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| Plain Truth, June 1959. |
In the June 1959 issue of HWA's Plain Truth recruitment magazine Herman Hoeh announced that the Radio Church of God was preparing to make a new translation of the New Testament.
NEW TRANSLATION of Bible Being Prepared!
Work is already under way on a fresh, clear translation of the inspired Greek text of the New Testament! ...
Not only is the true gospel now being published and preached around the world and behind the Iron Curtain in several languages, but the groundwork is being laid for the written Word of God-the Holy Bible to be accurately, plainly and clearly translated from the inspired Greek New Testament into English!
It is time there is a translation which makes the truth of the New Testament plain, readable, clear. It is time we return to the inspired text of the New Testament as the apostles themselves wrote it. (p. 13.)Most of the rest of the article boasts of the various old manuscripts of the Bible in various languages that had been acquired for the Radio Church of God's unaccredited college, Ambassador College.
Then near the end of the article Herman Hoeh implied that only those who had the spirit of God could properly translate the Bible which, once you untangle the cult jargon, implies that only Radio Church of God members can properly translate the Bible.
The Bible is a book of spiritual truth. Spiritual truth cannot be understood by the natural mind. One has to receive the Spirit of God-be converted-in order to understand the Bible.
Educated, scholarly critics who were born-as all human beings are-with a natural mind have only half the tools necessary to produce a proper translation of the Bible. On the other hand, uneducated, untrained individuals, though converted, are also unable to really translate the Bible. It takes both attributes--education, scholarship, ability to understand foreign languages AND a spirit filled converted mind. Without both it is impossible to make plain and clear the Word of God. (p. 20.)Hoeh announced that probably in less than two years, that is by 1961, a new translation of the New Testament by HWA's Radio Church of God would be produced.
It will probably take no less than two years for us to have completed such a translation of the New Testament, from the original Greek, ready for our vast audience. Yes, this is Big News! (p. 20.)But as it turned out this translation was never published.
Considering how often HWA imitated the Jehovah's Witnesses it is worth noting that back in 1950 that particular organization released their own translation of the New Testament which was named the New World Translation. Their own translation of the Old Testament followed later. Outside of that organization it is often viewed as a sectarian paraphrase which favors that organization's interpretations.
If the Radio Church of God had actually printed their own translation of the New Testament it is likely the same problems would have arisen.
How could High School dropout HWA with his Public Library education EVER think he had the ability to translate the New Testament.
ReplyDelete2000 years of history have in general shown that the bible is open to interpretation. Both on the big doctrinal macro issues and on many daily micro decisions.
ReplyDeleteI understand why it was said that hwa was doctrinally right even before studying a topic in ancient tongues.
The idea of translation in my opinion would have come from the ac students. Hwa was content with the king james since the first day. But students must have had difficulty coming to the same conclusions right away.
Therefore moa was seen as the "2nd most important book". Since it anounts to a "translation, summary of interpretation". Also there was the "harmony of the gospels" thing.
Any systemization attempt like the Stp was squashed since it takes away this personal interpretation quality.
Nck