It’s a cold start to October. The cold winds blew in, though we don’t get snow as did Calgary. The snow will be along soon I’m sure. But of course that’s not what this blog is about.

I was asked to do a Bible Study, but I decided to do a book study. I decided to use the book Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes. A book I read doing my Masters. In introducing the book I reviewed the structure of the Bible.

Two testaments, 39 books in the Old Testament, 27 books in the New Testament. The Old Testament is written in Hebrew, the New Testament in Greek, with some inserts in Aramaic, which was the street language of Jesus and the disciples. So when the translators are going about trying to communicate the meaning of the script they must take into consideration what the words say, what in the intended meaning is, and how they can help the reader understand it. A true word for word translation would not necessarily do that.

I used the example of John 21 where Jesus, now resurrected, asks Peter if “he” (Peter) love him?

There are four words for love in Greek. Agape – divine love, Eros – sexual love, Storge – family love, and Philia – brotherly love.

The word for love that Jesus uses is agape. But the word Peter uses for love in return is philia. The English reader only sees one word, “love. But the Greek words are different. The translators didn’t make the meaning of the two words evident. Did they?

Do you have a divine love for me is the question Jesus asks, and Peter says I love you like a brother.

Jesus asks it a second time. Peter answers – no change in the words – agape vs philia. The third time however, when Jesus asks do you love me he changes his word to phlia. Do you really love me like a brother is the intended question.

Now add to the understanding what is written in an eastern culture where shame and class are important and unspoken. Add time, 200 years ago, and add our western assumptions.

Think about the differences in a 1st-century person and a 21st-century person. Technology, food availability, affluence, travel ability, life expectancy, family size. Think about the political world they lived in, the place of women, the value of children, the climate of the middle east.

Our worlds are, well a world a part. Read the Bible understanding the gap.

What’s that British phrase? Mind the gap!