Scripture: Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ESV – 2001
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. NLT – 1996
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. NKJV – 1983
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. NIV – 1978
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. KJV – 1611
Reflection:
The 5 Bible translations I listed above are worded exactly the same. As I read this passage and then reviewed this verse in multiple versions, I counted 37 translations of Hebrews 13:8 with identical wordings. Apparently the hundreds of qualified scholars, spanning almost 500 years of history, given the task of interpreting this verse from the original texts of the Bible, all interpreted this passage exactly the same. The mandate given to all Biblical scholars has been the same. To convey the truest meaning of the original text and then to communicate it with words that the common people would be able to understand. As I reviewed each of the translations, no matter if you were living in the 17th century or the 21st, each translation was the same. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!”
So, what is so significant about the three time periods of time called yesterday, today and forever? And why does it matter that Jesus Christ is the same in each of these periods of time?
For me personally, the Jesus of today must be the same as the Jesus of yesterday or I cannot truly know the Jesus of today, nor would I be able to trust the Jesus of tomorrow.
It is crucial that Jesus Christ be the same yesterday as he is today, because the historical Jesus of yesterday shows us who He was within the context of both the culture of his day and of Biblical history.
What we know about Jesus from “yesterday” reveals to us how we can have confidence to know him personally today, through the revelation of the Spirit. The Spirit uses the history of the gospel accounts of Jesus, and presents Jesus as real, understandable and personal. His work of unveiling Christ’s work, character and compassion to us allow us to grasp the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, so that we may know his love that surpasses knowledge, and that we may be filled with all the fullness of God that is only found in Christ Jesus.
Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday as He is today, it gives us confidence today and hope for tomorrow, no matter if tomorrow represents this week, next year, or forever after.
In reading this verse, I’m thankful that no matter what translation you choose to read; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Amen!
David
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