The Message behind "The Message"

This message is an extension of my previous message - "A New Age Translation of the Bible." This time we dwell on how the author of "The Message" delete and add to Verses of the Holy Scripture. Throughout both Old and New Testaments, God forbids us to distort His Word. Additions and deletions are strictly forbidden in Scriptures.

Here are some examples:

1. "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you" (Deut. 4:2, NKJV).

2. "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deut. 12:32).

3. "Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:6).

4. "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8, 9).

5. The Book of Revelation ends with a warning - "For I testify to everone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone addes to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev. 22:18, 19, NKJV).

It is true that "adding and taking away of the words of prophecy" refers to the Book of Revelation and not the entire Bible. But, as seen from the points given above, the general principle is obvious that no man has the right to change any part of a revelation which God makes to man; to presume to add to it, or to take from it, or in any way to modify it.

The Author of "The Message" - His accountability or the lack of it

Paul said: "But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:2, NKJV).

Eugene Peterson's interpretation of the above Verse, appears in "The Message," is:

"We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God."

While the above Verse corresponds to the original Greek, many other passages (as pointed out in my previous message), do just what "The Message promises not to do - to twist God's Word to suit human inclinations. In fact, referring to the next two Verses, ironically, Peterson failed his own test!

"But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, less the light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Cor. 4:3, 4, NKJV).

It doesn't take a Greek scholar to recognize the appalling distortions of God's Holy Word. Any Bible student willing to compare Peterson's "The Message" with a Greek/English interlinear Lexicon and take time to look up key words in a credible New Testament Bible dictionary will discover alarming deletions, distortions and additions to the original text. If Peterson is right, then all our other Bibles - KJB, NASV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, NKJV and the Amplified Bible etc are false!

In this message I choose to use the New American Standard Version (NASV), New King James Version (NKJV) and the NIV - not because only these three Versions are closer to the the original Hebrews and Greek languages. I am just got used to these Version, that's all.

The following are some of the distortions, deletions, substitutions and additions found in "The Message."

"The Message" deletes the reference to God's Name

"The Message" says - "Our father in heaven, reveal who you are. Set the world right; do what is best - As above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You're in charge" (Matt. 6:9 - 13, emphasis added).

The NASV says - "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen]" (Emphasis added).

"The Message" deletes the reference to God's Holy Name, and does not honor (or hallow) His Name. It Adds requests not voiced by Jesus and it changes the meaning of other verses.

"The Message" distorts the relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son

1. "The Message" says - "I and the Father are one heart and mind" (John 10:30).

The NASV says - "I and the Father are one."

2. "The Message" says - "The Father is the goal and purpose of my life" (John 14:28).

The NASV says - "... for the Father is greater than I."

"The Message" deletes words that imply occult spirituality

"The Message" says - "... as times goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars" (1 Tim. 4:1, emphasis added).

The NASV says - "... in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, ..." (Emphasis added).

We are not just dealing with "illusions." "Deceitful spirit" and timeless "doctrines of demons" are far more effective in deceiving people than "illusions" and "professional liars."

"The Message" deletes "the prince of the power of the air"

"The Message" says - "It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat" (Eph. 2:1 - 3).

The NASV says - "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powere of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" (Emphasis added).

"The prince of the power of the air" is none other than Satan, who is a powerful "prince."

"The Message" minimizes the consequences of sin

"The Message" says - "The Anarchrist's coming is all Satan's work. All his power and signs and miracles are fake, evil sleight of hand that plays to the gallery of those who hate the truth that could save them. And since they're so obsessed with evil, God rubs their noses in it - gives them what they want. Since they refuse to trust the truth, they're banished to their chosen world of lies and illusions" (2 Thess. 2:9, 10).

The NASV says - "... that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved."

Peterson's tendency to delete the supernatural and minimize the consequences of sin reminds me of Romans 1:18 which says: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." Someone said that this Verse speaks about Peterson himself!

"The Message" deletes references to sinful nature

"The Message" says - "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religions; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence of love or to be loved ... ugly parodies of community. I could go on" (Gal. 5:19 - 21, emphasis added).

The NIV says - "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and withchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Emphasis added).

Idolatry and witchcraft are not the same as "trinket gods" and "magic-show religions!" We are dealing with evil spiritual forces far greater than magical illusions!

"The Message" deletes reference to "obedience" and to "the grace of our Lord Jesus"

"The Message" says - "And so while there has never been any question about your honesty in this matter - I couldn't be more proud of you! - I wnat you also to be smart, making sure every "good" thing is the real thing. Don't be gullible in regard to smooth-talking evil. Stay alert like this, and before you know it the God of peace will come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt. Enjoy the best of Jesus" (Romans 16:19 - 21)!

The NIV says - "Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I wnat you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet! The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you" (Emphasis added).

"The Message" deletes reference to "submission" and adds "marital equality"

"The Message" says - "The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, reponsive to their needs ... 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 ..." (1 Peter 3:1, 7, emphasis added).

The NIV says - "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands ... 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, ..." (Emphasis added).

"The Message" has misleading emphasis

"The Message" says - "Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it's written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whaterver he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we'll be a choir ... our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God ..." (Romans 15:4, 5, emphasis added).

The NIV says - "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of your Lord Jesus Christ" (Emphasis added).

In "The Message" there is no mention of endurance and hope - which implies triumph in the midst of suffering, as we remain confident that God will do all He has promised. In the light of Peterson's tendency to minimize the disciplining side of God, his emphasis on a warm, feel-good God seems to distort God's revelation of Himself. Noteice, "follow Christ Jesus" is replaced by a Jesus who "gets along with us."

"The Message" adds a promise not found in the original Greek

"The Message" says - "Do you think anyone is going to be able 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, bot bullying threat, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed Scripture" (Romans 8:35 - 37, emphasis added).

The NIV says - "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Emphasis added).

The above seems consitent with Peterson's refusal to mention those "worse sins" and "sinful nature" in the various New Testament lists of expressions.

Peterson's message behind "The Message"

As true Christians, we are called to "examine Scriptures" and to test our leaders as did the Bereans (Acts 17:11). Our ability to exercise this kind of discernment comes from the Holy Spirit.

Paul said: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God" (2 Cor. 3:5, NKJV, emphasis added).

Sad to say, Peterson deleted this wornderful promis of God - He is our sufficiency.

If Peterson's "The Message" is accepted as Biblical truth, then you can find three distortions of the teachings of New Testament - That is his message behind "The Message."

1. Since God is love, He wouldn't be so cruel as to cause someone to suffer, perish or burn in hell. So don't mention Biblical consequences or punishment.

2. Since God forgives, don't be too concerned about specific sins such as homosexuality or adultery. Jesus wouldn't want you to offend someone.

3. Since God is tolerant, don't correct others. Be tolerant of all.