Reply To Effort To Defend "Christian Church" Title!
Before reading this article, please read Bob Haddow's treatise elsewhere in this issue of the Gospel Guardian, entitled: " 'Christian Church' — A Scriptural Term!" We also urge you to read the article by yours truly in the Sept. 12th, Gospel Guardian, entitled: " 'Christian Church' — An Unscriptural Term!"
Haddow's Admissions Considered!
(1) In his second paragraph, he admits that the expression "church of Christ" is a scriptural term. Then why create division and strife by embracing and fostering a title that is, to say the least, questionable; and by some students of the Bible, completely UN-scriptural?
(2) He admits in his first paragraph under 'Objections Considered,' that "Christianos" is a NOUN and refers ONLY to people ... and that from it (Christianos) our English word 'Christian' is derived. Right here, our friend has conceded the point at issue! He has admitted that the apostles, BY INSPIRATION used the word Christian (Christianos) ONLY as a NOUN. Haddow's very argument condemns his position and practice! We have no more right to translate a noun word and use it as an adjective in the English, than we would to MIS-translate the word completely. It is just as grave an error (thus sin), to wrongfully translate the USE of a word, as it is to MIS-translate the word!
What Haddow Needs To Locate In Scripture!
JUST ONE INSTANCE wherein the Greek word 'Christians' is used as an ADJECTIVE!!! If he can do that, then he would have evidence that the expression 'Christian' AS AN ADJECTIVE is a SCRIPTURAL expression. Then, he could TRULY affirm successfully that the title "Christian church" might be scriptural.
Haddow follows the stock sectarian logic (?), that in the minds of some. justifies the term "Baptist Church," "Methodist Church," etc. The New Testament disciples practiced baptism, therefore they were "Baptists;" they met regularly upon the first day of the week, or methodically, hence they were "Methodists;" in church government, each congregation had a number of elders (taken from the Greek word presbuteros), therefore the name "Presbyterians" becomes scriptural (?), according to sectarians. Now, comes Mr. Haddow with the assertion that since the Greek words 'en Christo' (meaning in Christ) describe a child of God, a Christian; and, since Christians make up the membership of His church, thus it becomes 'scriptural' to apply the word 'Christian' to an assembly of the saints.
That Which Proves Too Much, Proves Nothing!
En Christo is used in Romans 3:24. as follows: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: . . ." Yet none of Mr. Haddow's three choice translators use the word 'Christian' in rendering THIS passage. Why not, if it can be accurately used in Gal. 1:22?
Romans 6:11 . . . "Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus "; (en Christo) Neither Weymouth, Goodspeed or Moffatt INSERTED the word 'Christian' in this passage. If they were right in Gal. 1:22, then why not in this instance? In order to save space, we ask you to read the following passages wherein en Christo is found: Rom. 6:23; Romans 8:1; I Cor. 4:10; I Cor. 15:19; and II Cor. 12:2.
Now, let us compare Gal. 1:22 and I Thess. 2:14; if Weymouth, Goodspeed and Moffatt were correct in using the word 'Christian' in one passage, why did they not do so in the other?
Gal. 1:22 "And I was still unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ." (en Christo, NOT Christianos.)
I Thess. 2:14 "For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus: ..." (en Christo, NOT Christianos.)
Goodspeed INSERTS the word Christian in some instances where it has no Greek counter-part at all. See I Cor. 5:11 and Gal. 2:13.
In I Cor. 6:2, Goodspeed INSERTS the word Christian in lieu of the Greek word hagiai, which accurately means saints.
In I Cor. 6:6, the same interpolator INSERTS the word Christian in place of the Greek word adelphos, which actually means brother.
In I Cor. 7:39, the Greek word kurio meaning 'Lord' is given by Goodspeed as 'Christian.'
In I Cor. 9:4, he uses adelphe, which means sister, but renders it 'Christian.'
In I Tim. 6:2, Goodspeed gives the word pistos, meaning 'believing,' as 'Christian.'
Thus, it can be readily determined that Goodspeed PARAPHRASES and INTERPOLATES in many instances, rather than LITERALLY TRANSLATING! Yet, our friend Haddow lamely uses such a broken reed, as support (?) for his preferred church name; i.e., "Christian Church."
Thayer Admits That "Christian" Is A Parapharse, In Gal. 1:22!
Friend Haddow attempted to use Thayer as support for Goodspeed's VERSION of Gal. 1:22. But, Thayer calls it a 'paraphrasis.'
The Unabridged Dictionary states: "PARAPHRASE — as a noun — An explanation of some text or passage in a book, in a more clear and ample Manner than is expressed in the words of the author. . . ."
Is Mr. Haddow ready to accept the conclusion of his three translators? Is the PARAPHRASED term "Christian church" as given by these three in Gal. 1:22, an IMPROVEMENT IN THE BIBLE TEXT, OVER THE WORDS OF ITS AUTHOR?
The Unabridged continues: "PARAPHRASE — as a transitive verb — To explain, interpret, or translate with latitude; to unfold the sense of (an author) with more clearness and particularity than it is expressed in his own words."
Here again, Mr. Haddow's VERSIONISTS, having PARAPHRASED (according to Thayer), are alleged to have given the text "more clarity of meaning" than possessed by the original!! Does Haddow actually believe this? By the way, to "translate with latitude" means to RENDER LOOSELY!
Remarks Regarding Haddow's 'Objections Considered'.
Haddow concludes in his first 'Objection Considered' that the English word "Christian," "is an adjective and may be used to translate any Greek expression whose meaning it accurately depicts." Haddow's only problem is that of finding a Greek ADJECTIVE whose meaning it 'accurately depicts'! He has already admitted that the Apostles used Christianos as the Greek NOUN for PEOPLE who were Christians!
In his second 'Objection Considered,' Haddow ADMITS that ONE of the meanings of the expression "Christian church" is that it is "OF OR PERTAINING TO A CHRISTIAN OR CHRISTIANS." Now the expression "church of Christ" DOES NOT allow such a MISUNDERSTANDING to occur. Therefore, why does Haddow insist upon using terminology that is LESS ACCURATE and MORE CONDUCIVE to MISUNDERSTANDING? It is wrong to use titles and names that are UN-SCRIPTURAL. It is also wrong to use mis-leading names and titles!
In his last 'Objection Considered,' Mr. Haddow points out that the King James and American Revised, are not the ONLY translations of the scriptures; and, with that we agree. But if anyone is FORCED to be 'version-bound', to use Mr. Haddow's expression, it is Mr. Haddow himself. He cannot find the expression "Christian church," that he seeks to substantiate, in Gal. 1:22, in ANY ACTUAL TRANSLATION of the passage. He can find it ONLY in a few isolated VERSIONS, in which the authors PARAPHRASED, INSERTED AND INTERPOLATED!! Therefore, Haddow has had to become VERSION-BOUND!
Some forty-seven scholars labored in the translation of the King James Version; 24 worked on the Revised Version; and 31 co-operated in the translation of the Revised Standard Version. Thus, a total of 102 translators were involved in the production of these three versions; yet not one of the three versions, paraphrased Gal. 1:22, in any way that would provide friend Haddow with his preferred church name!
One interesting sidelight on the Revised Standard Versions: both Moffatt and Goodspeed were on the Revision Committee, yet when that translation appeared, here is the way that passage read: "And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; . . ." (Gal. 1:22.)
In Mr. Haddow's last paragraph he states: "Any English equivalent for apostolic terminology is scriptural.
Any English words or group of words which express the same ideas as those intended by the writers of the New Testament in their Greek, are scriptural." And to this statement we heartily add our affirmation. However, friend Haddow has completely failed to establish the SCRIPTURAL EQUIVALENT IN THE GREEK for his 20th century English expression, 'Christian church'!
Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddy Morse compiled her book, "Science and Health, With Key To The Scriptures." Upon it, the tenets of Christian Science are founded. Science is translated from the Greek word gnosis, meaning knowledge. Both Christianos (Christian) and gnosis (science) are to be found in the New Testament; yet they are never found together. Who knows, some day a modern VERSIONIST may decide to paraphrase a verse dealing with Christian knowledge, study or information; if and when he does, Mr. Haddow might even find 'Christian Science' in 'the Bible'! That's the method that he has attempted in asserting that 'Christian church' is in the Bible .... and the argument just won't hold water!