This Article: (6 Pages)
- 1. Review: Peterson's THE MESSAGE... Overview
- 2. Does The Message paraphrase... translation pass the Bible's own test?
- 3. PASSAGE 1 Exodus 20:1-3
- 4. PASSAGE 2 Psalm 88:1-3
- 5. PASSAGE 3 Revelation 13:8
- 6. Review Conclusions: Peterson's THE... MESSAGE
1) Review: Peterson's THE MESSAGE Overview
The reviewer is currently completing a doctorate at Sydney University, where high standards for the precise use of clear English are required. She reads extensively all types of literature from technical works to fiction. Her favourite Bible is e-sword, as it is many versions in one and gives her access to the Hebrew and Greek text.
On the jacket it claims to be “for students”. This must mean children at school, as this reviewer found it to be supremely useless as a tool for quality Bible study. The dust jacket confirmed this, as the book was not endorsed by capable Bible scholars, but rather by two young recording artists.
Eugene H Peterson's The Message® (PTM) claims to be written in 'the language of the people'. The language of the people Peterson knows is full of cliché, such as “They have made their bed and now must lie on it”, “small potatoes”, “from bad to worse”, “knocked the wind out”, “play second fiddle” and “as it turns out”. Examples of cliché can be found on every page, from recent American to historical 18th Century English sayings.
The Hebrew language of the Bible is very simple with far fewer words than English, and though sometimes idiomatic, is without cliché. Cliché uses many words to express simple ideas and makes language more complex. In the Hebrew and Greek texts the idiom is the exception rather than the rule, with the meaning determined by the context. A rare example of idiom is Job's comment “escaped by skin (of) my teeth”.
PTM is not suitable for those with English as a second language as it is so full of obscure meaning hidden in the cliché.
For example, “knocked the wind out” originated when Britain ruled the seas with warships with sails, where losing the wind from the sail meant loss of motion. For someone from a non-English background, or who is not well educated, this is incomprehensible.
A simple translation of the scriptures, such as the New International Version (NIV) with a reading age of 8, may be comprehended by someone who has English as a second language. PTM is best appreciated by people with extensive knowledge of complex English expression, with some even beyond the extensive vocabulary of this reviewer.
The use of complex English expressions leads to interesting vibrant text, however, these can be a distraction from the sense of the Hebrew or Greek narrative.
For example Ezekiel 9 contains a vision which is serious but in PTM Ezekiel sees six men each carrying his “lethal weapon”. All weapons are lethal, it would not be a weapon if it couldn't kill. This is tautology. In the Hebrew it says they had “a tool/implement for a-smiting in hand”. In addition this tautology is a title to a popular Hollywood movie and images from this are substituted for the ideas of the Hebrew text.
Peterson's over-use of cliché causes distractions from the intent of the original communication, and therefore, PTM does not support directed study.
The PTM chapter and verse formatting makes navigation difficult and there are no cross references. Both of these defects will prevent it from becoming useful to Bible students. Of more serious concern to a Bible student is
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Towards an understanding the Bible canon.
Translation has concealed what was written in the New Testemant regarding the work of Yahweh Elohim and the Apostles in the work of spreading the gospel and writing the New Testament.
Further understanding of the application of the Greek text of the New Testament, in terms of the work of God through his spirit.
We will examine in its various contexts the use of the term 'spirit' in the Biblical text to remove any preconceived ideas.
