Bethel
Puritan Board Freshman
The LBCF (as well as the WCF) states in Chapter 1:
Both confessions state that the OT Hebrew and the NT Greek are the inspired word of God, but that these original tongues should be translated into the vulgar language. So are the English translations of the Bible inerrant and infallible or is it just the manuscripts in the original language that are inspired, and therefore, inerrant and infallible?
I have a difficult time reconciling the proclamation that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible word of God, followed by a proclamation that a particular verse has been mistranslated. If my Bible has a translation error, then it is neither inerrant or infallible. The nagging question in the back of my mind is "Why should I bother spending so much of my time reading and studying my Bible when I'm just going to be told that it's wrong?". Should the people of God know the original tongues?
I appreciate any input to help me clearly think through this issue.
Paragraph 8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to them. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read, and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.
Both confessions state that the OT Hebrew and the NT Greek are the inspired word of God, but that these original tongues should be translated into the vulgar language. So are the English translations of the Bible inerrant and infallible or is it just the manuscripts in the original language that are inspired, and therefore, inerrant and infallible?
I have a difficult time reconciling the proclamation that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible word of God, followed by a proclamation that a particular verse has been mistranslated. If my Bible has a translation error, then it is neither inerrant or infallible. The nagging question in the back of my mind is "Why should I bother spending so much of my time reading and studying my Bible when I'm just going to be told that it's wrong?". Should the people of God know the original tongues?
I appreciate any input to help me clearly think through this issue.