Elijah2
No weapons formed against me will prosper.
We must consider that “The Message” isn’t a translation of Biblical scripture, because a true translation is taking the original Greek and Hebrew texts, being very careful to preserve their true meaning as much as possible, word by word and phrase by phrase, while translating them into another language so that the exact meaning is kept intact, nothing is removed or added, and there is no discrepancy about what God is actually saying in the text. Anything outside of this will change the true meaning of the Bible, and is re-wording God’s Inspired Word.
Eugene Peterson’s interpretations in his paraphrase does not translate the Greek and Hebrew text, and thus has changed not just God’s actual meaning of key phrases and verses, but has removed key phrases from his paraphrase that directly change the actual words, phrases, and true message of God. This then makes “The Message” one man’s personal interpretation that is saying that he can do a better job than God’s Inspired Writers and that he can paraphrase God’s direct Word.
When we compare Matthew 6:9-13, the Lord’s Prayer with Eugene Peterson's version:
NIV:
"Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
The Message:
"Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best -
As above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you
and forgiving others.
Keep us safe
from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
Now, most people will not see what I am about to point out, until they see it explained for themselves.
The phrase “As above, so below” is the key phrase here that is not a direct translation of Scripture, and it does not even come close.
This is a “new-age” term and phrase that is used widely throughout the “new-age” and “occultic” realm, and does not represent Christianity. Do a Google search on the phrase you will see how many Wiccan, pagan, satanic, and new-age sites comes up that use this phrase and its meaning. This term is a new-age view that God is not only outside of creation, but also within creation, which means that God is “in” everyone and everything, and denotes the new-age concept of “One-ness”, and “we are one”.
It is a pantheistic term, and pantheism has no place in Christianity or the Bible. And when “new-agers” speak of heaven, it is not the heaven that Christians know of and believe in. The term “as above, so below” is the new-age idea and terminology of their view of heaven, and it’s not Biblical. It is a metaphysical new-age connotation that substitutes “heaven and earth” with “above and below” as being the same and one in unity, and therefore it represents a pantheistic view. It says all of the universe (the heavens and heaven), the cosmos, and the earth---everything existent in creation---is part of God, is one with God, and one with everything, in a form of new-age unity that opposes scripture and the true nature of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Eugene Peterson should not be using this terminology to paraphrase the Bible when Christianity and God’s terms and meanings are as opposite to the pagan new-age movement and their beliefs as night-time is to day-time, and as good is to bad. “Woe is the day when evil is called good and good is called evil” (Isa. 5:20)
This term “as above, so below” existed before Mr. Peterson chose, for whatever reason, to use it when putting the Bible into his own words. Therefore, Eugene Peterson’s usage of this word didn’t come from the original Greek and Hebrew text of the Bible, and therefore his words cannot qualify or be considered as a translation of scripture. If he had gotten his words from the original texts then he would not have used this phrase, because the original texts do not refer to heaven in this manner, and he also would not have removed key parts of actual scripture from his paraphrase.
Eugene Peterson also presents a similar use of this new-age phrase in place of “in heaven” and “in earth” in Colossians 1:16: “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below...”, why is this so?
Why did he remove key phrases and meanings from a lot of the scripture he has paraphrased?
KJV:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
"The Message":
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
”Hallowed be Your name” has been totally removed, and not even rephrased and added back in with the rest of his words. “Your kingdom come” has also been removed. This essentially takes the actual words and meaning, which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, and changes what He actually said. It removes the expressed, exact meaning, and therefore it removes the value of the written text.
“Reveal who you are” and “Hallowed be Your name” have no similarity or having the same distinct meaning to each other.
“Your kingdom come” and “Set the world right” don’t even come close to the same distinct meaning that our Lord Jesus Christ was speaking directly of our Heavely Father’s Kingdom. Eugene Peterson is talking about the “world” and NOT HIS KINGDOM.
Eugene’s re-phrasing of the Lord’s Prayer has changed the spoken words and teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ into flimsy “worldly requests” that He did not say. Our Lord Jesus Christ was not making requests; HE was teaching us, sinful people, how to we are to approach a pure and Holy God in prayer. Eugene has changed the true meaning and character of the Scripture here. This is not a translation of true text, and NO man has any right to do this. The Bible is clear about that, yet he did that.
Real translations do not remove “key meanings” and they do not change complete words, phrases, or the meaning of phrases. Otherwise, we end up with something the Lord never said, and it is being passed off as the Bible in churches all over this world. Eugene’s paraphrase robs the meaning God intended, and this is dangerous.
There are many warnings in the Bible about removing from or adding to God’s words and His distinct meanings. For example, Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I command you to observe, nor take anything from it..." Deuteronomy 12:32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." Proverbs 30:5-6 "Every word of God is pure...Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar." Mr. Peterson has both added meanings that are not being represented by actual scripture and he has removed key phrases and meaning from the actual scripture, thus greatly changing the meaning in many parts.
It is very simple to end up with a very different meaning that what was originally being said by removing one or two word phrases from the Greek or Hebrew text. There are thousands of verses that he has done the same thing to, and sad as it is those who are less discerning, whether because they are new to Christianity or just searching for greater meaning in life, serious confusion and “double-mindedness” will mislead many of HIS Flock.
The new-age movement is creeping into the Church and many Christians can’t see it. This illustrates how very clever our Adversary, the Devil, is at pulling the wool over our eyes when we are least expecting it. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).
Most of all, we could ask Eugene, who is a Christian, why did he choose to use the new-age phrase “as above, so below” over Biblical phrase, and from what source did he get it from?
Be blessed in Jesus' Name.
Eugene Peterson’s interpretations in his paraphrase does not translate the Greek and Hebrew text, and thus has changed not just God’s actual meaning of key phrases and verses, but has removed key phrases from his paraphrase that directly change the actual words, phrases, and true message of God. This then makes “The Message” one man’s personal interpretation that is saying that he can do a better job than God’s Inspired Writers and that he can paraphrase God’s direct Word.
When we compare Matthew 6:9-13, the Lord’s Prayer with Eugene Peterson's version:
NIV:
"Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
The Message:
"Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best -
As above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you
and forgiving others.
Keep us safe
from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
Now, most people will not see what I am about to point out, until they see it explained for themselves.
The phrase “As above, so below” is the key phrase here that is not a direct translation of Scripture, and it does not even come close.
This is a “new-age” term and phrase that is used widely throughout the “new-age” and “occultic” realm, and does not represent Christianity. Do a Google search on the phrase you will see how many Wiccan, pagan, satanic, and new-age sites comes up that use this phrase and its meaning. This term is a new-age view that God is not only outside of creation, but also within creation, which means that God is “in” everyone and everything, and denotes the new-age concept of “One-ness”, and “we are one”.
It is a pantheistic term, and pantheism has no place in Christianity or the Bible. And when “new-agers” speak of heaven, it is not the heaven that Christians know of and believe in. The term “as above, so below” is the new-age idea and terminology of their view of heaven, and it’s not Biblical. It is a metaphysical new-age connotation that substitutes “heaven and earth” with “above and below” as being the same and one in unity, and therefore it represents a pantheistic view. It says all of the universe (the heavens and heaven), the cosmos, and the earth---everything existent in creation---is part of God, is one with God, and one with everything, in a form of new-age unity that opposes scripture and the true nature of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Eugene Peterson should not be using this terminology to paraphrase the Bible when Christianity and God’s terms and meanings are as opposite to the pagan new-age movement and their beliefs as night-time is to day-time, and as good is to bad. “Woe is the day when evil is called good and good is called evil” (Isa. 5:20)
This term “as above, so below” existed before Mr. Peterson chose, for whatever reason, to use it when putting the Bible into his own words. Therefore, Eugene Peterson’s usage of this word didn’t come from the original Greek and Hebrew text of the Bible, and therefore his words cannot qualify or be considered as a translation of scripture. If he had gotten his words from the original texts then he would not have used this phrase, because the original texts do not refer to heaven in this manner, and he also would not have removed key parts of actual scripture from his paraphrase.
Eugene Peterson also presents a similar use of this new-age phrase in place of “in heaven” and “in earth” in Colossians 1:16: “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below...”, why is this so?
Why did he remove key phrases and meanings from a lot of the scripture he has paraphrased?
KJV:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
"The Message":
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
”Hallowed be Your name” has been totally removed, and not even rephrased and added back in with the rest of his words. “Your kingdom come” has also been removed. This essentially takes the actual words and meaning, which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, and changes what He actually said. It removes the expressed, exact meaning, and therefore it removes the value of the written text.
“Reveal who you are” and “Hallowed be Your name” have no similarity or having the same distinct meaning to each other.
“Your kingdom come” and “Set the world right” don’t even come close to the same distinct meaning that our Lord Jesus Christ was speaking directly of our Heavely Father’s Kingdom. Eugene Peterson is talking about the “world” and NOT HIS KINGDOM.
Eugene’s re-phrasing of the Lord’s Prayer has changed the spoken words and teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ into flimsy “worldly requests” that He did not say. Our Lord Jesus Christ was not making requests; HE was teaching us, sinful people, how to we are to approach a pure and Holy God in prayer. Eugene has changed the true meaning and character of the Scripture here. This is not a translation of true text, and NO man has any right to do this. The Bible is clear about that, yet he did that.
Real translations do not remove “key meanings” and they do not change complete words, phrases, or the meaning of phrases. Otherwise, we end up with something the Lord never said, and it is being passed off as the Bible in churches all over this world. Eugene’s paraphrase robs the meaning God intended, and this is dangerous.
There are many warnings in the Bible about removing from or adding to God’s words and His distinct meanings. For example, Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I command you to observe, nor take anything from it..." Deuteronomy 12:32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." Proverbs 30:5-6 "Every word of God is pure...Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar." Mr. Peterson has both added meanings that are not being represented by actual scripture and he has removed key phrases and meaning from the actual scripture, thus greatly changing the meaning in many parts.
It is very simple to end up with a very different meaning that what was originally being said by removing one or two word phrases from the Greek or Hebrew text. There are thousands of verses that he has done the same thing to, and sad as it is those who are less discerning, whether because they are new to Christianity or just searching for greater meaning in life, serious confusion and “double-mindedness” will mislead many of HIS Flock.
The new-age movement is creeping into the Church and many Christians can’t see it. This illustrates how very clever our Adversary, the Devil, is at pulling the wool over our eyes when we are least expecting it. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).
Most of all, we could ask Eugene, who is a Christian, why did he choose to use the new-age phrase “as above, so below” over Biblical phrase, and from what source did he get it from?
Be blessed in Jesus' Name.
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Even Peter, Paul and others as well as Jesus, paraphrased scripture.
