1. The King James Debate Odenton Baptist Bible Institute
Lecture 1 – Introduction
Instructor: Pastor Shafer
Fall 2006
Thursday 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

2. “Why will men believe a lie, an absurd lie, that could not impose upon a child, and cling to it and repeat it in defiance of all evidence to the contrary?”
Abraham Lincoln
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

3. Course Objectives Understand God’s opinion of the Bible
What is God’s word?
What are its characteristics as concerns preservation?
Know how the Bible defines preservation?
Know major differences in the English language versions
What are the significant versions?
How different are they?
What are the notable differences?
Are there any patterns in these differences?
Do the changes and differences matter?
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

4. Course Objectives How to reach someone with truth
From where did the various versions come?
History of the New Testament since the time of Christ
History of the modern versions - men and dates
What are the primary theories used to justify the changes found in the modern versions?
Genealogy of manuscripts and its results
What manuscripts are used
What manuscripts exist
Writings of the Church Fathers
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

5. Course Objectives Translation, translation methods, and the effect
The history behind the two most famous Greek manuscripts of the New Testament
The Old Testament texts and issues
Certain key passages: how and why they are changed
The Last Twelve Verses of Mark
I Timothy 3:16
I John 5:7-8
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

6. Facts Everyone Should Know
Fact 1: The New Testament was unchanged from 250 A.D. until the late 1800’s
The King James Bible represents a New Testament which ALL agree was in use for over 1500 years
It also represents the New Testament which the church fathers most often quoted prior to 250 A.D.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

7. Facts Everyone Should Know
Fact 2: Modern English language versions of the Bible trust in only TWO Greek manuscripts and are opposed to thousands of other Greek manuscripts
These two manuscripts are both of highly questionable reputation and origin
These two manuscripts agree with each other less than they agree with the King James Bible
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

8. Facts Everyone Should Know
Fact 3: The Old Testament text used by modern English language versions was produced from the work of an untrained error prone textual critic
His name is Rudolph Kittel
The manuscript is named Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
Kittel’s son, Gerhard, was a Nazi war criminal
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

9. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSIONS?
II Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

10. If people merely believed what the Bible says about itself, there could be only one English language version of the Bible! Before it was possible to get men to accept a radically changed Greek and English (then later, Hebrew) text, it was necessary to bring men to a place where they trusted scholarship and science more than they trusted God’s word. Before we study manuscripts, church fathers, textual theories, or any other evidence, we must accept what the Bible says about itself as pure truth. If we would do so, the nature of the changes proposed by modern English language versions of the Bible would shock us so much that we would never consider them, regardless of the theories or men behind them.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

11. Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

12. Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

13. Isaiah 59: my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

14. I Peter 1: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

15. Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Settled - To stand, to be on station, to be fixed in place, established
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

16. What Is The Bible? It is that by which we are saved
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise . . .
2Ti 3: from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

17. What Is The Bible? It is that by which we are born again
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth
Lu 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

18. What Is The Bible?
It is the representation and testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

19. What Is The Bible? It is our protection from error
Matt 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures
Mark 12:24 Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures
Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

20. What Is The Bible? It is that which MUST be fulfilled
Matt 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
Mark 14:49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.
Mark 15:28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

21. What Is The Bible? It is the workman’s source of approval
II Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

22. What Is The Bible? It is our source of faith
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

23. What Is The Bible? It is our source of strength
1Jo 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong,
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

24. What Is The Bible? It is our source of comfort
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

25. What Is The Bible? It is our necessary sustenance
Deut 8:3 Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Matt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

26. What Is The Bible? It is our only offensive weapon
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

27. What Is The Bible? It is not the word of men
I Thess 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

28. What Is The Bible? It is worth giving our life for
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

29. God’s Definition of Scripture
FIRST - IT MUST BE INSPIRED
II Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

30. God’s Definition of Scripture
SECOND – IT MUST BE PURE
Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

31. God’s Definition of Scripture
THIRD – IT CANNOT BE CORRUPTED
I Peter 1: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

32. God’s Warnings About Scripture
First – It should not be corrupted
II Cor 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

33. God’s Warnings About Scripture
Second – It should not be handled deceitfully
II Cor 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

34. Are Individual Words Important?
Ex 24:4 Moses wrote all the words of the LORD
De 17:19 To keep all the words of this law
De 27:8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.
Ac 5:20 Speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Rev 22:18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

35. Are Individual Words Important
There are 34 times in the Bible where the phrase “all the words” is used to represent the message given by the LORD
Ex 4:28, Ex 4:30, Ex 24:3, Ex 24:4, Deut 9:10, Deut 17:19, Deut 27:3, Deut 27:8, Deut 28:58, Deut 29:29, Deut 31:12, Deut 32:44, Deut 32:46, Josh 8:34, Josh 24:27, I Sam 18:10, II Kings 23:2, II Chron 34:30, Prov 8:8, Jer 11:8, Jer 26:2, Jer 26:12, etc. etc.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church

36. Are Individual Words Important?
Matt 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
September 2006
Odenton Baptist Church