I come before you with the feeling of great wonder that after hearing such outstanding speakers in this conference that anyone would care to hear somebody who is, in his own mind at least, doesn't begin to measure up to some of the learning and some of the expertise, some of the opportunities that others have had. And yet, all I can say is that God is pleased to use anyone who has put his trust in the Lord Jesus as his Savior, and anyone who is ready to say, as does Isaiah, when God says, whom shall I send, to reply, hereby send me. Send me if you can use me. And knowing that if God calls, he also enables. If God calls, he also sees to it that his servants are equipped to do the work that God has prepared for them to do. I've been asked to speak today on translation issues and preaching in Arabic. And I'd like to start out by saying there are certain words when you're talking to people of a different culture, and it was definitely different for me, there's no connection between English and the language of Korean, which is what I would have brought up in. There's no connection between some of the other languages that I've had a little taste of and the language of Arabic, except by having gone to seminary and having to study with a lot of effort the Hebrew language along with the... and to do that in order that I might be able, as I preach, consult the original languages and to know that what I'm saying is in accordance with what the scripture does say. But I went to Bethlehem. My wife and I were there. We studied Arabic with a local man who was skilled in English as well as in Arabic. A man whose family originally came from Iran. Can you imagine that? I've never been there, but he was. And he was a man who, with his wife, became a very good friend of Mrs. Hamilton and of me. So he also not only served as an instructor in Arabic, but he also served as interpreter in the Sunday meetings of the local church, which was Baraka Presbyterian Church. Baraka in Arabic means blessing. So we hoped and desired that the church that we were a part of would be a blessing to the people. One thing I learned soon was that when I was speaking and preaching from the word of God and the text might have a reference to the word Israel. Well, please bear in mind some of the geographic facts of where Bethlehem is now located. It's located as a part of the nation of the Arab nation, the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan. Hashemite, what does that mean? Well, it comes from a tribe that the king Hussein came from years before. And I could go into history, but it's not pertinent to what I'm trying to say. But I learned that because of the difficulty that the local Arabs in Jordan, not only just in Bethlehem, had with the word Israel, I had to be very careful when I used that term, even when reading the scripture. The thing is that the local Arabs in Bethlehem usually saw this word Israel as referring to the present political and geographical nation who was next door to Jordan. And this word Israel immediately would arouse in their minds their animosity. Oh, that's a big word. What's that mean? Well, it means that they were afraid, they were angry, they were displeased, and it also went along with the word that we use in English of hatred. They rouse their animosity and their hatred. Why? Because of their perceived feelings of being very badly treated by the Israelis in the recent past, that is, the past after World War II. This animosity still causes many of the people in the Arab countries, not just in Jordan, but many of them to cease understanding the word Israel in its biblical or in its So how do you deal? The Old Testament is full of references to Israel. How can I make sure that I would not cause them to turn away from the whole message because I use the word Israel? And instead I learned to say, instead of using the word Israel, just one word, I use a bunch of words. And those bunch of words would go like this, God's ancient enslaved people whom God brought out of Egypt back in the days of Moses. Am I accurate or am I not? And I find that when I did it in this fashion that the people were not confusing the words in the Old Testament with the present geographical nation of Israel. God's ancient enslaved people whom God brought out of Egypt in the days of Moses. Now, I'm giving you just a few of these examples, since I was asked to do this, of the problems. Suppose some American pastors come over to visit a missionary and the work he's doing in, of all places, Bethlehem? My word. When my wife and I and family were living in Bethlehem, it's surprising how many Christians came from America because they wanted to see the Holy Land. Oh, yes, they had been to Israel, but they also wanted to see Bethlehem. They wanted to see Jerusalem. They wanted to see other places in the Holy Land. Now, has anybody here been in the Holy Land? Can you raise your hands? I see at least one or two people. But, you know, we are delighted to have some of these fine pastors who came there desiring to see the Holy Land. I also had the privilege of conducting some tours of American Christians who came from the States to want to see the different sites on the Arab side of the Arab side of the divide between Jews and Arabs. And I learned a lot of things. I learned that when American pastors were invited, as we did on a number of occasions, to address our Arab congregation in Bethlehem, I had to give them some advice. And that advice I listed three different advices I gave. One was be careful not to think that the Arab congregation will really understand any jokes that you tell, American jokes. And try not to use any American colloquial figures of speech. Instead, when you're speaking of the Scriptures, simply expound the Scriptures, and God will say to it that His holy words will not return to Him void. Second piece of advice. Don't think that the Arabs will always understand use of English terms, theological terms, such as the cross, or the atonement, or regeneration. If you want to use these words, be sure that you at the same time carefully and thoroughly explain what they mean and what you mean by them and how the Bible uses it. Don't assume that they just automatically know the same things that you know. Number three, when you use any illustrations or analogies or anecdotes, try to make those things very simple. Don't make them long. Don't make them complicated. And try to be sure that the meanings of these words or these stories that you tell will be plain to the minds and to the habits of the Arab people. Because their background is not the same as those that you have come to know back in the United States. What about other problems? Well, what about problems of people who are still living in America, in American churches? And they actually want to help American missionaries who are now working among Arabs. Let me give you an example of a problem that we met when we were living and working in Bethlehem. One day we received a letter sent to us from in Bethlehem. from an American family, and obviously from a family that knew and loved the Lord, wanted to see to it that the gospel was put out in clear language among the people. But they said, here's a check for $500. Well, now let me tell you, a few decades ago, especially, $500 meant a great deal to an American missionary. What was the money to be used for? Well, I said, please use this money to create an Arabic Bible, but an Arabic Bible in the King James Version. Well, you and I have been hearing about the different American versions and very erudite explanations, things that we are very pleased to hear. And it's helpful for an American Christian to know some of the background of the Bibles that we currently use. But to create an Arabic version of the Bible, the whole Bible, remind you, It's in the King James Version? Well, I had to write a letter back. It said there's already a fine Arab version, one that was translated from the original Greek and Hebrew and done before the beginning of the 1900s. beginning of the 20th century, and it is in common use, and not only in Jordan, but it's used in Syria, it's used in Lebanon, it's used in Egypt, and it has been greatly blessed by God. So there's really no need, even if we could do it, to have it translated from the King James Version. Well, the lady, we mailed her check back to her, and she said, well, I'm sorry you can't use it. I'll find some other use for this check. Okay. Does that, Lord, mean that that need that the missionaries had on the field was not going to be satisfied? No, it just meant that this was not the right way. And so, We try to be straightforward and honest and as well as instructive in the way that we receive information of this kind. What about Arabs who receive news on the radio? Or now I'm sure it would be by other means of the media. Certainly I can remember very clearly that when Arabs heard on the radio that, and this was decades ago, that at the Vatican II Council, they had said that Roman Catholics would no longer consider that the Jews were guilty of the crime of deicide. Among the kids here, what's the word deicide mean? Anybody know what it means? this word deicide. We don't use it ordinarily. It means that the Jews thought that the Jews were guilty, and back in those days, in the early Roman Catholic Church, guilty of killing God. What did they mean? They meant that the Jews were guilty of killing Jesus Christ. Was Jesus Christ God? Yes, certainly he was. But what did they mean when they said they no longer regarded Jews as guilty of the crime of deicide? Well, some Arabs came to visit us in the Hamilton home, and not the Jews, sorry, the Arabs came to visit us in the Hamilton home and said, why would they? Anybody in the world, especially those in Italy, they're supposed to be educated people. They're supposed to be civilized people. Doesn't everybody understand? How can anyone ever realize that the Jews are never innocent of any crime? Well, this problem came before me. How would a person like me answer this question? I couldn't say, well, I was there in Italy, I heard this thing, and I understand that yes, this is an accurate statement of what the Vatican II Council said, and yes, But they say, well, how can anybody believe that the Jews are innocent of any crime? They are so bad as a people. And I tell you this in this plain language because that was the attitude that we came to realize was among them. I trust it is not the attitude that is found among us here today, but there are people in the Arab world who have this dreadful view of God's ancient people who have turned away from God, so all too many, most of them probably. Well, as I thought about giving an answer, I thought, well, I can maybe use this question and this problem to explain what the Bible teaches, that Christ has two natures. He has a divine nature, and he has a human nature. And I said, let me ask you, deicide means the crime of killing God. I said, can anybody kill Allah? Can anybody kill God? And they looked at each other, Well, no, that's impossible. And so I thought, well, so are the Roman Catholics right when they say that the Jews are not guilty of deicide? Because nobody is able to kill God. Well, okay. We didn't really understand what was going on or the meaning of what they were doing. But I said, you must understand, though, that God the Father, God the Holy Spirit sent Jesus Christ, the third person of the Trinity. to come to earth. Why did he send him? Well, you know the verse John 3.16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I said it in Arabic. All right. Christ, when he came to earth, how did he come? And right here in Bethlehem, the Bible tells us that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. And that he was raised as a child and a youth in Palestine. Mary and Joseph even took this child to Egypt and then brought him back when the wicked king Herod was dead, and he served in Palestine. And he served how? As a prophet and as a priest among his people. And the Bible tells us that he did mighty miracles among the people. He even died and was buried in Jerusalem. But, I said, don't forget the Bible also says that Jesus rose from the dead according to the scriptures. So yes, Jesus had two natures, a divine nature and a human nature. The divine nature could not be killed nor can it ever be killed. Jesus is still there. He's still alive. He still cares and loves you and he loves me. But Jesus, the man in his human nature, was crucified, he died, and he was buried, but he rose from the dead, and one day he's coming again into this world." Well, this is something that they had not thought of. It was something that news from the Vatican allowed me to say, and to say so that the people would actually listen to this little bit of theological instruction. It's not easy to do this ordinarily, but they were interested, they wanted to hear at that time. The next thing I'd like to mention is to point out to you that every culture has its proverbs or its wise sayings. And sometimes these little sayings can be a way for meaningful conversation. When I was a child in Korea, there was a common proverb. And what was this proverb? It was, well, there are many roads to the top of the mountain. What did that mean? It simply meant in their thinking that there are many ways to obtain salvation and there are many acceptable ways, acceptable saviors. Is this true? Well, of course, it doesn't go with what the Bible says. It doesn't go with what God says. Jesus said, and this is something I want, should you ever hear this idea, that there are many ways of salvation, many possible saviors, and they're all equally workable. And the answer is, no, they are not. Don't ever let this thing go without challenging it. It doesn't ring true. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the Father but by me. So if you're climbing a mountain and you're going up one pathway, maybe it seems to go in the direction toward the top a little ways, But pretty soon it comes to a precipice. You can't go any farther. It doesn't lead to the top at all. And you try another way, and that ends in a disastrous place. You can't go any farther. You can't go to the top. If there were any way at all that leads to the top, to where God is, And the answer is yes, but it's the way that God himself provided. And that was a way by which he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to open the way, provide the way, and the guidance in order to get to where we can reach and attain eternal life. And that's through belief, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh may God give us each one the discernment to know when we are to speak, what we are to speak, and when we should remain silent. Let me ask you some questions, some questions that as a missionary among Arabs I had to learn and to study and prepare for when I heard those questions. It wasn't just one time, it was many different occasions. Tell me, what is a Christian, and why should I believe in Jesus? And if you were asked that question, could you give a clear and simple answer? Pretty basic. Does God want you to know the answer? Does God want you to communicate the answer? You know, you need to answer this for yourself. How, you parents, how do you deal with your children and instruct them? How can you answer any question like this? Why should I believe in Jesus? Please prepare your heart and see what the Bible says, how you are to give an answer to this kind of a question. And you, younger ones, Suppose one of your classmates should ask you that same question. Can you give a clear answer, a straight and biblical answer to how you can become a Christian? It's not by doing good works. It's not by trying to please your parents. It's not by trying to show obedience to American laws. It's not by going to the right schools or to other places. There's a real answer. Look and see what's in the Bible. What is the way? And here's another question. Suppose an Arab should ask you, if you claim to be that only Christianity is a true religion, And this is something I would like the pastors to think over and see how they would reply. If you claim that Christianity is the only true religion, then why is it there are so many different denominations among Christian religions? Why are there so many different congregations, so many different denominations, I should say? Can you give an answer? Something that the Arabs would understand. It's not as easy as you might think. Would you like to know how I answered that question? Well, at this particular time, when this question was asked of me, we were living on the east bank of the Jordan River, no longer in Bethlehem. We'd lived in Bethlehem for seven years, and now we're in the midst of our second term of service, and this time on the east bank of the Jordan. And there's a long road, a road that the ancient people of Israel, that Moses led out of Egypt, and they went up this same route. parallel to the Jordan River, but up on the highlands. And along this road, in the days of the Romans, the Romans had built, because of scarcity of water, they built a huge reservoir, much bigger than the Olympic Stadium, kind of a reservoir, a huge reservoir. And this reservoir would gather all the water, the rainfall, that fell during the wintertime, the rainy season. And so, if you traveled in the summertime when it was not the rainy season, and going from in the southern part of this area on the east bank of Jordan, a place called Ma'an, and traveling north towards the capital city of Amman. If you travel in the late afternoon, early, perhaps even early evening, you might see pods of dust from all the different points of the compass. coming in this direction. And you wonder, why is it always clouds of dust? As some of them would get closer, you would see the dust was raised by the feet of the animals, the feet of sheep and goats and some donkeys too. And each of these little groups of animals were led by a shepherd, and the shepherd But they're all aiming toward the same place, the same source of water. Some of you can, I can tell by your smile, you see where I'm going with this conversation. But, and I spoke to the Arabs that had asked me this question. Why all these different denominations? I said, these animals did not come on their own. They were led by a shepherd. May I ask you, Arabs, are all these shepherds equal in their background, in their training, in their education, in their experience? And without a question saying, oh no, some of them are more clever than others. Some of them are more experienced than others. Some of them take better care of their flocks. And I said, you know, one thing they had in common is that they all knew where the source of water was. They all knew that their animals needed water. And they had to have it every day. And they would make their trip every day in order to take them to the source of water. Animals as people need to have water. But I said, even though the shepherds were of different backgrounds, different education, different experience, they at least knew one thing in common. That is where the water was to be found. They all nodded their heads. They could see that. Well, I said, it's the same way in the Christian religion. If the different pastors of the different churches actually know where the water of life is to be found, and if they are making an effort to lead their people, the flock under their care, to the place where the water of life can be had, then we can say may God bless them. And somehow using an illustration of this kind, but in a sense this is the kind of thing that Jesus did when he met problems among the people that he was talking to. He spoke to them not sometimes in plain language, other times because of prejudice, because of wrong teaching, wrong education, wrong, well, sinfulness, he used parables. Those parables are with us today in the Holy Scriptures, and they are given to us for a purpose. They are given because the people's habits of thinking were ruled, and they were by flawed teaching, and by flawed cultural superstitions and flawed religious views. But by using real life stories and relationships, Jesus taught them new and wonderful concepts and in ways that could be understood by the people. So he used these illustrations from their own lives. And we give illustrations of this, but just look at some of the wonderful parables and teachings that Jesus gave. Why did he give those particular stories? In order to teach the people something that otherwise their minds would just rule out. They can't understand it. Well, what about another? Because, you see, if you go to work among people of this sort, there are many different questions that people have. Another question that pastors, as well as other people, need to understand and look at in their own hearts. Why, the Arabs ask, do Christians often show carelessness towards churches, and they even flit here and there in order to please their own tastes and their own desires. Why do they not truly love and support the church and to support other Christians in their churches and also learn to share their own knowledge of Christ with other people other than their own with the hope of bringing them into the church so that they could know Christ as you have said that you believe. You know, I found this question a difficult thing to answer. Why is it that people are careless? Why do they think that they can split from one church to another? Is this a case that actually happens? Have you known situations of this kind in Alabama? Certainly, when I was serving as a pastor in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, for over 20 years, I noticed that this was often the case. How do you deal with it? Well, the only way I know to deal with it is I can't persuade people by my own skills of rhetoric, my own whatever learning I might have. I can't do it, but I can pray. I can say, Lord, I lift up this person and his name before you and ask that you would deal with his heart, deal with the sin that is separating him or her from the word of God and from the willingness to hear the gospel. God can do what man cannot do, and he can do it and does do it through prayer. Problems also arise when an Arab asks you, please tell me, sir, why is it that you Christians say that the Bible is the only rule of faith and practice? And if that's the case, please tell me why you have so many versions of the Bible. Which one of those versions is the right one? They say, in contrast, among Muslims, only the Koran in the Arabic language is the authoritative and final answer to the religious teachings, that and what they call the traditions that go along with the Koran. What about it? Why is it that Christians have so many versions of the Bible? Which one of them is the right one? Well, that's what this conference has been all about. That's why one question that was raised up and asked of our eminent speaker, Dr. Ella, and said, Dr. Ella, is it still necessary for those who want to enter the ministry to study in seminary the ancient languages of Hebrew and Greek and maybe a little Aramaic? And the answer was given very clearly. It is necessary. Yes, there are these different versions, and yes, it is often useful for the minister, the pastor, to look at all these different versions of the text that he wants to bring to the people. But if you want to really understand and know that what you say is the truth and what the Bible really does teach, you have to know those original languages, or at least enough of them so you can go through them and check out that verse, or check out that word, or check out the dictionary of it. These are some of the questions. And I would just encourage you, each one, to think of some of these things. But in closing, I would like to read something, the words of a hymn that has meant a great deal to me in the course of my life. It's written by a man named Haldor Lilinus. Would that be from a Scandinavian country? I'm thinking it is. And this is the hymn. The Bible stands like a rock undaunted amid the raging storms of time. Its pages burn with the truth eternal, and they glow with a light sublime. The Bible stands like a mountain towering far above the works of men. Its truth by none has ever refuted, and destroy it they never can. The Bible stands, and it will forever, when the world is passed away. By inspiration it has been given, and its precepts I will obey. The Bible stands every test we give it, for its author is divine. By grace alone I expect to live it, and to prove it, and make it mine. And of course, the Bible stands, though the hills may tumble. It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble. I will plant my feet on this firm foundation where the Bible stands.