the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers....
I'm sure someone would tell me it's not important but I am distressed by this NABRE translation of Matthew 1: 1-17, and I suspect there is some political correctness in its preference for "became the father of" over the Douay-Rheims "begot."
Is begot too direct or blunt? Does it diminish the vital role, the receptivity, fertility, and gestation which a woman provides? I think "became the father of" diminishes the roles of both men and women.
How does one "become the father of" someone? If I become the owner of something, that something already exists. I didn't create it or cause it to be. The expression became the father of suggests the sons of these fathers had already been born of their mothers. Perhaps their fathers adopted the boys?
This phrase sounds apologetic and pusillanimous.
Begot is a direct verb, whereas "became the father of," though not technically passive, sounds like it. Writing coaches from time immemorial encourage us to avoid the passive voice as much as possible. So why do the translators prefer this weaker voice? If they hoped that became the father of is less aggressive and more polite than begot, the effort failed. The act of fathering/begetting/siring is deliberate and assertive. It takes courage on the part of men and women to close the distance -- the separation -- between them and breed children.
The editors of the NABRE intended to improve upon the NAB translation but they missed an opportunity in the first verses of Matthew 1.
Is it important? The word monogene appears in the original Greek of John 3:16. and is rendered as begotten in most English translation including the Douay-Rheims. Saint John uses the word to evoke the test of Abraham (Genesis 22) when the LORD demanded the sacrifice of Isaac, who was "your first begotten son" and the first of the begotten sons of Abraham's descendants. The word in Matthew 1 connects to Genesis 22 and John 3; and flows into the Church's teaching about Jesus, "the only begotten Son of God the Father."
And on that relationship of the Son to the Father, and the Father to the Son, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is built, and there is neither Christianity nor salvation without the Trinity.
We should not minimize the Father's begetting the Son from all eternity. We were created through the Son by the Father. Sinning, we forfeited and forgot our relationship to God. And we were restored to grace by God's active and intentional mercy. As Gerard Manley Hopkins said, "He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change. Praise him!"
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.