Bible Notes

The Equivocation of Ka Sandoval and Ka Bularan (INC) II

We have seen how Webster's given definition of equivocation applies to the way Ka Sandoval and Ka Bularan explained Acts 14:11 using a Filipino translation that they made of the expression "The gods have come down to us in human form." Another way of equivocating is when you use a word with two or more meanings that derive from different stages in its historical development. Here is an example:

Years ago, two of our seminarians got ordained to the priesthood and their picture together was published in our newsletter. Below the picture was a caption that read: "Our new priests: one is happy and the other is gay." Everyone got a good laugh at that one, even the one who was referred to as "gay." What made the caption funny was the double meaning in the word "gay". Now, when we say "gay" we would normally mean a person with a homosexual orientation. There was a time, however, when "gay" was the synonym for "happy."

The same equivocation is employed by Ka Sandoval and Ka Bularan in their explanation that Jesus is a creature -- a nilalang -- of God. Their explanation of this aspect was presented as a reaction to Mr. Soriano's alleged contention that there is no text in the Bible where it is stated that Christ was created by God. To belie this statement, Ka Bularan brought out a translation -- allegedly by a certain Juan Trinidad, SJ -- of Mt. 1:18: "Si Maria ang natagpuang nagdadalangtao, lalang ng Espiritu Santo." The choice of the translation again favors their contention that Jesus was a creature of God and works well with the Pauline statement in Col. 1:15 where He is described as "first-born of all creation" (in the Filipino translation that they make, "ang panganay ng lahat ng nilalang").

So where is the equivocation here? The phrase "lalang ng Espiritu Santo" is, for any Catholic, the equivalent of the English "by the power of the Holy Spirit" but Ka Sandoval and Ka Bularan would like to make it appear that it means "created by the Holy Spirit." This is greatly misleading. What made Juan Trinidad translate Mt. 1:18 in that way? I would suggest this: the Filipino version of the Nicene Creed which says "nagkatawangtao Siya, lalang ng Espiritu Santo" -- conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit ... and became man. I would further suggest that the meaning of "lalang", now an unused Filipino word except in Church should be investigated. Juan Trinidad saw it as the equivalent of the Latin phrase "de Spiritu Sancto" which has its equivalent in the Nicene confession of faith. Words change meanings throughout time. Ka Bularan and Ka Sandoval made use of an old Filipino translation of Mt. 1:18 made by a long dead Jesuit to prove that Jesus was created by God.