It is Palm Sunday. My usual practice on this Sunday is not to preach but rather to read the
passion story, this year from the gospel according to Matthew. I like to read Eugene H.
Peterson’s verson of “The Message in Contemporary Language.” And I do so to give folks
something different from the King James Version or whatever else they might have become
accustomed to. I suppose that there are those who would refer to Peterson’s translation as
“cool.” And, he does a good job. However, the more I use his stuff, the more I think to
myself, “I could do this better.” Well, maybe “better” is the wrong word. It might be more
appropriate for me to say, “I could translate this into a language with which I am more
comfortable.” When we deviate from traditional language and try to put something into a
contemporary vernacular, we then discover how different all of us are. What one person is
comfortable with another person may find difficult to listen to. And then there are some
strangely contrived phrases. One of my parishioners called to my attention a sentence in
Matthew that seemed particularly awkward. When Jesus was chiding his disciples for falling
asleep at Gethsemane, he said, “But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog
sleeping by the fire.” So what was Peterson translating? “the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak.” Whereas the New Revised Standard Version has Jesus saying, following
the institution of the Lord’s Supper, “You will all become deserters because of me this
night,” Peterson has him saying, “Before the night’s over, you’re going to fall to pieces
because of what happens to me.” This interpretation raises interesting questions. Of
course, the disciples DID desert Jesus; but is it fair to say that they “fell to pieces”? That
language is colorful, but is it appropriate? Is it useful? The Contemporary English Version
says, “During this very night, all of you will reject me.” And I think that is more appropriate
than Peterson’s colorful language. For my usual first Sundays of the month, when I
celebrate communion, I omit the reading of the scriptures. It saves on time in the service.
However, for Palm Sunday I leave in the passages from the gospel and Isaiah. This time I
noticed that it lengthened my services. I barely made it to Bronaugh and Sheldon for the
scheduled starting times. I usually have ample time to spare. It’s too bad that all three
congregations want me around for both the beginning and the ending of the services. In
order to fit my travel time in, that allows for only a forty-five to fifty minute service.
Services of that length require that something needs to be cut, and what I have cut out are
hymns. When I was in Seneca and Slater I always have four hymns in each service. But
then, I had no service to attend afterward. I think my congregations now would benefit
from more music. posted by
John Harrison at 7:40 PM
|