Fourteen Arguments Against Translating εὐαγγελίζω as “Evangelize”

In light of biblical, historical, and linguistic considerations, a perceptive student asked me why the word εὐαγγελίζω should be translated evangelize. The following seeks to explain the arguments on both sides of the fence, reasons for translating εὐαγγελίζω as “evangelize” (in prior post) and reasons against translating εὐαγγελίζω as “evangelize.”

FOURTEEN REASONS AGAINST

Reasons why “evangelize” may not be a preferential English translation of the New Testament Greek εὐαγγελίζω

1.   Because it follows six centuries of historical precedent—going back to prior to the Protestant Reformation—especially with regards to English and German language Bible translation, which also includes the stated opinions in all English lexicons (many of which were translated from the German at some point), all commentaries, and all other grammatical helps.

Rx: True, up until very recently (1987+), but not a valid argument in and of itself.

2.   Because at times (1/55 in NT) the usage of εὐαγγελίζω relates merely to the telling of good news, seemingly unrelated to the proclamation of the Gospel (unless there was a methodological war in that church as in most churches), e.g. 1 Thess 3:6, “But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you”

Rx. One case should not decide the 54/55/56 other cases, especially when the context clearly warrants another translation. Additionally, the Thessalonian’s view of Paul had a spiritual element to it. Therefore, included in Timothy’s good news was the fact that they remained spiritually attentive, and were not “labor in vain” as may have been the case for other churches.

By way of interest, at other times in similar contexts Paul used the verb δηλόω, perhaps indicating the unusual spiritual nature of the 1 Thess 3 usage of εὐαγγελίζω, as exemplified in 1 Thess 1:9-10:

1 Cor 1:11, “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

Col 1:8, “and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.”

3.   Because the transliteration of Greek or Latin terms, called “borrowing,” is reproved by leading translation theorists.[1]

Rx. The theological emphases of “loan words” are so weighty, that it appears that moderating translation theorists would prefer to dilute these terms, when expedient to their cause, in the name of proper translation theory; including words like: justification, justify, election, predestination, propitiation, expiation, and evangelize!

A balanced look at loan words in English, for example, finds that there are so many loan words from Greek, Latin, and French in English that it is virtually impossible to know where to stop and draw a linguistic line.

Further, loan words play the important role of adding a new worldview concept into a culture that may not have existed in a cultural language group up to that time.

4.   Because on several occasions, Paul uses the word “evangelize” when speaking to Christians (e.g. Rom 1:15; 1 Cor 15:1-2; Gal 1:8-9), thereby proving that the word is not limited to an unsaved audience.

Rx. The only unclear passage, other than 1 Thess 3:6 as above, is Rom 1:15; the other passages are speaking of the beginning of faith, which would be at the reception of the Gospel, which would be when evangelized and won as a disciple.

5.   Because the contexts of “evangelize” in Luke are paralleled with the use of “preach” in the other Gospels, indicating that the words can and should be used interchangeably (or rather than interchangeably, “preach” should be used uniquely).

Rx. Only true in one case; 7 of Luke’s 10 uses of evangelize (1:19; 2:10; 3:18; 4:18; 7:22; 8:1; 16:16) are from contexts unique to Luke;[2] only three passages have synoptic parallels:

Luke 4:43 is parallel to Mark 1:38, in which case Luke uses εὐαγγελίζω and Mark uses κηρύσσω;

Luke 9:6 parallels Mark 6:12-13, in which case Luke uses εὐαγγελίζω and Mark uses a compound phrase, “preach that men should repent [Byz, ἐκήρυσσον ἵνα μετανοήσωσιν; NA27, ἐκήρυξαν ἵνα μετανοῶσιν]”;

Luke 20:1 is parallel to both Matt 21:23 and Mark 11:27; whereas Luke uses the verb “teach” [διδάσκω] and “evangelize” [εὐαγγελίζω], Matt uses only teach [διδάσκω], and Mark does not contain a word for the type of ministry Jesus was having, only that he was walking through the Temple.

The only conclusions from this data can be as follows:

Luke 4:43 and Mark 1:38: there is a semantic overlap between εὐαγγελίζω and κηρύσσω (which we know already from translation history);

Luke 9:6 and Mark 6:12-13: εὐαγγελίζω seems to include more than mere preaching or proclamation of a message (as κηρύσσω), but also preaching for repentance (or for a decision)

From Luke 20:1, Matt 21:23, and Mark 11:27:

We may conclude that evangelizing includes a geographic movement (as in Mark 11:27), and as exemplified in Acts 8:25, 40;

We may also conclude that evangelizing is more than mere teaching (as in Matt 21:23), which Luke wanted to emphasize

We also notice that Luke picks up these same two verbs in his next use of εὐαγγελίζω in Acts 5:42, perhaps showing that the disciples were doing the same thing that Jesus had done in Luke 20:1, and were also persecuted just as He was!

6.   Because it follows methodological precedent of limiting “preaching” to ordained clergy only, as noted above, the prohibition against lay preaching was very important to the persecution and slaughter of the so-called “Lollards,” “Albigenses,” and “Waldenses”:

This argument brings in ecclesiastical practice into Bible translation;
Its weight of authority is based on the “Sacrament of Holy Orders”—a means of imparting and giving grace;
Further, its weight was hardened into place by years of arrests, trials, and executions, for which Thomas Aquinas became defense attorney in Paris and a guide through his Summa Theologica.

Rx. This is especially true in a state church model, wherein it is not every believers’ mandate to verbally share the Gospel on the highways and byways. The “go ye” and “ye shall be” for all disciples in Christ’s Great Commission must needs be restricted to include only a particular group, i.e. clergy.

7.   Because, closely following the prohibition against lay preaching was the prohibition against sharing the Gospel outside a church building.
This concept in today’s French is called “Laïcité”—meaning secularism, ordinary, lay, civil, non-religious—a very powerful term in which French Catholics become militant to keep religion out of everyday life (which obviously includes evangelism).[3]
With this French understanding of the role of the laity, the term “lay preaching” is a non sequetor or an oxymoron.

Rx. This is true; from the Third Lateran Council and on, the Roman Catholic Church fiercely opposed anyone who had the audacity to preach without authorization from a Bishop who was rightly aligned to the Pope and the Church of Rome.

8.   Because territorial and mainstream denominations do not endorse “proselytism,” as noted above, seeing “evangelize” in the text would encourage aggressiveness in evangelism, which has been labeled “proselytism” and “sheep-stealing” for “institutional aggrandizement.”

Rx. Territorial (Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican) and mainstream (United Methodist, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., etc.) are less comfortable with the seeming fanatical evangelism of the fundamentalist types.

9.   Because the majority of New Testament scholars are not comfortable with aggressive evangelism (note their denominations of origin), they find it more appropriate to translate εὐαγγελίζω as “preach” (thereby focusing it within the local church by the ordained) because this translation fits more closely with their methodological presuppositions, as well as their denominational theological bias.

Rx. Translators who do not affirm the importance of every believer fulfilling the Great Commission, or to be approved by a publisher or by peers in the academy, may not be willing to translate εὐαγγελίζω as evangelize for methodological, pecuniary, or status reasons.

10. Because many professors of missions and evangelism[4] are more comfortable with discipleship (or mentoring), spiritual disciplines, church growth, leadership development, and community transformation, than with a single-minded focus on the verbal proclamation of the gospel; they sound no opposition to continuing with the status quo of translating εὐαγγελίζω as “preach the gospel”.

Rx. It is strange that many who teach or write about evangelism no longer practice it themselves in an aggressive way; there seems to be a movement towards mediocrity in this area with the pressures to publish and to please academia and antagonistic students.

11. Because likely, especially to unlearned Christians, seeing “evangelize” in the English text would be the endorsement of religious fanaticism, evangelism; whereas those who currently read εὐαγγελίζω in the Greek or “evangelizare” Latin are limited to the learned and ordained.

Rx. Reaching the laity is the very reason that the word should be properly translated; it is very difficult to motivate the learned to this task, as a large part of learning moves the learned away from the fundamental truths of the Bible; hence Peter the Lombard’s Sentences moved many a young monk into philosophical theology and scholasticism and away from evangelizing!

12. Because unsophisticated Christian lay people, seeing “evangelize” in the text, would likely confuse it with the modern practice of evangelism.

Rx. Seeing the word in the text given in the contexts given to us by God would have a revolutionary impact on lay people; they would and could allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, just as they are to do in other areas of theology and practice.

13. Because Christ could not expect all of His followers to be involved in such demeaning and socially unacceptable behavior as evangelizing.

Rx. Fortunately, evangelizing is the joyful obligation and duty of every true believer in Christ; many have considered evangelizing the touchstone of true conversion, based on Matt 10:32-33; Mark 8:38; Luke 12:8-9.

14. Because socially-unacceptable fanatical behavior already exists among some Christian groups, even with the word “evangelize” translated as “preach”, and that fanaticism exists especially among certain sectarian groups (e.g. Southern Baptists), young people, and other “simplistic” readers; how much worse would that fanaticism be if these “literalistic” Christians actually saw all or most of the 54/55/56 NT uses of “evangelize,” as in Luke-Acts (25 times) and the Pauline epistles (23 times)—it might radically transform their approach to evangelism!

Rx. It is my prayer that God will transform the evangelizing of His people as they see this word rightly translated in their Bibles!

May the astute reader read the above comments in context, as they constitute the reasoning which may well have hindered the translation of the word εὐαγγελίζω as “evangelize” in the English text of the Bible for over 600 years. 

Let us now consider reasons why it would be commendable for the New Testament (and some Old Testament, e.g. Isa 52:7; 61:1) uses of εὐαγγελίζω to be translated “evangelize” (please see next blogpost).

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[1]“Roman Catholics and Protestants have exhibited two rather distinct tendencies in borrowing. For the most part, Roman Catholics have borrowed largely from Latin while Protestants have borrowed from Greek, Hebrew, or modern European languages, with theological terms coming from Greek and Hebrew and cultural terms from European languages.

“For major languages borrowing should be kept at a strict minimum, for all such languages have a sufficiently large vocabulary or phrasal equivalence to make borrowing relatively unnecessary. For minor languages borrowing should be made from those major living languages from which the languages in question normally appropriate such terms as may be required by expanding technology, commerce, and social intercourse” (“Guiding Principles for Interconfessional Cooperation in Translating the Bible,” in Thomas F. Stransky, C.S.P., and John B. Sheerin, C.S.B., eds. Doing the Truth in Charity: Statements of Pope Paul VI, Popes John Paul I, John Paul II, and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity 1964-1980 [New York: Paulist, 1982], 164-65).

[2]Albert Huck, A Synopsis of the First Three Gospels, 9^th edition, revised by Hans Lietzmann (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1936).

[3]“‘La laïcité doit s’imposer partout’, a déclaré Manuel Valls, en préambule de l’annonce des mesures pour l’Education” (“DIRECT. Manuel Valls et Najat Vallaud-Belkacem détaillent les mesures pour l'Education et la laïcité”; from: http://www.francetvinfo.fr/faits-divers/attaque-au-siege-de-charlie-hebdo/direct-manuel-valls-detaille-les-mesures-pour-l-education_804047.html [online]; accessed: 23 Jan 2015; Internet).

“3/ ‘Le seul enjeu qui importe, la laïcité, la laïcité, la laïcité. Parce que c'est le cœur de la République’” (“Terrorisme : les cinq phrases à retenir du discours d'hommage de Manuel Valls”; available at: http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/le-scan/citations/2015/01/13/25002-20150113ARTFIG00336-terrorisme-les-cinq-phrases-a-retenir-du-discours-d-hommage-de-manuel-valls.php [online]; accessed: 23 Jan 2015; Internet).

[4]For example, see David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission, 420.