ON THE WORD "CONVERSATION" IN THE SCRIPTURES by Prof. H. Cowles, D. D., Oberlin

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 26, 1880

ON THE WORD "CONVERSATION" IN THE SCRIPTURES.

By Prof. H. Cowles, D. D., Oberlin

ONE of the infelicities of an old translation of the Scriptures is in its obsolete words. The changes incident to all living languages will sometimes cause a word to throw off all its old meaning and take on a meaning entirely new. When this happens to a word of Scripture in somewhat frequent use the evil may become serious.

An instance of this sort occurs in the word "conversation." In present use it means talk; the interchange of spoken words; colloquial discourse between two or more parties. Legitimately, the word as now used disowns any other sense than this. But in King James' version of the Bible, the word never has this sense. Consequently to modern ears the word always suggests a different sense from the true one. In this word the evil consequences are not the worst possible, but they are bad enough. The ancient "conversation" was not so utterly unlike the modern as might be, for the old included the sense of the new, but with that, also very much more. One consequence, therefore, is that the modern word gives a part of the ancient sense, yet only a part, and indeed really but a small part, just as talk is (or ought to be) but a small part of one's entire life.

But the old word "conversation" stood for the whole of a man's life, all his life-work and life-doings, his entire life-activities; while the modern word only his spoken words to his fellow, his colloquial discourse. When the Scriptures say, "To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God" (Ps. 1: 23), we are liable to assume that the man who talks well, and never otherwise than well, must ensure his own salvation. Similarly the intimation (1 Pet. 3: 1, 2), that ungodly husbands may be won by the "conversation" of the wives, and particularly by their "chaste conversation, coupled with fear," is liable to mislead to the placing of undue reliance upon mere talk—which might prove a very unfortunate mistake. It is quite certain that Peter never intended to teach that. His thought was upon the whole life; the entire bearing, including all the sweet forces of a gentle, loving spirit, an amiable temper, kind deeds—the attractive power of the true woman's noble character; and perhaps, least of all, her simple talk.

Again, when the writer to the Hebrews wrote, as our translation has it, "Let your conversation be without covetousness," he never intended to perpetrate the blunder of supposing that covetousness is specially apt to appear in a man's "conversation," and that it would be a great attainment in the Christian life if he could keep covetousness out of his common talk. No, indeed. His meaning rather was, "Let your entire life be lifted above covetousness; give that money-passion no place anywhere or ever in either your heart or your outward life."

Taken etymologically from the Latin words conversor, conversatio, the English "conversation" three centuries ago, signified the turning this way and that, from one thing to another; all the doings which constitute the make-up of one's life; all he does and indeed fundamentally, all he thinks as well. Hence this became a very important word for Scripture use, for the sacred writers had occasion to speak of a man's whole life, all that comes into moral character; thus: "Among whom [the godless heathen] we all had our conversation in time past" (Eph. 2: 3); "That concerning the former conversation, ye put off the old man and put on the new man" (Eph. 4: 22, 24); "Be ye holy in all manner of conversation" (1 Pet. 1: 15)—which does not end with all manner of good talk, but includes all manner of holy living.

Noticeably this word was a favorite with the translators of our version, particularly so in the New Testament. It is used to translate not only one Greek word but three; first and chiefly anastrophe (thirteen times)—a word which best corresponds to the old Latin conversatio; once for tropos, the best corresponding English to which is, turning about (Heb. 13: 5); and most remarkably twice for a very different word—from which we get our English polity, politics—i. e., the noun politeuma and its corresponding verb. The noun has its nearest English equivalent in citizenship; the verb, acting the citizen, fulfilling his duties. Both these words occur in Paul to the Philippians (e.g. 3: 20): "For our citizenship (not 'conversation') is in heaven;" we are citizens of that heavenly kingdom. "Let your citizen-life (not 'conversation') be as becometh the gospel" (1: 27). In the former passage Paul does not by any means intend to say that our talk is in heaven; nor in the latter, merely, that our talk should be as becometh the gospel, although this advice would not be bad; yet Paul meant much more than this. The pertinence of Paul's words will be appreciated thoroughly only when we consider the fact that Philippi was a Roman colony (Acts 14: 12); that its inhabitants, therefore, were Roman citizens, having been honored with this most highly esteemed prerogative of the known world. Paul chose his words with his eye on these well-known prerogatives and privileges. He meant to suggest to his brethren at Philippi that they held a higher honor than that of being citizens of Rome; even this that of being citizens of the very Heaven itself. And he exhorts them to act the heavenly citizen in a manner worthy of the glorious gospel. Let them think of the high privileges and responsibilities of their heavenly citizenship and meet them as becomes such a gospel and such an heirship.

It deserves notice that Paul never uses his words as of hap-hazard, but always with thought keenly alive to the circumstances of his readers to "choose out acceptable words," and words of incisive force. We find these words for citizenship in no other epistle, for the reason that he wrote to no other church situated in a Roman colony.

Finally, as hinted above, the Scriptures never use "conversation" in the modern sense, the spoken words that pass between two or more parties. When they have occasion to speak of real talk they perhaps called it speech; "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt" (Col. 6: 6); "The children spake, half in the speech of Ashdod" (Neh. 13: 24). James calls it the tongue. "The tongue can no man tame;" "a little member that boasteth great things" (James 3: 5–8). But the Scriptures never dignity colloquial speech with the word "conversation". It is time that in this and all analogous points the version of Scripture for common use should faithfully represent the true sense of the original language, and for this end should exchange obsolete words, words dead and gone as to their old sense, for words fresh with the living thought of the age.—Prof. H. Cowles, D. D., Oberlin.