By Bishop Isaiah of Denver
The more one compares the
English translations with the original Greek regarding the Divine
Liturgy, as well as the other services and prayers of the Church, the
more frightened one becomes with the gross errors, some of which render
heretical meanings to particular words and phrases.
Aside from clergy and theologians who
commit these errors, there are also church musicians who feel qualified
to tamper with the deep theological meanings of hymns of the Church and
who attempt to use “appropriate words” that will not affect the
“traditional” music which they compose, even though those words are
incorrect. In regard to the “traditional” church music, that is another
matter altogether.
Although it is encouraging to see both
clergy and laity becoming sensitive to the need for English translations
in our sacraments and services, not enough care is taken nor do
individual translators consult adequately with experts in both languages
so that the translations may truly reflect the original language.
A few examples must be cited to prove
the point. In the Divine Liturgy we sing, “Ταις πρεσβείαις της Θεοτόκου,
Σώτερ σώσον ημάς”. Most of the translations use the word “prayers” for
“πρεσβείαις” However, if we were to offer a true translation, the word
“prayers” would never be used for “πρεσβείαις”. The proper theological
word is “intercessions.” This would be the word used because the
Theotokos does not simply pray for us; she intercedes for us. To pray
for someone, as we all pray for one another, is self-explanatory. But to
intercede for us, the Theotokos goes personally to her Son and our God
and she pleads our case, as it were. This is a very significant
difference.
Some of our clergy in writing their own
translations in recent years have changed Scriptural passages that are
found in the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. Neither they nor
anyone else has the right to change Holy Scripture found in the services
when translated into English. Yet they have done so, preferring secular
expressions to the Scriptural ones. A good example of this is the
phrase, “εις τους αιώνας των αιώνων” — “to the ages of ages.” Some
clergy translators prefer to translate this entire phrase with the
single word ‘’forevermore,” no doubt taken from a child’s story book.
Yet we know that in innumerable places of the Holy Bible we read the
phrase, “to the ages of ages.” Saint Paul writing to the Galatians, for
example, says “ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων” (1:5), referring to
God. To God “be the glory to the ages of ages.” In another of many
places, from the Book of Revelation, we read “αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος
εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας [τῶν αἰώνων]” (1:6). The precise translation would be
“to Him be the glory and the dominion to the ages of ages.”
The frightening thing about a number of
these translations is that they have been printed by the Holy Cross
Greek Orthodox Press, as well as by well – known and highly-respected
priests of our Church. If we were to use a liturgy book from the Holy
Cross Bookstore we would conclude that Jesus Christ is not our Redeemer
because He did not die for our sins. For when we read the words of the
Institution, “This is My Body which is broken for you, for the
forgiveness of sins,” what else can we assume? The Greek word in this
phrase of the Institution is not “συγχώρεση” but “άφεση.” The word
“συγχώρεση” means forgiveness, not remission, as “άφεση” does. Christ
remitted our sins. He paid for them, in other words, when He died on the
Cross. A rule of thumb for these two words is that forgiveness usually
refers to a person, whereas remission definitely refers to the sin
itself. Christ our Lord redeemed us by paying for our sins with His
blood and His death on the Cross. It was this act which abrogated the
old covenant and put into effect the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:16-18).
Christ our God made reparation for our sins by giving His very life.
This is not merely forgiveness of sins; it is atonement. If the two
words meant the same thing, it would not be necessary for a petition in
several of our services which says, “For the forgiveness and the
remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.”
One could go on and on to indicate how
careless and reckless many of our translators are, especially when they
consider themselves the sole authority of a “good translation.” However,
in order to keep this study brief, one last example will suffice to
demonstrate the great danger there is in using many of our present-day
English translations.
In a recently published Book of Psalms,
we can see the reality of potential scandal for the faithful and
merriment for Satan, who will bring forth the virtually perfect
counterfeit of Christ Himself in the oncoming future. This has to do
with Psalm 110, or 109 in the Septuagint Greek. The phrase in question
is “…ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε…” The King James translation
writes, “…from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth…”
A better translation is from the Saint Joseph New Catholic Edition
Bible which says, “…before the day star, like the dew, I have begotten
you…” However, in the recently printed Book of Psalms recommended by our
Archdiocese we read, “Before the morning star, like the dew, I have
begotten you.”
It is significant that this verse is
part of the entrance hymn of the Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of our
Lord. In the Orthodox Christian tradition it has always meant: “Even
before Lucifer came forth, I had already begotten you.” Since Satan, the
former Lucifer, had taken control of this world when Adam and Eve gave
up their authority to him and death came upon mankind, it was for this
very reason that Christ was born as the second Adam to crush the
authority and power of Satan and also to become a Priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek. The whole Psalm refers to Christ
Who was born from the symbolic divine womb and was therefore ageless and
eternal, even before God created His most powerful and magnificent
creature who was named, “He who brings forth the morning light,” or ἑωσφόρος,
because of his dazzling beauty. In this particular phrase it is a
mystery why almost all the translators use the word “dew” in place of
the Septuagint Greek “γαστρὸς” or womb.
The fearsome thing with the English
translation in the new Book of Psalms is that the name “ἑωσφόρος” or
Lucifer is replaced by the name, “Morning Star.” They who have read the
Book of Revelation (22:16) know that the name, “Morning Star” refers to
none other than our Lord Jesus Christ Who calls Himself by this title.
The fact is that Lucifer originally brought forth light which was the
created light. Jesus Christ, however, is the true Light — the Uncreated
Light. Our Lord gives to Himself the title, “Bright and Morning Star,”
referring to His Second Coming at which time He will place Satan in the
eternal darkness. If the translation of this new book were to be
considered accurate, then there is someone else before the Morning Star
who was begotten by God the Father. Obviously this cannot be and we must
conclude that faulty translations can easily creep into our holy
teachings and traditions, if we are not absolutely careful in the
tedious work of accurate translations. In this particular case, this
heretical translation identifies Satan as the Morning Star who, as we
know, is the one who will one day bring forth the Anti-Christ.
Hopefully, a permanent commission of
competent translators will soon be brought together to “fine-comb” all
present English translations, not only of the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese, but of every Orthodox jurisdiction, so that heretical words
and phrases will not find room in the works that are to come forth for
the preservation of our holy Orthodox faith, as it was handed down to us
by our forebears. For it is our responsibility to pass on this great
Divine Trust to those who are coming after us for their proper
edification and sanctification.
This article was published by The Christian Activist (Vol. 9) and is posted here with permission.
Source-Pemptousia.com
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