PrintThe Beatitudes found in Matthew 5 are the very words of Jesus Christ. Consider the following verse from the KJV and the NASB:
Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5, KJV)
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. (Mathew 5:5, NASB) The word “gentle” in the NASB can also be translated as “humble” or “meek.”
But once again, as we have seen so many times before, The Message version of this verse is strangely altered:
You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are–no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. (Matthew 5:5, The Message)
Huh?
Isn’t it time for a no tolerance approach to The Message? Do we honor God when we stay silent when this is used in our Bible Study groups and our churches? Celebrity Christians like Beth Moore and others are in serious error when they promote this book.
Beth Moore tweeted on Oct. 15, 2018: Don’t you just sorta hope when Eugene Peterson finally sees the gorgeous, glorious face of the Savior he has so long loved and served, that Jesus is the type that might greet him with something from The Message translation? Like, maybe John 21:12? “Breakfast is ready.” MSG (bold emphasis mine)
What will it take? This alleged paraphrase is full of heresies, including Micah 3:5 where the Lord’s name is profaned.
Acceptance of The Message should cease. Attempts to justify the motivations or reasoning of the now departed earthly author should cease. The spiritual origin of this counterfeit can be found elsewhere:
He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44, NASB)