The New Testament was originally written in Greek.
About 1605, King James I of England called for a translation of the
Old and New Testaments into the English language, with the translation
to be without note or comment. About the year 1607 fifty-four scholars
(later reduced to forty-seven) were selected as the translators. These
forty-seven men were divided into three companies, one company working
at Cambridge, one at Oxford and the third at Westminster. Each of the
three companies was further split into two groups, so that there were
six groups working on the translation. Each member of each group worked
individually and then each member reviewed the work of the other members.
This resulted in the translation work of each person being reviewed
at least fourteen times before it was reviewed by all the interpreters
together.
The translation work was begun in 1607 and completed in 1610, after
almost three years work. In the year 1611, the authorized King James
Translation was first published.
The interpreters, in presenting the King James Translation of 1611,
stated that the goal of their work had been an "exact translation of
the Holy Scriptures into the English Tongue." During the course of their
translation the interpreters found several words and phrases for which
there are not any literal English translations. The translators were
honest enough to present the words which they concluded gave the most
accurate interpretation in italics rather than conceal this fact. This
fact demonstrates their intent and honesty in preparing the translation
of the Bible which has been a great blessing as the translation most
well received by the Lord's English speaking children.
d. Chapters and Verses.
The original text of the scriptures was not divided into numbered chapters
or verses.
The first work on chapters occurred when each book of the Bible was
divided into chapters about the year 1250.
These chapters of the Bible books were further divided into verses
about the year 1551.
Therefore, it is obvious that the chapters and verses were not divinely
inspired, but were added as a help and convenience in reading, studying
and discussing the Bible.
e. Red Letters.
Some Bibles are printed with the words of Christ in red. The words of
Christ were first printed in red when a "red letter" edition of the
Bible was published about 1901. This first red letter edition was published
by Louis Klopsch, an editor of an American religious magazine. He consulted
with Bible scholars in both Europe and the United States for their advice
as to which words of Christ were spoken while he was on earth.
Klopsch's first red letter edition of the Bible published in red only
the words of Christ which he spoke while on earth. Some later red letter
editions have printed all words of Christ in red, regardless of when
or where He spoke them.
While the addition of the "red letter" is helpful in reading the Bible,
it should be remembered that the red letter scriptures are no more important
than others, for "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable... ." (2 Timothy 3:16) No part of scripture is any
more important than any other part, and the addition of the red letter
print to parts of scripture is not intended to indicate otherwise.
f. Attacks On
The Bible. There have always been those who reject and attack
the authority of the Bible. The Bible itself warns that this will occur,
and gives as some of the reasons for the attacks:
i. The man of nature which has not
been born of God's spirit cannot and does not understand or receive
spiritual things:
1 Corinthians 2:14 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.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot
hear my word.
ii. Only the spiritual man born of God's spirit
can receive and understand the spiritual things of the Bible:
1 Corinthians 2:11 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.
Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given
unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it is not given.
1 Corinthians 2:12 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.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given
us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are
in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true
God, and eternal life.
Just as a man must have natural life to understand natural things,
man must have spiritual life to understand spiritual things. This spiritual
life comes from God upon all of his children.
iii. Attacks on the Bible occur
in many ways and from many sources. God warns his children in the scriptures
of these attacks and admonishes them to be on guard and watch for them.
An example of an attack on scripture that God's children should be aware
of is the subtle attack on scripture that occurs when man's philosophy,
knowledge and understanding is considered to be superior to the truths
of God's word. God's children are warned of this danger in the following
verses:
1 Timothy 6:20 O, Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust,
avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely
so called:
Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy
and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, and the rudiments of
the world, and not after Christ.
God's word is always consistent with true science and true knowledge,
and the Bible does not tell us to avoid such; however, the teachings
of the Bible will always be inconsistent with profane thinking and
false knowledge. God's children are admonished to not be led away
from the Bible's truths by accepting or following after such errors.
The consequences of accepting and following error is described in
the Bible as including the following:
Mark 7:7 Howbeit in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men.
Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition,
which ye have delivered: and many such things do ye.
iv. God's children are instructed to
be on guard against these attacks on the Bible and its instruction,
and to adhere to the teachings of the Bible and those things which
are consistent with Biblical instruction. When God's children to not
adhere to the truth of the scriptures, their departure from truth
leads to things which are of no profit in their lives:
Deuteronomy 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do
it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
1 Samuel 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after
vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
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