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Truthtesty
Dr. Wall's doctoral dissertation:
Another difficulty with Thieme's exegesis comes from the way he frequently communicates his conclusions. His normal way of teaching his exegesis includes retranslating each passage so as to include his interpretation. Such retranslations should be called "interpretive paraphrases" or “expanded translations.” However, he repeatedly labels these paraphrases “corrected translations.”30 This is a serious misrepresentation, for it leaves one with the impression that Thieme's interpretation is on a par with Scripture itself.
Robert Thieme has corrected mistranslation problems over the years. I have followed in various translations in print and have found what he corrected from the King James Version will often times show up in another translation.
I recall when I first begun listening to Robert Thieme on tape. He flat out said that the King James had wrongly translated an OT passage. He even went as far as to say that the translators refused to translate it correctly because they could not understand why it says what it does.
Being new to Thieme at the time I refused to take his word for it. I had various translations in my library to cross reference. I kept checking. Kept looking. None agreed with Robert Thieme.
I was just about to call it quits and not believe him. Then I took a look in my Young's Literal Translation of the Bible. Young's Literal Translation had it the same as Robert Thieme said it appears in the Hebrew. No other translation I had agreed. Young attempted not to interpret, but rather translate as literally as possible. That can lead to a choppy translation at times, so its not used to teach from, but for reference.. Thieme said that it was what the Hebrew said. Young agreed. Robert Thieme said the translators shunned away from the meaning because they could not reconcile what was said with God's character. Thieme showed how it could be so. I was won over another notch at that point.
And, anyone who translates from another language will have to use paraphrasing at times in order to reveal intent. Thieme's "corrected" translation was attempting to get closer to the original intent. No one is perfect. But his ability to do that was very helpful at times.
I once heard Professor Stan Ashby say he disagreed with Thieme on the
interpretation of a passage. But, he could not disagree with his translation. If anyone could finagle the translation to disprove Thieme, it would have been done then. For, Stan Ashby did not like the conclusion Thieme presented. Meaning? ... Just because Thieme said it was a correction did not mean one is to automatically accept his conclusion as to what that corrected translation was telling us.
After about three long years of checking and verifying (which takes time and work) you learn just to begin to trust another's opinion after he is proven right many times, realizing also that no one person is correct all the time. His batting average was high enough to win my respect where I could begin to relax. Three years is a long time for that sort of thing.
I can categorically list areas where I not only disagreed with Robert Thieme, but I can confidently justify my correction of those errors. But, what those corrections are, are only for the ears of those who know what Robert Thieme truly stood for. Not for those looking for ways only to tear him down. Like you do.
Pastors I know who followed Thieme have not agreed with all he said. Yet, they respect his ability to teach.
I did not blindly believe all that Robert Thieme taught. And, having been brought up Jewish also made me realize that some of his Hebrew pronunciation was a bit skewed. But, it was not an issue. What was, was that he made me think about Biblical concepts that opened my mind to greater understanding. He taught on a level that one could develop the needed resources to be able to see his errors, and solutions to his errors when they occurred. That in itself is a sign of a
good teacher. I did not say
perfect. I said, "good." No man on this earth is a perfect teacher. Robert Thieme was not without error. Neither, am I.
In Christ, GeneZ