Following Jesus

Christians And Tattoos

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Over the last couple of decades there has been an explosion of body decoration such as tattoos, piercings and much more.
With so many people getting tattoos, the question arises of whether tattoos are acceptable for christians.
The short answer is that it is complicated. Personally I think christians shouldn’t get tattoos for reasons I will go into below but there is no clear Biblical ban on tattooing. For that reason, I am not going to condemn anybody with a tattoo, but I think we need to exercise caution.
There is also a distinction between a man who gets tattoos of the names of children that he in not allowed to see, and someone covered in demonic representations. Many grey areas exist.

Scriptures About Tattoos

Leviticus 19:28 says this: “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord.” That seems pretty definitive.
If you look at the previous verse, it says: “Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards.” That means that to be consistent, christian men who are opposed to tattoos should not shave.
I believe that Leviticus 19:28 relates to practices in some of the cultures around Israel in which cutting the flesh and inking the skin were part of the worship of their false gods. In that sense it is a cultural issue rather than a spiritual issue.
Apart from this single verse in Leviticus there is no single verse prohibiting tattoos, so let us look at some principles.

Occultic Context of Tattoos


There is a strong connection between tattoos and the occult. If you look at the tattoos carried by many people or the catalogues of tattoo artists, you will find many representations of satan or demons. The culture is to say the least “dark,” if not demonic.
Even some of the seemingly innocent or even “pretty” pictures can carry a demonic message.
Take the harmless image below:

We are told that it is a symbol of the strong, independent woman. The graphic is meant to represent the female reproductive organs.
It is called a succubus, which in medieval theology represented a demon that sought sexual relationships with men to corrupt and captivate them into spiritual bondage. Here is what a web-site dedicated to tattoo culture says:

A popular design among women, the meaning behind a succubus tattoo is to embrace the dark and misunderstood parts of oneself.

Their power comes from their demonic and erotic nature, and usually in most tales they were either portrayed as female demons who sucked the life out of men or angels who tempted mortals with beauty so they could destroy them by distracting them from their faith.

https://mytatouage.com/succubus-tattoo-meaning-and-symbolism/

Other examples of succubus tattoos are:

Why would any christian, a child of God, want a representation of demons on their body?

Drawing Attention To Self


For many people, the intention of getting tattoos is to draw attention to themselves. While individuals may deny that this is their intention, the reality is that they want to be noticed. A person might say “I just like the way it looks,” but this is just begging the question of why they want it on their skin. Why not just print it and hang it on their wall?
In an era when many people feel insignificant and lost in the crowd of anonymity in the city, a tattoo might make a person feel different or unique. We want people to notice us because their attention gives us some significance, no matter how fleeting.
As christians, we are not supposed to draw attention to ourselves. Our lives are supposed to be about honouring Jesus, not seeking honour for ourselves.
While tattoos were not an issue for the early church, how people adorned themselves, particularly women, was an issue. The cultural drive to be accepted and noticed was there as much as it is now.

In 1 Peter 3:3-5 we read:

The application of this passage is that God wants us all, men and women, to be focused on letting the inner beauty of our spirit be what people see rather than the outward appearance. We make ourselves beautiful by surrendering to God, trusting in him and relating to our spouse and other family members in a way that glorifies the Lord.


Wise Stewardship of Money

A small tattoo typically costs $300 while a sleeve might cost up to $6000, according to a web site that compares prices in different cities in Australia.
We live in a wealthy society, and for many people these are not big costs. Why not indulge ourselves?
Christians are not owners of money, they are stewards or managers of God’s money. The cost of that small tattoo might have sponsored a Compassion child for half a year, helped to feed a homeless person or met some other worthy need.
When Jesus said “You will always have the poor among you,” he did not say, “so go and use that money on a cool tatt.” He concluded the statement with “but you will not always have me” (Matthew 26:11).
Our responsibility is to ensure that our limited resources are to be used to glorify Jesus.
This does not mean that God does not want us to spend money on fun or frivolous things. We need to remember that whatever we own is not just for us to use as we want.

Conclusion

There is no condemnation for christians who have tattoos, and there should be no judgement either.
There is no black and white answer to the question “Should I get a tattoo?”
Because there is a measure of freedom in this area, christians should pray sincerely seeking the will of the Lord before they make any decisions. They should ask the Holy Spirit to search their hearts, and be very discerning about the spiritual dimensions of marking their bodies with potentially demonic images.

Rain

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Rozina Mison

January 27th 2023

Rain is a symbol of my cleansing the land. I also long to cleanse hearts – open yourselves up to me and to each other that my cleansing work may reign.

To come to a place of one heart and one mind, you must deal with conflict. I do not want different things; I am single minded, and you should all seek my way, not your own way. You must listen to each other, listen being prepared to change your view, being prepared to give ground. Most things are not important.

Evil must come to the light to be dealt with.

Do you want to be cleansed? It is more comfortable to be dry and so we stay out of the rain. Choose the cleansing rain; choose to run in it, to rejoice in it, to let my Spirit fo His work in it.

Joseph Mattera- 7 Forms of Functional Cessationism

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

From “Charisma” magazine:

 

#222222;font-family: sans-serif">7 Forms of Functional Cessationism Joseph Mattera — 8 minutes

stock.adobe.com

In this article, cessationism refers to the doctrine, practice or belief that the ascension ministry gifts and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit ceased with the early church and do not function in the present church age (Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12: 4-11).

The charismatic and Pentecostal world believes in all the gifts of the spirit and in hearing God’s voice. Various terms are used to describe these manifestations: “revelation” and “illumination.” On the other hand, there are evangelical rationalists, who are, in function and theology, “cessationists.” Whether Pentecostal or a non-charismatic evangelical, you may be a functional cessationist if you don’t practice or experience divine spiritual phenomena. The term “evangelical rationalist” describes a person who believes in all the cardinal truths of the Scriptures but denies the practice of certain manifestations of Holy Spirit phenomena in the contemporary church (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

These believers “demystify” the Scriptures and have an enlightenment framework in which all biblical truth is verified through the grid of their rational minds and understanding. Of course, as true Christians, they are inconsistent in their anti-supernatural view. This is because salvation itself, the point of translation for every believer, hinges on faith and the profession of the Lordship of Christ and His historical and supernatural resurrection. This results in a supernatural conversion experience (Rom. 10:9-10; 2 Cor. 5:17).

The following are seven types of functional Cessationists:

1. Cessationism Regarding Ephesians 4:11 Ministry Gifts – Whether you or your denomination classify as charismatic, if there exists no belief in or embrace of the practical function of the ministry gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11, then you or they are cessationists concerning these.

2. Cessationism Regarding Hearing the Voice of God – If you do not believe that God can subjectively communicate to you outside of the written Word of God or that He has ceased doing so since the completion of the canon of Scripture, you are a cessationist. Whether you describe divine communication as an “illumination,” (God impressing something upon your heart), or a “revelation,” (God speaking to you), it is all the same experience.

Evangelical rationalists take Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 13:10 to mean the completion of the canon of Scripture. (The 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament). Thus, when somebody claims “God spoke to them,” rationalists believe it is adding to the Word of God or the final canon of Scripture. (They use Revelation 22:18-19 to support their argument.)

They believe this, even though a proper exegesis of 1 Corinthians 13:10 shows that Paul was not talking about the final canon of Scripture but rather was referring to the saints seeing Jesus “face to face” in heaven. (1 Cor. 13:12; 1 John 3:2).

Furthermore, in the context of this verse, Paul said he would “know fully even as he was fully known.” Since he died before the book of Revelation was written, he could not have been speaking about canon completion but rather he was referring to going to heaven. In addition, the context of 1 Corinthians 13:10 also shows that “knowledge” will pass away, not just tongues and prophecies. Do any of these evangelical rationalists genuinely believe that our present-day need for “knowledge” no longer exists?

3. Cessationism Regarding the Gift of Prophecy – Doctrinally, Pentecostals and charismatics claim they believe in the gift of prophecy. (First Corinthians 14:31 says that “all may prophesy” so that the church may be edified. You can also see 1 Corinthians 14:4).

However, if members in such Pentecostal and charismatic churches never practice this gift in their gatherings, it is reasonable to classify them as functionally cessationist toward prophecy.

4. Cessationism Regarding the Practice of Glossolalia – Many leaders in the Pentecostal movement say that some of their young pastors and members in their contemporary churches do not practice “speaking in tongues” for personal edification (1 Cor. 14:2-4). Those who don’t pursue, receive and practice this spiritual gift, aside from the Pentecostal classification, are functionally cessationists (1 Cor. 14:18, 1 Cor. 39-40).

5. Cessationism Regarding Divine Healing – The Gospels and New Testament writings encourage believers to pray for the sick by faith for supernatural healing (Mark 16:15-18; Luke 10:1-9; John 14:12; James 5:13-15; Acts). Despite this New Testament chronicled practice, many Pentecostals and charismatics rarely pray effectively for the sick. Consequently, they are functional cessationists when it comes to divine healing.

6. Cessationism Regarding the Expelling of Demons – Jesus made it clear that believers have authority over demons in His name. (Luke 10:17-20; James 4:7). Despite this, many charismatic Pentecostal believers are spooked out when casting demons out of people. This practice, sometimes called “deliverance,” should not be the special unique calling of any one person or church, but should be part of the spiritual arsenal of all believers as the need arises. Setting the captives free is one of the essentials of the Gospel (Luke 4:18). In this area, those who never engage in the expelling of demons are functional cessationists.

7. Cessationism Regarding Experiential Hermeneutics – Being trained in the historical/grammatical method of biblical interpretation enables me to properly discover the author’s original intent when they were inspired to write the sacred, canonical text. However, if the Holy Spirit is not allowed to give further insight into the practical application and understanding of the Scriptures, this would be a form of hermeneutical cessationism. After all, the Holy Spirit has come to guide us into all truth and is our primary Teacher (John 14:26, 1 John 2:27). For more recommended reading on this subject, refer to Dr. Craig Keener’s book, “Spirit Hermeneutics.”

In conclusion, my prayerful aim is to encourage all believers, irrespective of their classification, to pursue and allow the fullness of the Holy Spirit to flow through their lives, and in their local church so that all may become more effective witnesses of Christ (Acts 1:8). Examine the Scriptures and be bold as you respond to apostolic instruction (1 Cor. 14:1). Pursue, love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.

 

Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally-known author, consultant and theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of Resurrection Church, and leads several organizations, including The U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition. Dr. Mattera is the author of 13 bestselling books, including his latest “The Purpose, Power and Process of Prophetic Ministry,” and is renowned for applying Scripture to contemporary culture.

Choose Happiness

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

This week I had to travel 400 km each way to see a specialist doctor. For some time, I have had a problem with the ring finger on my right hand. For some months it would trigger at random, and it might take several minutes of massaging my hand to release it. A few months ago, it stopped triggering, but now I could not close it or the adjacent fingers, and often it was sore unless I held it at exactly the right angle. None of this was hugely problematic as I am left handed, but it is amazing the number of things you use your non-dominant hand for.

Before Christmas, I saw my GP who referred me to a very good hand specialist who is based in Newcastle. I obtained an appointment for 4 pm yesterday.

A minor complication was that a week ago, the electricity suppliers had notified us that the power would be off at home and at the church all day from 8 am. On a hot day with no air conditioning, the fridges might have struggled. Margaret emptied the freezers of the vulnerable stuff that must not be thawed and refrozen, and put them into No. 6, the residence the church owns that is currently devoid of tenants. By 9.30 am the power had not gone off, so Margaret rang Essential Energy. They told her that the contractors had cancelled the outage, but had only just notified them. Margaret told the representative that we are running a business and we need timely information about such things. Tim had been hanging around ready to start a generator to keep the IT gear running, but had basically wasted his time.

So off we went to Newcastle. We found our way to John Hunter Hospital and to the Medical Specialists suite. The doctor was running about 20 minutes late. I saw him for about 10 minutes (15 would be a generous estimate), in which he decided that the best treatment option was a cortisone injection, and maybe surgery as a next step if necessary.

I discovered just how painful cortisone injections are. By the time he was done, I was sweating profusely and quite close to entering shock. It was no fun at all. The finger remained sore for over an hour, but it eventually got better.

Then came the really painful part- paying for the doctor. $300 for 10 minutes work in a round trip of 800 km, taking 12 hours. I really don’t ever complain about the fees doctors, especially specialists, charge. Their knowledge and skills are beyond monetary prices.

As we travelled home, I had a choice to make. I could focus on the negatives of the experience, which is my old nature.

Alternatively I could choose to thank God for all the blessings.-

  • We do have good access to quality medical care in Australia even when we have to travel big distances to get it.
  • We own a car that travels well and in comfort- praise God for air conditioning!
  • We have roads that allow speedy travel
  • We have the resources to both finance the trip and the doctor’s fee
  • There are good services along the way- food, coffee and toilets
  • I didn’t have to have surgery. I have to check in with the doctor in 6 weeks to let him know how I am progressing, but the injection may be sufficient
  • The weather was warm but beautiful
  • We have a quality electricity supply, despite the best intentions of politicians to wreck it. Generally it is there 24/7, whenever you need it.
  • I had Margaret to share the driving with me. That first couple of hours after the injection might have been uncomfortable for driving
  • God kept us safe from inconsiderate and foolish drivers and from wildlife
  • Despite our advancing years, Margaret and I enjoy good health.

We can all choose to be happy or grumpy in every situation. We can focus on the inconveniences or on the blessings.

I am writing this on Australia Day, when the professional grievance mongers come out to whinge. These are people who generally are tertiary trained (I was going to write “university educated”, but these days universities are about indoctrination rather than education), have well-paid government funded jobs and they tell us how bad it is to be “indigenous” (used to be “aboriginal” but that changed a few years back), how their people are suffering from institutionalised racism and the genocides by white people back in the past.

But I know many indigenous people who are happy and productive. They see the progress that has been made in recent decades to challenge racism, the attempts to overcome the disadvantages of aboriginal communities in remote places, the educational and employment opportunities that abound for people of indigenous ancestry, and the benefits of living in a modern nation.

We can all focus on the good and the bad. The choice for joy or bitterness lies with us.

Gym Memberships And Other Failed Resolutions

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Gym owners love this time of the year, I an told. So many people take out yearly memberships in January to fulfil a New Years Resolution “to get fit this year.” Add that to the people who thoughtfully buy memberships as Christmas gifts, and it’s a golden time for the gyms.

Then, the story goes, by the end of February 90% of the people with these brand new gym memberships and good intentions just stop showing up.

It’s like that with most of our resolutions and intentions to become better people. Whether it’s losing weight, giving up smoking or drinking less, it is really hard to change our behaviours and habits. It is as if we become prisoners of our own choices.

In the Bible, the apostle Paul puts it this way: “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.”

We know what we should do, but often it is really hard to do, and we end up doing the wrong thing. Even with the best will, we find it hard to resist temptation, and we give in to doing the wrong thing, even when we know we shouldn’t be doing it.

Paul goes on to says this: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

The way out of these addictions to doing the wrong thing is to surrender them to Jesus, and ask Him to change you. Change comes from the inside and flows out to our actions not the other way around.

Now, where’s that gym card. I might just give it a go.

The Power Of Tongues

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

The power of tongues is this: it helps your spirit ta[p into the flow of the Holy Spirit. The idea of “flow” is important here. You are continually getting the “flow” of :

  • your cognitive thoughts
  • your emotions
  • Holy Spirit
  • the world
  • satan and demonic spirits

Like a social media feed, these things are scrolling past you in a constant stream.

You can be overwhelmed by this kaleidoscope of impression on your spirit.

Stop the scroll! Turn to Me. Filter out everything but My Spirit.

In quietness and meditation is your strength.

When you speak in tongues, it filters out satan and the world. When you listen to Me, it filters out your own thoughts.

There is power in verbal spoken out prayer. There is power also in praying in tongues.

There is amazing power in listening to My voice.

Hear me. Listen to Me.

Finding Jesus While Listening to Pink Floyd

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

From godreports.com

In Air Force barracks, he heard about Jesus while listening to Pink Floyd

0
4
 
Caught ya. A friend snaps Charlie Forman’s photo in the Air Force in the Philippines when the airman was unprepared.

By Michael Ashcraft –

In high school, Charlie Forman was a chanting Buddhist. Then he took LSD, read Carlos Castaneda and hoped to meet a Yaqui Indian witchcraft guide. But because he was high or drunk every day, he joined the Air Force to clean up his act.

“Nothing really worked,” he says.

Stationed at a radar site in the Philippines, he fell back into partying. “A lot of the officers partied like we did. I got in trouble; there were some drugs in my car.”

When he returned Stateside to Nellis Air Force Base, he was supposed to report to the Social Action of the Air Force to continue his rehabilitation. But his records took forever to catch up to him, and he didn’t mind because he didn’t want to be known as a dopehead.

What he did do was work hard and steer clear of drugs and alcohol. He wanted to go straight “but life was so boring. There was no purpose,” he says.

Ever since his mom died of cancer when he was seven-years-old, Charlie was on a quest to find the meaning of life. One thing he knew for sure, “it wasn’t Christianity. It was something mystical, maybe Transcendental Meditation.”

That’s when a man came into his barracks and shared his testimony.

“I was listening to Pink Floyd, “Charlie recalls. “I wasn’t really interested. This guy started talking and was fighting with the noise, so he asked if could turn it down. He seemed like a nice guy, so I turned it off. And listened. I really related to him. He had gone through similar experiences like me.”

He accepted Jesus.

“It was incredible. I felt like I was high. I had joy and peace. Immediately I was delivered from the drugs. Whereas before I had tried to quit and fell back, I was completely delivered. I had no interest in drugs. I was sauced on Jesus.”

In the Air Force, he was given the job of keeping and clarifying bombing range scheduling for pilots, a job that required three telephone calls a day “if it was a busy day.” The rest of the time, he read his bible voraciously.

But when he married his Filipina girlfriend and brought her to the United States while he was still in the Air Force, things went sour. At first, she got “truly and wonderfully saved. God just whacked her,” Charlie says.

“But she held on to a lot of things from Catholicism. She would not let go of the idea that you shouldn’t be fanatical about God, and she was insanely jealous,” Charlie says.

 

 

Read the rest of charlie’s story here

Wow! That’s A Long way!

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

In 2022 I rode nearly 6,000 km, my biggest year on the bike ever.

This is about 1 1/2 times the road distance from Sydney to Perth.

Two lessons from this:

  1. A little bit most days adds up over a year, even a life time. Read a chapter of the Bible each day, pray for half an hour, whatever it is repeated actions mount up.
  2. Doing something that you love is never a burden. I love my wife, I love serving the Lord, and so i find these things not burdensome. That’s not to say it is always easy or “fun”, but the joy in the process is greater than the pain.

Orthodox Rabbis Issue Call For New Look At Jesus

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

From blog.canberradeclaration.org.au :

rabbis

Rabbis Bring Jesus Home for Christmas

#265cb2;margin: 0px;flex-grow: 0;padding: 0px;--fontsize: 16;--minfontsize: 16">Guest Writer

6 JANUARY 2023

2.8 MINS

We’re witnessing the undoing of 2,000 years of Jewish rejection and animosity towards Jesus, a miracle by any estimation.

By David Lazarus, Israel Today

More than 25 prominent rabbis from Israel and abroad issued a statement calling for a renewed look at Jesus, Christians and the New Testament faith.

Quoting from their own sages, these outstanding Orthodox rabbis are not ashamed to exalt the name of Jesus, welcoming the carpenter from Nazareth back into the Jewish fold.

“Jesus brought a double goodness to the world,” declared the group of well-known rabbis.  “On the one hand he strengthened the Torah of Moses majestically… and not one of our Sages spoke out more emphatically concerning the immutability of the Torah.” At the same time “he removed idols from the nations.”

Saying that Jesus, even more than any other Jewish Sage, honoured, strengthened and protected the “immutability of the Torah” is an extraordinary acknowledgement. These leading rabbis are turning the tides of history by removing one of the main stumbling blocks in the path of a major Jewish reclamation of Jesus!

#212121;margin-top: var(--h4_typography-margin-top);margin-bottom: 10px;--fontsize: 22;--minfontsize: 22">Undoing the Mischaracterisation of Jesus

You will recall that religious Jews rejected Jesus from the beginning, with the accusation that he did not obey the Torah, therefore he could not be the awaited Messiah. In the New Testament, we find the Pharisees arguing with Jesus over Sabbath rules, dietary laws, ritual cleanliness, marriage regulations and more. They insisted that Jesus cannot be the Messiah because “he is teaching everywhere not to obey Moses.” (Acts 6:14)

What we are now witnessing is the undoing of 2,000 years of Jewish rejection and animosity towards Jesus, a miracle by any estimation. For the out-and-out refusal by Jews to accept Jesus is slowly, but surely, coming to an end, as growing numbers of prestigious Orthodox rabbis welcome Jesus back.

#212121;margin-top: var(--h4_typography-margin-top);margin-bottom: 10px;--fontsize: 22;--minfontsize: 22">Jews and Christians United

And there is more. “After nearly two millennia of mutual hostility and alienation, we Orthodox Rabbis who lead communities, institutions and seminaries in Israel, the United States and Europe… seek to do the will of our Father in Heaven by accepting the hand offered to us by our Christian brothers and sisters,” reads the statement written in December approaching Christmas some years ago.

Two thousand years of Christian antisemitism, Crusades, Inquisitions and a Holocaust cannot keep the Star of Bethlehem from rising again in Israel.

This call by these distinguished rabbis to embrace Christians as “brothers and sisters” is no less a miracle. For Jews to accept Christians with such endearment, after so much misunderstanding and antisemitic ugliness, can only be understood as a divine work of heavenly grace, the likes of which I find unfathomable.

For as this group of Orthodox rabbis points out, it is their “Father in Heaven” who is calling the Jewish people to lay down the past, put aside enmity, and willingly embrace Christians and their faith in Jesus.

That, my friends, is the deeper work of the Holy Spirit, as spoken about throughout Scripture.

#212121;margin-top: var(--h4_typography-margin-top);margin-bottom: 10px;--fontsize: 22;--minfontsize: 22">Spiritual Breakthrough

As Rabbi Dr Eugene Korn, Academic Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding & Cooperation, points out, “This proclamation’s breakthrough is that influential Orthodox rabbis across all centers of Jewish life have finally acknowledged that…  Christianity and Judaism have much in common spiritually and practically. Given our toxic history, this is unprecedented in Orthodoxy.”

In their statement, the rabbis want to find a way to acknowledge the differences between Christian and Jewish beliefs, without taking, or giving, offense.

“As did Maimonides and Yehudah Halevi, we acknowledge that Christianity is neither an accident nor an error, but the willed divine outcome and gift to the nations. In separating Judaism and Christianity, G-d willed a separation between partners with significant theological differences, not a separation between enemies,” the statement concludes.

#212121;margin-top: var(--h4_typography-margin-top);margin-bottom: 10px;--fontsize: 22;--minfontsize: 22">Where Does Yeshua Fit in Judaism?

These so-called “significant theological differences” between Christianity and Judaism are really about Yeshua (Jesus). He is the stumbling block.

Yeshua may be Messiah, Son of the Living God for the Gentiles, but my Jewish people are still not quite sure just who he is for them.

So while these rabbis are making major and unprecedented strides in bringing my people closer to the Messiah Yeshua, they are still far from the truth. For if Jesus is the Messiah for the Gentiles, how much more must He be for the Jews?

Perhaps Jesus is not quite at home in the typical Jewish family, but He is certainly knocking on the door.

 

The Magi

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

The Magi, or Wise Men, are mysterious characters in the Christmas Story. We don’t know exactly where they came from, although Babylonia is a strong character, and we don’t know exactly how many of them there were, or even when they turned up in Bethlehem.

I was preaching abut this last Sunday as recorded in Matthew 2:1-12.

As I read the passage in church, I was struck by the NLT rendering of v. 1:

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

Over recent years, it has been common to point out that the Magi could have taken up to 2 years to come and worship Jesus. This is based on a number of factors, including the word for “child”, the fact that the family was now in a house, not a stable, and Herod’s order to kill babies under the age of 2 years. Herod was a ruthless character who was not afraid of killing potential rivals, so the age of the babies being killed would have been arbitrary.

But then the NLT says this happened “About that time” i.e. close to the time of Jesus’ birth. What’s happening here?

Short answer is it is a poor translation choice. Most of the English translations, as well as the original Greek text, do not use this. For example the NIV has “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem…”

No translation of Scripture is perfect. We are blessed to have such an abundance of translations in English, and they mostly do a good job of making the Bible accessible to people of all reading, education and cultural backgrounds. I love the NLT as an easy to understand translation, but they got this phrase wrong.

The lesson here is never build a doctrine on a single phrase, a single verse, a single translation.