Exploring the WORD
By Dallas Roberts
Today, I wanted to take a closer look at what some of us might consider a commonly understood topic – The Word of God.
By a show of hands, how many of us know what the Word of God is? What is the Word of God?
OK, before we look at the Word of God, I just want to share a quote with you. This is found in the book Education on page 171:
“It is impossible for any human mind to exhaust even one truth or promise of the Bible. One catches the glory from one point of view, another from another point; yet we can discern only gleamings. The full radiance is beyond our vision. As we contemplate the great things of God's word, we look into a fountain that broadens and deepens beneath our gaze. Its breadth and depth pass our knowledge. As we gaze, the vision widens; stretched out before us we behold a boundless, shoreless sea. Such study has vivifying power. The mind and heart acquire new strength, new life. This experience is the highest evidence of the divine authorship of the Bible.”
Does everyone grasp that concept? Many people get the mindset that we know the Bible, we have the meaning of the verses “all sewn up.”
It is IMPOSSIBLE for ANY HUMAN MIND to exhaust ONE TRUTH OR PROMISE!
Now keep that thought in your mind as we go through this study, because that is a vitally important aspect for us to understand!
Now let’s see what the Bible defines as the Word of God. Turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 46:9-10:
“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
This is a good principle for us to understand – That God illustrates what the end will be like by showing what the beginning is like.
So if we want to understand what the Word of God constitutes here at the end of time – we should first investigate what is revealed about it in the beginning.
Turn in your Bibles to Genesis 1:3
Here we have record of the very first words spoken by God (in this world)
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
Did you notice what happened when God opened His mouth and spoke the first words – light appeared!
Whenever the Word of God comes on the scene – light comes with it. You cannot have the Word of God, without having light with it. But also notice that with the presence of Light, you now have, in contrast, the opposite of Light – darkness – which is nothing but a lack or absence of light. But darkness is only revealed as such by the presence of light.
Did everyone understand what I just said?
Let me explain it in a different way. If I had been born and raised in the dark recesses of a cave, darkness would be the only thing I ever knew. I would not understand what it would mean to be able to “see” “light”. But if one day, part of the ceiling fell in and let a beam of sunshine down into the cave – immediately, I would gain some knowledge of light, and there would be an immediate formation of two distinct classes – light on one hand and darkness on the other.
Now notice that here in Genesis 1:3 the earth was full of darkness, but with the entrance of the Word of God – two classes are formed and in verse 4 – God immediately separates them.
So you have darkness, which is the absence of light – then the Word of God brings light into the equation and immediately you have a separation take place – separating the light from the darkness.
I know this might sound a little elementary – but I really want us to take a moment and think about the spiritual ramifications of this.
The Word of God is light, and light brings about a separation from darkness.
Do we see somewhere else, you know, a second witness, that the Word of God defines this principle?
Turn in your Bibles to Psalm 119:105
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
So what is the light? It’s His Word.
Look down a few verses to verse 130
“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”
Notice that this verse even adds some more definition to the word “light”. What is light?
It is understanding.
In Manuscript Releases vol.13 p.263 we have this quote:
“The question has been asked, Shall you have no study book but the Bible? I answer, Take the Bible as a study book, and see if you are not filled with the love of God. Your heart may be barren, your intellect feeble, but if you will prayerfully study the Word of God, light will flash into your mind.”
So now with that understanding of “the Word of God” and “light”, let’s look at another text.
Turn to the Book of John
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
So here we see that the Word of God was here at the beginning and that the Word of God is the Creator. We also see that the Word of God is referred to with a personal pronoun - “him”.
John 1:4-5 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Do you see the connection here with Genesis 1:3
John 1:6-13 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
So here we see that John the Baptist came to bear witness to “the Light” – and only those who receive Him can become the sons of God – Only those who receive the Light can become sons of God.
And now look at verse 14. This is what I want all of us to see:
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Did you catch that? First – Who is this talking about? Jesus Christ!
Let me read the first part again:
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,”
Now just let that thought soak into your mind a minute.
The Word of God was made flesh! Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the Word!
This is something that I don’t think many people today grasp. I know I didn’t. When the Holy Spirit first impressed this thought to my mind – it literally moved me to tears.
When you hold in your hand, the Bible, you are holding Jesus Christ!
Now I’m not talking about some mystical spiritualistic magical idea, like what Catholics believe about the mass or anything - that is Satan’s counterfeit – What I am saying is that this book, the Bible, is the perfect revelation of Jesus Christ. When you read a text in the Bible, you are reading words spoken directly to you by the Creator himself. Words that describe the very life of Christ.
“Follow the light you have. Set your heart to obey what you do know of the word of God. His power, His very life, dwells in His word.” The Mount of Blessing p.150
Now this is not something that I can express in words. This is something that the Holy Spirit will have to impress upon you as you study for yourself. I find that human words fail to grasp the eternity of this thought. It is one of those boundless, shoreless sea, experiences!
Now one reason why the Bible, the Word, being incarnate as Jesus Christ, is so vitally important for us to realize and understand, is because of all the attacks that were made on Christ when he was here, and how they are paralleling the attacks, both subtle and blatant, on the “Word” today.
Let me give you some examples.
One of the thought processes that is engrained into Adventism, and Protestantism in general, today, is the idea that not all of the Bible is inspired equally. The Jews had this same idea with Christ when He was here. The scholars like to break the Bible down into what they term “genres” (zhahn-ruhz) which are the different literature styles used in the Bible.
These range from songs and poetry to historical narratives to visions and prophecy. Some of the books of the Bible that most scholars believe are almost total poetry are the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Soloman and Lamentations. I have actually had scholars tell me that certain texts don’t contain prophecy because they are poetic not prophetic. This is actually a very dangerous position to hold for it totally removes your ability to correctly understand scripture.
But let’s look at this claim, is it true?
Turn in your Bibles to what the scholars refer to as one of the poetic books – the book of Psalms.
Look at chapter 22:1
“To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar [ay-yeh'-leth shakh'-ar], A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”
Now we see from the first phrase that this is a song – not only is it written to a musician, but it is written as a psalm. And we can sort of guess that it is poetic because all good songs are written with some form of poetry.
But now look at what it says – “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Where do we hear that spoken in the Bible? Keep your finger here in Psalms and turn to Matt. 27:46:
So do you think that the book of Psalms is just poetry?
In case you are still doubting that the book of Psalms is more than poetry – flip back to Psalm 22 and drop down to verse 16:
And just in case you still may question it – look at verse 18:
It is obvious that Psalms is not only songs and poetry, but it is also prophetic!
This is only one example, but the whole book of Psalms is prophetic. As you study it out, you will discover that God impressed David to write the book of Psalms for the purpose of not only revealing the future to, but also as encouragement for, God himself, Jesus Christ, when He would live as a man upon earth. Not only that, but for the same reasons, for us, because we, at the close of this earth’s history, are repeating parallel events that were shown in the life of Christ.
How many of you have ever wondered why Christ always seemed to know everything in advance?
Listen to this quote:
“The future life of Christ was mapped out before him. His divine power had been hidden, and he had waited in obscurity and humiliation for thirty years, and was in no haste to act until the proper time should arrive. But Mary, in the pride of her heart, longed to see him prove to the company that he was really the honored of God. It seemed to her a favorable opportunity to convince the people present of his divine power, by working a miracle before their eyes, that would place him in the position he should occupy before the Jews. But he answered that his hour had not yet come. His time to be honored and glorified as King was not yet come; it was his lot to be a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” 2SP 102
He recognized who He was – even in childhood, long before the voice from heaven at His baptism. He always seemed to know the events that would happen in His life. He even could recognize when it was time for His death. How? After all, He was God! Doesn’t God know the end from the beginning?
Was Christ endowed with special powers to know the end from the beginning? No! We are told that Christ didn’t have anything that we can’t have! He wouldn’t even use His divine power, because He could not use anything that we can’t. How do we know that Christ didn’t have supernatural power, of His own, to see into the future?
“The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” DA 753
So how did He have this kind of future knowledge?
It is because He studied the Word of God! The scriptures revealed to Him all the events and timing of His life. And because of His close connection with the Father, He could understand just where He was in the stream of time.
And you know what else? This tells me that if we have that kind of close connection with the Father, and prayerfully study the Word, then we will have the same kind of foreknowledge of the future events that Christ had.
*****
“And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?”
So have you ever heard this argument? “You must know and understand the Greek and Hebrew and the original culture of Bible times or you cannot correctly understand the Word of God.”
Now of course, the scholars always comfort the common people with the assurance that even if you don’t know Greek and Hebrew, never fear, you can rely on the writings of the scholars to teach you the correct understanding of the Bible.
This mindset, is extremely dangerous, because it effectively takes the scriptures out of the hands of the common man and puts the interpretation of them into the control of the scholars. This mindset is nothing but Papal dogma that has been incorporated into the Protestant churches today.
Question: How many Jewish scholars didn’t understand the true character & mission of Christ when He was here on earth? Most of them!
How many of those same scholars had a correct understanding of Greek and Hebrew? Most of them!
How many had a correct understanding of their culture? I would venture to guess – All of them!
Let me give you an example:
“Can I ask you a scientific question?”
How many here understand what the words mean in this sentence? Do you understand the English language? Do you understand this culture? Yes!
How many of you understand what the sentence itself means? All of you!
Now, how many understand what I mean, when I ask this question? Only 1 person! My Wife! Why?
Because there is an intimate connection between the two of us! Only my wife understands that question in the way that I mean for it to be understood - You see, that question is how I started my proposal.
This is how it is with the Bible! You have to have a close connection with its Author, and be listening to the Holy Spirit – in order to correctly understand it!
In other words, the Jewish scholars understood the words that He spoke because it was in their language, but they failed to understand what His character or mission were because He spoke in figures and symbols, and they didn’t have that intimate connection with Him – and because of their lack of understanding – they rejected and crucified Him!
With that being the case, do you honestly think that a correct understanding of the original language is going to enable you to correctly interpret the “Word” of God? No!
A correct understanding of the Greek and Hebrew did not enable the Jewish leaders to correctly understand Christ. Who was it that did understand Christ most? It was the common people, the laity, those not warped and indoctrinated with false education and higher criticism – and we are repeating their history.
In the 19 vol. of Manuscript Releases p. 252-253 we find this quote:
“It has been demonstrated that man by searching cannot find out God. The most learned men in the days of Christ--philosophers, legislators, priests, in all their pride and superiority--could not interpret God's character. They could not discern spiritual things. The ancient pages of the oracles of the gods were turned over and over again, but did not give the wise men any help in solving the problem.
Those whom He addressed regarded themselves as exalted above all other peoples. To them, they proudly boasted, had been committed the oracles of God. The earth was languishing for a teacher sent from God; but when He came just as the living Oracles specified He would come, the priests and the instructors of the people could not discern that He was their Saviour, nor could they understand the manner of His coming. Unaccustomed to accept God's Word exactly as it reads, or to allow it to be its own interpreter, they read it in the light of their maxims and traditions. So long had they neglected to study and contemplate the Bible, that its pages were to them a mystery. They turned with aversion from the truth of God to the traditions of men.”
So the Jewish leaders did not accept the scriptures exactly as it reads, nor would they allow it to be its own interpreter! In other words, they used “Higher Criticism” arguments like – “There cannot be any time prophecy in Lev.26.” Or “You can’t study the Bible precept upon precept because that is how a drunk person talks.”
These are actual arguments that I have personally heard from ministers and professors of our SDA colleges. And what was it that sister White just said?
“the priests and the instructors of the people could not discern that He was their Saviour, nor could they understand the manner of His coming. Unaccustomed to accept God's Word exactly as it reads, or to allow it to be its own interpreter, they read it in the light of their maxims and traditions.
So just what was the problem that caused the Jews to misinterpret and reject the “Word?”
From the book The Story of Daniel the Prophet written by S.N. Haskell on p.183 we read of the Greek culture that had infiltrated the Jewish church:
“There was a priesthood, the duties of whose members were to reveal the will of the gods. The sacred feasts of Jehovah's people were replaced by the national games of the Greeks. As the passover and the feast of tabernacles called the Hebrew race together, and promoted unity and a love of God, so the Greek games gathered that people together, promoting one common language, religion, and law. God's people met for spiritual worship; the Greeks for physical or intellectual enjoyment. The history of Greece is the history of physical and intellectual culture. The people admired grace and beauty, and her literary minds worshiped the intellect. Plato, the greatest of Greek philosophers, lived four hundred years before Christ, and his teachings have led the thoughts of writers in every age since then. The Jews mingled the teachings of the Bible with the philosophy of Plato, and that formed the traditions of men, against which Christ so often warned his followers. The false philosophy, and the "science falsely so called" of Paul's time, was Greek teaching, which breathed the spirit of Plato and his students. Plato's writings have replaced the Bible with many, and a large number of modern writers, both of prose and poetry, recognize him as their intellectual leader. The philosophy of this man was often good, and he admired truth; but the error lay in admiring or assenting to truth, and failing to live it out. His followers came under the condemnation of Christ, together with the Pharisees, of whom he said, "They say, but do not."
And on p.229 of the same book we see this quote:
Ever heard of the word “Exegesis?” That word comes from Greek philosophy.
How about the word “hermeneutics.” That word comes from Greek philosophy. it is derived from the Greek god Hermes – the interpreter and mediator between the Greek gods and mankind. He is a counterfeit of Christ and the Holy Spirit!
This is all part of that “mingling” of truth with the false philosophy of the Greeks.
We also see one of these reasons that the Jews rejected Christ, described in 1Cor. 2:10-14:
“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
In 1888 Materials p. 1631 we read:
“Sometimes the case seems hopeless to me, because you have been treading in the very footsteps of the Jewish nation. You are repeating their history. The whole heavenly universe is astonished at the spiritual condition of things at Battle Creek. Now and then there is a comfortable, easy feeling, but this is not the deep moving of the Spirit of God. All heaven sees that if you had a more correct experimental knowledge of the truth, you would never assume jurisdiction and command over your fellow-men as you have done. You would never think that you could take control of the great interests all over the field, nigh and afar off. It is because of a departure from God that such gross ignorance in regard to the management of his work has come in.”
*****
There is also yet another attack on the “Word” that is running rampant in today’s modern society.
The devil was successful for over 1000 years, in keeping the Bible out of the hands of the people. This time of ignorance was known in history as the “Dark Ages”. During this time, the papal church made it illegal for anyone (other than the priests and prelates of Rome) to have a Bible. Bibles were burned, and if you were found to be in possession of a Bible, or even of reading a Bible, you could be sentenced to death. It was commonly taught that the scriptures were written in a tongue that nobody but the priests could understand. The majority of the common people were so ignorant that most could not even read. Those who could read, had to be careful that they were not discovered or they could be burned at the stake.
It was into this atmosphere that Martin Luther and the other reformers were born. When they set out to translate the Bible into the language of the common man, the papal church declared war on them. The papal church referred to the language of the common people as the “vulgar tongue.”
As the reformation spread, Rome began to lose the power and control that she had exercised over the people. This finally culminated with the “deadly wound” in 1798 when the pope was taken prisoner by Napoleon’s general Berthier.
With the invention of the printing press and the loss of power by the papal church, Bibles began to multiply and spread – first throughout Europe and then to the rest of the world.
This development threw a monkey wrench into the devil’s plans. Now that the Bible was circulating to everyone, he could no longer keep people “in the dark”, so to speak, about the truth of God’s Word.
So Satan developed a plan “B.”
Since he could not prevent people from reading the Bible, he set about to counterfeit it with a flood of his own corrupted versions.
After all, the next best thing to keeping people ignorant about truth is to teach them error.
Now I am not going to discuss all the details of the different manuscripts that the Bible is translated from. There are plenty of excellent presentations discussing all the details of each manuscript (such as Professor Walter Veith’s “Battle of the Bibles” and “Changing the Word”.
I am basically only summarizing this topic.
If you look at the different manuscripts, there are basically only three lines of them. You have the Byzantine text, the Alexandrian text, and Western text. However, the majority of the Western text is like the Alexandrian text, so there are really only two main lines – the Byzantine and the Alexandrian.
To make a long story short – the text that was the support and drive for the Protestant Reformation was the Byzantine text. This is the text that later produced the Authorized King James Bible.
The Alexandrian text (as the name suggests) came from Alexandria and was a corrupted text that mixed the truth of the Bible with Greek philosophy and higher criticism.
All the modern versions have their basis in the Alexandrian text.
In fact, the majority of all the versions different from the King James Version have all originated in just the last 60 years.
Now in light of the idea that the Bible is the “Word” of God – Christ Jesus, exactly what do you have when you have many versions – all claiming to be “the Word” – but yet all differing on main points of doctrine and none agreeing on what is truth?
The term for this would be – Counterfeits!
Look at Mark 13:5-6:
“And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
Now obviously, the primary meaning of this text is talking about people who are claiming to be Christ or another Messiah figure. But I believe that there is a secondary meaning or application that we sometimes fail to realize. Remember the quote that we read earlier – It is IMPOSSIBLE for any human mind to exhaust one truth of the Bible!?
If you have one “True Word” and many other versions claiming to be the “True Word” – but they don’t match the “True” one – might that be a form of anti-Christ (against Christ)?!
Now I know that many people say, “Well, it doesn’t matter which version you use, they are all the “Word of God”! They are not all that different!”
So let’s look at this claim – that it doesn’t matter which version you use.
Let’s read James 1:17:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Now look at Mal. 3:6
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
So, obviously, God does not change or counteract His own Word.
Let’s compare a few texts and see just what the difference is.
Look up Daniel 3:25
KJV “He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
Do you see a problem? Notice that the KJV teaches that the 4th man in the furnace was Jesus Christ – THE Son of GOD!
But the modern corrupted versions teach that the 4th man was just one of the many sons of PAGAN gods!
Does this sound like something that an unchangeable God would say?
Let’s look at another one. Turn in your Bibles to 2Peter 2:9:
KJV “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”
ASV “the Lord knoweth how
to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment; |
CEV “This shows that the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their sufferings and to punish evil people while they wait for the day of judgment.” |
Notice that the KJV teaches that the fires of hell are not burning right now, and that the wicked will be destroyed on that final day of judgment. But the modern versions teach the Papal doctrine of an eternally burning hellfire – the doctrine that portrays God as mean and vengeful – the doctrine that they developed and used to sell their blasphemous indulgences during the Dark Ages.
Turn to 2Tim. 2:15
KJV “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
NLT “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” |
NAB “Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman who causes no disgrace, imparting the word of truth without deviation.” |
Notice that the KJV teaches that we are to “study” – that involves Bible study and prayer, and that we are to divide the Word in the right way – this references back to Isaiah 28:10 (precept upon precept, line upon line) This is the Prooftext method of study.
But the modern versions teach that it is a “works” oriented religion, and that the historical-grammatical method of study is the way to go.
Look at Ex. 20:10
KJV “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:…”
Notice that the KJV shows that the seventh day is “THE” Sabbath. It is the sign between God and His people. It is the seal, the symbol of our allegiance to the Creator.
But the modern versions change just one little article – one word, and they change the meaning! The seventh day is no longer “the” Sabbath – it is just one of the many ceremonial sabbaths that finds its fulfillment at the cross.
Now I just used some of the modern versions for this example – they all follow the same lines – but I chose these particular versions because they are especially ones that I personally know of that are being promoted and pushed in our SDA churches today!
*****
Still another deceptive argument used against the “Word” is that the KJV was written a long time ago, those words are “old” and “archaic” and we don’t understand them anymore. Have you heard this argument?
This argument would almost be laughable if it wasn’t so sad that many people actually believe this.
But if the King James Bible is so impossible for us to understand – then we should also ban the works of Shakespeare from school curriculums because Shakespeare uses the exact same “archaic” language. We should also dispose of Webster’s dictionary, for Noah Webster originally got many of his definitions from the King James Bible. Let me illustrate this:
KJV: Song of Solomon 4:7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.
Shakespeare: “Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:”
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: THOU, pron. in the obj. thee. The second personal pronoun, in the singular number; the pronoun which is used in addressing persons in the solemn style. Art thou he that should come? Matt. 11. I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Psalm 23. Thou is used only in the solemn style, unless in very familiar language, and by the Quakers.
Now I'm not promoting Shakespeare - there is a lot of bad stuff in his works. What I am saying is that people like to claim the KJV is old and archaic, but they don't have any problem teaching their children Shakespeare - and it uses the exact same type of "old" "archaic" language! Notice also, that Webster says "Thou" is used in addressing persons in the solemn style. I will point out this significance in a moment.
This method of testing is used extensively throughout the field of education!
If you run the text of the KJV through the internationally recognized industry standard Flesch-Kincaid readability scale formulas, and compare the results with the results of the different modern versions, this “archaic” argument collapses.
Using these formulas, reveals that the KJV reads at the 5th grade level, while the NKJV reads at the 6th grade level, the TEV reads at the 7th grade level, the NIV reads at the 8th grade level (“People” magazine), and the ESV reads at the 9th grade level (USA Today).
As an example of readability comparisons look at John 18:33
NKJV “Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
Notice that the KJV specifically states their location "judgment hall". Notice also that Pilate, even though he is eventually going to reject the Holy Spirit and turn Christ over to be crucified - when he addresses Christ, there is a level of respect there - "Art THOU..." Here is that solemn style spoken of earlier.
But in the modern, corrupted ESV, that level of respect is gone - "Are you..." - and so is the location. Now they are at the "headquarters," which could be anywhere (palace, town square, senate room, Pilate's bedroom, etc."
And the NKJV (which is supposedly so much easier to read) says "Praetorium"! Now could someone please show me a child who knows what in the world a "Praetorium" is? Does anyone here, know what a "Praetorium" is? No? Well, don't feel to bad, I don't know either!
The KJV is the only Bible that progressively builds in understanding from Genesis to Revelation. There are actually people who have begun reading in Genesis with just a 2nd or 3rd grade reading level and by the time they finished Revelation they were reading at a college reading level. None of the modern versions have that ability!
For example, The Land of ___z (fill with a vowel - A, E, I, O, U)
99% of the people polled responded with "O" - WHY!
Now someone who has been raised on the Bible immediately thinks of Genesis 1:1 (Creation, and the Creator). But someone who has been raised in the world, watching TV, will immediately think of a certain science fiction movie (which is a counterfeit of the galactic war we know as the Great Controversy!) What you learned first will always direct your thoughts when it is triggered. In other words, if your first exposure to the phrase “In the Beginning” was Genesis 1:1, then ever after, when you see or hear that phrase – your immediate thought is of the Creator and the work of creation. But if your first exposure was the TV movie, when you later read the creation account in Genesis – your first though, even if it is just a subconscious thought will be of space war, aliens, and battleships.
AT Jones tells the story of an English statesman that died at a very old age. As he was dying, he kept repeating the Lord’s Prayer in French. This caused everyone to ask questions, because, being an Englishman, he didn’t speak French. Inquiries revealed that when he was a young child, his caregiver was a French nurse who also happened to be a Christian. She had taught him the Lord’s Prayer in her native tongue – and since that was the first memories that he had – they were the last memories that he had!
Another point to make is that the modern versions leave out much of God’s Word. The ESV for example, removes or leaves out more than 33,000 words in just the New Testament alone.
Do you understand the significance of that?
That is the equivalent of completely removing the books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Malachi, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude – Combined!
“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
And still another point, Did you know that the King James Bible has its own built in dictionary?
Look at Gen. 49:17
“Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
Did you notice that the verse defined the word itself? An Adder is a Serpent.
“Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.”
The modern corrupted versions lose most of this built in dictionary feature!
I’ve just given some of the many examples that could be given refuting the different attacks on the Word of God today!
Or do we, by our words, our actions, our beliefs, our education, and our character – in essence make the claim that Jesus Christ -the Word - is faulty, is uninspired, is impossible to understand, or is old and archaic?
Are the scriptures, to us, just pages with words on them, or are they the Eternal Word of God that opens up to our understanding, as a boundless shoreless sea?
When we open the Bible, do we treat Him as any other old history book, or do we treat the Word with the awe and the respect that He is due?
May God help us to start to grasp this concept, and to understand the true character, and the real value of
The Word – Jesus Christ!
