Did Our Inspired Bible Expire
By Herb Evans, Ltt.D.
"...the Word of God which liveth and abideth
forever..." (1Peter 1:23).
"...the Word of God is quick ... and is a DISCERNER of the
thoughts and intents of the
heart..."(Heb.4:12).
We must admit that there was a time when we were terrified at the
prospect of defending the
"inspiration" of the A.V. 1611 (King James) Bible. Of
course, like many Christians, we were influenced by Bible
correcting educators and scholars and their accepted,
traditional, man-made, theological definition of
"inspiration".
Define Your Terms.
As with all theological definitions, the Bible
correcting educator's definition of inspiration is not infallible
and is subject to error. Moreover, any error in definition can
mean a more serious error in concept. Bible correcting educators,
like the Jehovah's Witnesses, have discovered that if they are
allowed to define (or redefine) Bible Words, then they can easily
establish their pet doctrines and theories. Bible correctors and
Jehovah's Witnesses both must be challenged as to whether they
have a Scriptural basis for these definitions. Transmission Bible
correcting educators contend that only the "Original"
transmission of the Scriptures constitutes
"inspiration". They hold that the "inspiration of
the Scriptures" and the "transmission of the
Scriptures" are perfectly synonymous terms. All emphasis, in
most fundamental universities, is placed on whether the
"Originals" were transmitted mechanically, dynamically,
or by illumination; while the quality of the Scriptures, after
they have been transmitted, is practically ignored.
The Originals.
The "Original Manuscripts" are lost and no living
person has ever seen them ( a serious flaw in the Bible
educator's theory). Moreover, if anyone would ever find the
"Originals"; they would not be able to tell if they
really were the "Originals".
We have been told for years that the Bible was originally written
in Greek and Hebrew. However, no one can actually prove that they
were so written. They assume, suppose, surmise, and deduce; but
no one can come up with either a Proof Text or concrete evidence.
The first five Books could have been written in Egyptian, the
language in which Moses was educated and the country where Israel
had lived for years. One thing is for sure, it twarn't Hebrew
that Moses was a speakin' down thayer in Egypt", and
conversations in the Greek were certainly not spoken in Greek.
There had to be some translating going on somewhere either way
you look at it. Selah (think of that D.A.W.)! Just because you
have second and third century Manuscripts that are written in
Greek, does not mean that they were originally written in that
language.
Whenever we make dogmatic assertions without the benefit of
concrete evidence or a Proof Text; we are guilty of pure
assumption. Therefore, if we are expected to submit to this
intangible, unprovable basis for an inspired Greek/Hebrew only
argument; then if you don't mind, we will look elsewhere for our
views.
God Breathed
After the "Originals" had been initially transmitted,
or inspired, or "God Breathed" (as our scholar friend
love to emphasize the literal meaning of the Greek), what then ?
Do the "Originals" cease to be inspired, or do they
cease to contain the Breath of God after the initial act of
transmission is over? Are they still inspired after forty years
have passed ? Are they still alive ? Are they still inspired ? Do
they still contain God's Breath ? Let us go a step further;
suppose that we made photocopies of the "Originals"
before they either perished or were lost. Would the Photocopy
Scriptures be alive ? Inspired ? Have God's Breath in them ?
We insist that these questions must be answered with an emphatic
"Yes" ! It is not the parchment or the ink that is
alive; it is the Words! The inspired Copies of Copies that
Timothy knew as a child (II Timothy 3:15-16) were certainly not
the "Originals" as admitted by the Bible correctors
themselves. God did not preserve the parchment and the ink; He
preserved His "Word", the "Scriptures". He
did not preserve an uninspired Bible: He preserved an inspired
Bible, and it's alive ! It has not expired !
Alive
Anything that God breathes into or inspires is alive for
eternity. God breathed in Adam a living soul.
Now, God did not have to breathe into every man a living soul
thereafter. (Man's fall complicates our parallel; however, man's
soul still lives on somewhere forever). God breathed the breath
of life into the Scriptures, never to be breathed into again. The
Bible that we have today (A.V. 1611) is alive ! Inspired ! It
still has God's Breath in it and will never expire, because it
lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23).