When I heard the title, ‘The Message’, announced by Pastor, alarm bells began to ring. I had heard of this book somewhere and I seemed to remember that what I had heard was not complimentary. I had the impression that it was either a Bible translation or a book of prophecies by the Kansas City Prophets who are part of the Vineyard Movement. I was inquisitive about the book, but not enough to order one.

On Tuesday morning at about 5.30 am I awoke from sleep with the words ‘The Message’ repeating over and over in my mind and a feeling of apprehension. I could not get the words out of my mind no matter what I tried. I tried praying and thinking about other things, to no avail. I wanted to go back to sleep as it was too early for me to get up. Eventually, at around 6.30 am, still awake with the words ‘The Message’ hounding me and a feeling of impending threat, I made up my mind to get up out of bed. I decided to look on the Internet for some information on a book entitled ‘The Message’ to at least find out what type of book it was. I was still suspicious that the book had something to do with the Kansas City Prophets. I found mountains of books entitled ‘The Message’ but had no idea which one I was supposed to be looking for. Consequently, I gave up and went to work.

During the morning, with the words ‘The Message’ still bugging me, I had an idea. I would ring the church member who was looking after the orders from Koorong Books. I wasn’t keen on the idea of having to wait a week or so to get it, but, I reasoned, at least I would have a copy to find out what it was all about. I rang his home but there was no answer even though it was only 9.30 in the morning. He has a mobile phone, so rang that number but it was busy. I tried again later, but the phone was still giving a busy signal.

From what the Pastor said in the Sunday morning service, the book was only a new release and wasn’t available in the bookstores as yet, but I decided to ring Christian Literature Crusade bookstore in the city and get them to order one for me. It would probably be quicker than getting one through the church anyway, I thought. When I rang CLC bookstore they informed me that they did, indeed, have the book in stock and that a shipment had arrived only the previous evening. They assured me that I could have one and, consequently, I had a copy in my hands by mid morning.

Hence, I discovered that ‘The Message’ is a New Testament Bible ‘translation’ and had nothing to do with the Vineyard Movement or the Kansas City Prophets as I had feared.

I still had this idea that I had read, or heard something about this book somewhere previously. I decided to check some documents that I have stored on my computer and eventually discovered what I was looking for. I found two articles from separate Internet sites that deal with Bible exegesis and Bible translations. Both articles, written by orthodox theologians, were not very enthusiastic about ‘The Message’. In fact they both issued cautions regarding the theology the ‘The Message’ promotes. I made further investigations regarding what these Bible scholars were warning about and came up with the information that I have set out in this article.

Before we look at the incriminating evidence about this new ‘bible’, I would like to say that, in this day of slack Bible reading, when the Church is in crisis because of lack of Bible knowledge, the last thing that we want is another ‘bible’ that waters down the Gospel and subserviently caters to New Age, feminist and religious politics, as this ‘bible’ does. There is a terrible crisis in the Church, and in my opinion, this book will add fuel to the fire that is already well ablaze.

People will not be led to a closer relationship and understanding of the Lord through this book. This ‘bible’ promotes another ‘jesus’ and another ‘gospel’ as will be plainly obvious to anyone with even one ounce of discernment and who have a love for the sacredness of the Scriptures. If people will read this ‘translation’ of the Scriptures and accept it as truth then they will be further led astray into believing myths and fanciful stories, just as the Bible warns they will. Because people believe fantasy above the truth of the Scriptures, God says that He will give them over to a strong delusion.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 we are warned,

“…whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

At this critical time in the history of the Church, in these days leading up to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should be vigilantly watchful of anyone who might come with another gospel, but instead the sheep of the Lord’s pasture are encouraged to partake, without discrimination, in whatever is being promoted. Instead of searching the Scriptures to see that what is being approved as good and wholesome and true is so, as the Bereans were commended for in Acts 17:11, the shepherds casually recommend something that, clearly, they haven’t even inspected for themselves. Recommendations are made based exclusively upon what some other "respected", visiting shepherd might say.

Being prominently positioned in the chain of command in a hierarchical structure of an organization and being of apparent good character and pleasant personality does not preclude that person from suffering deception. Nor does it preclude the rest of the congregation from judging from the Word of God whether what is being presented is actually wholesome and of true report. The Bible clearly warns that a massive deception will come upon the people of God, a deception that will even place the ‘elect’ in a position of danger. We need to be vigilant! In fact, it is our duty to remain sober, alert and vigilant.

Where are the leaders with insight and discernment? Where are the leaders who have been called upon to watch out for the flock and protect them from the ravages of wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing? Instead, we are blessed with leaders who say that they operate by the Word of God but who, nevertheless, seem to be doing all in their power to deny every Scripture that fearfully warns of a great deception that will descend upon the church of God in the last and terrifying days before Christ returns for His remnant.

Let us now discover what it is that the Lord has so clearly brought to my attention, and that, consequently, He has caused me to be very concerned about.

About The Message

‘The Message’ is authored by Eugene Peterson, a professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is also the founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland, where he ministered for 29 years.

‘The Message’ has been endorsed by, among others, Jack Hayford, and Billy Graham. Billy Graham’s endorsement reads: "‘The Message’ is one of the most dynamic recent versions of the New Testament that I have seen ... Children can easily understand it, and veteran Bible readers will see Christ’s words in a fresh light." In fact, Graham even authorized a special edition of ‘The Message’ to be distributed by his Evangelistic Association - it comes with "... many explanations that I’ve written to help you understand what the New Testament says."

In his introduction to ‘The Message’ , Peterson himself says: "This version of the New Testament in a contemporary idiom keeps the language of ‘The Message’ current and fresh and understandable in the same language in which we do our shopping, talk with our friends, worry about world affairs, and teach our children their table manners ..."

This all sounds like an excuse for "dumbing-down" Scripture to match our culture’s downward literacy trends. Should we rewrite God’s holy Scriptures to fit our more shallow and worldly communications? And what does it say about men of the calibre of Billy Graham and Jack Hayford when they endorse ‘The Message’ as an authentic translation of the Bible rather than as Eugene Peterson’s personal, politically correct interpretation?

Let us perform some random comparisons between this ‘exciting’ new ‘bible’, the tried and proven King James Version and the ‘modern’ New International Version and observe how it measures up and whether it is an acceptable rendering of the pure word of God which He has promised to preserve for all generations. Is this the ‘bible’ that holds the pure words of God and which He has ordained to use to preserve His truth forever? You be the judge.

Psalm 12:6-7, "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."

Some Samples For Comparison

John 14:28

KJV "28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

NIV "28 You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I."

TM (p. 261) "You’ve heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away, and I’m coming back." If you loved me, you would be glad that I’m on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life."

Comment: What does Peterson’s rendering of the Greek in "…the Father is the goal and purpose of my life" have to do with showing Jesus as the 2^nd person in the Trinity?

1 Corinthians 6:17-18

KJV "17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body."

NIV "17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body."

TM (p. 411) "Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever - the kind of sex that can never "become one." There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for "becoming one" with another."

Comment: Firstly, this departure from the original message of Scripture regarding sexual immorality would lead the immature Christian to conclude that "commitment and intimacy," not marriage, set boundaries for acceptable sex in the eyes of the Lord.

Secondly, The term ‘the Master" is used in place of ‘the Lord.’ The use of this title for God and Jesus makes this version of the Bible politically correct and non-offensive to New Age devotees and followers of other religious persuasions. ‘The Master’ is a New Age term! The offense that Jesus is the only way to salvation is subtly diminished. If that sounds like I am being a bit alarmed over nothing, consider the endorsement of ‘The Message’ by New Age author Madeleine L’Engle. "‘The Message’ is so good it leaves me breathless" she proclaimed. This on its own should make us suspicious enough to critically examine what ‘The Message’ is really saying. When a version of the Bible is considered acceptable by New Age followers we should know immediately something is wrong. My Bible tells me that the world and all that it stands for will hate the Christian and the Word that we proclaim (See Matt. 10:22, Mark 13:13, Luke 6:22-26 and John 15:18-21). Only if the "…offense of the cross has been abolished…" as Paul warned of in Galatians 5:11, will the world accept a ‘christian’ message of salvation.

Romans 1:22-27

KJV "22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet."

NIV "22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."

TM (p. 361-362) "What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. So God said, in effect, "If that’s what you want, that’s what you get." It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshipped the god they made instead of the God who made them - the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes! Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how to be human either-women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be men. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men-all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it-emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches."

Comment: Lust becomes the sin rather than homosexuality, the choice of same gender sex partners. A loophole is provided for "committed" homosexuals who "love" each other.

The strength of ‘The Message’ against homosexual behaviour is lost giving the impression that, provided two people of the same gender "love" each other and are "committed" to their relationship, it is acceptable.

Romans 8:35-36

KJV "35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

NIV "35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"

TM (p.379) "Do you think anyone is going to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture."

Comment: ‘The Message’ wrongly implies that sin will not separate us from God. However, in the first book in the Bible, Genesis, we discover that sin is the very thing that separated Adam and Eve from the presence of God and it is the very thing that will continue to separate mankind from the presence of God today.

In Micah 3:4, for example, we read,

Isaiah 59:1-2 reads,

Colossians 2:10

KJV "10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power."

NIV "10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."

TM (p.501) "You don’t need a telescope, a microscope or a horoscope to realise the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him."

Comments: Nothing in the original manuscripts warrants such an outlandish rendering. This is adding to God’s word and distorting the intention of the passage as inspired by the Lord. The headship and authority of Christ over every principality and power is removed.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

KJV "9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

NIV "9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

TM (p.410) "Unjust people who don’t care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don’t qualify as citizens in God’s kingdom."

Comment: This interpretation panders to the Green and New Age movements by adding environmental sin. It also seeks to be non-offensive to homosexuals. So, once again we see that ‘The Message’ has no strength in addressing homosexual behaviour. This politically correct approach is consistent throughout the entire book. ‘The Message’ will have no trouble being acceptable to the authors of the false One World Church system that is currently being implemented by the United Nations and the World Council Of Churches and ratified by the apostate denominations who are supporters of the Ecumenical Movement.

2 Corinthians 5:20

KJV "20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God."

NIV "20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."

TM (p.446) "We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ now: Become friends with God: he’s already a friend with you."

Comment: Reconciliation is the key word here. Eugene Peterson is promoting unity - the type of unity that reconciles peoples of different nations, ethnic groups and religions at the expense of the "…faith which was once delivered unto the saints." The original context of this passage of Scripture is regarding the reconciliation of man to God, and not man to man as it has been twisted to accommodate here. This is again pandering to the Ecumenical Movement and the soon coming apostate ‘World Church.’ Is it any wonder that the New Age promoters are joyous about this ‘bible’?

Romans 10:9-13

KJV "9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

NIV "9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.""

TM (p. 3 83) "It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God - "Jesus is my Master" - embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not "doing" anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud.- "God has set everything right between him and me!" Scripture reassures us, "No one who trusts God like this - heart and soul - will ever regret it." It’s exactly the same no matter what a person’s background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. "Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help."

Comment: The Greek word kurios is usually rendered "Lord" in English versions; it reflects both the proper name of God, Yahweh (LORD) and the positional title, Adonay (Lord) from the Old Testament. Some biblical scholars avoid "Lord" as a male-oriented, sexist term. ‘The Message’ rarely uses "Lord," preferring to call Jesus "the Master" (John 20:20) and to translate OT references to Yahweh as "God" (Matt. 3:3, p. 13.). (But note the inconsistencies in Matt. 4:7, 10, (p.18) where Peterson retains the traditional interpretations).

This practice limits the interpretation of passages that might refer to Jesus as both Yahweh and Adonay - as God and as sovereign.

Philippians 2:9-11

KJV "9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

NIV "9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

TM (p. 491) "Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth - even those long ago dead and buried-will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father."

Comment: As above for Romans 10:9-13.

Ephesians 5:22-24

KJV "22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."

NIV "22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."

TM (p. 484) "Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands."

Comment: ‘The Message’ fails to consistently handle role relations between men and women. Some passages that address husband-wife role relations, using the word "submit" as in the example above and the one following, are rendered "understand and support." The rendering of this passage also qualifies the submission to mean that only as the husband exercises leadership should the wife submit to him.

Colossians 3:18

KJV "18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord."

NIV "18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."

TM (p. 504) "Wives, understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honour the Master."

Comment: This passage changes the emphasis from the submission to the type of submission. Submitting to the husband is not conditional in the KJV or the NIV. In the TM it is conditional upon certain ‘ways.’

Other texts have been rendered in such a way that the traditional, hierarchical interpretation is no longer possible, especially as shown in the example below.

1 Peter 3:1-7

KJV "1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."

NIV "1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. 7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."

TM (p. 579) "The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance - the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes - but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as , "my dear husband." You’ll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated. The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground."

Comment: Here we find that women are simply admonished to "be good wives." The paragraph on page 421 of ‘The Message’ begins, "Don’t, by the way, read too much into the differences here between men and women," a statement which has no clear textual base.

1 Corinthians 11:11-12

KJV "11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God."

NIV "11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God."

TM (p. 421) "Don’t, by the way, read too much into the differences here between men and women. Neither man nor woman can go it alone or claim priority. Man was created first, as a beautiful shining reflection of God - that is true. But the head on a woman’s body clearly outshines in beauty the head of her "head," her husband. The first woman came from man, true - but ever since then, every man comes from a woman! And since virtually everything comes from God anyway, let’s quit going through these "who’s first" routines."

Comment: No comment except to say Eugene Peterson has a very fertile imagination which he would no doubt claim is some special anointing from the Holy Spirit.

Summary:

1. ‘The Message’ is an expansive paraphrase that is not so labeled, as is The Living Bible.

In the introduction, Eugene Peterson compares his pastoral ministry to his work as a translator: "I stood at the border between two languages, biblical Greek and everyday English, acting as a translator, providing the right phrases, getting the right words so that the men and women to whom I was pastor could find their way around and get along in this world" (p. 10). Much of ‘The Message’ reads like a sermon: text plus interpretation and application. Unlike a sermon, however, the reader does not know where the text ends and the sermon begins.

 

2. Because of its interpretive and idiosyncratic nature, ‘The Message’ should not be used for study. Acts 17:11 commends the Bereans for evaluating Paul’s teaching with the Old Testament Scriptures. In the same spirit, ‘The Message’ needs to be evaluated against more consistent and traditional translations, especially when its renderings evoke a response such as, "I didn’t know the Bible said that!" or, "Now I understand what it means."

 

3. Because of the erroneous theology contained within the pages of ‘The Message’, it is potentially able to do untold damage within the Body of Christ. As stated above, ‘The Message’ is not an accurate translation of the Word of God, but a personal interpretation. The introduction explains that "the goal is not to render a word-for-word conversion of Greek into English, but rather to convert the tone, rhythms, the ideas, into the way we actually think and speak".

 But should we rewrite and dumb-down the Bible to fit our own shallow and worldly communications skills? Should we reinterpret the holy Word to sound more like a TV advert or film script?

 

4. Today's culture needs to be challenged by scripture. ‘The Message’ gets it the other way round. It conforms to secular standards in an attempt to be attractive to everyone. Peterson actually states in the introduction that he was "…always looking for an English way to make the biblical text relevant to the conditions of the people" to whom he ministered. This is interpreting the Word of God by our experiences and what we observe around us rather than interpreting what we observe and experience by the Word of God. That is why we need the Scriptures in their original sense - so that we can test all things to see whether they be of God or not. Following Peterson’s fanciful translation will only lead us up the path to some fairy tale Mad Hatter’s garden party. Myself, I would prefer to arrive at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

 

5. Although endorsed by Christian leaders such as J.I.Packer, Warren Wiersbe, Billy Graham and Jack Hayford, ‘The Message’ is disgracefully inaccurate. It cannot be used for serious Bible study because it has no verse references; it alters the meaning of the text; and it deletes key words and concepts.

 

6. Instead of encouraging the church to partake of ‘The Message’, shepherds should be warning their congregations of the dangerous theology within its pages and encouraging them to read a bible that is closer to the original intention of God’s message to mankind. They should be encouraging their congregations to discern the difference between truth and error. ‘The Message’ is not a message for the born-again Christian living in these last and perilous days. It is another gospel and should be loudly and clearly proclaimed as such.

After reading the Questions & Answers section of Dave Hunt's September (2006) Berean Call, I have added the following to my critique of "The Message".  Although Eugene Peterson claimed to be a professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, when he re-wrote the Bible, Dave Hunt's answer to his reader's question further reinforces the serious lack of doctrinal understanding that people like Peterson possess.  Professing Christians who claim to love God's Word should take heed to the perilous situation they place themselves in by accepting "The Message" as a true and honest version of the Scriptures. 

"The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?" (Jeremiah 8:9).

QUOTE:

Hughie Seaborn
2/290 Buchan Street
Westcourt Qld 4870

Australia

Email: rseaborn@ozemail.com.au