Words with baggage

Thanks for the conversation, Van. Others were making valid points. Sorry to hijack your thread.

peace to you

 

We see several places in scripture where people are made "whiter than snow," or "white as snow." I wonder how non-caucasian looking people, might react to the idea that white is good or pure, but darker tones are blemished?

Should we translate such "outdated cultural depictions" as "pristine as snow?

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, and let us debate your case,”
Says the LORD,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They shall become as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be like wool.

Here the translation could read "as pristine as snow" and avoid what might be seen as Eurocentric?

Matthew 28:3
And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

Here the translation could read "as pristine as fresh snow."

The real question is whether this alteration is going too far to become all things to all people so that we may win some?

 

White as snow or whiter than snow is used to present the idea of purity not whiteness. Thus translating the intended message seems important. Ditto for when masculine words are used to convey people of either gender. Using words with baggage that might be misconstrued seems unnecessary. Snow in its fresh or just fallen state is white, but we have all seen a pile of plowed snow beside a road that is brown as mud. Thus as pristine as fresh snow conveys purity.

I guess it comes back to the idea of translating the word's meaning as determined from context, or being aware of the danger of falling into root fallacy translation. Certainly sound arguments on both sides.

 

2 Peter 2:17
These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved.

Here is another case where "black" is used to refer to that which is not good. Here the actual idea is opacity, you cannot perceive in darkness or the absence of light. That which obscures perception is translated as "darkness" in other verses, but here another word for darkness is used, so here we might go with the impairment of darkness. Ditto for Jude 1:13

 

Another word frequently used in scripture is slave or bondservant referring to those involuntarily enslaved and those who chose to be indentured for economic reasons. Rather than refer to people as slaves, suggesting a natural origin of the condition, enslaved provides clarity that the condition is artificial. So enslaved or bondservant seems better.

Mat 18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

Here the context indicates these individuals were bond-servants as they owed money to the king.

 

John 8:33 (NIV)
They answered him, “We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Here a better more inclusive choice would be "enslaved to anyone."

 

Romans 6:20 (NASB)
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in relation to righteousness.

Here a better more inclusive choice would be "enslaved to sin."