J. Deering, AncientPath.net
Baptism - A Quick Study on the use of Water Prepositions in the New Testament

INTRODUCTION

It is essential for Christians to seek the HONEST use of the Scriptures. The doctrines we believe are soundly based upon proper interpretation and long term historic positions of the Church. It is important to recognize the pressures upon translators (both cultural and doctrinal) to produce translations that produce general agreement about doctrinal positions, "and sell books" to that segment of the faith.

Prepositions (in, on, out of, from, etc.) are usually defined by context. In the following examples a particular view has been forced into the context and a dishonest translation has resulted. Again, the actual meaning of the text may not have been violated, the method of determining the translation may have been forced.

Never - Never - Never establish doctrine(s) on inconsistent translation or hard to establish contexts. There is no effort here to subvert any single interpretation of these verses, but only to demonstrate that sometimes translation becomes the result of a doctrinal stand and not necessarily the result of good exegesis.


The Greek preposition "en" (Preposition of Location)
Translated as:
in, within; by, by means of, with (by means of but not together with), on among
Matthew 3:6 "in Jordan"
John 11:24 "at the Last day", "in the resurrection"

The Greek preposition "apo" (Preposition of Substitution)
Translated as:
from, away from, of (from in a general outside, from the vicinity of)
Matthew 3:16 "out of the water"
Matthew 1:17 "from Abraham"

The Greek preposition "eis" (Preposition of Substitution {Directional})
Translated as:
into, to, for the purpose of, in, on, for (as)
Acts 8:38 "Into the water"
Matthew 26:38 "saith unto the disciples"

The Greek preposition "ek" (Preposition of Substitution)
Translated as:
from, of, out of, by (out from the inside)
Acts 8:39 "come up out of the water"
Matthew 3:17 "from Heaven"

2011-11-20