The word always is perhaps one of the most misused words in our English language. If we stop and think, we could find it being used out of context often. "I always, he/she always, we always this and that". I have been guilty of this far too often. We can be sure though that Jesus did not do this. He used words very carefully. He never wasted them. What in fact does this word mean in the following verse? I have read Matthew 28:20 many times and it has often been near to my soul.
Of course, I had only read it in English, and Spanish, and even there I was greatly impacted. Just the thought of the living Christ, the anointed chosen One of God, presently being with me is overwhelming. The verse reads as follows in two of our excellent English translations:
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (ESV)
And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (NASB)
That seems pretty clear. There is no special deep hidden truth to be gleaned when one turns to the original, but there are a few things worth noting that may make it a little clearer. First, here is the verse:
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ’ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος.
Of course, I had only read it in English, and Spanish, and even there I was greatly impacted. Just the thought of the living Christ, the anointed chosen One of God, presently being with me is overwhelming. The verse reads as follows in two of our excellent English translations:
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (ESV)
And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (NASB)
That seems pretty clear. There is no special deep hidden truth to be gleaned when one turns to the original, but there are a few things worth noting that may make it a little clearer. First, here is the verse:
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ’ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος.