Bill Mounce

For an Informed Love of God

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Subtle difference between "have" and "get" (Matt 19:16)

This isn't going to sound like much, but much of translation is in the details, often little nuances.

The rich young man comes to Jesus and asks, "Teacher, what good deed must I do (ποιήσω ← ποιέω) to have (σχῶ ← ἔχω) eternal life?” (ESV).

At first it sounds like a good question. Shouldn't we all want to have eternal life, and shouldn't we want to know how to get there? Yet, as is often pointed out, the verb "do" betrays the core issue (along with "good thing"). He had already been keeping the ten commandments, and yet he evidently believed, as did many Jews, that one "specific act of goodness could win eternal life (Carson, citing Str-B, 1:808ff.).

But the NIV states it just a little differently to help make this clearer. While most translations use "do" (NASB, ESV, HCSB, NRSV, NLT; NET uses "gain"), the NIV uses "get." "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life."

The difference is subtle but real. The rich young ruler viewed eternal life as something to "get," and therefore stands in contrast to the little children Jesus has just held as an example of true faith. "For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”

The kingdom of God is not about getting or doing. It is about being.

By the way, Monday the CBT starts its annual week of work on the NIV, and I am sure all of us would appreciate your prayers for wisdom and strength throughout the week.

Comments

Bill, I found this quite confusing! You talk about the use of "do", ποιήσω, but then it is kept in the NIV, and not replaced by "get" (which would be odd) which is what your fourth paragraph sounds like it is saying. If I understand you correctly, I think you mean that the former translations seem to put the emphasis on the doing, and the focus on works, whereas the NIV puts the emphasis on getting and the focus on the motivation. Is that right?

What I was trying to say is that "get" seems to help the reader understand that the young ruler thought salvation was something he could "get" by doing things.