A Sword or a Glade?
(part 1)
by Dennis Schelles
God has a word and he has protected his word over the centuries. Psalms 12 verses 6 and 7 say,
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
The apostles had the text they received from the Lord when John the apostle died around 100 AD. John was the last to write and scholars believe that the gospel of John was the last book of the bible written. From the days of the apostles the “received text” traveled to Asia Miner where the apostle Paul did most of his work. This is also where the seven churches that John mentions in Revelation. While in Asia Miner the Word was translated into the Syriac language. From there the word of God traveled to northern Italy where it was translated into Old Latin, commonly known as the Italic version. This is where the faithful Waldenses lived. They preserved and copied the Old Italic Version and when they were forced to flee Italy they fled to Switzerland and Northern Europe taking the word of God with them.
The Waldenses where known for their careful and meticulous transcribing of the Word of God. In fact their children where taught to memorize the gospels of Mathew and John. God did not let these faithful souls live by a corrupted manuscript. They had the Word of God transcribed faithfully as possible by faithful men of God. Ellen White wrote on page 65 in the Great Controversy,
“The Waldenses possessed the bible and manuscript in their own native tongue.
They had the truth unadulterated!” It was not for a corrupted manuscript that these faithful men, women and children died, O No. They had the truth unadulterated. The Latin that was translated from the Syriac, that was translated from the apostle’s text was the true Word of God. Ellen White goes on to say on page 65
“And this rendered them the special objects of hatred and persecution.”
As we go on you will see the hatred and persecution did not stop with them. The Waldenses where the keepers of Gods word, until things began to change in and around 1348 and 1350 AD. This time frame puts us into Thyatira, the fourth letter of John’s seven churches.
A plaque at that time was spreading across Europe called the black plaque. This disease wiped out about a third to half of the population, sometimes wiping out whole villages. The Roman Catholic Church gained absolute power through that time by telling the people the black plague was a “cause of God” punishing them for their evil and selfish ways.
Now the Bible at that time was a forbidden thing to own or read. They were told they needed a “church official” to interpret or decipher the word of God for them as it was only through the church could they learn to understand what God wanted them to know. It was also at that time the Catholic Church created what is now called “the mass” So the people could come for guidance and healing, both physical and spiritual. They were told by partaking of the mass and paying penance, partaking of the bread and wine which they, the church, had turned into the actual body and blood of Jesus, they would be healed of the plague or if they died, they would ascend into heaven.
Not only was the bible forbidden, very few had actually seen one, much less heard of such a thing. They knew only of sketchy bible stories passed down and by looking at the story lines depicted in the artistry of the churches windows! If any scripture was read to them attending mass, the priest would turn his back and read to them in Latin, a language nobody could understand! This style of worship caused the people to focus onto the priests, bishops and popes for their salvation and they would do whatever the clergy would say. This power developed into absolute authority and corrupted most the priests, bishops and popes to the core.
In late 1400, say about 1470 AD, a young man studying at the Oxford University in England, began to notice the vast differences of teachings from Gods word and the teachings and practices of his Catholic church. This young man John Wycliffe began to draw attention to himself and gained followers by pointing out the corruption of their church. He also pointed out in the bible, that Jesus had the final authority on man's destiny, not the church. In fact, the more he studied the angrier he became, telling everyone that would listen that the church needed to reform.
Wycliffe traveled all across the country telling the people they were being “duped” and the bible taught contrary to what they were being told. He began to realize the need for the people to be able to read scripture for themselves, in their own native tongue. Only this would enable the people to understand truth and enable them to develop a personal relationship with God. So even though it was forbidden to do so, Wycliffe and his followers began to meticulously, word for word, translate and write the bible from the Latin into the old English language.
The reaction of the church was swift and denouncing. They immediately began a campaign against Wycliffe and his followers . They termed him and his followers “lawlards.” Which means, to refuse to obey the rules, convictions, or suggestions made or upheld by others.
Interesting enough, Wycliffe had the support of King Richard and his Queen and they gave sanctuary to Wycliffe . He completed translating the Waldenses bible in 1408. It was in the kings protection that he died shortly after.
The lawlard movement was sparked and with the hand written bible being shared and copied family to family, the movement spread across the land like wild fire. The church in a fitful rage began desperate plans and sceams to stamp it out.
By 1428 the church was marching campaigns across the land announcing new laws against the people. Anyone being found quoting scripture, anyone found possessing scripture, anyone found harboring lawlards would be burned at the stake. In fact, to publicly show their disgust and their authority and to strike fear in peoples hearts, they dug up John Wycliffe bones and burned them after tying them to a stake. This only fanned the flames and Wycliffe bible continued to be passed family to family and meticulously copied.
In early 1500 AD, a young man by the name of William Tyndale was sent by his wealthy parents to oxford, and like Wycliffe, his studies turned him against his church. By this time the intellect and understanding of the Hebrew and Greek language had vastly improved. See the original copies of the Old Testament manuscript are Hebrew, and the New Testament is Greek.
Tyndale poured over these manuscripts without trouble as he was fluent in seven languages, being taught as a boy. Even though at first he could not read Hebrew, by being fluent in the other seven and I’m sure with the help of the Holy Spirit, he was able to self teach himself the Hebrew language.
He like Wycliffe began to dream of a bible everyone could read, with one difference. By now the printing press had been on the scene for a few years. He began to put his dream into action. This time meticulously translated into English by Tyndale not from a previous Latten translation as was Wycliffe, but directly from the Hebrew and Greek original writings.
Along about this same time God was moving in Germany thru Martin Luther. He had to come to the same conclusion as Wycliffe and Tyndale. He too began to preach the truth and gained followers. He translated the bible into German and immediately had it printed. There was no law there that forbad it. The people flocked to get a copy and in 8 weeks three thousand were sold. A lot in those days. The church excommunicated Martin Luther, but the reformation in Germany exploded.
Meanwhile, back in England Tyndale was not having much success. His life was constantly in danger and he could not get anything done hiding to and froe. He fled to Germany in 1524 and went underground to work on his dream, a printed English bible the common people could read.
In two years of hiding he finished the New Testament and smuggled the bible into England. Like Germany they sold like hot cakes. People rushed to get a copy to read for the first time the Word of God for themselves. The thirst was contagious. Immediately the leaders of the Catholic Church rose up against the people, denouncing them, excommunicating them and worse, burning them at the stake.
Sometimes whole villages were burned out. They could not allow, at any cost to the common people, the knowledge of Gods Word to be known. It exposéd them of their evilness, corruption, and greed. It directly made them out as liars. So they stopped at nothing to destroy the knowledge of Gods love, tender mercies, and truth. Satan, through the Catholic Church, could not have the people understand Gods true nature and provisions. So sateen stirred up the hearts of his disciples to force and destroy.
While all this is going on in England, Tyndale is still hiding in Germany. Even in Germany he is afraid the England church leaders will seek him out and destroy him. But in the late 1520’s Tyndale had finished the completed bible translation.
Back in England King Henry the 8th petitioned the church to give him a divorce, which the church refused him. So Henry promptly removed all authority from the church leaders and imprisoned the Pope. He then in turn made himself head of the church and gave himself the divorce. At first Tyndale thought this was great and since the pope was gone things would get better for his cause and the grip on his throat would ease.
He was wrong. After 12 years in hiding, he was betrayed by a friend and Rome imprisoned him. For a full year they kept him in isolation and darkness, then they strangled him and burned him publicly at the stake.
After the murder of Tyndale, God called Thomas Crammer and only after a few short months, Crammer fulfilled Tyndale’s dream. The English reformation took hold. Interestingly enough, King Henry the 8th had a change of heart and a decree was ordered to once again forbid the reading and owning of Gods written word, “the Testament” as it was called in that day.
Public Testament street burnings raged all across the land and thousands imprisoned. A very short time later King Henry the 8th dies in 1547 abruptly and his 9 year old son Edward is made king. This young king was a protestant at heart and so the reformation again gained strength and power. The Testament again was back into the hands of the English people, but with one problem. Two bishops coherently brought forward 3 new versions of the Testament. The origins could be traced back to Constantine and thus they made claim of there superior accuracy.
The people though rejected these versions and actively sought after the Tyndale bible which had a hidden code written into it so it could be identified by those who knew. These three new versions differed wildly from Tyndale’s and Martin Luther’s straight teachings and also since these three new versions came from the church, the English people had learned not to trust what came from her.
King Edward died after only 6 years of reign and his sister Mary took power. She flipped the coin and once again the reformation lost favor in the English parliament. Persecution in the old form of burning again crossed the country. Thomas Crammer, remember him? The man who finished Tyndale’s work was now imprisoned and for two years tortured and brain washed by the highest of church minds. They wanted him to recant Tyndale’s work and forced him to write a confession to be read aloud by him publicly. He pretended to cooperate but in the end of the speech he turned on his perpetrators so they in a raging fit burned him on the stake.
Queen Mary died in 1557 and her sister Elizabeth took power and the struggle between God and sateen turned toward the face of God again and the burnings stopped. By now the 3 later versions of the bible the reformation had shunned had now become favorites! They were called the Dowry bible, the Bishops bible and the Geneva bible. The Bishops bible being the preferred one. Remember the manuscripts that these bibles were based on came from Constantine. These manuscripts were written by Constantine command on expensive vellum paper and were called Sinaiticus and Vaticanus.
Interesting enough it is these two manuscripts that most modern day translations are heavily based on. The NIV, the RSV and the NASB, just to name a few. So were did the Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus manuscripts come from? Alexandria Egypt! In approximately AD 200 a man named Origen translated what today we call a Parallel Bible. He took the original texts the apostles had passed down and translated them into six different languages calling it the Hexopla.
All this sounds good except for one thing, Instead of bringing the heathen mind up to the standard presented in the apostle text, he endeavored in his translations to bring the truths down to pagan philosophy, basically in a narrow minded attempt to make his work acceptable to the upper classes. Effectively becoming the first known writer to corrupt the word of God.
So now it was only the die hard lawlards that clung onto and used Tyndale’s Testament. Queen Elizabeth sought peace for the two sides even though it was known in her heart she fevered the reformation, which by now had a new name, the “Puritans” She in a lot of ways forced the Catholic Church to compromise and in doing so the playing fields evened out. Of course you can imagine how this made the authorities of the church react. They were furious and secretly made plans to restore at once the absolute power they once had..
In the early years of the 16th century Queen Elizabeth died and her cousin from Scotland, James became king of England. The Puritans were delighted as Scotland had already demised the control of the Roman Catholic Church there, so they thought finally the churches noose in England would be gone. King James though in his early years proved to be a mediator .
In an attempt to bring the two sides into uniformity, he called a meeting of the Puritans and the Bishops to the Hamilton court. These fussed and argued for 3 days until someone brought up the subject of bibles. They all agreed that a new bible was needed so King James made the order, thinking this would solve the arguments.
He brought together 47 of the most brilliant and educated scholars of his day, some who could read and speak over forty languages. Among them were Hebrew and Greek professors. Three different universities were involved. Six different groups of scholars in six different locales prayfully began this great work that has given to the world the greatest work of literature in the history of mankind. There was a system of checks and balances set up like you would not believe to insure that this new translation would be accurate.
These committees of 47 men were men God raised up for this work. Many of these men spent five hours a day in prayer and meditation, realizing the enormous undertaking and responsibility that rest on making sure they were doing the work of God. It had to be perfect. The result is words on paper that possesses power of the almighty sword. It will fail not, ever.
The KJV Bible is the product of the work of the Holy Spirit, as the apostle Peter writes in IIPeter 1:20, 21: 'Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.'
There are many outstanding works of the Holy Spirit in connection with the Bible. Certainly there is the great work of the Spirit to inspire the human writers, so that what they wrote was the very Word of God without any error. Not only was there a work of the Holy Spirit in moving the human writers, but a work prior to that, preparing them to be the writers of the Word of God.
There was the work of the Holy Spirit to cause God's people to recognize the writings of Scripture as the Word of God, discerning between writings which were genuinely Holy Scripture and writings which were not genuine but in some instances claimed to be. There is the work of the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures in the individual Christian to cause him to understand the Scriptures and believe them, just to name a few.
But one very important work of the Holy Spirit was also to preserve the Scriptures in copying, in transmission, so that in every age and down to the present, God's people has had the true Word of God.
The matter of which Bible translation is to be accepted by and used among the people of God is a matter of highest priority. In recent centuries the King James Version was the undisputed version of choice among English-speaking Christians. In the last several decades, however, several other English translations have appeared, all of them vying for acceptance on the grounds that they are an improvement over the KJV.
One of the most popular of these recent translations is the New International Version. The NIV has gained a wide acceptance among conservative Christians. It, more than any other previous translation, has become a serious competitor of the KJV. The NIV has been touted for its freshness, its clarity, its faithfulness, as well as its superiority over the KJV.
It is no exaggeration to say that the NIV has become the Bible of Evangelicals. The NIV has been able to supplant the KJV to an extent that no other version had been able up until now to do. Old and young Christians alike have begun using the NIV. Many churches have encouraged their members in its use and have even removed their KJV Bibles from their pews and replaced them with the NIV.
The history of the NIV begins with an 'Interdenominational Bible Translation Conference' that was held in August of 1965 at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. Already before this, exploratory study on the need for a new English translation had been done by committees from the Christian Reformed Church and the National Association of Evangelicals. The scholars attending this conference agreed on the need for such a new translation and the Committee On Bible Translation was appointed. This committee consisted of 15 scholars from different denominations and religious affiliations. The Committee On Bible Translation was entrusted with planning the entire project.
In 1967 the New York Bible Society (now the New York International Bible Society) agreed to sponsor and finance the work on this new translation. This made it possible to enlist the help of scholars from around the English-speaking world: the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Participating in the work were over one hundred Bible scholars, all of whom were reputed to be conservative and to hold to a high view of Scripture.
The 'Preface' to the NIV New Testament stated: 'Certain conviction and aims have guided the translators. They are all committed to the full authority and complete trustworthiness of the Scriptures, which they believe to be God's Word in written form.'
However, when one considers what the NIV is, at least two noteworthy features of it must be pointed out.
In the first place, the NIV purports to be based on an older and better text than the text that was the basis for the translation of the KJV. The 'Preface' of the NIV begins: 'The New International Version is a completely new translation of the Holy Bible made ... directly from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts.'
Now, remember, I have already told you where these “superior” manuscripts came from, and its said these manuscripts are older and superior .Why? Because of the Vellum paper it is written on!
The second noteworthy feature of the NIV is the fundamental principle employed by the translators in their work: the principle of 'dynamic equivalence.'
According to this theory of translating, the work of the translator is not so much to render the very words inspired by the Holy Spirit, in the form in which He inspired them, into the 'receptor' language. Rather, it is his work to discover the 'meaning' of the words, and then to convey that meaning in freely chosen words of his own and in the idiom of the day.
That this principle was followed by the NIV translators, they make clear in their 'Preface.' 'The first concern of the translators has been the accuracy of the translation and its fidelity to the thought (notice that, not 'words' but 'thought',) of the biblical writers' Again, '... they have striven for more than a word-for-word translation. Because thought patterns and syntax differ from language to language, faithful communication of the meaning (not 'words' but 'meaning,') of the writers of the Bible demands frequent modification in sentence structure and constant regard for the contextual meanings of words' The translators have aimed, we are told, at '... convey(ing) the sense...' of the text .
It is interesting to note how the standards of accuracy have changed in the last several decades. It is also interesting to note how the same sly why of interpreting Gods word for you has returned from the dark ages! When the principle of dynamic equivalence is adopted, accuracy no longer requires word-for-word translation. This principle of translation is a fundamental sellout of the doctrine of Scripture's inspiration verbal, plenary inspiration.
All of the translators' assurances, that they hold to a high view of Scripture, that they believe the Bible to be the very Word of God, fully authoritative and completely trustworthy, the truth belie the facts. It simply is not so. They are singing the same song before England had a bible, with a new verse! They cannot believe that the Bible, word-for-word, is the very Word of God. If they did, they could never have utilized the principle of dynamic equivalence in translating! Also, when you evaluate the NIV, there are numerous specific instances of mistranslation, and there are a host of examples in the NIV of textual alterations, freewheeling translations that have no basis in the text, insertion of the translators' exegetical opinions, imprecise and ambiguous translation, and grammatical and syntactical changes made in the text. Not to mention some texts completely left out!
The KJV ought today to be the version of choice among God's people. We ought to retain the KJV for personal use, in our own reading, study, and meditating on the Word of God as individual believers. It is the version we ought to use in our families, both for family worship and as parents in the instruction of our children. And this is the version that ought to be used by God's church in her official preaching and teaching, and in worship. We ought not to replace the KJV by another version, the NIV or any other. We ought not to use another version alongside the KJV, a thing confusing for instruction and worship.
Besides being understandable and readable, the KJV is, more than any other version, suited for memorization. We must be able to read it and understand it; but we must also be able to retain it. Christians have always placed a premium on memorizing the Scriptures and portions of the Scripture. More than any other version, the KJV is suited for memorization. What does the bible and Ellen White say about this subject?
Lets start with Gods word;
1 Peter 3:15 Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear..
Mt 10:16-20 ¶ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
How does the spirit of the father speak in you? Lets turn to {CSW 40.3}
The servants of Christ are to prepare no set speech to present when brought to trial for their faith. Their preparation is to be made day by day, in treasuring up in their hearts the precious truths of God's word, in feeding upon the teaching of Christ, and through prayer strengthening their faith; then, when brought into trial, the Holy Spirit will bring to their remembrance the very truths that will reach the hearts of those who shall come to hear.
God will flash the knowledge obtained by diligent searching of the Scriptures, into their memory at the very time when it is needed. But if they neglect to fill their minds with the gems of truth, if they do not acquaint themselves with the words of Christ, if they have never tasted the power of His grace in trial, then they cannot expect that the Holy Spirit will bring His words to their remembrance. They are to serve God daily with their undivided affections, and then trust Him.--TSS 105-107. {CSW 41.1}
In Chap. 37 - Ready to Answer (Maranatha p.45)
I have been shown that many who profess to have knowledge of present truth know not what they believe. They do not understand the evidences of their faith. They have no just appreciation of the work for the present time. When the time of trial shall come, there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. Until thus tested they know not their great ignorance. And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe; but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth. . . .
{Mar 45.1}
God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, (Heresies? Could this be adulterated bibles in our midst?) which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat. The Lord calls upon all who believe His word to awake out of sleep. Precious light has come, appropriate for this time. . . . Believers are not to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth. Their faith must be firmly founded upon the word of God so that when the testing time shall come and they are brought before councils to answer for their faith they may be able to give a reason.
If you have not figured it out by now, there is only one version of Gods word. Why would God give you a second version or a third when He has already placed His word in your hands? Saten however is out to deceive all he can. God's true unadulterated word, the KJV can set you free and give you and yours eternal life. It backs up every core of the SDA belief, opening your eyes to the times in which we live.
Lets read Eph 6:10-17
¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
A "two edge" Sword is as I see it:
The blade is strong, straight, and without blemish. It has two edges, one edge represents the old testament, and one edge represents the new. I want to humbly suggest there is more to this sword then that. First, in the old testament God tells of numerous times someone is killed by the edge of the sword. Very rarely is someone “run through” One edge represents Jesus. The other edge represents the Holy Spirit. The point, being a part of both edges is God the father.
Both edges have a different work, Jesus is defense, The Holy spirit is offence. But they move in unison. By placing the sword (bible) in my hand, God and I can become one. But before he and I can become one I must learn to wield (read) it. The more I practice the more I learn where the chapters are and their subjects. I in my filthy rags rub on the pure steel and He begins to polish me in His scriptures, I get out my sharpening stone and my trials slowly bring the edges to a fine sharp edge. Memorizing scripture becomes a joy as I swing without tiring. When I go to battle with the Lord to win souls I use the edge of the Holy Spirit and the blood of Jesus. When I go to battle to defend my belief I use the edge of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And finally, to defend my faith, I use the point. I call this sword my KJ Bible.
The "single edge" glade as I see it;
Looking at the blade it looks clean, sharp, straight, made of fine steel, but I notice two things right away. It is light weight, although well balanced, it has two edges but only one sharp edge. This sword has done away with the old testament, oh it still has the old testament, but it is not sharp so you do not need it. And who has been eliminated in this sword, Jesus or the Holy ghost?
My answer is, if you eliminate one, the other must go too. So what does one edge represent? Mary? The Pope? Both? Would you want to go to battle with a one edge sword? And what about the point? There is one, yet but yet there is not, If there is one it is at the top, not in the middle. Is it Satan? If you wield this sword who is leading? What does your hand have ahold of? Do you think studying the pages of this sword will escort you and your loved ones to eternal life? Do you think memorizing deleted and added to scripture will be what Jesus will call to your mind when you are before Judges? I call this sword “the modern polluted versions of Gods word” In fact, it is not a sword at all, it is a “Glade” Maybe we shouldn’t call these modern bibles, Bibles. I think I will lay them aside by the “Glade”
The Discoveries of Ron Wyatt
