What does the Bible say about the Bible? Part 1
I am not writing as an authoritative figure in any field. I am only a person with an average IQ but with not-so-average number of languages I can use. And I have some experiences as an interpreter and a translator when serving in Air Force, and as a freelancer before I landed on current work place where I have worked for several years. I am sharing my train of thought or thought experiment to investigate the grand truth claim of KJV-Only-ism. So in the end of this journey, I either become your fellow KJV-onlyist who gets enlightened, or I find something that KJV onlyist misunderstood or couldn't accept.
#1 What does the most important figure in the Bible say about the Bible?
Well, I think the most important figure is Jesus. So, let me start with what he said about the Bible.I was reading the Bible this morning, and I wasn’t searching for anything. I just wanted to read something to my 125th day year old baby girl sitting on my laps this morning. And I opened the Bible, and John chapter 5 was in front of me. I am not saying it’s the help of the Holy Sprit even though I won’t deny the fact I may have gotten the divine guidance. I am not that kind of person.
I first noticed how Jesus didn’t claim his authority out of nowhere. He says “If I were to testify on my own belief, my testimony would not be valid. (John 5:31) ”. That was kind of shocking to me. Why would he have to rely on other people’s testimony? He is God. And He could easily demand the worship He deserved. But He didn’t. He gave a person whose testimony directed to. Then he ended this part with Moses wrote about Jesus. *I so want to edit this part to my previous post. But that somehow feels like I am being ‘unreal’ and untrue to the moment. So this will stay here*
Please excuse my quoting the translation that might have come from an impure translation but this is the one I understand better and easier, so let me start with this NLT version: “You search(ἐραυνᾶτε,g2045) the scripture because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scripture(γραφή ,G1124) points to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.”
And here’s from a Complete Jewish Bible that I purchased when I was interested about Messianic Jews. “You keep examining the TaNaK because you think that in it you have eternal life. Those very Scriptures bear witness to me. (CJB)"
Since I am on a quest to find out about the truth claim about KJV, I had to look for KJV : “Search(ἐρευνᾶτε,g2045) the scriptures(γραφή ,G1124); for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
*Okay, I had to admit this verse would confuse modern readers, especially who is not accustomed to Classical English (I am certainly not).
First, in modern English, if a sentence starts with a verb it is an imperative, an order towards the reader to do something. That was confusing. But okay, in other literary form in other languages such as Korean and Chinese, this kind of order changes do happen as well.
+But wait,(new finding!) then the Greek underneath "Search(ἐρευνᾶτε,g2045)" is an ambiguous word that could both be imperative or declarative, a scholar who was nice enough to answer my question confirmed (whose name I won't yet mention to avoid your prejudice of my motive.) Thanks, M!
Second, ‘they are they which..’ would seem wrong grammatically, if you only know the modern English. It is something what Microsoft Word or Grammarly would give a red wave-like correction recommendation. But anyways, I was relieve to see that there were no big difference in meaning among these three versions. Phew!
So, one purpose of the Bible, I found it here. The Scriptures are pointing to Jesus. Got it.
Let's see what else is there. I found Luke 24:44 (KJV):
"And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. "
Jesus is referring to law of Moses. What is that? Torah (yeah. I did my homework!) That I could guess. But to understand this verse better, I had to turn to that Jewish Bible.
#2 And here is my finding about the Old Testament.
Did you know that Jewish Bible has different orders of Old Testament? And they were categorized in three portions: Torah(Teaching of the Moses), Nevi'im (consists of Joshua to Malachi), and K'tuvim(writings consists of Psalms). To save you some times, I am sharing what they consists of below:
- Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
- Nevi’im: (forer prophets) Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings;
(Latter prophets-major) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel;
(Twelve minor) Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakku, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. - Ketuvim: (Three poetic books)Psalms, Proverbs, Job; (Five Scrolls) Songs of songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther; (other books) Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles
*Note: We protestants divide the Old Testament in different ways, I also learned from this. They are Pentateuch, Historical Books, Writings, Prophets.
So, if you are not twisted skeptic like me, we could accept an interpretation such as "Jesus is referring to the whole Jewish Bible (Old Testament) of that time, by using a simplified sentence. Well, if I am unreasonably skeptical, and want to go for word-by-word, only those " the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms" and not, proverbs, and other writings. But I won't. Let's not be that skeptical.
#3 The "Bible" Jesus Used
Let's establish something here. Jesus didn't have the Bible we have. (I know you know but just in case.) When He was around it was the time when Alexander the Great was ruling the region. And the 'lingua franca(it's a fancy term for 'common language') was Greek. And at the time, they had what's called Septuagint(hereafter "LXX"), a greek translation of the Hebrew Bible._(The_S.S._Teacher's_Edition-The_Holy_Bible).jpg)
(It looks like this picture of Codex Vaticanus above. )
Wait. So...Jesus is a Hebrew. He spoke in Aramaic, probably sometimes Hebrew. And the Bible he had access was probably in Greek. And He quoted the Bible written in Greek using Aramaic?
#4 thought experiment on Psalm 12:6-7
Here's a Psalm that pro-KJV book quotes: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.
*words אִמְרָה'[imrah] H565 :utterance, speech, word. word of God, the Torah
I wonder what does *words would mean if applied to Jesus' speech in the New Testament Era.
*The KJV translates Strong's H565 in the following manner: word (29x), speech (7x), commandment (1x).
His speech was probably in Aramaic because that's the language people used there. (Of course, we could imagine that He used supernatural telepathic mind-communication, but I am trying to stay realistic here. So, let's not go there.) But the words written by Mathew, Mark, Luke and John were in Greek.
How would God preserve Jesus' speech, which was a verbal form, not in writing.
If God could use Paul's writing and other prophets, why wouldn't He not directly write anything (except for the time when He was writing 'something' when the adulterous woman was about to be stoned)?
Hmm. Something to keep in mind.
And a series of questions could rise from here:
Would there also be His divine purpose of not letting us have any hand-written message on papyrus or parchment? The immaterial being, the God we know didn't want us to make statues or images of him, and His words are also immaterial, a message, a meaning... Would there be a reason why He commanded us not to make His image?
I will have to get back to these verses later. Because it seems to be a very important verse for KJV Onlyist.
#5. Jesus' final command
He commanded the disciples us to teach ALL NATIONS to OBSERVE all things. Okay, since it wouldn't really mean only to observe, so I guess as NLT version translates it meant 'to obey' in 1611.
Since I did put both version, I might as well compare these two verses. Basic points are kept. NLT is easier for me to understand. The naming of the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) differs, and OBSERVE means 'to obey'.... and gotcha! AMEN is missing. It does raise the question. But this time, I am not doing the micro analysis, so today I am staying macro.
#6 Time travel
So if I was the disciples watching him ascending to heaven in the scene. I, the other disciples and the witness are TO TEACH ALL NATIONS, and teach them to OBSERVE His teaching.Okay. Sure. I will. I have to. God told me to do so. I saw Him crucified and somehow He was back walking around meeting people. And He ascended!! What is going to stop me?
Wait. I probably can't speak Chinese because I lived far from there nor French, English, nor German.....Whatever ancient form it was back then.
I have to teach all nations but I need to tell them how? Wouldn't 'all the nation' means his teaching have to be in all languages? Thanks to Alexander the Great, the Greek cover many areas, but surely not the whole world.
LXX (Septuagint) was there, although it was probably not being sold on the market. I doubt if there were bookstores. And as a modern person who owns more than 10 copies of the Bible in different languages and translations, I could think of using the Bible, but at that time, the Hebrew Bible was probably in Synagogue being read, probably memorized. But technically, Jesus didn't tell me to teach the whole TaNaK...... (oh, is it me being Jonah like?)
So Houston, we have problem. I need either the Holy Ghost give me the second language as soon as possible, or I have to teach Greek to Chinese people.
#7 But before that, I should check the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible. What TaNaK says about the Bible itself. (to be continued...)
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