APPENDIX II
THE CHOICE OF EAST AND WEST
An interesting new domain of study is opening for the
Bible student in the comparison of what the various
nations have taken to themselves in their understanding
of the Gospels. Translation itself inevitably changes the
emphasis, the accent of various passages. And Slavonic
perception, British perception, German perception,
American perception necessarily differ. It is a truism to
say that we each take from a book only what we wish to
take from it. To one who knows Russia and has the
feeling for Eastern Christianity, there is no more enthralling
occupation than to read the Gospels with an
eye to discovering which parts Eastern Christianity has
emphasised, which parts Western Christianity has taken;
which parts, for instance, Russia has emphasised, which
parts America has emphasised.
One evening in Vladikavkaz I had a long talk with Russian friends about this difference in emphasis, and we went through the whole of St. Matthew and discussed many texts of the New Testament.
We started with the Beatitudes, as they are the beginning of the Christian teaching. We agreed that "Blessed are the poor in spirit" was a stumbling-block to the West, a phrase that preachers had to interpret very carefully as having a meaning other than "Blessed are the poor-spirited." In Russia, however, it is perhaps the most important beatitude—at least, two of my Russians held