Re: The Message

From: Karen Pitts (karen_pitts@maca.sarnoff.com)
Date: Thu Dec 03 1998 - 21:48:16 EST


Re> The Message 12/4/98 9:51 AM

Hopewell Presbyerian Church, where I learned my Greek, has close ties to
Eugene Peterson, by having his son, his nephew, and his niece, either attend
our church (while in seminary) or be on our staff or both. The small group
ministry was headed until recently by his niece, so we've used The Message a
lot. I always read the passage out of the GNT, so here are the impressions
after several years of Bible study with both my GNT and The Message.

In some places, I think The Message follows the GNT very closely. It is a
paraphrase, however. My major difficulty is that in difficult or ambiguous
places, Peterson chooses one interpretation and goes with it. I must also
say, though, that many people find it more approachable and easier to
understand. Now whether that is good or bad, others could comment. A typical
comment, on hearing parallel passages from the RSV or the NRSV and the
Message, was (after hearing the Message), "Now I understand what that passage
is about". I will say that I have chosen it to give to people I want to
introduce the Bible to, but I don't use it for reading.

Just passing along what I know.

Karen Pitts
kpitts@sarnoff.com

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