Masai Baptism, ELCA website
In Texas in 1920s a battle raged over whether or not Spanish should be taught in schools. Legend has it that the Governor ended the debate by saying "If English was good enough for Jesus, then it's good enough for Texas." This story might be more urban legend than truth, but it reminds me the Bible was written in languages I don't speak and came out of cultures I'd find foreign.
Just take the word "Lord." We use that word all the time in worship and prayer. But that word has lost its punch inside of church because it no longer has much meaning outside of church. Author Shane Claiborne, in his book Jesus for President, makes the case that we should think of Jesus as "President", not "Lord," because to American Christians, the term "President" is most like what the term "Lord" would have been 2000 yrs ago.
When the Holy Spirit enabled the Pentecost community to speak in a variety of languages, I imagine that they did more than translate their message into the grammar and vocabulary of a different language. I imagine that they changed accents, phrases, did what it took to communicate comfortably and in that natural way that made people feel like the Holy Spirit was speaking right into their hearts.
Across cultures and generations, the Bible has been interpreted into the language of the people, including the idioms and cultural references. A 9th century Germanic poem based on the Bible uses warrior images for Jesus. I've heard that an Inuit version talks about the "baby seal" of God, instead of the lamb.
I've become a fan of the Biblical interpretation "The Message," in which the interpreter tried to capture the meaning of the words and put them into images that contemporary readers would relate to. Here's a link to the text for today.
I find these kinds of translations wonderful for the insight they give into the big nature of God. They also put me in my place and remind me that followers of Jesus come in all languages, cultures and accents. Though I don't want to replace our classic texts with loose interpretations, I like going to alternative texts occasionally because they help me hear God in new ways.
I'm going to end with a creed developed by the Masai in East Africa in the 1960s. Our creeds aren't from the Bible so this isn't a scriptural interpretation. It is based on the apostles creed. I hope you like it.
Acts 2:1–21
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.Just take the word "Lord." We use that word all the time in worship and prayer. But that word has lost its punch inside of church because it no longer has much meaning outside of church. Author Shane Claiborne, in his book Jesus for President, makes the case that we should think of Jesus as "President", not "Lord," because to American Christians, the term "President" is most like what the term "Lord" would have been 2000 yrs ago.
When the Holy Spirit enabled the Pentecost community to speak in a variety of languages, I imagine that they did more than translate their message into the grammar and vocabulary of a different language. I imagine that they changed accents, phrases, did what it took to communicate comfortably and in that natural way that made people feel like the Holy Spirit was speaking right into their hearts.
Across cultures and generations, the Bible has been interpreted into the language of the people, including the idioms and cultural references. A 9th century Germanic poem based on the Bible uses warrior images for Jesus. I've heard that an Inuit version talks about the "baby seal" of God, instead of the lamb.
I've become a fan of the Biblical interpretation "The Message," in which the interpreter tried to capture the meaning of the words and put them into images that contemporary readers would relate to. Here's a link to the text for today.
I find these kinds of translations wonderful for the insight they give into the big nature of God. They also put me in my place and remind me that followers of Jesus come in all languages, cultures and accents. Though I don't want to replace our classic texts with loose interpretations, I like going to alternative texts occasionally because they help me hear God in new ways.
I'm going to end with a creed developed by the Masai in East Africa in the 1960s. Our creeds aren't from the Bible so this isn't a scriptural interpretation. It is based on the apostles creed. I hope you like it.
We believe in the one High God, who out of love created the beautiful world and everything good in it. He created man and wanted man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on the earth. We have known this High God in the darkness, and now we know him in the light. God promised in the book of his word, the Bible, that he would save the world and all nations and tribes.
We believe that God made good his promise by sending his son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left his home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing that the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He was buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, he rose from that grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord.
We believe that all our sins are forgiven through him. All who have faith in him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized in the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love, and share the bread together in love, to announce the good news to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe. Amen.
Acts 2:1–21
5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."
14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17'In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;and they shall prophesy.
19And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
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