We all know that Jesus claimed to be the Bread of Life and that all who eat will be filled. One of the ways that we spiritually eat is by reading the Bible, which is available to the English-speaking part of the world in a confounding number of translations. But have you ever stopped to think about your Bible as bread? And if so, what type of bread? The following list clarifies some of the differences between the different translations available.
Wheat flour is the foundation of the vast majority of breads; likewise the RSV has spawned many of today’s most popular translations, either through revision (NRSV, ESV) or reaction (NASB, NIV).- The ubitiquious NIV gathers the (dis)honor of being the white bread of translations. Bland and undistinctive, it is filling, but unmemorable except for what toppings you add to it.
- The sour tang of sourdough bread certainly mirrors that inevitable reaction most people have to the KJV… expecting a definitive English Bible, but unable to comprehend its masterful subtleties. Like the venerable sourdough starter ball, the KJV has been used over and over and over again by countless generations of Breadeaters.
- The long slow baking time of pumpernickel bread results in its characteristic dark color and distinctive taste. The result of combining sourdough and rye flour, pumpernickel perhaps finds its Biblical equivalent in the sophisticated NEB/REB.
- Any translation with origins in the American South, like the HCSB, surely must be represented by cornmeal bread, preferably cooked on cast iron.
- Is it any surprise that the Jerusalem Bible and the later NJB should resemble a French baguette?
- The NASB’s fortunes seem to have been dwindling lately, but as the most literal translation in standard English, it has ahold of a niche market that could last forever. As such, it is most fairly the equivalent of Pilot bread, more commonly known as sailors’ hardtack. One must be sure to supplement the NASB with a more colorful translation, otherwise scurvy is sure to result.
- The LXX (Septuagint) was the original translation of the Hebrew OT texts into Greek for the Hellenized Jews. What then would be a better bread to represent the LXX than pita bread?
- And finally, as an English translation of only the Hebrew texts, the NJPS Tanakh translation earns the honor of being a matza cracker!
21 Comments
Au contraire. The NJPS is challah bread. After all, it’s eaten on the Sabbath.
(Matzah, as you will recall, is the “bread of oppression.” Here’s a taste tip — next time you want to improve your dining, buy a box of matzah, throw away the contents, and eat the cardboard instead. It may not be a good eat, but it is better than the contents.)
After being diagnosed last year with Celiac Sprue, I have to be sure to avoid wheat, rye, and barley. I have had to rework bread recipes with different flours so I can stay healthy. OK, my wife has had to reword the recipes. I just eat the finished product.
With that introduction, I find the REB to be a good bread made with sorghum flour. It is a hearty bread with a touch of sweetness.
The TNIV would be from a white rice flour and possibly millet flour. It’s a hearty, dependable bread but doesn’t have the pizazz of the REB. Still, I find it delicious.
No matter what flour you use for the ESV, worms end up working their way into it. Just kidding. Honestly though, the rabid anti-TNIV and all things gender neutral from many ESV supporters has completely turned me off regarding this translation. I will look at it for comparison’s sake in e-Sword, but that’s about it.
The NASB could be any flour (except for the three mentioned in the first sentence above; sorghum flour would not be used either as the flour is too sweet) and the bread would always be a few days past the freshness date. There is a staleness to the language but there are plenty of nutrients to meet your daily requirements.
LOL, Iyov. My mom grew up in Maspeth and I grew up eating boxes and boxes of Manischewitz matzos (shipped to Alaska) with peanut butter and jelly. I know of what you speak…
Ha, perfect! Much better than the smells of Bible translations, if you ask me.
ElShaddai: This is the most creative thing I’ve read in a long time. Bravo! And let us not forget that the BHS5 and NA27 are like Ezekiel Bread. A deliciously healthy ecclectic combination of sprouted whole grains, minus the flour of translation.
@Stan: thanks for the alternative look at breads! I’ve known several people with Celiac and admire the creativity you have to have. I once dated a woman who was allergic to yeast - that was a challenge! More recently, our oldest son was diagnosed with a wheat allergy when he was a toddler. Fortunately he’s grown out of it, but it was difficult (and expensive) to modify our eating habits!
@Esteban: well now, we could talk about the smell of these freshly baked breads… my mom baked all of our bread when I was growing up and I can still taste/smell a slab of fresh bread slathered with butter or homemade jelly.
@Nick: thank you! I figure there’s a manna reference to be harvested by someone as well…
I would have thought the HCSB would have been homemade Southern biscuits for sure, with a little sawmill gravy on top.
I might have to agree with Iyov re the NJPS, the LXX can be the matzah and Stern’s Complete Jewish Bible can be the pita bread (nice pita bread reference…so what would be the falafel?).
Yes, biscuits and gravy would be a worthy alternative for the HCSB!
I baked the LXX as pita bread because it was a translation into Greek and pita is as close to a Greek bread as I know… as for the falafel balls, perhaps those would be the NT authors who used the LXX as their base text.
Great! I guess TNIV is one of those white breads which have been made a bit more tasty and distinctive by something being added - but perhaps that something is causing a violent allergic reaction from some who even touch it!
Peter - heh heh, it’s common “over here” to add seeds and other heavy grains to bread to give it added texture. Perhaps some nuts slipped into the TNIV mix and are causing the allergic reaction! (Nuts are the one food allergy that my son still has… plus airborne environmental stuff.)
I’m really wondering what the NLT would be…
The Message would probably be some kind of dessert bread, or otherwise some really spicy bread - added seasonings, you see..
How creative! Thank you for such an interesting take on the Word of God. I will have to offer an alternative for the KJV, however. To me, it is more like Honey 7 Grain with no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. It’s got whole grains to keep your body healthy (and tastes good with peanut butter on it). It smells good and looks enticing, too.
If you won’t go for that one, then perhaps Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bakery Bread would do. According to the bag, there’s flavor in every bite, and I can certainly attest to that fact. The baker assures us the bread is delivered fresh. You won’t even realize you’re eating whole grains, which are so good for you.
Thanks for a great blog; I will definitely visit again.
Hannah and Ron - thanks for stopping by and for the additional suggestions! And we haven’t even gotten into bagels yet… I’ve tried my hand at making bagels from scratch and let’s just say that they were recognizable and edible, but I’m not putting the masters in NYC on notice anytime soon!
Hannah, the whole topic of yeast-less “dessert” breads could spawn even more discussion, especially with warm banana-walnut bread on the docket - yum!
Ron, I’m a big fan of multigrain bread - Honey 7 Grain sounds good!
I would agree that KJV is a very nice speciality bread - except that (lacking artificial preservatives) it has gone so totally stale that it is almost inedible.
I’ve not tasted any stale KJV bread, as it’s always been so fresh and satisfying to me. Thankfully, loaves of KJV bread keep filling the mouths of hungry people; there is a huge market for it. Heaven’s Bakeries have mastered the recipe for continued success without the need for artificial ingredients.
Ron, there is a market for stale bread to feed ducks, and there is a market for stale Bibles to feed those who don’t want to understand the Word of God but just to look and sound religious.
Oh, my!
The origin of the word pumpernickel about says it for the REB.
And for those of us who regularly taste of the original… manna.
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpumpernickel.html
For those wanting the “straight dope” on pumpernickel, here’s Snopes:
As for David’s contention then that the REB is also “the devil’s fart”, well… those are fightin’ words! Get ye ready to be strung up on the gibbet, sir!
Har har har har… (I crack me up)
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