Oxyrhynchus

I finished reading Eugene Peterson's writing "Eat This Book." It's one of the books I picked up two weeks ago in Dallastown, Pa., where we visited Hearts and Minds Bookstore. Eugene Peterson reads are worthy of your time. Every other line contains a morsel that you need to chew on. I especially liked what he wrote concerning Bible translations. If you didn't already know, Eugene Peterson is the writer of the paraphrase Bible, "The Message." In "Eat This Book," there's a section that deals with the 5,000 Greek words used to comprise the New Testament. Of the 5,000 words, there are 500 Greek words that aren't found in any ancient Greek writings. Why? Is it because as some scholars reasoned, the language of the New Testament is so sacred that the Holy Spirit created the 500 words? Well it turns out that only classical Greek language survived, the words used in legal documents and classical writing. That is until the garbage dump in Oxyrhynchus was discovered in 1897. In the dump, archaeologists found scraps of paper. After deciphering the words, low and behold, the 500 unknown Greek words were on paper found in the garbage dump. The conclusion? The words weren't special Holy Spirit words, but words spoken by the common, ordinary person. The Greek New Testament was designed for the common person to understand. Then Eugene Peterson goes on to talk about how the first translation of the Bible into English by William Tyndale uses English words used by the common Englishman. But then the King James Bible afterwards, decides to use flowery English words that many people even of that time didn't use. What a fascinating read! Definitely one of the best books I've read in awhile. But most important, as Eugene Peterson points out so vividly in his book, it's not just the words of the Bible on paper that's important. It's that we chew on the Words so that they make up the very core of our being. It's allowing the Spirit to nourish us so we are alive to do His bidding and to be His people.
Might you pick up the Book and eat!
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"