V. God's Word put back into the Greek Language
Desiderius Erasmus places God's Word back into the Greek language, without the "notorious"
corruption. God was about to restore the Church as He had foretold by the prophets, (Acts.3:18-25,
Rev.10:7) This work of Erasmus was absolutely vital to the foundation for the reform that was about
to take place.
"In spite of his humanistic tendencies Erasmus was clearly used of God to place the Greek New
Testament in print, just as Martin Luther was used of God to bring in the Protestant Reformation"[34]
"For in the very next year, in the plan of God, the Reformation was to break out in Wittenberg"[35]
A. Who was Desiderius Erasmus?
1. Reputation of Erasmus
He was the most famous scholar and author of his day. He was also one of the most prolific
writers of all time and was respected Worldwide. There was no man in all Europe better
prepared than Erasmus for the work of editing the first Greek New Testament text which
became known as the "Textus Receptus." (The King James Defended - Edward F. Hills, Chap.8, p.194-196)
2. Erasmus edited the works of Jerome
He translated, edited or annotated the works of the greatest names of the classical and
patristic world. One of which was Jerome! Note: Erasmus knew ALL about Jerome, and
his text and rejected them! He also knew about and published editions, "...the works
of...Origen." (Compton Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996 "Erasmus")
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Modern scholars today say, that Erasmus did not know about Origen, Jerome, Sinaiticus
or Vaticanus when he placed the Word of God back into Greek. Erasmus did know about
Jerome's text and rejected it, because it was corrupt!
B. What manuscripts did Erasmus use.
"It is well known also that Erasmus looked for manuscripts everywhere during his travels and
that he borrowed them from everyone he could...Through his study of the writings of Jerome and
other Church fathers, Erasmus became very well informed concerning the variant readings of
the New Testament. (i.e. different from others of it's kind, varying from the norm, standard, type)
1. We have what Erasmus had
Indeed almost all the important variant readings known to scholars TODAY were
already known to Erasmus more that 460 years ago..."[36]
2. What did Erasmus use
Erasmus used a 11th.century manuscript of the Gospels, Acts and Epistles. He used a
15th. Century manuscript of the Gospels. He used a 12th.- 14th. Century manuscript of Acts. and
the Epistles. He used a 15th. Century manuscript of Acts and the Epistles. He used a 12th. Century
manuscript of Revelation
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Note: This is used by modern day scholarship to say that Erasmus used "late" manuscripts.
This is the foundation (root) of their footnotes that say, "late manuscripts insert this verse."
(Review: The "Family Tree Method") The reason Erasmus used these manuscripts from the 11th.
to the 15th. Century, is because the earlier manuscripts had been corrupted. Therefore it is
misleading to say Erasmus had only late manuscripts at his disposal.
C. The first edition of the New Testament Text(1516 AD)
This first addition of Erasmus was performed hastily and "was disfigured with a great number of
typographical errors. These misprints however were soon eliminated by Erasmus himself."[37]
Note: This is the "root" of the modern day scholars who say that the King James is "marred" with
mistakes.
D. Then the Printing Press was invented!!! (1450 AD)
This was NO ACCIDENT! This was the Sovereign hand of God. Erasmus did it without the
corruption of Origen, Eusebius and Jerome. Note the order of events that took place after Erasmus
completed his work. This allowed the Bible to be put into the hands of the common people
where it belonged. (The New Testament Priesthood 1Peter.2:5-9, Rev.1:6; 5:10) "Religious texts,
once read ONLY by scholars, nobility and educated [38] priesthood were now available to an ever -
widening audience." - Compton Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
E. The Reformation (1517 AD)
God revealed to Luther that "the just shall live by faith," which has been called a turning point in
History, separating the Church into Protestant and Catholic." Compton Interactive Encyclopedia, 96
F. Tyndale translates the Greek of Erasmus into English
Tyndale (1492-1536 AD) was a English Biblical translator, religious reformer, writer and a "ripe
Greek scholar"[39] Tyndale met Martin Luther and espoused Reformation principles.
(Note: Wycliffe translated from the Revised Latin of Jerome, which is interesting because, God still
preserved His Word even amongst the corruption of Origen and Eusebius)
G. Then the Bible was reproduced to the masses
This gave the opportunity for the people to read and interpret the Bible for themselves. (Wycliffe)
This is no coincidence, this is the Sovereign, Providential hand of God watching over (hastening) His
Word to perform it. (Jer.1:12)
Note: "God who brought the New Testament text safely through the ancient and medieval
manuscript...did not fumble when it came time to transfer this text to the modern printed page."[40]
Now God's Word was in the hands of the people!
NOTES
1. The Amplified Bible - Explanation of Arbitrary Punctuation. Italics
2. God Only Wrote One Bible, J.J. Ray, p.23 / English Revised Version, Preface, pp.9-10 / Westscott. History of the
English Bible, pp.321- 325
3. Evaluating Versions of the New Testament, E.W. Fowler, p.13
4. Samuel Hemphill - History of the Revised Version, p.54-55 / Evaluating Versions of the New Testament, p.4
5. The King James Defended - E. F. Hills, Chap.8,6.(a),p.225
6. Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, Vol.21, p.288
7. Eusebius. Ecclesiasstical History, Book 3, Chap.24
8, 9, 10. Funk & Wagnalla, Vol.19. p,441
11. Encyclopedia Britannica, (Origen)
12. Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol.1, pp.434-435
13. Present day Truths - Iverson, p.14-15
14. Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, "Constantine"
15. Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 5, Chap.8 / Encycloptian Tatian
16. Encyclopedia Britannica. "Arius" Arius was a ascetical, moral leader of a Christian community in the area of Alexandria,
and attracted a large following through a message integrating Neoplatonism, which accented the absolute oneness of the divinity as the highest
perfection, with a literal, rationalist approach to the New Testament texts.
17. "Constantine" - Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
18. Sir Robert Anderson, L.C.B.L.D. p.48, The Church and the Bible / E. H. Broadbent - The Pilgrim Church, pp.21-22
19. Dr. Ira M. Price - Ancestary of the Englisah Bible, p.70 / God Only Wrote One Bible- J.J. Ray, p.18
20. Encyclopedia Britannica, "Eusebius"
21. Dr. Ira M. Price - Ancestry of the English Bible, p.70 / Hurst - History of the Christian Church, Vol.1 pp.36-37 / God Only Wrote One Bible J.J. Ray, p.18
22. The Facts of the New Testament Criticism. The King James Defended, Edward F. Hills, p.119
23. Hort's Introduction, p.138
24. Dr. Fredrick Nolan - Integrity of the Greek Vulgate, pp.17-18
25. The King James Defended - E.F. Hills, Chap.5, p.119 / Thompson chain reference Bible, #4220, p.181
26. Burgon and Miller - The Traditional Text, p.163 / Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol.4, -.86 / Gregory - The Cannon and Text of the New Testament, p.345 / Dr.
Ira M. Price - Ancestry of the English Bible, p.70 / A.T. Robinson - Introduction to the New Testament, p.180 / Dr. Phillip Scahff - Companion to Greek
Testament, p.115 / Dr. Scrivener - Introduction to New New Testament, Vol.pp.36-37
27. Interpreting the Scriptures - K. J. Conner / K. Malmin
28. Thompson Chain Ref. Bible - The origin and Growth of the English Bible, English Versions. p.181
29. Interpreting the Scriptures - K. J. Conner / K. Malmin, p.31
30. Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
31. Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia Jan Hus, 1996
32. Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
33. Interpreting the Scriptures - K. J. Conner / K. Malmin, p.34
34. The King James Defended, Chap.8, p.199 / Works of Luther - Philadelphia: Muhlenberg Press, 1932 Vol.6, pp.476-89
35. The King James Defended - E.F. Hills, Chap.8, p.203
36. The King James Defended - E.F. Hills, Chap.,8 (e), p.198
37. The King James Defended - E.F. Hills, Chap.8, p.202
38. The Priesthood belongs to the people, the Body of Christ, NOT the Scholar. (1Peter.2:5-9, Rev.1:6; 5:10, Deut.31:9-11)
39. Thompson Chain Ref. Bible , F.C. Thompson, D.D., Ph.D
40. The King James Defended - E.F. Hills, Chap.8 (f), p.199
41. The Catholic Counter Reformation - Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
42. The Catholic Counter Reformation - Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
43. The Catholic Counter Reformation - Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
44. The History of Roman Catholicism, New Religious Order - Encyclopedia Britannica
45. The Catholic Counter Reformation - Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996
46. The History of the Revised Version - Samuel Hemphil, pp.54-55
47. Wescott and Hort in their theory of the text built the work of several earlier men, such as Griesbach, Lachman, and Tischendorf, who around 1775 AD
published texts differing in many places from the Received Text. - E.W. Fowler. Evaluating Versions of the New Testament, p.4
48. The History of the Revised Version - Samuel Hemphil, pp. 54-55 / Evaluating Versions of the New Testament - E.W. Fowler, p.28
49. Evaluating Versions of the New Testament - E.W. Fowler, p.9
50. Core, New Commentary, Part.3, p.721
51. The Life and letters of Fenton John Hort - 2 Vols; London: MacMillan and Co. Ltd., 1896, 1211
52. The King James Defended, E.F. Hills, Chap.8,6, (a), p.225
53. The Traditional Text - Burgon Miller, p.163 / Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol.4, p.86 / The Cannon and text of the New Testament, p.345 / The Ancestry of
the - Dr. Ira M. Price, p.70 / A.T. Robertson, Intro of the New Testament, p.180 / Dr. Phillip Schaff. Companion to Greek Testament, p.115./ Intro to the
New Testament - Vol.2, p.270
54. Evaluating Versions of the New Testament, E.W. Fowler, p.4 / B.F. Westcott and F.J. Hort. The New Testament in the original Greek, Vol.ii, Introduction
and Appendix (New York Harper and Brothers, 1882, p.277 / The King James Defended - E.F. Hills. Chap.3,p.66
55, Evaluating Versions of the New Testament, E.W. Fowler, p.4-5