In the following interview, Doreen Virtue asked Dave Jenkins of Servants of Grace ministry, many questions about Bible translations. The focus of her interview was to reveal that The Message, by Eugene Peterson is not a real Bible translation.
In the process of the interview, Dave explained the most common translations and the categories that characterize them:
Dynamic Equivalence seeks to reproduce the original text of scripture using modern language and expression. It is less concerned with providing a literal word for word translation but seeks to give the basic message of the text. (After Dave explained the variations of this type of translation, he gave examples of Bibles that use this method.)
Literal Translation seeks to provide a word for word translation. (He explained in greater depth, the other aspects of this translation.) This type includes the following translations: English Standard Version (ESV); New American Standard (NASB); New King James (NKJV); King James Version (KJV); New Revised Standard (NRSV); and Revised Standard Version (RSV).
After he explained the translation philosophies and considerations that go into producing each type of translation, he noted that it is wise to use various types of translations in Bible study. It helps to get a better sense for the meaning of a given text….
He also recommended using Strong’s concordance and Vine’s word dictionary.
[If you use a personal computer to study, then Bible Hub has all of these for free. I am not sure how Strong’s works on that site, however. If you don’t know, Strong’s provides definitions for Greek and Hebrew words, to enable a Bible student to come to a better understand of how a given word is used in the verse under consideration.]
[For phones, iPhone and android, E-Sword is available at the app shop for $2.99. With E-Sword you can customize your download via many free versions of the Bible and also commentaries and dictionaries. They also offer pay versions – newer translations…. Furthermore, three versions of the Bible have Bible readers, so you can listen if you don’t want to read. The KJV is merely read; the ESV and CEV (contemporary English version) provide reading plus some dramatization.]
Dave provided the names of two sites that recommend commentaries for beginners, intermediate and advanced Bible students [links below video].
Dave and Doreen discussed the value of using a translation that was created via a committee of Bible scholars.
Then they began to explain how Eugene Peterson’s translation was created; they initially noted his education and accomplishments.
Peterson alone, wrote The Message. In past interviews, Peterson noted that he was inspired by a spirt of play [see Exodus 32, KJV, about that spirit]; furthermore, that he wrote it for parishioners that were so familiar with their Bibles that they no longer got meaning from reading; and for those who viewed the Bible as something totally irrelevant to their lives.
Dave used the following text to speak about the lack of reverence Peterson’s approach and translation words reveal to serious Bible students:
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Bible Hub)
Peterson previously stated that it took him 10 minutes to write his version of the beatitudes. Dave and Doreen discussed the problems with that mindset and the end product.
Dave and Doreen also spend time discussing Peterson’s rendering of the Lord’s prayer – he used concepts from the Emerald Tablet, New Ager writ.
[If you do not know, Doreen was a former New Age guru who wrote many books and had many speaking engagements to further New Age spirituality; since she was converted to Christianity, she has spent much time speaking against the New Age and other false religious systems. The following link is to her YouTube site: https://www.youtube.com/c/DoreenVirtueForJesus ]
The above points cover a little more than half of the 50-minute video.
Bible commentaries recommendations for each book of the Bible:
Tim Challies:
https://www.challies.com/best-commentaries-on-each-book-of-the-bible/
Ligonier Ministries:
Top Commentaries on Every Book of the Bible (ligonier.org)
The following narrative is from Doreen Virtue’s YouTube site:
The Message is not a true Bible translation, nor even a paraphrase. When you compare The Message to formal and dynamic Bible translations, Eugene Peterson’s book falls short. And no wonder, as The Message was hurriedly created by one man instead of the theological committees which faithfully translate biblical manuscripts from the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic languages. Dave Jenkins of Servants of Grace ministry, shows that The Message often teaches differently than God’s Word, and so should be marked and avoided.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to Sarah Jenkins. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine and is the Host for the Equipping You in Grace Podcast. He is the author of The Word Explored (House to House, 2021).. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
You can find Dave on social media at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaveJenkinsSOG/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaveJJenkins
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davejjenkins/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Servants…
Note from Doreen: I have had comments turned off of all my videos since 2009 because I don’t have an assistant or moderator, and my schedule is super busy. You can reach me at Instagram.com/DoreenVirtue