Die troue, vandag, in die Westminster Abdy, was ‘n stemmige, klassieke en perfek georganiseerde gebeurtenis. Die Engelse is meesters in klas, gee ek, wat maar skepties is oor koninklikheid en adel-ary, toe.
Rykdom, prag, praal, roem, eeue se geskiedenis, al die bekendes en befaamdes van hierdie wêreld het vandag in London saamgekom in ‘n seremonie wat ook in sy ironiese eenvoud, mooi was.
Die prediker het met ‘n aanhaling van Katariena van Siena begin en sy kernboodskap het gewys hy weet wat spiritualiteit is: hy het onderstreep dat die liefde mense transformeer tot groot hoogtes, as dit maar egte liefde is en nie manipulasie van mekaar nie.
Maar onder al die prag en praal was die eenvoud van die Skrifwoorde vir my die roerendste. Elke gedeelte uit die Skrif was ryk, gelouterd, gelaaid met betekenis in ‘n geleentheid wat ‘n mens weer laat besef het hoe spesiaal die liefde is wat mense voor God in ‘n heilige ruimte wil laat seën.
Ek kan nie verstaan hoe mense Romeine 12 so kan miskyk nie. Dit is maklik een van die aangrypendste dele in die Nuwe Testament. En toe die bruid se broer helder en mooi die gedeelte voorlees, het die woorde wat Paulus destyds geskryf het om die spiritualiteit van die Romeinse heiden-Christene te begelei, oor die eeue heen bly klink met onmiskenbare krag en impak. Watter teks.... (En, in die lyn van die blogs wat ek wil skryf oor onderskeiding van God se wil, ‘n gedeelte wat so helder daaroor skryf.)
Die Engels is uit die New Revised Standard Version. Mooi en sag op die oor. Maar wat my opval, is hoe die teks netjies vir die geleentheid “verpak” is. Die onderstreepte gedeeltes in kursief het die mense in die abdy nie gehoor nie. Iets om oor na te dink – diep na te dink. Kyk maar self wat weggelaat is. Só voel mense, moderne mense, mense met mag en roem, oor die Bybel. Mooi dankie, maar nee dankie...
Ook interessant is hoe die vertalers die gedeelte met twee opskrifte interpreteer: Die nuwe lewe en kenmerke van ‘n ware Christen! (die opskrifte is ook weggelaat).
Hier is die teks:
The New Life in Christ
12I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters,* by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual* worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world,* but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.*
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Marks of the True Christian
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ 20 No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.