Serwaa: Am I here? / Serwaa, am I here?

The English language is fascinating, but it can be quite complicated, if not confusing. Even journalists who are well-versed in its use are occasionally caught off guard. Furthermore, English has no respect for anyone, including business magnates and chiefs. An eloquent chief would have to handle it with caution or risk being greeted with "Nana aaba!"

In Ghana, one of the most difficult aspects of this foreign language is the nature of punctuation marks. And this comes as no surprise. For example, two or more sentences containing the same words may mean different things when marked with different punctuation signs. Consider the expressions "Serwaa: Am I here?" and "Serwaa, am I here?" These are completely different.

The first one indicates that Serwaa is speaking and questioning her current location. The second, on the other hand, implies that Serwaa is being asked a question by someone else. Even so, when these two sample expressions are conveyed verbally, the speaker's tone may impart additional meanings.

This is simply to demonstrate how complex the English language can be. That brings to mind one of the Bible's contentious verses. In Luke 23:43, Jesus promised the penitent thief on the cross, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (NKJV). In this case, the placement of the comma (before or after "today") influences how one interprets what Jesus said.

Paradise is the Hadean world where the righteous dead rest before Judgment Day. If the location of the comma in the aforementioned quote is correct, the righteous dies and goes straight to Paradise before his transit to Heaven after judgment. This is consistent with the account of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31).

However, if the comma is moved to appear after "today" in Luke 23:43, it indicates that the day the thief would join Jesus in Paradise was unknown. And that he only used "today" to emphasize his promise. This leaves the expression somewhat vague and may not be the most appropriate rendition.

And so what? This is to emphasize the importance of adhering to writing conventions, as well as grammar and syntax when handling the Bible. More importantly, if the soul of the repentant thief can be set free from the guilt of sin, then no one's sin or scandal is beyond God's saving grace.

If you want to rest in Abraham's bosom in Paradise when you die, you must believe in Christ (Rom. 10:10), repent (Acts 2:38), confess (Rom. 10:10), be baptized (Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21), join His church (Acts 2:47), and walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4).

Enjoy the grace of God!
Amen!