Sunday, June 28, 2020

Matthew 28:20

One of the readings for Trinity Sunday earlier this month was Matthew 28:16-20.  In following along in my French New Testament, I noticed something interesting about the last verse.  In English, it's "'teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"  The French is "et enseignez-leur à observer tout ce que je vous ai prescrit.  Et voici, je suis avec vous tous les jours, jusqu'à la fin du monde."  "Tous les jours" stuck out to me.  At first, I thought this was simply a characteristically French expression, but I found the same phrase ("all of the days") when I lookt at the German ("und lehret sie halten alles, was ich euch befohlen habe.  Und siehe, ich bin bei euch alle Tage bis an der Welt Ende.") and the Greek ("διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος.").

I greatly prefer "all of the days" or "every day" over "always."  "Always" is broad and rather general where "all of the days"/"every day" is more specific and focused, which gives a greater sense of assurance.