I was interested in reading Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ for several reasons. I have heard John MacArthur on the radio, but have never read his books. Secondly, the topic interested me.
According to MacArthur, almost every English Bible version going back to the Geneva Bible and the King James Version have mistranslated the word "slave" as "servant." MacArthur doesn't seem to be writing this to advocate nor to disparage any particular Bible version.
When's the last time you heard the word "slave" in church?
MacArthur makes a good case for the mistranslation. Mentally readers would asssociate the word slavery with the English and American form of slavery known for their abuses. The Hebrew form of slavery was quite different, as MacArthur shows in this book.
MacArthur's book is well-referenced with verses. I also enjoyed reading accounts from church history, especially those of John Newton.
Thinking of oneself as a slave is convicting to say the least. What does it mean to be the slave of Christ in absolutely everything? It definitely changes the way we live moment-by-moment.
I don't fully agree with MacArthur on doctrine. I felt he was pushing Calvinist doctrine a bit too strongly for my liking in this book. But this is an area where there are differences in the body of Christ.
On the whole I found this book both spiritually convicting and intellectually fascinating. I will definitely be reading more of John MacArthur in the future.
2 comments:
Great review, Julia! Sounds like a thought-provoking book. I've heard John MacArthur on the radio doing a great series on submission. He was quite powerful . . . I just started some great Christian non-fiction books. They're hard to put down!
Renee Ann,
Yes, thought-provoking and convicting for sure. I hope you get the chance to read John MacArthur. I look forward to reading more by him.
Post a Comment