When I write or when I speak I want people to listen and to think. That is going to be particularly difficult for me this coming Sunday as I present Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from memory in the worship service in church.
I have done this every few years for about 30 years now. This time is different because I’m retired and I’ve had more time to think about how I am going to present the sermon instead of simply making sure I get it right and don’t leave something out. This time my focus is much more on getting people to listen and to think. To accomplish this I will need to use some creative translation, choices of words and phrases and metaphors, and also of rhythms. The obstacles I have been able to identify and the methods for overcoming those obstacles are applicable to most writing or speaking whenever we want people to listen and to think.
The first obstacle is familiarity. There are some passages from the Sermon on the Mount that are so familiar, particularly to Christians, that everybody thinks they know what Jesus is saying before he speaks. One example of this is in the Lord’s prayer. Most Christians can repeat this flawlessly along with me. In this case all I need to do to is to use different words—”cancel our debts” instead of “forgive us our debts”—or a different rhythm—repeating “on earth as it is in heaven” after each of the three phrases it refers to—and people will begin to listen, and maybe even rethink what they pray.
The second obstacle is commonly used phrases or metaphors. Examples of this are the phrases, “turn the other cheek,” “give him the shirt off your back,” and “go the extra mile.” Each of these are regularly used in our culture and each has a generally accepted meaning. For example, the phrase, “turn the other cheek” is often associated with playing the martyr instead of with Jesus’ encouragement to practice non-violent resistance. So a more helpful translation might be, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, challenge him to strike your other cheek as well.” A surprising word helps people listen. And because “challenge” is a strong verb it can challenge “strike” for the listeners attention in a way “turn” simply can’t.
The third obstacle is jargon, here it is religious jargon. One example of this is the word “righteousness.” You most often hear this word in secular conversation when it is combined in the term “self-righteousness” and then it is used to refer back to particularly religious people. Two more commonly used synonyms for “righteousness” are “goodness” and “justice.” So I have retranslated “blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake,” to “… those who are persecuted for seeking justice.” Personally I can think of many more examples with the second translation. (This week, think Dr. Ford.)
The fourth obstacle is disconnected ideas. The Sermon on the Mount begins with a blessing on “the poor in spirit.” This is a phrase that you never hear in ordinary speech; it has become religious jargon. So I need to use some new words to get people to listen. But in order to get people to think about it would help to connect this simple phrase to a longer discussion of this idea. I choose, at least for now, to replace “the poor in spirit,” with “those who lack spiritual credit.” Then, when Jesus talks about “practicing your piety before men,” I translate him talking about seeking “spiritual credit” by “making a big deal about giving to charity” or “praying in public in order to be praised by others.”
I really do want people to listen and to think; so I am working to overcome these obstacles in all that I speak and write as well as in my efforts at translation.
There is one final obstacle in this endeavor, and that is me. Part of me wants to hear the praise, “Wasn’t that beautiful.” “I’m amazed that he can recite all of that from memory.” So I have to keep reminding myself that what I really desire from my audience is listening ears and thinking minds. Then I can get back to work crafting my words to overcome those other four obstacles.
