WE have still to consider the subject as to how far the variations of the manuscripts touch the verbal inspiration of the New Testament.
Many Christians fully believe that the very words of scripture are inspired; that is, that not simply the sense of scripture was directly from God, leaving the various writers to choose very much their own words, but that God also caused the writers to use His own words.
Without entering at any length into the question of inspiration, it may be well just to quote two or three passages that bear upon the verbal inspiration of scripture.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Mark 13:3131Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Mark 13:31).) "The words I speak unto you, they are spirit and are life." (John 6:6363It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63).) "He that is of God heareth the words of God." (John 8:4747He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. (John 8:47).) "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." (Matt. 5:1818For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18).) These passages may suffice, when taken with the passages usually quoted for the inspiration of the whole of scripture.
But those who disbelieve in the inspiration of the words of scripture, say, "Of what use is your belief in verbal inspiration, when we are not sure that we have the very words God caused to be written? The hundreds and thousands of variations in the manuscripts destroy your theory, or render it useless.”
Now, in the first place, we must insist upon it that there are two separate and distinct questions to be considered—questions which should not be allowed to interfere with one another.
The first question is—Did God so control the writers of the scriptures that they wrote His words? We say, Yes. We have quoted some passages that speak of "words;" and we must hold this truth firmly. To give it up is to allow the thin end of the wedge of skepticism to come in between us and God as to His word. What distinct thought can we have, in speaking of a jot or tittle of the law not failing, if it is sufficient to consider its general sense? And how are we to arrive at the sense of scripture except through the words used? We consider that a Christian must hold with "verbal" inspiration, or he virtually gives up inspiration altogether—at least in a way that is at all worthy of God, in giving us an infallible guide amid the surrounding darkness and error.
Now, if this point is once settled, it greatly simplifies the other, namely, "Have we a correct copy of that which God caused to be written?" Suppose for a moment I am obliged to say, "No, we have not a correct copy;" that in no way touches the other point, namely, that there were correct copies once. And if I believe that there were such, I naturally say, "I wish I had a correct copy." But, on the other hand, I have nothing to wish for if I deny that there ever were copies of "the words of God." If Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, gave only the sense of what God intended them to write, I have that in almost any Greek copy: why search any more? Why spend years of labor, and thousands of pounds, to get at that which never existed, namely, "the words of God?" I may labor diligently to get accurately what Paul wrote; but of what use is it, if, when I have arrived at it, I have Paul, and not God, except as to the general sense? This I have already in the common Greek text, and in the Authorized Version.
Thus we see that by believing in the verbal inspiration of the scripture is given the impetus to search after a correct text; but it surely is not worth the time and labor, if I have nothing to gain but the words of those who were merely the instruments. It is because God caused the writers to use His words that gives us the earnest desire to have a correct copy of these very words.
Now, with this desire before us, we must candidly admit that we may not have every word God caused to be written; that is what we desire and labor for. But if we have not every one, we have nearly all; there are places where we have not yet been able to say with certainty that we have the exact words. In some places the weight of evidence for two or more readings is so nearly balanced, that it is not for any one dogmatically to say what it was in the original.
As we have seen, the various readings do not touch one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity. These all stand out in their full luster, as they came from the finger of God. But because it is the word of God, we want to know the words He used in every place. We do know them in the main; in thousands of passages there are no variations worth speaking of, nothing to disturb the commonly received version which has been in use in the church for so long. With the exceptions that have been named, we have the "words of God" as given in the New Testament. On these we hang our souls' salvation, and in these is the hope set before us, of soon seeing our blessed Lord, and being with Him, and like Him, forever.
This is "Our Father's Will:" let us receive it devoutly; believe every word of it; and seek to obey it in all things.
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