Thought for Today
Joshua 14:15 Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba; this Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.
Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;
Luke 4:21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
“Who is/was the best (fill in the blank)?” “Which is the best (fill in the blank)?” Questions we read and hear far too often on just about every aspect of life. Very few days go by without my receiving an email or encountering an article on my internet home page about the 10 best something or someone. Is it really necessary for us to rank order everything and everybody? Is it even possible to come up with a list of the 10 best of anything? I don’t know; but, that question is high on my list of 10 best questions of all time (typed sardonically).
As a Bible teacher and now as a pastor, I have been asked more than once, “Which is the best Bible translation?” When I was a very young boy, the King James Version was the most commonly used English translation of the Bible. No, I was not reading the first edition! That translation was first published in 1611. When I studied Greek in seminary, I did find that translation to be amazingly accurate and true to the ‘best’ early Greek manuscripts available.
Is the King James Version the best translation? “The exact number of English translations of the Bible is not easy to determine, as some are partial, paraphrased, or out of print. However, based on different sources, the estimated number ranges from 450 to 900. There are also multiple editions of each modern translation that target different audiences. In contrast, some languages still lack a complete translation of the Bible.” (Bing search)
The last time I counted, I have 15 different translations or targeted editions of the Bible in my own library. Which is the best? On any given day, my answer to that question would depend on many different factors: the season; the weather; current events in the world and/or in my life; when I woke up; maybe even the relative humidity of the ambient air. Whether I ask that question of myself or someone else asks me, my response is almost always first, “The best translation is the one you will read.”
What is the best verse in the Bible? Watching American football on television might suggest John 3:16. The folks in our Bible Study in Houston probably would have suggested I thought Micah 6:8 was the best verse. They even gifted me with a sweatshirt imprinted with ‘Micah 6:8.’ In Luke 4:21, Jesus had just read Isaiah 61:1. Would Jesus have cited that verse as the best? I do not know, but I do know that as with the question of the best translation, my answer to the best verse would depend on a multitude of factors.
Was the apostle Paul correct? Is “All scripture . . . inspired by God and . . . useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness?” I am generally very reluctant to disagree with Paul on anything. In the case of that particular verse, I might quibble over “ALL,” at least in terms of all being useful for teaching. Honesty, however, forces me to admit that it might be my own proclivities and/or limitations which lead me to limit my own use of certain scriptures.
One of my greatest personal challenges as a Christian is to understand scripture in its totality, to reconcile the seemingly unreconcilable passages in the different books of the Bible. As a minister, that challenge influences my sermons. I generally preach from the Revised Common Lectionary. But, we cannot isolate any one verse or passage from all the rest. We must read and attempt to understand the Bible, in whatever translation we read as a totality and as the inspired Word of God. Being a Christian is sometimes a challenge. Understanding the Word of God is sometimes a challenge. The things of importance in life and in eternity are not always easy.
Stay safe, take a minute to hum the hymn Jesus Loves Me, trust God,
Pastor Ray