[B-Greek] MATTHEW 28:19
Bill Yates
bill.yates at tesco.net
Thu Dec 7 15:28:17 EST 2006
I have just subscribed to B-Greek so apologies if this query is misdirected. I couldn't find any link to a Discussion Forum.
Matt 28:19 has the phrase, "baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
My query concerns the Greek phrase in the Greek NT, 'EIS TO ONOMA'
This clearly means 'into the name....' However, I can find no English translation of the Bible which uses this translation: they all state 'IN the name'
I can find no rationale for this as 'EV TW ONOMATI' would be what I would expect to see. Is it, perhaps, because the Vulgate translates the phrase as 'in nomine Patris' and this has just been repeated in all the English translations?
My query is based on the fact that the two English versions seem fundamentally different. In the name of suggests 'with the authority of' as, for example, 'I command you in the name of the President of the United States'.
Into, however, seems to suggests baptizing INTO the family of the Trinity. In the same way as a bridegroom invites his bride into the name of his family when they marry.
So the query has two parts, really. Why is a fairly straightforward Greek phrase been so consistently translated 'incorrectly' into English? I understand that translation requires some degree of flexibility when a literal translation would not correctly portray the English meaning - but this does not seem to apply here.
The second part is the theological importance of the differences in the translation given in English Bibles.
Yours sincerely
Bill Yates
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list