Let a Man Examine Himself

I Corinthians 11:28

From the pulpit last week, I mentioned the Christian Standard Bible from Holman Publishing. I stated that I had bought one, and that it was a good translation. I did not mean to endorse it as a replacement Bible for the one you already have. It is a good, reliable translation, but we do not endorse any one translation around here. I will continue to preach from the NASV.

The reason for this is that it is a formal equivalent Bible. That means that the translators are trying to the best of their ability to translate the text word for word from the original. We do not use the NIV because it is a “dynamic equivalent” text, which means that the translators do not translate the original word into the English text, but rather try to recreate the original meaning in the modern text. This amounts, at times, to paraphrasing. The Holman translators practice what they call “Optimal Equivalence,” which tries to lie somewhere in-between the two mentioned above.

No translation is without its flaws. There is none that can be endorsed as better than the others in every respect. Our confidence is not in ink and paper, but rather in the power of God. Obedience to a flawed text is far better than disobedience to a perfect text. God has given us His Word in order to change our lives. That work must be done by a study of the text and a reliance on the life-giving Spirit that we receive at repentance.

Today, we pause from our systematic study to sit at the Lord’s table. We pause to remind ourselves of who we are and how we became who we are. In Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthians misconduct at the remembering of the Lord’s table, he gives them three commands in I Corinthians 11:28. The commands are: Examine! Eat the bread! Drink the wine!

The New American Standard text makes them sound subjunctive: “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” This translation has a very soft feel to it when, in fact, these are not suggestions, but rather commands. The Christian Standard Bible perhaps does a better job on this one: “So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” Today, we shall look at the command to “examine.” What are some of the dos and don’ts of self-examination?

When you study Scripture, you should not rely on any one version or translation. Comparison is wisdom! Sometimes, even the paraphrase may have the best grasp of the original!