Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-05-25
Revision of the New Testament.

To the Editor of the JOURNAL. AND COURIER:
This work, the product of ten years labo-
rious effort by able scholars at home and
abroad, will probably be received with min
gled feelings of satisfaction and criticism. We
have not as yet studied it sufficiently to feel
competent to give an opinion except on one
point, and that very important one. We
refer to the 24th chapter of Matthew, and
the 18th chapter of Mark, in which the
words ''hay genoa hautay" are enormously
translated ''this generation" as in the author
1zed version, instead of ''this race" which is
the true rendering, we propose to show.
1t is astonishing that this error should have
escaped the notice of the revisors, inasmuch
as the word generation" is utterly incom-
patible with the text of the narrative. There
is no word in the Greek language to express
trace in the sense of the Latin ''stirTs," or
our English Grace and lineage" except ''gen-
ea.'' Homer always uses it in this sense to
express race and blood in men-"geneays
kai aimatos"-and also race and breed in hor-
ses This is its primitive meaning The
word generation as expressive of time, is
a secondary and derivatlve meaning, and ac-
cording to ancient writers embraced 80 years
Now let us consider the narrative contained
in these two chapters of Matthew and Mark.
Jesus had visited with his disciples the Tenn
pie, and predicted its utter destruction. On
other occasions he had predicted to them the
speedy and utter destruction of Jerusalem.
Four of his disciples had sought privately on
the Mount of Olives to obtain information
in regard to three specific questions-1st,
Tell us when shall these things be ?'; I'd,
'sWhat shall be the sign of thy coming ?";
Sd, ''And of the end of the world?" Jesus
answers their first question by edicting the
unparalleled distress which will attend the de-
struction of Jerusalem and the subsequent
persecution of themselves. The fulfllment
of this prediction is fully corroborated by
other outside testimony. In answer to their
second question he tells them to beware and
be not deceived. 'For as the lightning COM
eth forth from the east and seen even unto
the west, SO shall be the coming of the Son
of Man" In answer to their third question
in regard to the end of the world, he de-
scribes the phenomena which will attend his
second com ng and the consummation of all
things, viz that the sun shall be darkened
and the moon shall not g We her light, and
the stars shall fall from heaven and the pow
ers of the heavens shall be shaken and then
shall they see the Son of Man coming in
clouds with great power and glory. And
then shall he send forth the angels, and shall
gather togt ther his elect from the four winds,
from the uttermost parts of the earth,'' etc.
Then in conclusion he says: "This race (of
Jews) shall not pass away till all these things
be accomplished. Had he said this gen.
Grafton" (of 33 years. shall not pass away,
ETC., all his previous predictions would have
been stultifed except that one only in regard
to the destruction of Jerusalem. The correct
translation would make the words of our
Saviour the prediction of nairdcle still exist
ing and in progress of fulillment, which
would incontestably prove his divinity and
the truth of Christianity.
Do facts countenance this assump-
tion? We think they certainly do. From
the time of Christ to the present day
this race of Jews have continued to exist as a
distinct people, with all their peculiar
seminal characteristics of race u11O6Literated,
though during all this time they have been
down trodden and scattered among all the
nations of the earth, yet still preserving un-
impaired their peculiar traits of nationality.
This fact has astonished political economists.
The history of the world has never furnished
parallel case of people under similar cir
cumstances preserving intact their character
istic traits of nationality In every other in
| stance they have been effaced and absorbed
by the dominant party, leaving scarcely a
vestige by which to trace their original ma
tionality
What does this teach? 1t confirms our be-
lief in those prophecies of the Old and New
Testaments from which we infer that this
race of Jews will continue to exist intact as a
race until the second coming of Christ when
they shall look upon Him whom they pierced
| and be converted.
Every one will see how vastly important is
the correct translation of this word genoa"
A ~