Article August 3, 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.]

"Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness" (Ps. 143:10)—As shown by the fact that it is printed in italics, the word "is" is not represented in the Hebrew, which is thus translated in the margin of the Revised Version: "May thy good spirit lead me." It may also be observed that in some of the early Hebrew manuscripts the term translated "land" is replaced by a word of closely similar appearance, but with the meaning of "path"; while the word which is rendered "uprightness" can have reference to moral or spiritual rectitude, or, alternatively, to that which is "straight" or "level" in a more literal or physical sense.

"He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit" (Rom 8:11)—The Greek verb which is here translated "quicken" has the literal meaning of "make to alive"; just as "mortify" in verse 13 could be literally translated "make to die." In a number of important manuscripts of the original, the double name "Christ Jesus" is found in verse 11, where the translators of our Common Version give the rendering "Christ"; and it may be observed that the Bezan and Vatican manuscripts, and others, have the reading "because of" (instead of "by" or "through") "his Spirit." The rendering of the American Revised Version is: "He that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you;" while, in the margin, reference is made to the reading "because of."

"Abba, Father" (Rom. 8:15)—"Abba" is the regular Aramaic form of the Hebrew word "Ab," which means "Father"; and it has been contended that as a result of its constant use in prayer, "Abba" came to be regarded as a peculiarly sacred proper name. Consequently, it was retained in its original form by the Greek-speaking Jews, who added the explanatory translation "ho Pater"—which in Greek, means literally "the Father." Goodspeed suggests the rendering: "'Abba!' that is, Father;" while The Twentieth Century New Testament has: "Abba, Our Father."

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