Introduction to the Bible Module 1: Lecture 6 Bible translations and Tools for Bible Study © Rosebank Bible College Last week… n In the previous lecture we had a brief introduction to the very complicated and intricate science of textual criticism n We looked at the guidelines followed by scholars in applying textual criticism to the Bible and studied some samples of how it affects our Bible text, using the NIV n The knowledge gained last time gives us even more confidence in the Bible as the Word of God! In this lecture n In this lecture we look at the need for Bible translation as well as the principles, philosophies and guidelines followed by Bible translators n We then give special attention to the English translations of the Bible n We also learn how to use some of the tools available for studying the Bible Required reading n Johnston 2006: See “Further reading” in Johnston’s Introduction, pp x-xi n Harris 2001:55-59; 63-67 (Preservation of the NT and OT); 93-100 (Helps for Bible Study) n New Bible Dictionary: Since we are dealing with issues that post-date the NT there is virtually no information in the NBD on the topics of today’s lecture Checking in n Grab a pen and paper and write out the names (in the correct order) of the NT books from Matthew to 2 Thessalonians n Once completed, check your own work n By next week you should know ALL the books of the Bible in the correct order! By way of introduction… n The Westminster Confession of Faith, drawn up in 1646, says the following (Article 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 unto them.” (italics added) Article (1.8) continues n “But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have 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 in to 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.” n See http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/ for a full copy of Westminster Confession of Faith The need for Bible translation n It is clear from the Westminster Statement of Faith as well as from our own personal experience that translating the Bible is not only permitted, but absolutely ESSENTIAL in order to allow us access to the Word of God in a language that we can understand n This need was clearly recognised by the Early Church; there are several examples of the Scriptures having been translated into different languages from earliest days of Christianity (eg Coptic, Aramaic, Latin) Motivation for Bible translation n The motivation for translating the Bible can be seen from the following statement regarding Jerome’s Latin translation: n “The intention of St Jerome, translating into Latin the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New Testament, was that ordinary Christians of the Roman empire should be able to read the word of God. 'Ignorance of the scriptures', he wrote, 'is ignorance of Christ'.” http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac66 Reasons for Bible translation n Most people do not read Greek or Hebrew anymore (at least not fluently!) n Languages develop, whereas the biblical languages are regarded as “dead” (stagnant) n People need to hear God speaking to them through the Word in their own language The reasons for and need to translate the Bible, although very logical to us today, were not always recognised by everyone… Image: www.umilta.net/ege.html History of Bible translation The struggle for Bible translation Early translations of the OT n The Jews, because of their belief that the text of the Scriptures itself was sacred, by- and-large objected to any translation of the OT into another language n However, the Hebrew Targums (Aramaic translations) and Septuagint (Greek translation) are proof that the need for different translations always existed, albeit not always enjoying “official” approval Early translations of the NT n The NT (and in some cases the whole Bible) was translated into other languages from very early on in the Christian era n These languages included Coptic, Syriac, Aramaic and Latin n Jerome translated the Gospels into Latin in the late 4th Century; it is this translation that formed the basis of the well-known Latin Vulgate that dominated church life for many years Image: cpart.byu.edu/?page=94&sidebar The Latin Vulgate n The Vulgate is “largely the result of the labors of Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to make a revision of old Latin translations. It became the definitive and officially promulgated Latin version of the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church. In the 13th century it came to be called versio vulgata, which means ‘common translation’. There are 76 books in the Clementine edition of the Vulgate Bible: 46 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament, and three in the Apocrypha.” http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgate n Jerome started the translation in 390; it was completed in 405 (not all his own work) n It was not the first or only Latin translation, but in time became the most important Image: Alcuin's Vulgate - 9th century: www.katapi.org.uk/BibleMSS/Alcuin.htm Value of the Vulgate n In time the Vulgate came to be regarded as the only official Bible for the Church n The very high regard for the Vulgate also resulted in making the Bible less accessible to ordinary Christians, most of whom were not able to read Latin n The Vulgate is well-preserved and scribes often took care to make exact and beautiful copies, evidenced by the many copies in precise calligraphy Translations during the Middle Age n “During the Middle Ages, translation, particularly of the Old Testament was discouraged. Nevertheless, there are some fragmentary Old English Bible translations, notably a lost translation of the Gospel of John into Old English by the Venerable Bede, which he is said to have prepared shortly before his death around the year 735. An Old High German version of the gospel of Matthew dates to 748. Charlemagne in ca. 800 charged Alcuin with a revision of the Latin Vulgate. The translation into Old Church Slavonic dates to the late 9th century. n http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translation The struggle for Bible translation n “Pope Innocent III in 1199 banned unauthorized versions of the Bible as a reaction to the Cathar and Waldensian heresies. The synods of Toulouse and Tarragona (1234) outlawed possession of such renderings. There is evidence of some vernacular translations being permitted while others were being scrutinized. The most notable Middle English Bible translation, Wyclif's Bible (1383), based on the Vulgate, was banned by the Oxford Synod in 1408. A Hungarian Hussite Bible appeared in the mid 15th century, and in 1478, a Catalan translation in the dialect of Valencia.” n http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translation Image of John Wyclif: www.traditioninaction.org/OrganicSociety/A_02... Typical example of the struggle n For the most part “unofficial” translations of the Bible were not allowed during the Middle Ages n William Tyndale translated the Bible into English as early as the 16th Century, but “Tyndale's Bible (1526) was met with heavy sanctions given the widespread belief that Tyndale changed the Bible as he attempted to translate it. William Tyndale was first jailed in 1535 for translating the Old Testament without permission, and a year later was strangled and burnt at the stake.” n http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translationsImage of W Tyndale: www.kamglobal.org Dawning of a new era n The belief that the Bible should not be translated into “common languages” dominated the church throughout the Middle Ages n The Reformation changed many things, including the belief that the Bible should be accessible to all believers and not just to the learned few The Reformers n “In 1521, Martin Luther was placed under the Ban of the Empire, and he retired to the Wartburg Castle. During his time there, he translated the New Testament from Greek into German. It was printed in September 1522. The first complete Dutch Bible, partly based on the existing portions of Luther's translation, was printed in Antwerp in 1526...” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translation n Today there is little argument about the need to make the Bible available to every person in his/her heart language or mother tongue Translating the Bible Understanding the principles of Bible translation Where translators start The following factors play a role in translation: n The need for a translation into another language (or the need for a revised version) n The approach to or philosophy of translation n The best text to be used as the basis for the translation (as determined by textual criticism) n The identity and number of scholars who will work on a translation (most modern translations are done by a team of scholars) The Text of the Bible n As we discovered in the previous lecture, the science of textual criticism determines the best possible text of the Bible to be used n Although not all Bible scholars agree on which is