Why Does God Have to Do It This Way? (3)
I am still on some foundational comments that I hope would aid a better appreciation of the answer I intend to propose for why God does some things the way he does even though he is all-powerful and could do them otherwise, or so we think.
Before proceeding, I would like to clarify a remark I made in my previous article about “the omnipotence of God” not occurring in the Bible. I would like to confirm that the Bible not only teaches that God is “omnipotent,” or “all-powerful,” he is actually so. What I said in that former article was that the quoted expression “the omnipotence of God” was not in the Bible. As I implied, it is a theological construct used to communicate what the Bible teaches.
Other such theological concepts include “the omniscience of God,” “the omnipresence of God,” “the omnibenevolence of God,” “the immanence of God,” and “the transcendence of God.” They are some of what theologians refer to as “incommunicable attributes of God,” meaning characteristics of God that humans do not possess.
Indeed, the specific word “omnipotent” occurs in only a single verse (Revelation 19:6) of some Bible versions, especially King James versions. As experienced Bible students recognize, while the original King James Version Bible is uniquely valuable, its creation was theologically influenced, among other issues.
Most modern Bible translations, including the New International Version and the English Standard Version, do not use the word “omnipotent.” An exception is the Amplified Bible, and it only uses the word in parentheses to explain “almighty,” which is the literal translation of the Greek word pantokratōr, which the King James theologically renders as “omnipotent.” The Greek word actually occurs ten times in Revelation, including twice as pantokratoros, and on every occasion, the translators of even the King James Bible translate it as “almighty,” except, for reasons best known to them, in Revelation 19:6.
The words “power” and “might” are closely related and may be used interchangeably, but they have some subtly differing connotations. Power is a more possessive attribute indicating a capacity to do something, while might is a more animate and expressive or relative attribute, indicating a capacity above or over others. God is not only all-powerful and capable of doing all things, he is also almighty, more powerful and above all other powers. How and why this superseding power of God works the way it does is part of what we are interested in.
Revelation 19:6 in the English Standard Version reads, “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns’.” As we can see, “Almighty” is used in a relative way, namely the reign or dominion of God over all earthly powers (see Revelation 19:11–16 for more context).
While on it, I would add that knowing the difference between a Bible translation and a Bible version is beneficial. Although the two words here are also used interchangeably in commercial and common contexts, they are technically different. A Bible translation is directly translated from the original language, while a Bible version paraphrases a previous translation or does the paraphrasing during a new translation for a specific purpose.
There is nothing confusing here, but it is part of why I noted in my previous article that we need to know what we are dealing with. Generally, our diversity of Bible versions is useful. They provide different nuances, enabling a broader appreciation of the text. With the exemption of extreme versions created with radical motives, they pose no significant practical problems. Christian faith is an inherently practical and spiritual engagement (1 Corinthians 2:7–12), though our practice of the faith can and should be intellectually enhanced (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:5).
In my opinion, no Bible version can be considered the best, though I often quote the New King James Version in my articles for some balance between conservativeness and progressiveness. But when one makes a point of sticking with a particular version, it would be wise to read the preface to know exactly what you are dealing with. It is all part of the exhortation, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
(To be continued.)
*****************
Christian Community Reader’s Digest is a publication of Christian Community Online. To visit or engage with us, click here. To read more articles, click here.
