Page 44 - Bible Doctrine Survey I - Student Textbook (3)

response of Philein to recognize the “precious value” in something. In contrasting Philein and
Agapan, the former is a love of pleasure and the latter is a love of esteem; the former takes
pleasure in and the latter gives value to; the former delights in receiving while the latter excels
in giving. Agapan was used grudgingly by secular writers during the Greek Classical period and
use of the noun form, Agapesis, was rare. This was true, perhaps, because the human condition
did not frequently share in this type of love, plus the other three encompassed the whole
human experience (Stergein-Obligation, Eran-Passion, Philein-Affection). Here was a word,
nearly dormant, waiting for something to give it prominence, and that happened with the telling
of God's love for people through His “esteem” for us. Imputed love is that love that we did not
deserve. Agapan possessed the necessary concept to fully expound the love of God. Agapan was
made for biblical writers. Agapan is God's merciful esteem for us.

2. Sometimes the word order in one language does not match the word order in the other.

3. Each language has hundreds of idiomatic expressions which make no sense when translated. Ex.
J’ai le cafard in French, translated word for word in English = I have a cockroach. It means “I am
depressed” or “I have the blues.” Another example of an idiom is this: Morgenstund hat gold im
mund. = “Morning hours have gold in the mouth.” It is an idiomatic saying that is similar to our
English saying “The early bird catches the worm.” I.e., in translating, one must not only match
words, but must decipher meaning! You must ask the question, “What is this author really saying
and what words best express his thoughts?” This brings us to the great debate on how to translate
the Bible

The debate is over dynamic vs. formal equivalency.

Formal equivalency is the method of translating that gives as literal a translation as possible. This
perspective seeks a word-for-word translation from one language to another.

Dynamic equivalency seeks to translate the meaning from one language to another, even if this involves
sacrificing a word-for-word translation in the process.
Formal Equivalence – ex. If a Hebrew or Greek word means “to run” then literal translators rend the
word “run” in the target language instead of shuffle, amble, move, skip, prance, or stroll, because none
of these verbs convey the most literal sense of running.

Dynamic Equivalence – ex. “Wie Heissen Sie?” (How are you called?) is better translated in English,
“What’s your name?” Even though it is not translated word for word, the meaning is clearer when
translated culturally as the target language expresses the same thought.

Quickly look through the four gospels and you will find that every fourth or fifth sentence begins with
the word, AND. The authors of the Bible wrote very long sentences. For example, Eph 1:3-14 is really
one sentence in the Greek New Testament, comprised of 270 words. There is no way to read it in one
breath! You can tell how literal a translation is (formal equivalence) by looking at this passage and
counting the sentences of your translation.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 5 having foreordained us unto adoption
as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the

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