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Archive for December, 2009
FEAR of the Lord, Part 1
Proverbs, Chapter 1, verse 7 has always been a problem for me. In the King James Version it states, “The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: …” I have a problem fearing the God of love. Modern translations do little to help me. The Revised Standard Version changes the colon following “knowledge” to a semi-colon. The New International Version changes it to a comma.
My first help came from the New Jerusalem Bible. It uses the name, Yahweh, instead of “Lord”, but it has a footnote that says essentially that, “The fear of Yahweh…” means, “… devotion to God.”
Avoid Eye Strain During Bible Study
Reading small text can be extremely stressful on the eyes. Especially if you’re going to be reading for extended periods of time, the strain can result in headaches. And over the long-term, it can even lead to diminished eyesight. For many people, the Bible is something they read for many hours at a time, studying passages and making notes. This becomes a problem, as the text in Bibles is usually small to accommodate for the breadth of the work.
One simple solution to this problem is purchasing an audio Bible. These Bibles eliminate the need for extended reading and make learning the Bible an easy endeavor. I gave a audio Bible to my grandmother for Christmas because I saw how she struggled with her old, small print Bible. She was delighted with the gift, and it accompanies her everywhere she goes now.
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV) issued in 1977 is a rather unique modern translation of the Bible. It is unique because it was authorized for use by Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and Roman Catholic churches. It includes the books common to all of these denominations as well as the books unique to any one of them. The RSV was initially published in 1952. Many changes were included in editions published after the initial publication.
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) was completed and copyrighted in 1989. It was produced because of significant new material and all the changes already included in editions of the RSV. A few pages titled “TO THE READER” at the beginning of the NRSV explains the development of this translation of the Bible from the original King James Version of 1611. The Committee charged with the revision contains Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish members. At one time it included Canadian and English members.
A significant feature of the NRSV is the attempt to fix a major weakness of the English language, the non-existence of a third person singular pronoun that is not gender specific. This is particularly noticeable to people familiar with previous translations. Where it is obvious that both men and women are included, the NRSV uses inclusive language. There are three editions of the NRSV, the American version, an “English” version, and a Roman Catholic verion.
A Moral Guidepost in Modern Times
Like any good Christian, I recognize that I am not perfect. Still, it’s important for a man or woman of faith to strive hard to live life the way Jesus taught us to do. At times when my faith is tested and I’m led into the temptation of sin, I like to be able to fall back on a cornerstone of strength called the New Jerusalem bible. Its wording is plain and straightforward, and the parables within are easily relatable to my own life experiences.
This Catholic translation was first published in 1985. Since then, many Catholics from around the globe have sought it out time and again as a moral and religious guidepost in these confusing modern times. By now my copy has become well worn with use, and I’m planning to go online to purchase a replacement very soon. With any luck, I’ll get just as much spiritual advice from it as I have the old one.