the horns of ames

5 Fallacies of the Bible

Ryken mentions in chapter 4 that all translation theories presuppose certain things about the Bible. I'll summarize the fallacies he believes underlie some modern translations.

Fallacy #1 : The Bible Is A Uniformly Simple Book

After listing countless examples of how it's NOT a simple book, and that the verses that don't need interpretation are actually the exception to the rule, he points out why this fallacy is a problem. One example he gave of why it's not simple is Matthew 13:11 where Jesus says he speaks in parables because "seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." Many of the statements made, Jesus did not intend to be taken at face value and were deeper than the surface. So when a translator begins with the assumption that the Bible is uniformly a simple book and simplify the vocabulary and syntax, they eliminate theological language. This isn't up to them to be doing, they need to allow the reader to draw conclusions on what is really meant.

Fallacy #2 : The Bible Is A Book Of Ideas Rather Than Concrete Particulars
Many translators have the opinion that the Bible is a book of ideas. It does embody many ideas, but we need to be concerned with what the actual text is like before we extract religious meaning from it and translate the details of the text into a set of ideas. What difference does it make? As always, the tendency will be to use translation from one language into another as the occasion to produce the kind of biblical text that corresponds to the translators' conception of what kind of book the Bible is.

Fallacy #3 : The Bible Is A Modern Book

Many translations worry about how WE would phrase things today, not how the authors said them. In many translations, ancient customs are replaced by formulations that are immediately accessible. The Bible is an ancient book, not a modern one. It is SUPPOSED to take us back to a different place and time. We don't need to translate it to make it look modern.

Fallacy #4 : The Bible Needs Correction

He gives 6 examples of modern translation prefaces that talk about the need to change some text for the benefit of the contemporary reader. One example includes the preface to the SEB: "Sentences are purposely kept short, transparent, and uncomplicated to promote greater understanding. Complex sentence structures are often unnecessary anyway."

Fallacy #5 : The Bible Is A Book Devoid Of Mystery And Ambiguity

He gives 4 examples of modern translation prefaces that state the Bible intended one meaning and is unambiguous. However, one look at an example of Scripture like John 12:24-25 will show that it IS mysterious. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains along; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

Ryken likens the modern translators trying to put the Bible in understandable terms to medieval Roman Catholic priests that read the Bible in Latin, which the attendees didn't understand, and interpreted it FOR the ignorant church goers.

So, these are the presuppositions that translators might have before they even start translating, which can greatly affect the outcome of the final translation. His next chapter talks about the seven fallacies about translation.

posted by Aaron @ www.HornIT.net @ 11:31 PM