) indicates the Waldenses translated the New
Testament into Lingua Romana or Roumant (a common language in southern Europe
at the time), by the 12th century AD, and apparently later financed of the
French Bible d’Olivétan
(or La Bible qui est toute la Sainte Ecriture) in AD 1535 by
Pierre
Robert Olivétan. The first complete Bible in English was translated
by John
Wycliffe and others by 1382.
The Reformation burst forth with Bible translations into multiple
languages, in contrast to and defiance of the Roman Catholic standard for
reading, studying, and worshipping in Latin.[iii]
The spread of translations of the Old and New Testaments match the spread of
Christian outreach into the world (e.g., Armenian (410), Syriac (508), Arabic
(680), Hungarian (1410), Spanish (1478), German (1534), and so on). The
Catholic insistence on one translation, the Vulgate – combined with insistence on
the priority of their church and the Pope – was destructive to the Christian
faith.
Theology
Ultimately, Christians translate for theological
reasons. Translators, Creeds, Confessions of Faith, all make some general or
specific appeal to the Bible as its own authority for translating it into other
languages. I offer the following considerations.
The Tri-lingual Word
Christians revere the original writings of the
biblical authors as inspired – but they do not revere any one language as
sacred. God inspired the Bible in not one but three languages! The Old
Testament is given in Hebrew, with some portions in Aramaic. Even though Jesus
came to the world as a Jew, a son of Abraham, a son of David – to the Jews in Bethlehem,
Nazareth, Jerusalem and Judea – God did not give the New Testament in Hebrew,
but in Greek. Further, he even included some Aramaic words in the New
Testament![iv]
To read the Bible in the original, one could not learn one language, but 3
languages.[v] This suggests God did not
intend believers of all different languages to the uttermost parts of the earth
devote a lifetime of study to three foreign languages in order to hear a word
from God. Interestingly, when the king of Persia had an important message for
his kingdom, he put it in the letters/alphabet and language of all the peoples
of the kingdom. (e.g. Esther
1:22; Esther
3:12; Esther
8:9). Surely God of the Bible exhibits no less concern for his
subjects than the pagan king of Persia!
The Great Commission
The Great Commission implies translation. Matthew
28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world. Amen. Acts 1:8 But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth. The command is not “go and teach
Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek to all nations” but “Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark
16:15). To teach everything Christ commanded we must either give individuals
and churches advanced lessons in three languages or else a translation in their
mother tongue.” The apostles, early churches, and anti-pædobaptist churches
throughout history have understood it as the latter. How can we teach them to
observe what they cannot understand?
The nature of gospel salvation
Romans 10:13-17 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias
saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God. The nature of gospel salvation and the
testimony of the apostles testifies that preaching and hearing precede
believing. One cannot call on God apart from belief. Belief is producing by
hearing, and the hearing comes from the preaching of the word of the sent
preacher. The going church does not expect and enforce years of language
lessons in order give out the word of God. The preaching is first, heard in one’s
own language. The believing is second, in one’s heart.
The Pentecostal sign
Acts 1:5 And
there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under
heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and
were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
On the Pentecost following Jesus’s resurrection the apostles spoke in tongues
and hearers heard, each in his own language. The example of the Pentecost sign presupposes
and illustrates taking the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, and to
all sorts of languages.[vi]
The inspired word of God must not be heard in only one language, but it available
in many. The word is translatable! Lamin Sanneh, a professor at Yale, put it this way: “Pentecost signaled the
expansion of Christianity beyond the boundaries of one language, race and
culture.”
A distinction of sounds
In 1
Corinthians 14:3-28 Paul makes a point of edifying instruction. All
together edify,
edified, edifieth, and edification
are found seven times in verses 3, 4, 5, 12, 17 and 26.[vii]
Notice also, “except they give a distinction in the sounds…words easy to be
understood…if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that
speaketh a barbarian…in the church I had rather speak five words with my
understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand
words in an unknown tongue.” Paul implies the need of translation when he promotes
edification in a language one can understand above demonstration in a language
that could not be understood. The why? Edification and comprehension are more desirable.
More importantly, the word should be understandable rather than foreign.
Search the scriptures
Commands to read, search, and rightly divide the
scriptures presuppose the ability of those under that command to obey it. John
5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them
ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 2
Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth. “The necessity of Scripture means that the Bible is
necessary for knowing the gospel, for maintaining spiritual life...”[viii]
The scriptures make us wise to salvation (2 Timothy 3:15; John
20:30-31), are written for our instruction and to induce comfort and hope
(Romans
15:4), and furnish us completely for doctrine, reproof, correction, and
instruction in righteousness (2
Timothy 3:16-17). Searching the scriptures exhibits a nobility of
character not found in those who do not. Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received
the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether
those things were so.
Hide the word in your heart
Psalm
119:11 and Colossians
3:16 offer some implications about the language of the heart – each
one’s first language or mother tongue. The rich indwelling of the word is
impossible in a language that is unknown, and difficult in a language that is
not well-known. In Psalm
119 the exaltation of the forever-settled word (v. 89) that is a lamp
and a light (v. 105) includes meditation (v. 15), longing (v. 20), remembrance
(v. 52), rejoicing (v. 162), speaking (v. 172), and delight (vs. 16, 174). How
can one mediate, remember, and delight in a sealed book? (Cf. Isaiah
29:11-12).
The Gospel for every tongue
There are redeemed and clothed in white robes out
of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation (Revelation
5:9; Revelation
7:9). John ate of the “little
book”[ix] and was to prophesy before
many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings (Revelation
10:11). The angel who had the everlasting gospel[x]
preached to all them that dwell on the earth – to every nation, kindred, tongue,
and people, to every language (Revelation
14:6; cf. Galatians
1:8-9). The gospel for all
nations, preached to all nations, signifies the need for the gospel in the
tongues or languages of all nations.
The Translated Word
Jesus is the
Word. He is the alpha and omega – the first and last of the alphabet
and all letters in between (Revelation
1:8). The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John
1:14). In the supernatural and sublime act of incarnation, the divine
Spirit was translated into human flesh, whereby he might reveal himself. God
the Spirit as God the Flesh Man met men where they are and inerrantly revealed
himself, as the Word and by his words. He spoke to man in ways they could
understand, in their own language, so to speak. God’s miracle of incarnation
well illustrates how the written word may be “incarnated” into the various languages
of the peoples of the world.
Conclusion
Authority for the translation of the inspired
words of God will not be found in an explicit command, “Thou shalt translate all
these words into other languages.” Rather it is implicit, found in the nature
of the God who gave the word – the God of all the earth (Cf. Isaiah
54:5) – and the nature of the word itself – a word for all people,
tongues and nations (Cf. Isaiah
45:22). Scripture itself, our rule of faith and practice, contains all
the elements of which Bible translation is a necessary consequence.
The
Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.
(Psalm
68:11)
[i] True
Islam web site
[ii]
After the return from exile, Aramaic rather than Hebrew was the usual language
of communication among the Jews.
[iii]
For example, the
Council of Trent (4th session, 1546)
“ordains and declares, that the said old and vulgate edition…be, in
public lectures, disputations, sermons and expositions, held as authentic [i.e.,
authoritative]; and that no one is to dare, or presume to reject it under any
pretext whatever.” – Decree Concerning
the Edition and Use of the Sacred Books, 1546
[iv]
For examples, see Matthew 5:22; 27:46; Mark 5:41; 7:34; 11:9; 14:36; John
20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:22.
[v]
In addition to the New Testament in Greek and the Old Testament primarily in
Hebrew, some portions of the Old Testament were written in Aramaic – Ezra 4:8-6:18;
7:12-26; Daniel 2:46-7:28; one verse in Jeremiah – 10:11; and two words in
Genesis 31:47 (Jegar-sahadutha).
[vi]
This is not a direct apples-to-apples comparison. Speaking in tongues was
superficially a speaking gift because it was a language, something spoken – but
primarily tongues was a sign gift. The tongues in Acts 2 were for a sign and
fulfillment of prophecy. They were not necessary for simply communicating the
gospel. Many people miss the fact that the people present were able to
communicate with one another in a common language. See Acts
2:7, 12, where they were “saying one to another.” They could have
understood in whatever common language they spoke, without the gift of tongues.
[vii]
As translated in the King James Bible.
[viii]
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An
Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, p. 116
[ix]
Revelation? The New Testament? John was to both eat (digest) and prophesy
(declare) the words of the little book (Cf. Psalm
119:103 and Ezekiel
3:1-3). The book was open, accessible (Revelation
10:2, 8).
[x]
The gospel
is everlasting, or eternal. Its truths have always
existed, and are immutable, or unchanging. The redemption it provides
is everlasting.
[Note: this essay was incited and improved by discussions with Mark Ward and members of the Baptist Board.]
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