Adulterate

I saw this word the other day in my New American Standard Bible -- "adulterate" (2 Cor 4:2). The text is referring to the handling of God's Word. "We refuse," Paul was saying, "to adulterate the Word of God." It was interesting to note that the King James didn't use this word here. It used "deceitfully". The ESV says he wouldn't "tamper with God's Word." Green's Literal Translation (LITV) says it is "corrupting the Word of God". So ... what is it? And, I had to wonder, what is the connection of "adulterate" to the rest ... and to "adultery"?

First, the Greek word, as it turns out, is only used here in this verse. Nowhere else in the Bible. The word is δολόω, doloō for English transliteration. It means to ensnare or corrupt. Strong's says it means, "adulterate". Well, then, we're back to that.

What does it mean to "adulterate"? The word has, as it turns out, the root concept of "to alter" in it. The Latin origin refers to the concept of "to corrupt, to spoil, to make foul". It is to take something that is pure and then to corrupt it. To adulterate, then, as with "adultery", is "to debase or make impure by adding inferior materials or elements." Ah, yes, we get that.

But now we have to look back at what Paul was saying.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Cor 4:1-2).

"This ministry" refers to the ministry he was given at his conversion. Speaking of Paul, God told Ananias, "He is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name" (Acts 9:15-16). That ministry. To the Gentiles and to kings and to Israel ... with suffering. So Paul says that he has this ministry and he has God's mercy because he has this ministry, so there is no reason to lose heart. His alternative? Renounce hidden things of shame (rather than deny them), avoid being tricky to get people to go the way you want, and don't ... this word we're looking at ... the Word of God. Don't tamper with it. Don't handle it with deceit. Don't mix in inferior components to make it more palatable or pleasant or to say what you'd wish. Don't take the "God is love" components, add a little 21st century perversion, and conclude, "The Bible says we're all supposed to have sex with each other" (as has actually been contended). Don't call it "all grace" and figure that covers everything when there is undeniably a great deal of the wrath of God in Scripture. Don't call it "liberty" and think you're done when the Bible is undeniably rich with commands and warnings of failures to obey. Don't focus on "love" like that's the only piece because you don't like to look at God's willingness to demonstrate His power and wrath on vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. Don't stir in the leaven that says, "Well, my experience says otherwise, so it can't mean what it says." Don't adulterate it with human philosophy like "God can't know the future because it doesn't exist yet" when there are clear statements that He does. Don't let your preconceptions, your personal philosophies, your private lusts, and your personal biases change what God's Word says instead of allowing what it says to change all of these things in you.

Yeah, "adulterate". Don't do that to God's Word. That would be Paul's recommendation. And it was Paul who said, "Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us" (Phil 3:17). He didn't mix God's Word with inferior materials. Neither should we.