It goes without saying that some “interpretation” is required in going from a source language to a target language (Fee and Strauss, How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth, p. 30). But I’m afraid, at times, too much interpretation results as well:
Take for instance:
Jesus said to them, “I assure you: In the Messianic Age, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28, HCSB, emphasis mine)
I’m a fan of the HCSB ( Holman Christian Standard Bible) but I think ”In the Messianic Age” is a bit too interpretive—for me!
Behind “Messianic Age” is the Greek παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia, “regeneration” or “renewal,” which is found in one other place in the Greek New Testament (Titus 3:5, as a work of the Holy Spirit)—so why not go with ”renewal” (NRSV, TNIV, CEB)?
At any rate, during his earthly ministry, didn’t Jesus himself claim and affirm that he was the Messiah of Israel’s Scripture (Matthew 11:2-6; 12:28; 16:13-20; Luke 4:16-21; John 4:25, 26; 5:39)?
So what then of this special pleading in the HCSB at Matthew 19:28—for a future Messianic Age?
I have to agree with you here, TC. Unfortunately.
I don’t care for this rendering either. I still prefer the HCSB, though!
Will,
Well, I hope it’s corrected. It’s simply too much.
Jason,
Yes, I agree that the HCSB is still good.
Yes. Hope they fix it in 2011.
Personally I wish the HCSB varied more from the KJV’s Greek, but then the Sunday School literature would have to educate the laity on textual criticism, and somebody would get scared. And we can’t have that.
I mean, look at Bart Ehrman.
Chuck, I’m not sure what you’re asking for here. They did not use the TR as their Greek basis.
Chuck,
The NT text of the HCSB is based on Nesle-Aland 27th ed. and UBS 4th ed. Not the TR as Will points out, but it is sensitive to it, though.
Will,
You are correct that HCSB used the NA/UBS. However, when textual or translation problems arise, I find the HCSB tends to swing toward the KJV solution rather than the more modern ones.I would prefer a translation that clearly varied a bit more from the KJV than the HCSB does, especially when used as a parallel text with the KJV as it is in Lifeway Sunday School material.
Chuck,
Do you have a few examples?
Joh 1:18 KJVA No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh 1:18 HCSB No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son–the One who is at the Father’s side–He has revealed Him.
Joh 1:18 NET. No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.
Joh 1:34 HCSB I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!”
Joh 1:34 KJVA And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Joh 1:34 NET. I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.”
Joh 5:4 KJVA For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
Joh 5:4 HCSB because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had].
Joh 5:4 NET (TEXT OMITTED)
Mar 7:16 KJVA If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mar 7:16 HCSB If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!”
Mar 7:16 NET. (TEXT OMITTED)
Mar 9:29 KJVA And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Mar 9:29 HCSB And He told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer [and fasting].”
Mar 9:29 NET. He told them, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
Mar 9:44 KJVA Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:46 KJVA Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:44 HCSB [where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]
Mar 9:46 HCSB where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]
Mar 9:44 NET (TEXT OMITTED)
Mar 9:46 NET (TEXT OMITTED)
Mar 11:26 KJVA But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Mar 11:26 HCSB [But if you don't forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing."]
Mar 11:26 NET. (TEXT OMITTED)
Mar 15:28 KJVA And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
Mar 15:28 HCSB [So the Scripture was fulfilled that says: And He was counted among outlaws.]
Mar 15:28 NET. (TEXT OMITTED)
I note the brackets on the HCSB, but I wonder which is stronger: the brackets or the printed text. How many people understand the reason for brackets or check to see what they mean?
On the other hand, maybe I speak unfairly against HCSB. From this week’s Sunday School lesson:
Mar 2:16 KJVA And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Mar 2:16 HCSB When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Mar 2:16 NET. When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Hmm. I should have bolded the differences, shouldn’t I?
That would have been helpful, but I get your point. Again, this is what I mean by the HCSB being sensitive to the TR and so on.
But some of the expressions are expected, given the readers targeted.
Thanks, Chuck.
I agree. That phrase would make a nice footnote somewhere, but that’s too much “swing” to put in a translation. I’m not even sure if “Messianic Age” is a NT term although a case could be made for it. If anything, “age to come” was the phrase Jesus used.
Have fun and stay busy – Luke 19:13
-The Orange Mailman
I would understand interpreting it as the New Age (not to be confused with the movement today named that), if they understood παλιγγενεσία here as referring by metonymy to an age of rebirth/renewal. Still, I would agree that this is too interpretive, especially given their target audience.
Mailman,
“Too much swing” indeed.
Gary,
Yes, I’m with you, esp. given the Second Temple and NT backdrop of Jesus’ own ministry.
The notion of still awaiting the “Messianic Age” is foreign to Jesus. This is certainly not what he meant.
I’m not as bothered by an “intepretation” of παλιγγενεσία as much as I am the theology behind this particular interpretation. I may be wrong, but it seems to me “Messianic Age” has strong overtones of pre-millennialism. As one who doesn’t believe the pre-mil position is the best understanding of Scripture, I would reject the translation because it appears to favor that position.
Meto,
The very expression is problematic. In Jesus’ own mind, Did he understand the messianic age beginning with his ministry or was it still future?
I agree. The expression is problematic. In my understanding of the HCSB, however, the phrase clearly refers to only a future era. Perhaps my background of being taught dispensational pre-millennialism (of which I came to reject years ago)is clouding my judgment, but when I read the rendering of the HCSB I can’t help but think they are imparting into παλιγγενεσία the pre-mill understanding of the future of the reign of Christ.
Meto,
It certainly appears that way. They need to correct it.
As one who does hold to a pre-mil position, I also find this passage way too interpretive. That just isn’t what the scriptures say in this verse. I doubt that it’s even worth a marginal note.
I agree, this is a bit too much interpretation. I don’t understand the HCSB.
Brian L,
The assumptions are many.
Gary,
It’s good to see someone who holds the pre-mil position actually in disagreement with this rendering.
“I doubt that it’s even worth a marginal note.”