In progress ASV Sermon

I’ve been reading the book of Exodus in the 1901 American Standard Version of the Bible. As its name suggests, translation of this version began in the late 1870’s and was complete in 1901. Its American translators wanted to produce a translation of the Bible that was truer to the original Greek and Hebrew than the King James Version which was translated in 1611.

What makes the ASV unique is that the translators, for the most part, used what is called "Harmony of Expression." This means that they try to be consistent in translating the same Greek or Hebrew word with the same English word each time it appears. The result is that the ASV is a more literal translation. The language is choppy. It doesn’t read as pretty as the KJV does.

In the KJV the translators used a variety of words to interpret the original languages.

For instance, in the KJV if you were to turn to Ephesians 2:8

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

The Greek Word translated as grace is “charis”. But if you were to pull out your trusty copy of Strong’s lexicon for the KJV, you would see that “charis” is also translated in the KJV as: favor, thanks, pleasure, that which affords joy, delight, sweetness, good will, loving-kindness.

         For it is by sweetness that you have been saved…

For it is by good-will that you have been saved…

For it is by favor that you have been saved…

Not exactly the same thing. And we can all imagine how different denominations and doctrines were started.

In the ASV when the translators came across the word “charis” they always used the word “grace”. Now they were pretty consistent in their translating. But there are a few instances when a word translated one way didn’t fit the context.

For instance: in Ephesians 4:13, Paul uses the word "teleios" to describe a mature Christian. In the ASV “teleios” is translated as "full-grown". No problem there, right? But in other places, the word “teleios” is translated as "perfect". The translators knew theologically that while Christians can mature, they will not be perfect in this world.

Sort of like the ASV translation, while it is better than what came before it, it’s not perfect.

I’ve been reading Exodus this week and learned a lot about mature and perfect. Turn with me to Exodus 13, the children of Israel have just left Egypt.

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.

So tell me, mature choice or perfect choice?

Jump down to 

21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Mature thing or perfect thing?

OK God is leading them – it couldn’t get more perfect than that.

What happens next? The Egyptians followed the Israelites and cornered them at the Red Sea. You know the story. The Israelites blame Moses for bringing them out into the dessert to die. Moses answers them… Exodus 14

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Now that’s a big order. You can see the enemy pressing in on you. You’re afraid. There’s no place to go, and the order for the day is “Be Still”. Does that seem like a mature choice or a perfect choice? Or maybe a crazy choice? Why do I say that? Look what God says next…

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

Some how I can’t picture Moses saying, “Sure, I knew that.” I think he might have been just a little surprised by the order. But he followed the directive and God parted the Red Sea. The Israelites crossed it. The Egyptians followed them in, the waters receded, and Pharaoh’s army drowned.

31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Mature idea or perfect idea?

Fast forward past manna and quail, past water from the rock, past God talking to Moses about the law, to the end of Exodus 20:25. Let’s see what God has to say about perfect.

25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.

In the ASV it says,

thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

I don’t know about you but when I read those words, I became smaller and God got a whole lot bigger. I also gained a new understanding of being moved by creation to worship the Creator.

Immediately after God says this, God continues giving the law to Moses… God tells Moses to write it all down. Then an amazing thing happens. Turn over to Exodus 24:

7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”

8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Now, I have read this passage a number of times, but I don’t ever remember reading this next verse.

9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10 and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. 11 But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

Then God tells Moses to come up the mountain. He lays out his plan for the tabernacle, and the order of the priesthood. God writes the 10 commandments on twin stone tablets. Moses is gone for 40 days. We know what happens while he is gone. Aaron builds a golden calf, the Israelites worship it. Moses comes down the mountain and breaks the tablets. The Levites join him and they slay 3000 Israelites. The next morning Moses interceded for the people.

Exodus 32:

31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”

33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

Now if that wasn’t bad enough, keep reading, chapter 33:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”