Article May 25, 1940 Issue

Bible Notes

[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in this column can be used, if deemed necessary, to elucidate some of the words or passages contained in the Bible Lessons.]

"Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty" (Lev. 19:15)—It would appear that the meaning of the phrases "respect the person" (literally, "face" or "appearance") or "honour the person" (again, "face" or "appearance") of someone, was to give in to purely personal considerations or presuppositions without giving honest consideration to the individual situation involved. In other words, these phrases imply favoritism, or biased judgment. Moffatt suggests this rendering: "You shall not be partial to a poor man, nor defer to a powerful man;" while Smith translates the complete verse as follows: "You must do no injustice in a case, neither showing partiality to the poor, nor deferring to the powerful, but judging your fellow fairly."

"Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour" (Lev. 19:16)—There is some degree of uncertainty as to the exact significance of this passage, which may mean, "Nor shall you seek the blood (or 'life') of your neighbor." On the other hand, Moffatt suggests: "You shall not forge a charge of murder against a neighbour."

"Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him" (Lev. 19:17)—The Hebrew preposition here rendered "upon" also means "on account of," "on behalf of"; hence Smith's translation: "You must be sure to reprove your fellow, but not incur sin because of him."

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