The Clear Word
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| The Clear Word | |
|---|---|
| Full name: | The Clear Word |
| Language: | English |
| Complete Bible published: | 1994 |
| Author(s): | Jack Blanco |
| Translation type: | 100% paraphrase rate, Contemporary |
| Reading Level: | ? |
| Version Revised: | 1996 |
| Publisher: | Review and Herald Publishing Association |
| Genesis 1:1-3 | |
| This earth began by an act of God. He created the heavens and the earth. The earth was only a mass of created matter floating in space, covered with a vapor garment. Everything was dark. Then the Holy Spirit hovered over the vapor, and God said, "Let there be light." And everything was bathed in light. | |
| John 3:16 | |
| For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to come here and die, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life. | |
| The Bible in English |
| Old English (pre-1066) |
| Middle English (1066-1500) |
| Early Modern English (1500-1800) |
| Modern Christian (1800-) |
| Modern Jewish (1853-) |
| Miscellaneous |
The Clear Word, originally published in March 1994 as the Clear Word Bible, is an English paraphrased version and Bible commentary. It was written as a personal devotional exercise by Dr Jack Blanco, former professor at Southern Adventist University, to be an additional study tool and devotional alongside the Bible. The paraphrase was initially published by the Southern College Press of Southern Adventist University; it is now being published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Blanco did not intend for his devotional paraphrase to be used as a reader's sole source for Biblical knowledge, public reading in churches, or in-depth study. He simply was trying to share the knowledge he gained through the years and to put the Bible in language which could be understood by the typical reader. It should also be noted that Blanco has donated all the proceeds to the Southern Adventist University Theology Department worthy student fund, thus he received no great compensation for the sales of the paraphrase.
The Clear Word is not officially endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, however, similar to other paraphrased Bibles, it has garnered criticism. It is printed in chapter-and-verse format, two columns to the page.
Contents |
[edit] History and Reception
Blanco originally wrote The Clear Word as a devotional exercise for himself. After friends and family saw what he did, they encouraged him to publish it. The New Testament was first published and readers widely received and encouraged him to do the whole Bible.
It has been reported that the The Clear Word has gained a wider use within some Adventist circles since its New Testament only printing. It was endorsed by a former President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Robert Folkenberg. It was also advertised on more than one occasion in the official Adventist magazine, Adventist Review.[1]
However, Blanco states in the preface of the book, Those who are better qualified have given readers of the Holy Scriptures excellent translations for such purposes and undoubtedly will continue to do so as additional manuscripts come to light.
[edit] Controversy and Criticism
The Clear Word has garnered criticism both internally and externally. Critics of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in general, have stated that The Clear Word distorts the meaning of the biblical text to support Adventist teachings.[2][3] For example, they state that Daniel 8:13-14 has been translated such that the Adventist doctrine of the investigative judgment is explicit.
- "How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?" He said to me, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated." (New International Version)
- "How long will God allow the little horn to try to take God's place? How much longer will God let it continue to pervert the truth about Himself and the sanctuary in heaven and allow it to persecute His people?" "After two thousand, three hundred Prophetic days (or, two thousand three hundred Years), God will step in, proclaim the truth about Himself, and restore the ministry of the sanctuary in heaven to its rightful place. This is when the judgment will begin, of which the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary was a type." (Clear Word Bible)
David Newman, editor of Ministry magazine wrote a letter expressing concerns about The Clear Word (June 28, 1994).[4]
In response to criticism, the South Pacific Division of the church released the following statement:
The Clear Word Bible is not produced, nor endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but is the private enterprise of an individual. The Adventist Church does not use the Clear Word edition, which includes passages from Ellen G. White’s writings, for its worship services and Bible studies around the world, but quotes from well known and well accepted Bible translations in the various languages. In the English language for example, the church uses the King James Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible, the New International Version, and others
– Australasian Conference Association Limited[5]
Others within the church, such as Phil Ward, have expressed criticism in two areas. One that the current publisher does not have a large enough footprint to get the Clear Word out to mainstream Christian book centers, and that the paraphrase has too much extra material in it.[6]
Blanco however indicates just that in the preface that this was done.
Chapters 11 and 12 of Daniel were a challenge. Here more interpretative freedom in the light of historical studies and related prophecies (such as found in Revelation) had to be exercised in order to make the chapters more readable and understandable. In the New Testament, I attempted to harmonize in the four gospels what at first appears to be contradictory. The more difficult passages were made clearer by allowing each gospel to inform the other three and elaborating on certain points or scenes revealed in the other gospels. Certain passages from the book of Acts, a historical narrative, were slightly expanded with insights gleaned from commentaries. The epistles of Paul were the most difficult to paraphrase.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ Folkenberg endorsement and Adventist Review advertisement, reproduced by SDAnet.org
- ^ V. Streifling. Deliberate Distortions in SDA's 'Clear Word Bible'. Retrieved on 2007-03-29.
- ^ Dale Ratzlaff and Verle Streifling. The Clear Word Bible: Is It the Word of God?. Watchman Fellowship, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.
- ^ David Newman. Letter (reproduced by SDAnet.org). Retrieved on 2007-03-29.
- ^ Do Adventists have their own edition of the Bible called the Clear Word?. South Pacific Division, Seventh-day Adventist Church. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.
- ^ Clear Word Bible:exceptional, but.... Adventist.fm. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.
- ^ Preface Condensation. South Pacific Division, Seventh-day Adventist Church. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
[edit] Notes
- Blanco, Jack (1996). The Clear Word, Paperback, Review and Herald Publishing Association. ISBN 0970011164.
[edit] External links
[edit] Critical sites
- Deliberate Distortions in SDA’s “Clear Word Bible”
- The Clear Word Bible: Is It the Word of God?
- Hebrew and Greek Expert Critiques The Clear Word—a letter from Wayne Grudem
[edit] See also
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