Please be advised that the section of commentary on the third chapter will be available in December. The bishop is currently overseeing another project at this time and will begin posting to this site again in December.
Thank you,
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Translation and commentary by Bishop Tomas Martin, OPD. All copy rights reserved to the author. Written permission of the author is required for any copying or republishing of the text of this blog. Permission is extended to provide a link to the blog from other sites.
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Preface and Introduction to the Translation
Dear Reader,
The work I will present in this little blog has truly been the work of my life. For thirty-three earthy years I have endeavored to live a life worthy of God. I have tried my best to become what God desires. Though I have missed the mark on occasion I have used all my strength to remain on the path drawn by God, no matter how painful or difficult that path has been. As an honest One on the path toward God and home I have found that my greatest sorrow is, in all truth, indescribable in English words. There have been many other sorrows that I have encountered along this journey. One poignant pain is the pain caused by words or more precisely by the misuse and misunderstanding of words.
I believe that much suffering is related to the misuse or misunderstanding of words. Which is why (not considering economics and finance, but true mathematics only) numbers are not likely to cause wars, however words have caused the bloodiest wars in history. Many of them fought, sadly, in the name of God. Considering that the Christian world considers Jesus to be God’s own Word, I believe I have a duty to make what contribution I can to the world related to this essential Word called Jesus.
For more than a decade now I have been involved in public ministry. I have been teaching “religion” in some capacity since 1994. I have ministered mostly in the Catholic tradition. I was raised as a Catholic. I was ordained and eventually consecrated as a bishop in the traditional (but independent of Rome) Catholic rite. That being said, what I present here I do as a son of God and not as a representative of any denominational or ecclesial body. It is not my intention to offend any divinely inspired doctrine. Certainly I have stated above that words are responsible for wars and pain. My words in this little blog are not intended to cause war or pain. The words I present here are offered to open up for you the same little path that was opened to me…what I have come to call the little path of Light.
Some time ago I was offered the opportunity to take a certain journey. I knew this journey would be difficult. I knew I would have few who would understand me as I walked this journey. I knew that as I grew in age and wisdom it was possible that any prematurely spoken words could cause division and conflict. I knew that I would suffer greatly for a little while, but I also knew that if I could persevere I would be blessed with abundant, eternal life in God’s Light and I could help to bring many more to the abundant Light that is life.
I can say with all certainty that I have arrived at a place of great peace knowing my Father and knowing the Son in a personal and intimate way. My goal is to give you what I have so that you too can discover the Father and the Son through the breath of the Spirit. Over my lifetime I have found that the most useful tool for discovering the Father is one’s own personal Gospel, preached to us by divinely inspired events of our own lives. God’s Light approaches each of us in a unique way. So, we can learn to discover that unique way rather than try to “fit” ourselves into any other person’s or organization’s way.
That having been said, it can be difficult to find common enough verbal ground to share our spiritual experiences with others. This can be why the spiritual journey is often described as a solitary one. A dilemma occurs in the spiritual journey because human beings are social in nature, yet (what is arguably the most important task for many people, namely developing) the spiritual life must be approached alone.
It seems that the Gospel of Jesus has become for countless humans the cipher of the common language of the spirit. Therefore, I think it profitable to explore this Gospel in order to make it more accessible to the common human. A Gospel that should bring peace and universal communion has often been the source and inspiration for war and division.
While still very young I became concerned with the discrepancies of certain scripture translations. As a young catechism teacher of children and eventually as an ordained faith formation teacher of adults, I was often confronted by the inspired questions of the students concerning the obscurity of certain texts in the scripture and the apparent errors in certain versions and translations. When I realized that I was not particularly equipped to answer some of the more mundane questions concerning the apparent confusion of the scripture regarding translation errors, I began to investigate the phenomenon.
I will tell you that at first, the discoveries I made were shocking to me. My faith was surely tested. Because I knew that it might not be feasible to engage in a study that would be a total translation of the entire recorded scripture, I asked myself the question: “If you have to choose to present only one document from the scripture in as precise a way possible, what document is best able to lead others to Truth?” My answer was definite and immediate: The Gospel of John. The Gospel of the beloved disciple is certainly tuned to the frequency of my heart. It resonates with my spirit in a way I can hardly describe. So I decided that I would set out to translate the Gospel of John into a precise as possible English language version.
I began my study by exploring the primary texts used in translating the Gospel into English. Certainly I went first to the Greek and Latin sources thinking them to be the earliest. In my study I discovered the Aramaic Peshitta, a text that predates the others. I also realized right away that if I didn’t have a working understanding of Hebrew that my study would be lacking. So, I began to discover the letters of the Hebrew and Aramaic alephbet and these letters put me on the path of finding so much more than I ever expected to find in my work on the Gospel.
As I became exposed to the Hebrew I was exposed to the book of Genesis in Hebrew which led to a necessary digression at the start of my study. I will tell you that it is my intention to publish a translation and commentary on the creation account of Genesis after I present the full Gospel of John. Encountering the creation told in Genesis in the Hebrew (and then actively seeking out the meaning of the Hebrew letters and language) opened my eyes to a deeper spiritual truth than I had ever expected. I believe that my understanding of the Gospel of John would be lacking had I not been led first to the Hebrew and to the creation account in Genesis.
As I type these words I am realizing that some of what I have just said can sound impressive. I tell you the truth; I am recounting my journey with you not to impress you by any studies I have engaged but to encourage you too to research for yourself the foundation language of scripture. I will present here the results of my study. I will not provide exhaustive footnotes and explanations of certain elements of the translation. This little blog is not presented to give you all the easy answers, but to encourage you and challenge you to put out into the deep and discover your Father through the Light of the Son.
Even though God certainly sends messengers to do his work, you cannot outsource your salvation. Sure, you will benefit from the work that others have done to preserve the Gospel and bring it to you, but the preacher can only take you so far. There comes a point when you must travel the road to God alone. This part of your journey will be difficult. Some will take only a few steps before turning back or falling down, but if you continue you will discover that when the road seems darkest, the light dawns just moments later.
During my study I became frustrated with many modern translations of the scripture and especially the translations of the Gospel of John. I asked myself this question: “If there was no preserved written document that recorded the Gospel accounts, would the world of this time know the truth of the Gospel?” The answer is a resounding “Yes.” Certainly God’s truth is passed on by the Spirit and not by the flesh and so the meaning of the Gospel is in experiencing it in our own spirit through our own lives. The printed word of the Gospel is only its flesh. However until we are able to put away all flesh and live in Spirit, it is necessary to address certain needs of the flesh and so I offer this translation as my attempt to provide healing to a deep wound of belief that has been caused by some modern translations that miss the mark.
It is my hope that you will read this translation of the Gospel with its humble commentary and be filled with hope and with questions. I will tell you this: your questions cannot be answered by any human being therefore do your spirit a favor and make this journey alone. This text is not presented so that it can be used in bible study programs. (Also, I own the rights to the translation and so I do not give any permission for the translation or commentary to be reproduced or reprinted in any way including copying from this site onto any other. If you find the translation useful, include a link from your site to this blog.) I offer this little blog to invite you to a personal encounter with the Living Light of God in your heart. If your spirit cannot find the deeper spiritual truth in certain passages, keep at it. Listen to the voice in your heart. Light will find you if you are on an honest search for truth.
I remind you of the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel tells us that the scripture is fulfilled in our hearing. In the letter to the Romans Paul tells us that faith comes by hearing. In the introduction I will offer more on this idea. For now I invite you to ponder these words. My hope is that during your Gospel journey you will come to experience this hearing that gives you faith.
You will find that in order to experience faith in a meaningful way you must remember the words of Jesus: Take nothing with you for the journey. This means that you must leave behind all that you may hold as truth. If you are not willing to give up your personal judgments and doctrines, then this journey is not for you. Jesus is a challenge to our conditioning. Certainly Jesus was a challenge to first century Palestine and church authority. He is what he is, so if you are to experience the real Jesus, he will be a challenge to third millennium thought and current denominational ideologies as well. If these ideologies are comfortable to you, you do not want to read this little blog. I say that as a loving warning.
It has taken about ten years for me to reach a point where I am able to present the first six chapters of the translation of the Gospel according to John that you will find in this little blog. I will work to present one section each week with abbreviated commentary also. Although I have a completed translation of the entire Gospel text, I am still working on the commentary for chapter seven through to the end and so will present the remaining chapters as the commentary is ready.
I invite you to email me with your experiences or questions. I learn well by hearing the response people have to my words.
I am,
+Tomas Martin, OPD
September 8, 2010
dominicanvocations@hotmail.com
The work I will present in this little blog has truly been the work of my life. For thirty-three earthy years I have endeavored to live a life worthy of God. I have tried my best to become what God desires. Though I have missed the mark on occasion I have used all my strength to remain on the path drawn by God, no matter how painful or difficult that path has been. As an honest One on the path toward God and home I have found that my greatest sorrow is, in all truth, indescribable in English words. There have been many other sorrows that I have encountered along this journey. One poignant pain is the pain caused by words or more precisely by the misuse and misunderstanding of words.
I believe that much suffering is related to the misuse or misunderstanding of words. Which is why (not considering economics and finance, but true mathematics only) numbers are not likely to cause wars, however words have caused the bloodiest wars in history. Many of them fought, sadly, in the name of God. Considering that the Christian world considers Jesus to be God’s own Word, I believe I have a duty to make what contribution I can to the world related to this essential Word called Jesus.
For more than a decade now I have been involved in public ministry. I have been teaching “religion” in some capacity since 1994. I have ministered mostly in the Catholic tradition. I was raised as a Catholic. I was ordained and eventually consecrated as a bishop in the traditional (but independent of Rome) Catholic rite. That being said, what I present here I do as a son of God and not as a representative of any denominational or ecclesial body. It is not my intention to offend any divinely inspired doctrine. Certainly I have stated above that words are responsible for wars and pain. My words in this little blog are not intended to cause war or pain. The words I present here are offered to open up for you the same little path that was opened to me…what I have come to call the little path of Light.
Some time ago I was offered the opportunity to take a certain journey. I knew this journey would be difficult. I knew I would have few who would understand me as I walked this journey. I knew that as I grew in age and wisdom it was possible that any prematurely spoken words could cause division and conflict. I knew that I would suffer greatly for a little while, but I also knew that if I could persevere I would be blessed with abundant, eternal life in God’s Light and I could help to bring many more to the abundant Light that is life.
I can say with all certainty that I have arrived at a place of great peace knowing my Father and knowing the Son in a personal and intimate way. My goal is to give you what I have so that you too can discover the Father and the Son through the breath of the Spirit. Over my lifetime I have found that the most useful tool for discovering the Father is one’s own personal Gospel, preached to us by divinely inspired events of our own lives. God’s Light approaches each of us in a unique way. So, we can learn to discover that unique way rather than try to “fit” ourselves into any other person’s or organization’s way.
That having been said, it can be difficult to find common enough verbal ground to share our spiritual experiences with others. This can be why the spiritual journey is often described as a solitary one. A dilemma occurs in the spiritual journey because human beings are social in nature, yet (what is arguably the most important task for many people, namely developing) the spiritual life must be approached alone.
It seems that the Gospel of Jesus has become for countless humans the cipher of the common language of the spirit. Therefore, I think it profitable to explore this Gospel in order to make it more accessible to the common human. A Gospel that should bring peace and universal communion has often been the source and inspiration for war and division.
While still very young I became concerned with the discrepancies of certain scripture translations. As a young catechism teacher of children and eventually as an ordained faith formation teacher of adults, I was often confronted by the inspired questions of the students concerning the obscurity of certain texts in the scripture and the apparent errors in certain versions and translations. When I realized that I was not particularly equipped to answer some of the more mundane questions concerning the apparent confusion of the scripture regarding translation errors, I began to investigate the phenomenon.
I will tell you that at first, the discoveries I made were shocking to me. My faith was surely tested. Because I knew that it might not be feasible to engage in a study that would be a total translation of the entire recorded scripture, I asked myself the question: “If you have to choose to present only one document from the scripture in as precise a way possible, what document is best able to lead others to Truth?” My answer was definite and immediate: The Gospel of John. The Gospel of the beloved disciple is certainly tuned to the frequency of my heart. It resonates with my spirit in a way I can hardly describe. So I decided that I would set out to translate the Gospel of John into a precise as possible English language version.
I began my study by exploring the primary texts used in translating the Gospel into English. Certainly I went first to the Greek and Latin sources thinking them to be the earliest. In my study I discovered the Aramaic Peshitta, a text that predates the others. I also realized right away that if I didn’t have a working understanding of Hebrew that my study would be lacking. So, I began to discover the letters of the Hebrew and Aramaic alephbet and these letters put me on the path of finding so much more than I ever expected to find in my work on the Gospel.
As I became exposed to the Hebrew I was exposed to the book of Genesis in Hebrew which led to a necessary digression at the start of my study. I will tell you that it is my intention to publish a translation and commentary on the creation account of Genesis after I present the full Gospel of John. Encountering the creation told in Genesis in the Hebrew (and then actively seeking out the meaning of the Hebrew letters and language) opened my eyes to a deeper spiritual truth than I had ever expected. I believe that my understanding of the Gospel of John would be lacking had I not been led first to the Hebrew and to the creation account in Genesis.
As I type these words I am realizing that some of what I have just said can sound impressive. I tell you the truth; I am recounting my journey with you not to impress you by any studies I have engaged but to encourage you too to research for yourself the foundation language of scripture. I will present here the results of my study. I will not provide exhaustive footnotes and explanations of certain elements of the translation. This little blog is not presented to give you all the easy answers, but to encourage you and challenge you to put out into the deep and discover your Father through the Light of the Son.
Even though God certainly sends messengers to do his work, you cannot outsource your salvation. Sure, you will benefit from the work that others have done to preserve the Gospel and bring it to you, but the preacher can only take you so far. There comes a point when you must travel the road to God alone. This part of your journey will be difficult. Some will take only a few steps before turning back or falling down, but if you continue you will discover that when the road seems darkest, the light dawns just moments later.
During my study I became frustrated with many modern translations of the scripture and especially the translations of the Gospel of John. I asked myself this question: “If there was no preserved written document that recorded the Gospel accounts, would the world of this time know the truth of the Gospel?” The answer is a resounding “Yes.” Certainly God’s truth is passed on by the Spirit and not by the flesh and so the meaning of the Gospel is in experiencing it in our own spirit through our own lives. The printed word of the Gospel is only its flesh. However until we are able to put away all flesh and live in Spirit, it is necessary to address certain needs of the flesh and so I offer this translation as my attempt to provide healing to a deep wound of belief that has been caused by some modern translations that miss the mark.
It is my hope that you will read this translation of the Gospel with its humble commentary and be filled with hope and with questions. I will tell you this: your questions cannot be answered by any human being therefore do your spirit a favor and make this journey alone. This text is not presented so that it can be used in bible study programs. (Also, I own the rights to the translation and so I do not give any permission for the translation or commentary to be reproduced or reprinted in any way including copying from this site onto any other. If you find the translation useful, include a link from your site to this blog.) I offer this little blog to invite you to a personal encounter with the Living Light of God in your heart. If your spirit cannot find the deeper spiritual truth in certain passages, keep at it. Listen to the voice in your heart. Light will find you if you are on an honest search for truth.
I remind you of the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel tells us that the scripture is fulfilled in our hearing. In the letter to the Romans Paul tells us that faith comes by hearing. In the introduction I will offer more on this idea. For now I invite you to ponder these words. My hope is that during your Gospel journey you will come to experience this hearing that gives you faith.
You will find that in order to experience faith in a meaningful way you must remember the words of Jesus: Take nothing with you for the journey. This means that you must leave behind all that you may hold as truth. If you are not willing to give up your personal judgments and doctrines, then this journey is not for you. Jesus is a challenge to our conditioning. Certainly Jesus was a challenge to first century Palestine and church authority. He is what he is, so if you are to experience the real Jesus, he will be a challenge to third millennium thought and current denominational ideologies as well. If these ideologies are comfortable to you, you do not want to read this little blog. I say that as a loving warning.
It has taken about ten years for me to reach a point where I am able to present the first six chapters of the translation of the Gospel according to John that you will find in this little blog. I will work to present one section each week with abbreviated commentary also. Although I have a completed translation of the entire Gospel text, I am still working on the commentary for chapter seven through to the end and so will present the remaining chapters as the commentary is ready.
I invite you to email me with your experiences or questions. I learn well by hearing the response people have to my words.
I am,
+Tomas Martin, OPD
September 8, 2010
dominicanvocations@hotmail.com
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