Has the Great Commission been Misunderstood?

OK.  Let me just say it, I’m afraid I’ll get kicked out of Church for this one.  Just kidding – a little.  We’ve been looking at passages that have been traditionally misunderstood and showing how with a little digging, the real meaning will surface.  This week we want to tackle one of the most important passages for our Church, and to Christendom in general for millenia: The Great Commission.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

We have typically used this passage to teach several things, among them that we are to first make, and then baptize disciples.  After all, that is pretty clear from the words “…make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…” in the above passage, right?

Not so fast.  Questions surface when you read the passage in other translations who don’t use the term “make disciples of all nations” but rather “teach the nations.”  Hmmm.

When we look it up in the Greek, this is what we find:

poreuyentev (You go) oun (therefore) mayhteusate (teach) panta (all) ta (the) eynh (nations)

The word matheteuo comes from the word mathetes, which literally means disciple.  This word is different from the word for teaching used in the next verse where it says “and teach them to observe…”  The word there is didasko, which also means teach.  So, matheteuo means “teach your disciple” and didasko means teach in a more general sense.  This is why some translators have preferred the term “make disciples” to “teach.”

All of this being clear, we may conclude that the passage means something like this: “You should go and teach all the nations as you would your own disciples.”

Shock slowly sets in when we realize that the noun “disciple” in the NIV translation does not actually exist in the Greek.  The term “disciple” or “teach” is a verb, not a noun.  This fact, while mildly interesting in itself, becomes critical when we look at the phrase “baptizing them.”

When Matthew 28:19 says “them” it is actually referring to the nations.  It says “baptize the nations” and “teach the nations,”  not, “make disciples out of the nations and then baptize them.”  We know this because “nations” is the preceding noun in the sentence.  The noun “disciple” does not exist, so “them” points back to “nations.” A pronoun like “them” cannot point back to a verb; it is a grammatical impossibility.  Wow.

This fact needs repeating.  Matthew 28:19 does not say to make disciples and baptize them.  We can read it that way, but it is not grammatically correct, and thus is proven to be a false interpretation of the passage.

So what is the passage saying?  That we are to disciple a nation and baptize them?  How can you disciple an entire nation or even more impossible, baptize a nation?

The surprising answers are coming up in next week’s edition.  If you have any good ideas, please feel free to comment.  Stay tuned!

Tags: Bible Study, Interpretation

In this series of posts, we are discussing a few examples of incorrect interpretations of Biblical passages and pointing out the reasons for their misinterpretation.  Feel free to chime in if you disagree, or if you can think of others that have been misapplied – the more examples we discuss, the better!

Reason #3: Applying a Passage Out of Context

There is an old saying that goes something like this: “a prooftext out of context is a pretext.”  A prooftext, for those unfamiliar with this term, is a passage of the Bible used to prove a particular belief.  Say for instance, using John 3:16 as a way to “prove” that God loves you could be called using a prooftext.

Now, rather than using a single prooftext to prove a point of view, it is much better to be able to clearly explain a teaching in the Bible with many verses.  That does not mean that a prooftext cannot be used from time to time, but it is a dangerous practice that can quickly lead to error.

When dealing with single prooftexts, or even several passages that all seem to say the same thing, the most important aspect to consider is the context.  Taking a passage in the Bible and using it out of context is a great error.  It could even be considered “adding to the Word of God” which would fall under a curse, according to Revelation 22:18.  To be safe, we must always take the utmost care to ensure that we understand the context of what we are reading.

There are two different dangers with this type of error:

1) Immediate Context

For example, does a well-known verse in I Timothy teach that what we believe is just as important as how we live our lives?

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
I Timothy 4:16

When we read the immediate context (I Timothy 4:1-15) we will find that the word “doctrine” does not mean “what you believe,” as we have often been taught, but rather “what you teach.”  In verse 16, Paul is merely summarizing what he has been telling Timothy all along about his example and how he should teach.  (In fact, “teaching” is the word the more accurate translations tend to use instead of “doctrine.”)  At first glance, it might seem like a difference without a distinction.  However, let’s think about it a little.

If we took this verse to mean “teaching” then we would never say that in order to be saved you need to teach a certain thing, would we?  In fact, Paul is not telling Timothy how he can be saved at all!

Think about who Timothy was: the leader of the Church.  Timothy knew all about salvation, or Paul would never have appointed him to that position.  Timothy’s actions and teachings were both going to effect the people in the Church, which is why Paul warns him to watch how he lives and what he teaches.  Timothy’s hearers would be able to be saved, just as he was, by both seeing his example and by hearing the truth taught.

Notice how if we don’t pay attention to who it is written to or the immediate context we can be way off target!

2) Remote Context

“There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.”
John 12:48

Does this passage say that we will be judged by the Bible even if we haven’t read it?  If we read the context (12:42-50) we find that Jesus is warning those who heard him.  They needed to believe and obey Him – if not they would be condemned because they knew, but did not obey.

The immediate context makes it clear that he was not saying that they would be condemned for something they didn’t know!  The greater context of the whole Bible (remote context) makes this even clearer.  Look at what Paul teaches in Romans:

“All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.”
Romans 2:12

Hopefully you enjoyed these hard-hitting examples of bad interpretation.  If so, stay tuned for more!

Tags: Bible Study, Interpretation

Over the next few posts, we will discuss a few examples of incorrect interpretations of Biblical passages and point out the reasons for their misinterpretation.  Feel free to chime in if you disagree, or if you can think of others that have been misapplied – the more examples we discuss, the better!

Reason #1: Single Translation Reliance

Often we see differences in the various Bible translations we read.  These differences arise for several reasons.

1. First, we do not have a perfect copy of the original, and there are a few minor differences in the existing Greek and Hebrew copies that we do have.
2. Second, translators do not always agree as to the meaning of the originals, even when the actual wording is clear.
3. Third, some translations of the Bible were written long ago and the meaning of the words has changed.
4. Fourth, some newer versions of the Bible have caved into the pressure of society to be more politically correct than would be strictly accurate.

Reading multiple versions of the Bible will keep us on track, and help us avoid this reason for misunderstanding a passage.

For an example of outdated wording in a Bible translation we can consider an Amish uncle of mine who will not fly a plane because of a particular verse in his King James Version.  In this verse, Paul commands us not to be “highminded” – get it?  Reading the verse in two translations will help us to clearly see the meaning:

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17 (KJV)

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)

Do we make silly mistakes like this sometimes?  Let us not rely on a single translation, always make sure to study multiple versions to be sure of the meaning to a passage.

Reason #2: Incorrect Wording

Do not make the mistake of thinking that all you have to do is read a modern version to be safe!  Sometimes modern verses can be incorrect as well.

As an example, let us look at Jesus’ statements in Matthew 11:

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
Matthew 11:12 (NIV)

I have have personally been shown this verse and told:  “Joseph, you are just too gentle.  You need to be a forceful man of God!”  But is Jesus commanding us to be forceful in our interactions with people?  Let’s look at it in another translation:

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.
Matthew 11:12  (ASV)

Most other translations are different from the NIV and the word forceful is translated “violent.”  Does this mean that we should be violent men and women of God?  If not, then what is the true meaning of this verse?  Without getting too deep into it, we can say that it is most likely talking of the effort a person must make to enter the Kingdom.  You won’t be able to get in if you just passively walk up to the door – it is a battle to get in!

Stay tuned for more reasons for bad interpretation with examples…

Tags: Bible Study, Interpretation