THE SEMITIC NEW TESTAMENT

THE PLOT TO REPLACE THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT

By Barbara Aho & Janet Moser English-speaking Fundamental Christians have been led to believe that throughout the Church Age there have been two competing streams of Bible manuscripts: the Byzantine, which underlies the Textus Receptus and thus the King James Version, and the Alexandrian which originated from Egypt and forms the basis for most modern versions. However, there are not two but three families of manuscripts vying for recognition as being derived from the original text. Having contended earnestly for their respective Greek and Alexandrian Texts, in true dialectical fashion, Christians will soon be offered the synthesis -- a Semitic New Testament based on Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts. Modern versions have already broadened the way for multitudes to accept counterfeit scriptures. Fundamentalists have been the last stronghold of orthodoxy, determined to resist the apostasy and persistently holding to the KJV based on the Received Text. However, now there is evidence that Fundamentalists, like many Evangelicals and Charismatics, are coming under the baleful influence of the Hebrew Roots Movement. With this new development, there lurks the prospect that the Bible version debate may be resolved via compromise. The Judaising movement, which has infiltrated culture and religion across the board, promotes an Aramaic/Hebrew New Testament over the Greek. The Hebrew Roots Movement is based upon the false premise that the original Gospels were written in Hebrew, or possibly Aramaic, and that the Greek New Testament is a mere translation of Hebrew or Aramaic originals. The Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, which has influenced the Messianic ministries on a broad scale, is a major source of this error. The theory of Hebrew originals of the Gospel accounts was propounded in a book published by the JSSR titled The Difficult Words of Jesus. Authors David Bivin and Roy Blizzard first cast doubt upon the original inspiration of the Greek gospels: "Why are the words of Jesus that we find in the Synoptic Gospels so difficult to understand? The answer is that the original gospel that formed the basis for the Synoptic Gospels was first communicated, not in Greek, but in the Hebrew language. In spite of this, today's modern translations are all based upon a Greek text, derived from a still earlier Greek text, which is itself a translation of an original Hebrew Life of Jesus. This means that we are reading an English translation of a text which is in itself a translation. Since the Synoptic Gospels are derived from an original Hebrew text, we are constantly bumping into Hebrew expressions or idioms which are often meaningless in Greek, or in translations from the Greek. 1.

"Our reasons for writing this book are not only to show that the original gospel was communicated in the Hebrew language; but to show that the entire New Testament can only be understood from a Hebrew perspective." 2. The JSSR is a non-Christian, Jesus-Seminar type of institution which has connections with and sponsors seminars for various Messianic and Hebrew Roots ministries such as Moriel Ministries and Messengers of Messiah. It is not surprising, therefore, that Peter Michas of Messengers of Messiah takes the position of the JSSR with respect to the lack of originality of the Greek gospels, as he expressed in the Preface of his book, The Rod of An Almond Tree in God's Master Plan: "I realized that there were errors in the English translations of the Bible...Like most Christians, I had been taught that the New Testament was originally written in Greek.. I wondered if the gospels were originally written in Judea (or possibly in Antioch, the largest Christian community of the earliest Church), by Jews, about a Jew in Jewish culture, could it be that the Greek was, in fact, attempting to express the Hebrew language and Jewish culture? This required further investigation... I ended up going into a place called Chabbad House which was run by the Lubovich, the ultra-orthodox rabbis. This was the beginning of my education in the Hebraic roots of the Bible." 3. The Chabbad Lubavich is a Jewish mystical movement founded on the Kabbalah, which also forms the doctrinal basis of a vast network of esoteric societies, including Freemasonry. The term "Chabad" is an acronym for two of the Sefirot, Chokmah and Binah, in conjunction (Da'at): "The name 'Chabad' is a Hebrew acronym for the expression 'Chokmah,' 'Binah" and 'Da'at'--Wisdom, Intelligence and Knowledge. These Kabbalistic terms are central to the distinctive intellectual theology of the movement . . ." 4. The result of Peter Michas' education under the Kabbalist sages of the Chabad Lubavitch was his rejection of the Greek New Testament and reliance upon the first five books of the Old Testament (Torah) and Rabbinic commentaries to determine Christian doctrine: Is The New Testament Hebrew/Aramaic or Greek? "In summation, since existing New Testament manuscripts are Greek, written to express Hebraic concepts, why be limited to the Greek or English translations when we have Hebrew, now a living language not very different than it was 2000 years ago. The New Testament is in the pattern of the Jewish traditional work of Torah, Mishnah, Haggadah, Halakah, Talmud and Midrash, but inspired by God Himself for the common people. These Hebraic works as well as the Inspired Scriptures were quoted from by Jesus and all the writers of the New Testament. But even now, to have full comprehension, we must read the scriptures in the proper Hebraic context." SEMITIC NEW TESTAMENT PROJECTS James Trimm of The Society of Nazarene Judaism is a member of the of the Messianic Friends Network to which Messengers of Messiah belongs. 5. Mr. Trimm is in the process of translating a Semitic New Testament based on Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts which he believes to be source documents. These mss. are Semitic versions of New Testament books which Mr. Trimm maintains has been translated from an

original Semitic text. James Trimm's new web site for the Semitic New Testament Project is the Hebrew/Aramaic New Testament Research Institute. "'This website deals with the Hebrew and/or Aramaic Origin of the New Testament.' "The work on the Semitic New Testament Project continues. This week I would like to answer those of you who have sent e-mail asking about what Hebrew and Aramaic source documents for the New Testament have survived. "Several Semitic versions of New Testament books have come down to us which may have some claim to being descendants of the original Semitic text. These include the Shem Tob and Du Tillet Hebrew versions of Matthew; the Old Syriac Aramaic version of the four Gospels; The Peshitta Aramaic New Testament and the Crawford Aramaic version of Revelation..." The Messianic Friends Network interconnects a large number of Messianic, Hebrew Roots and Nazarene organizations, such as Messengers of Messiah, which we assume have some measure of agreement on doctrinal issues. We may therefore expect that, upon completion of Mr. Trimm's Semitic New Testament, there will be considerable interest on the part of these ministries, which will promote the new bible as a preferable alternative to the Greek-based New Testament traditionally used by Christians. A number of Aramaic Bible organizations also link to James Trimm's Society for the Advancement of Nazarene Judaism. One of these is the Ancient Aramaic New Testament website of Victor Alexander, who is also engaged in a project to translate the Aramaic New Testament into English. Mr. Alexander defends the Aramaic New Testament as the original scriptures: "...the Catholic Latin version was a translation of the Greek, which is itself, by definition, a translation of the words of Jesus Christ spoken in ancient Aramaic. In contrast the Church of the East at least had the original ancient Aramaic Scriptures, hand copied without any changes from the original tongue. "Judging by the thousands of idioms that only make complete sense in the Aramaic, there is no doubt as to the origin of the ancient Aramaic New Testament. The Church of the East ancient Aramaic New Testament is the original Gospel of Jesus Christ. All others are translations." One rationale behind the Aramaic New Testament project is also a theme expressed by the Hebrew Roots ministries: i.e., the presumed anti-Semitism of the Gentile Church, in whose care has historically been entrusted the translation of the Scriptures: "The project's relationship to larger themes or issues in the humanities is the renewed historical perspective this translation offers, an airing of the prejudicial considerations of the so-called 'Gentile' converts and the resulting jealousy and prejudice directed at the original Jewish Christians and their customs. Subsequently much of the alienation of the Jews in Europe owes to the continued emphasis on and the tangential interpretation of the Scriptures as God's gift to the "Gentiles," a totally erroneous concept if there ever was one. One need not go into all the ramifications of the constant repression against the Jews throughout history, based on strictly non-Scriptural misinterpretations of the European establishment, in order to see the humanitarian need for a non-prejudicial and therefore, by definition, authentic translation of the holy Scriptures."

Mr. Alexander intends to make a social statement through his Aramaic New Testament, which will mitigate the injustice suffered by Jewish people due to the alleged prejudices inherent in the Greek New Testament. Apparently he plans to document within his translation the "clear and systematic mistranslating" which has prejudiced Christians against Jews "from the very beginning." "There is clear and systematic mistranslating that can be footnoted or presented in the final compilation of translator notes that will demonstrate the deliberate attempt committed by translators, that ended up destroying a significant bond that would have existed between the Jews and Christians from the very beginning, even if there was no meeting of the minds on theological matters to the very end." Is it true that Christian Bibles have mistranslated the Scriptures so as to misrepresent the Jews? Peter Michas protests that the Christian Bible translations have erred by stating that the Jews demanded the death of Jesus Christ, when the real culprits were the Edomites. He quotes Malcolm Lowe's Understanding John's Gospel: "At this point it is essential to clarify the meaning of the Greek words, hoi Ioudiaoi, translated 'the Jews.' According to Malcolm Lowe, a Christian writer, editor and lecturer residing in Jerusalem: "'Sometimes hoi Ioudaioi means the Judean population in general, sometimes specifically their leaders... "'Moreover, John's Gospel says that the people of Judea stopped opposing Jesus. After he raised Lazarus from the dead, most of the people changed to admiring him. When John 19 is read carefully, one finds that the people had no role in the death of Jesus. Even those who call for the freeing of Barabbas are not a crowd of people, but just the chief priests and their officers...'" 6. These statements are hard to defend, for John 19, in conjunction with the record of Jesus' trial in Matthew 27, characterize the chief priests and the multitude as those whose Law included the uniquely Jewish Passover and prohibition of blasphemy: John 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God... 19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out saying, If houlet this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. 19:14 And it was preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 19:15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Matt. 27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 27:21 And the governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said Barabbas. 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 27:23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multi-tude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Peter Michas pushes the envelope even further by proposing that the priesthood of Israel was composed of Edomites, rather than Jews: "But who was the real power in the leadership at the time of Yeshua? "The Herodian dynasty was founded by Herod the Great, whose father was an Edomite (Idumean) and whose mother was a Nabatean Arab. Recall that the Hasomonean dynasty which annexed Idumea compelled the Edomites to adopt Judaism. For this reason, Herod considered himself to be a Jew. However, the Pharisees, the spiritual leaders of the people, and the Jewish people never accepted Herod and his descendants as legitimate rulers. In fact, Herod required assistance from Rome to become installed as King of the Jews. "No only were the Edomites the actual political power at that time, but the religious leadership was totally under their control... The Herodian Edomites totally controlled the office [of High Priest] and filled it with illegitimate priests based solely on political considerations... "At Passover, the people could choose to release one man condemned to die. Pilate offered Yeshua as that man but the corrupt religious leaders and their associates chose Barabbas. The people were not present and so no represented. Scripture clearly indicates that the Jewish people as a whole accepted Yeshua as a prophet from God, and that it was the chief priests (the religious leadership and the rulers (the Edomite leadership) who were responsible for condemning and crucifying Him..." 7. No evidence is found in Scripture to warrant the statement that the high priest, Caiphas, was an Edomite or that the Levitical priesthood had been supplanted by descendants of Esau. Are the Christian translations of the Greek "anti-Semitic" or do they state the facts accurately so as to bring the Jews to repentance? While it is certain that the Jews were responsible for rejecting and crucifying their Messiah, every Christian well understands that the ultimate cause of Christ's death was the sinful condition of lost men, Jews and Gentiles alike. It is likely there were Jews in the multitude who later repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Having been born again as new creatures in Christ, they would thereby escape the wrath to come. Those who did not would suffer judgment: "His blood be on us, and on our children." Yet even now, the 2000 JERUSALEM: COMING OF AGE IN THE MILLENNIUM event has composed an agenda which requires that the Christian Church absolve the Jews of all responsibility for the death of Jesus Christ: "This continuing anti-semitism of the Christian Church incorrectly blaming the Jews for Jesus' death when it was by Rome himself that he was crucified leads directly to the mentality of the holocaust triggering the founding of the Jewish state and the unresolved tension in the Middle East today. A full apology is required for all the centuries, not too little too late." (The Rebirth of the Church and the Transfoliation of Life)

We know from prophecy that God has not cast off the Jews forever, and will yet fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant with the remnant of Israel. However, this will occur at the revelation of Jesus Christ to Israel, when the Jews will also repent: And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10) Until this glorious revelation of Jesus Christ to the remnant of Israel, the proper attitude of the Christian Church toward the Jews during the present dispensation is clearly stated in Scripture, as expounded in William R. Newell's commentary on Romans 11: "In Acts 28, Paul officially shuts the door to national Israel. 'Well spake the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers,'-- quoting this Isaiah Six and declaring: "Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles: they also will hear." "Since this awful use of Isaiah 6, the gospel has no Jewish bounds or bonds whatever! And it is presumption and danger, now, to give the Jews any other place than that of common sinners! 'No distinction between Jew and Greek,' says God. Those that preach thus, have God's blessing. Those that would give any special place whatever to Jews, since that day, do so contrary to the gospel; and we fear, for private advantage. Tell Jews the truth! Their Messiah was offered to their nation, and rejected. And God is not offering a Messiah to Israel now, but has Himself rejected them: all except a 'remnant,' who leave Jewish earthly hopes, break down into sinners only, and receive a sinner's Savior, not a 'Jewish' one! Then they become 'partakers of a heavenly calling.' "We dare not believe in any of the modern reports of national Jewish 'turning to the Lord.' They will go into yet greater darkness (after the Rapture of the Church). There will be the former evil spirit of idolatry "taking with itself seven other spirits more wicked than itself," entering in and dwelling this present evil generation of Israel (Matt. 12.45). Do not be deceived. At our Lord's coming, and not until that beleaguered nation sees 'the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven' (Matt. 24.30),--which will be that 'looking upon Him whom they pierced' of Zechariah 12, will they have faith. "...their fall was made the occasion of salvation to the Gentiles; and this again is to provoke them to jealousy'---that they may be saved. God's manifest blessing to Gentiles causes the careless, self-satisfied Jew to awake,--first to ridicule Gentile testimony; then,--seeing the reality of Divine visitation to the despised Gentile, to arouse to a deep jealousy. "How amazingly different Paul's method of 'provoking the Jews to jealousy,' from that pursued by many Jewish mission workers today. The Jew must have a 'special' place as a Jew. In some quarters they are even organizing 'Jewish assemblies,' and in other quarters advocating 'the literary method of approaching Israel.' All this, we cannot but feel, is abominable kow-towing to Jewish flesh, and hinders their salvation. Jews now are common sinners, who have for the present been set aside nationally, and must come to rely, as individual sinners, hopelessly guilty and helpless, upon the shed blood of Christ, an upon Him risen from the dead. It is an awful thing to make present day 'Jewish' claims when God says Jews are, for the present, no different from Gentiles, before God: but are just--sinners!" 8.

The Christians of the early church were not anti-Semites; however, like Paul, they carefully guarded the New Covenant in Christ's blood. Those Jews who intruded upon the newly planted churches in order to deprive believers of their liberty in Christ were justly rebuffed. Today, the Church finds itself in precisely the same predicament with a movement of unconverted or partially-converted Jews, having infiltrated it with the intent to redefine and thereby destroy the Christian faith. Those Christians who reject the Judaising movement do not hate the Jews, but rather they refuse to surrender the precious faith of Jesus Christ for a religious system which only prefigured Christ. Converted Jews must renounce their former religious traditions, as all sinners must come out of their respective religious systems. Every true convert will do so with joy upon conversion to the Saviour. "And Jesus said unto them...No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." (Mt. 9:16,17) THE SYRIAC PESHITTA One of the presumed source documents for use in Semitic New Testaments, the Syriac Peshitta, is of particular interest for our report. James Trimm notes the original composition of this "source document" and its derivation from the Old Syriac, rather than the Greek text: "The Peshitta New Testament is the Aramaic version of the New Testament which has been preserved by the Church of the East... It includes all of the books except 2Peter; 2John; 3John; Jude and Revelation. These books were not canonized by the Church of the East until 508 C. E. The Peshitta is not merely a translation from the Greek text, but rather a revision of the Old Syriac, as Arthur Voobus writes: "... the Peshitta is not a translation, but a revision of an Old Syriac version." (Studies in the History of the Gospel Text in Syriac; 1951; p. 46 see also pp. 54-55)." 11. The Hypertext Webster's Dictionary defines the Syriac language as "more correctly rendered 'Aramaic,' including the Syriac and the Chaldee languages." Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary describes the Syriac Peshitta as a departure from the Greek New Testament in that Apocryphal books were included and books of the later canon were omitted: "A Syriac version of the Old Testament, containing all the canonical books, along with some apocryphal books (called the Peshitto, i.e., simple translation, and not a paraphrase), was made early in the second century, and is therefore the first Christian translation of the Old Testament. It was made directly from the original, and not from the LXX Version. The New Testament was also translated from Greek into Syriac about the same time. It is noticeable that this version does not contain the Second and Third Epistles of John, 2 Peter, Jude and the Apocalypse. These were, however, translated subsequently and placed in the version." The Biblical Literature website also indicates the growing importance placed on the Peshitta by the fact that a critical edition is now underway:

"There are many manuscripts of the Peshitta, of which the oldest bears the date 442. Only four complete codices are extant from between the 5th and 12th centuries. No critical edition yet exists, but one is being prepared by the Peshitta Commission of the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament." STRANGE BEDFELLOWS Although the Semitic and Aramaic New Testament Projects will draw upon other Semitic versions, the Syriac Peshitta has the distinction of being recognized by Fundamental Bible scholars as a legitimate translation. Inexplicably, there is a unanimity of opinion among these scholars that the Peshitta follows the Textus Receptus. This is based on the assertion of their arch-rival, Dr. Fenton John Anthony Hort! David Otis Fuller: "It is generally admitted that the Bible was translated from the original languages into Syrian about 150 A.D. This version is known as the Peshitto (the correct or simple). This Bible even today generally follows the Received Text [quoting F.J.A. Hort, Introduction, p. 143]. 12. Dean John Burgon: "It is well known that the Peshitto is mainly in agreement with the traditional text. What therefore proves one, virtually proves the order. If, as Dr. Hort admits, the traditional text prevailed at Antioch from the middle of the fourth century, is it not more probable that it should have been made without a record of history, and that in a part of the world which has been always alien to change." 13. D.A. Waite: "The Peshitta Syriac version, (150 A.D., the second century)... was based on the Received Text." 14. Jack Moorman: "...the Peshitta...manuscripts (now numbering over 259) are in line with the Received Text. ...the Syrian version may have been written with direct access to the original autographs themselves (based on Ruckman)." 15. Edward F. Hills: "The Peshitta Syriac version and the Gothic version also belong to the Traditional family of New Testament documents. And the New Testament quotations of Chrysostom and the other Fathers of Antioch in Asia Minor seem generally to agree with the Traditional Text." 16. William P. Grady: "True to the meaning of its name (straight or rule), the Peshitta set the standard because of its early composition [A.D. 145] and strong agreement with the Greek Text underlying the King James Bible..." 17. Peter Ruckman: "The orthodox view of Bible-believing scholars for 1700 years was that the Peshitta was written early in the second century. Since it agrees over and over again with the King James' readings..." 18. Samuel Gipp: "The Universal [Received] Text is that which travels north from Jerusalem to Antioch, the 'gateway to Europe,' heading for England... From Antioch...the Universal Text...spread through Syria and Europe through its translation into the Syrian Peshitto version and the Old Latin Vulgate. There are still 350 copies of the Peshitto in existence today as a testimony to this widespread usage in the years since 150 A.D." 19.

Gail Riplinger: "...the Peshitta Syriac (now dated much earlier than the fifth century) agrees with the KJV." 20. James H. Sightler: "There are essentially only two textual streams, and these have run parallel down the centuries. The received text was set down by 150 A.D. at Antioch in Syria as the Peshitta version... It was translated into Latin at a very early date, probably before 200 A.D. ... It was restored by the great Dutch scholar Erasmus in 1516..." 21. Add to these superlative recommendations of the Syriac Peshitta the repudiation of the Greek New Testament by leading textual scholar, Gordon Fee, whose book, How To Read the Bible for All It's Worth, is required reading in some Christian colleges: "Jesus' primary tongue was Aramaic; his teachings come to us only in a Greek translation...to some this reality can be threatening..." 22. A 1995 article in Christianity Today also cites 'leading text-critical scholar' Gordon Fee as doubtful of the reference in I Timothy 3:16 that "God was manifest in the flesh." "Given the nature of the debate of the deity of Jesus Christ that took place during the third and fourth centuries, would that the early manuscripts had read "God"! The debate about Christ's deity would have been resolved like a gavel to the bench. As [leading textcritical scholar Gordon D.] Fee suggests, 'The argument from silence in this case is an extremely telling one.'" 23. "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (II Tim. 3:16 KJV) Gordon Fee's reference to the Greek New Testament as a translation points to an original in Aramaic. The early mss. which omit the word "God" in II Timothy 3:16 appear to be references to the Syriac Peshitta and the Old Syriac. The Peshitta reads "He who" rather than "'God' was manifest in the flesh." Having laid this foundation of trust in the Peshitta, and doubt upon the Greek New Testament, can it be only a matter of time before Fundamental Bible scholars are prevailed upon by the Hebraisers to admit the unthinkable -- that perhaps the Old Syriac, of which the Peshitta was a revision, was the ORIGINAL text upon which the Greek texts were based? Considering the agreement among Fundamentalist scholars regarding the pedigree of the Peshitta and the incongruity of its acceptance by two groups of scholars which are fundamentally opposed to one another on essential doctrines such as the Trinity and divine inspiration of Scripture, we thought the Aramaic Text in question warranted an inspection. Our investigation commenced with the following questions in mind: What religious groups currently use the Syriac Peshitta? What is the origin and history of the Peshitta? What religious groups have historically used the Peshitta? Are there textual variations between the Syriac Peshitta and the Textus Receptus? If there are significant variations, do they affect essential doctrine?

THE CHURCH OF ANTIOCH Last December, the Religious News Service reported on the growing number of Maronite and other Catholic denominations whose liturgies are written in Aramaic and whose New Testament is the Syriac Peshitta. Those who are familiar with the Hebrew Roots rationale for turning to the Semitic languages will recognize the arguments for a Semitic original, which I have emphasized in bold letters: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - To many, it may seem as dead as Latin, but Aramaic - the language Jesus spoke - is alive every weekend at St. Elias Maronite Church here and in communities across the nation from San Diego, Calif., to Yonkers, N.Y. "It's as close as we can get to the words Jesus spoke," said the Rev. Richard Saad, pastor of St. Elias, a Lebanese Christian congregation. "It's a holy language, it's a liturgical language, it's the language Jesus spoke." And because Jesus taught and told his oftenpuzzling parables in Aramaic, the language also holds the key to interpreting passages that have long been misunderstood by Westerners, said Aramaic scholar Roco Erricco, author of "Treasures From the Language of Jesus." "In biblical scholarship and translation, its becoming more important," said Erricco, president of the Noohra Foundation in Santa Fe, N.M. "It helps clarify passages that are obscure. Especially since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940's, the importance of Aramaic - a general term that includes a group of closely related Semitic dialects - has grown in offering clues to biblical scholars. When they run into difficulty, they turn to Aramaic," Erricco said. 3 key biblical languages "The three languages that are crucial for biblical scholarship are Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic," he added. "When the New Testament went west, it was in Greek. When it went eastward, it was in Aramaic." The current interest in Aramaic crosses denominational boundaries and puts Aramaic speakers and translators like Erricco in great demand. I can hardly keep up with it," he said, "People are really interested in it. What I'm doing is showing the Bible through the eyes of the Middle East, the Semitic languages of Aramaic and Hebrew, the ancient culture, psychology, idioms and symbolism of the ancient Near East." At the same time, Aramaic is not just a "dead," scholarly language, like Latin. Many people from the Middle East who have migrated to other parts of the world have kept Aramaic as their primary language, Errico said. Indeed, there are communities of Aramaic speakers as large as 3,000 in San Diego, Calif., Chicago, and Yonkers, N.Y. Other Middle Eastern Christians who migrated to Australia and Russia also speak it, he said... Aramaic spoken here At the 3,000-member St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church in El Cajon, Calif., "they still speak Aramaic in their community" and continue to use it in the liturgy, Erricco said.

"The people preserved it and kept it. Today the Aramaic language is still alive. The liturgy is still alive in the services, In Iraq and Kurdistan, thousands still speak Aramaic." At St. Elias, a church of Lebanese immigrants, "it's definitely part of our spiritual culture," Saad said. Throughout the Mass, prayers and Scripture are recited in Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic. When Saad holds up a communion wafer during the consecration of the Eucharist, he recites a Gospel account of the Last Supper in Syriac. In the church library, there is a Syriac manuscript of Holy Week services handwritten by monks and copies of the Peshitta, a Syriac translation of the Bible. Above the front door, the name of the Church is written in Syriac. The liturgy dates back to a time before Muslims conquered most of the Middle East, beginning in the seventh century, when Arabic became the dominant language of the region. "It put Aramaic on the back shelf," Saad said. Aramaic is a Semitic language, closely related to both Hebrew and Arabic. It is written right to left and uses the same alphabet, syntax and grammar. Gospels in Greek The earliest existing copies of the Gospels were written in Greek but maintained 46 words of Aramaic, which some scholars feel point back to an Aramaic original before Greek, Erricco said... 24. The Maronites were a Gnostic sect that was excommunicated in the 7th century [when the Muslims invaded the Middle East] for holding to the doctrine of Monotheletism, the heretical belief that Christ had one will (Divine) as opposed to orthodox doctrine which maintained that Christ has both Divine and human wills. The heresy of Monotheletism eventuated in a great schism in Christianity from about 640-681, at which time the Council of Constantinople [680-681] condemned Monotheletism. [Previously, the Council of Chalcedon in 452 had condemned Monophysitism, an advanced type of Alexandrian theology, which ensued in the fatal defection of Syria and Egypt. Nearly the entire Eastern Church had apostacized from Roman orthodoxy with the signing of the Monophysite Henotican in 482 by the Eastern bishops.] The Columbia Encyclopedia entry for "Maronites" identifies the headquarters of the Maronite community as Antioch: "Maronites, a Christian community of Arabs in communion with the Pope. By emigration they have spread to Cyprus, Palestine, Egypt, South America and the United States and now number about 1 million. Their liturgy (said mainly in liturgical Syriac) is of the Antiochian type, with innovations taken from the Latin rite. Their ecclesiastical head, under the Pope, is called Patriarch of Antioch; he lives in Lebanon... The Maronites have been a distinct community since the 7th cent., when they separated in the doctrinal dispute over Monotheletism; they returned to communion with the Pope in the 12th cent. In the 19th cent., massacres of Maronites by the Druses brought French intervention; this gave France its modern hold in Lebanon and Syria. Besides the Maronites, there are two other groups in Syria in communion with the Pope - the Melkites and the Syrian Catholics." 25.

The newspaper article arrested our attention, as we recalled that Peter Michas' Preface to The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan advanced the possibility that "the Gospels were originally written... in Antioch (the largest Christian community of the earliest Church)..." Antioch, the capital of Syria, is also identified in Acts 11:26 as the city where the disciples were first called Christians. In Which Bible? David Otis Fuller also quoted Dr. F.J.A. Hort on the importance of the church at Antioch and the translation of the Greek New Testament into the Syrian language (not vice versa): "It was at Antioch, capital of Syria, that the believers were first called Christians. And as time rolled on, the Syrian-speaking Christians could be numbered by the thousands. It is generally admitted that the Bible was translated from the original languages into Syrian about 150 A.D. This version is known as the Peshitto (the correct or simple)." 26. The Interpreter's Bible Dictionary confirms that the Peshitta was missing various New Testament books for a prolonged period of time. "The canon of the Peshitta does not included II Peter, II and III John, Jude, and the Apocalypse, and so represents the ancient canon used in the Patriarchate of Antioch in the fourth century." 27. The Britannica Online states that these books were not considered canonical by the Syrian Church: "Of the vernacular versions of the Bible, the Old Testament Peshitta is second only to the Greek Septuagint in antiquity, dating from probably the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The earliest parts in Old Syriac are thought to have been translated from Hebrew or Aramaic texts by Jewish Christians at Edessa, although the Old Testament Peshitta was later revised according to Greek textual principles. The earliest extant versions of the New Testament Peshitta date to the 5th century AD and exclude The Second Letter of Peter, The Second Letter of John, the Third Letter of John, The Letter of Jude, and The Revelation to John, which were not canonical in the Syrian church." 28. The Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion & Ethics mentions use of the Peshitta at the School of Antioch: "In their canon of Scripture [the Antiochian School] followed the tradition of the Antiochian and Syrian Churches (which is also represented in the Peshitta or Vulgate Syriac version), and did not included in the N.T. Canon the Apocalypse, II Peter, II and III John, or Jude. Theodore, on subjective grounds, also rejected the epistle of St. James." 29. The Encyclopedia Britannica indicates that non-believers were predominantly involved in its translation, and notes the Jewish influences found in the Peshitta: Syriac Versions "The Bible of the Syriac Churches is known as the Peshitta ("simple" translation). Though neither the reason for the title nor the origins of the versions are known, the earliest translations most likely served the needs of the Jewish communities in the region of Adiabene (in Mesopotamia), which are known to have existed as early as the 1st century CE. This probably explains the archaic stratum unquestionably present in the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Psalms of the Peshitta, as well as the undoubtedly Jewish influences generally, though Jewish-Christians also may have been involved in the rendering." The Encyclopedia Britannica also confirms that the Syriac Peshitta was the accepted bible of the Syrian Churches from the third century onward:

"(Syriac: "simple," or "common"), Syriac version of the Bible, the accepted Bible of Syrian Christian churches from the end of the 3rd century AD. The name Peshitta was first employed by Moses bar Kepha in the 9th century to suggest (as does the name of the Latin Vulgate) that the text was in common use. The name also may have been employed in contradistinction to the more complex Syro-Hexaplar version. The apostle Paul indicated that corruption of the New Testament began during the apostolic period: "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God. Respected Bible scholars of the nineteenth century confirm this interpretation of II Cor, 2:17a. Dr. Frederick H.A. Scrivener served on the Committee for the English Revised Version and alone opposed the Westcott-Hort agenda to replace the Textus Receptus with a New Greek Text. Dean John Burgon vigorously defended the Textus Receptus and refuted the Westcott-Hort theory. Their statements on early corruption are quoted by D.A. Waite and David Otis Fuller: "Dr. Scrivener and Dean Burgon both agree, that during the first 100 years after the New Testament was written, the greatest corruptions took place to the Received Text by the early church." 30. "Prebendary Scrivener, another great scholar, is quoted by Burgon as follows: 'It is no less true to fact than paradoxical in sound that the worst corruptions to which the New Testament has ever been subjected originated within one hundred years after it was composed -- that Irenaeus and the African fathers and the whole western with a portion of the Syriac church used far inferior manuscripts to those employed by Stunica or Erasmus or Stevens thirteen centuries later when molding the Textus Receptus.' 'Therefore, [Burgon] antiquity alone affords no security that the manuscript in our hands is not infected with the corruption which sprang up largely in the first and second centuries.'" 31. EARLY HERESIES IN ANTIOCH Antioch seems to have been the source of much heresy of the early church period. The Secret Book of the Egyptian Gnostics informs us that the false doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which was addressed by Jesus in the book of Revelation, originated from Antioch: "Nicolas had been one of the first deacons ordained by the Apostles. He came originally from Antioch. It is against his doctrine that the Johanine Apocalypse (II:6 and 15,16) warns the churches of Ephesus and Pergamos." 32. The Church at Antioch may also be recalled as the point of origin of the Judaising movement which is documented in Acts 15. 14:26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. 14:28 And there they abode long time with the disciples. 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to, Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question... 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter... Acts 15:19-21 records the decision of the Council of Jerusalem not to bring the Gentile churches under bondage to the law of Moses. Subsequently, the apostles sent to Antioch a company with letters which expressed the decision of the Council. Acts 15:31-33 records the joyful reaction of the Church of Antioch: 15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 15:31 Which when they read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets, also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. It is believed that Paul's second missionary journey was motivated by his desire to take a copy of this ruling to all the Christian communities which he founded. The decision at the Council of Jerusalem (A.D. 49) did not put an end to the controversy, however. Proponents of the view that one must keep Jewish customs to follow Christ attended Paul's journeys, stirring up opposition against him. This band, referred to the book of Galatians as the Judaisers, eventually become known as the Ebionites whose heresy continued to exist for another two centuries. Ignatius, who was the bishop of Antioch subsequent to the Jerusalem Council, had to deal with the Judaising heresy in the late first century until his martyrdom in Rome c. 110 A.D. The Encyclopedia Britannica entry on Ignatius of Antioch states that "Ignatius apparently fought two groups of heretics: (1) Judaisers, who did not accept the authority of the New Testament and clung to such Jewish practices as observing the Sabbath, and (2) the Docetists..." Encyclopedia Britannica Online "IGNATIUS THEOPHOROS (Greek: "God Bearer") (d. c. 110, Rome), bishop of Antioch, Syria, known mainly from seven highly regarded letters that he wrote during a trip to Rome, as a prisoner condemned to be executed for his beliefs. He was apparently eager to counteract the teachings of two groups--the Judaizers, who did not accept the authority of the New Testament, and the Docetists, who held that Christ's sufferings and death were apparent but not real. The letters have often been cited as a source of knowledge of the Christian church at the beginning of the 2nd century. Ignatius represented the Christian religion in transition from its Jewish origins to its assimilation in the Greco-Roman world." [The trademark of Judaisers, who have come into prominence at various times in church history, is their devaluation or total rejection of the Greek New Testament. The Watch Unto Prayer series of reports on The Hebrew Roots Movement examines the premise,

propositions and resources used by the current Judaizing movement to supplant the Greek New Testament.] Continuing the profile of Ignatius of Antioch and the heresies he opposed: "The Docetists believed that the spiritual Christ entered the human Jesus at His baptism, and left before the crucifixion. For Scriptural support, Docetists appealed to St. Paul's reference to a "spiritual" body in 1 Corinthians 15. 42-50. This view denied that the suffering of Jesus was attributed to a divine person, and thus the redemption would be finite. The incarnation also would be an illusion. In a letter prior to his pending martyrdom, Ignatius of Antioch wrote of their error: "But if, as some atheists, that is unbelievers, claim, His suffering was only a makebelieve, when really they themselves are make-believes: why am I in chains? Why do I even want to fight with the beasts? Then I die in vain. My testimony is only a lie about the Lord." 33. LATER HERESIES IN ANTIOCH "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not received, or another, ye might well bear with him." - II Cor. 11:4 "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." - II Cor. 2:17 Following Ignatius' controversy with the Judaisers and subsequent martyrdom at Rome, Antioch would become notorious for heresy, succumbing successively to Docetism, Modalism, Arianism, Nestorianism, and Monophysitism. After 451, it became increasingly Monophysite. It fell to the Persians in 538 and to the Arab Moslems in 637. Only after a millennium, many bishops of Antioch and a third of the people submitted to Rome in 1724. These were known as the Melkites. During the 4th century, as the Holy Roman Empire was forming, the church fathers, aware that the churches in the East had become the source of much false doctrine, called a series of ecumenical councils to address these issues. Pertinent to our discussion are certain men of Antioch who promoted doctrines that were declared heretical: 1. ARIUS (c. 250-336) Arius was a famous presbyter at Alexandria, Egypt when he introduced his belief that the Son or Logos, was not of the same substance as the Father, but was created for the purpose of creating the world. Arius was greatly influenced by Lucian of Antioch, who had laid great stress on the Judaic monotheistic origins of Christianity. 34. The following entry on the Arian controversy in the Encyclopedia of Religion reveals the dynamic impact of this heresy on Eastern Christendom:

"Three distinct streams of influence merged in the sea of doctrinal upheaval of Christianity in the fourth century: (1) the theological system developed by Arius himself, which was his private and pastoral accomplishment; (2) the moderate and conservative Origenism of the majority of Eastern bishops who found themselves in consonance with Arius's own Origenian background; and (3) the political initiatives of these bishops against Alexander of Alexandria. The complex state of church affairs arising from the confluence of these three streams has become known as the Arian controversy." Like the Kabbalists, Arian stressed the absolute unity of God, who was incommunicable: "In Arius's thought, certain trends of Alexandrian theology, formulated by Origen a few generations earlier, reached their ultimate consequences. Arius's concept of the Christian godhead was monarchic, that is, it held that the first and unique absolute principle of divinity is the Father. Consequently, any other divine reality was considered by him as secondary to the Father. He applied this view of all to the Logos, the Word of God, the Son who becomes the instrument of the divine plan of creation and salvation. The Son, being bound to the decision of the Father in the very process of his how generation as the Son, is not eternal in the same sense as the Father is eternal; more important, he is not eternal because only the Father is ungenerated. On the other hand, being the instrument of the fulfillment of the Father's will, the Son is by nature linked with the divine creation. He is, so to speak, the first transcendent creature, the principle of all things." 35. Historical sources agree that the influence of Lucian at the School of Antioch led Arius and others into controversy with the Bishop of Alexandria and departure from sound doctrine. Prolegomena. The Life & Writings of Eusebius of C'sarea "About the year 318, while Alexander was bishop of Alexandria, the Arian controversy broke out in that city, and the whole Eastern Church was soon involved in the strife. We cannot enter here into a discussion of Arius' views; but in order to understand the rapidity with which the Arian party grew, and the strong hold which it possessed from the very start in Syria and Asia Minor, we must remember that Arius was not himself the author of that system which we know as Arianism, but that he learned the essentials of it from his instructor Lucian. The latter was one of the most learned men of his age in the Oriental Church, and rounded an exegetico-theological school in Antioch, which for a number of years stood outside of the communion of the orthodox Church in that city, but shortly before the martyrdom of Lucian himself (which took place in 311 or 312) made its peace with the Church, and was recognized by it. He was held in the highest reverence by his disciples, and exerted a great influence over them even after his death. Among them were such men as Arius, Eusebius of Nicomedia, Asterius, and others who were afterward known as staunch Arianists." A Chronology of the Arian Controversy demonstrates the spiritual truth that a little leaven leavens the whole lump: 318 or 319 CE: Egypt - In an informal discussion on the Trinity between Bishop Alexander and his presbyters, Arius accuses Alexander of Sabellianism. He goes on to frame his adoptionist views following the theology of Lucian of Antioch. Afterwards, Alexander of Alexandria convenes a council that condemns and exiles Arius. Arius then writes his Letter to Eusebius of Nicomedia in which he complains of being unjustly persecuted. The letter mentions that Eusebius of Caesarea and many other Eastern bishops have also been condemned. Arius then travels to Nicomedia at the invitation of

Eusebius, after which Eusebius advances a letter writing campaign to the bishops of Asia Minor in support of Arius. Due to his rigorous support of Arius, Eusebius "transform[s] what might have remained an Egyptian dispute into an ecumenical controversy" (Quasten III, 191). The Council of Nicea, in which Athanasius was prominent in the debate, decreed the divinity of Christ as set forth in the Nicene Creed. "But the eastern Bishops at a Council in Antioch (for dedication of a new basilica, called first in 341) did not disapprove of Arius, and was noncommittal about the nature of the unity of the Son with the Father." 2. DIODORUS (c. 330-390) Information from various sources describe the sequence of heresies which followed Arianism and were unique to the School of Antioch. Apollinaris had valiantly debated with Athanasius against Arianism, but denied that Christ had a human rational soul. From this heresy there arose another: "In his anxiety to vindicate the significance of the human element in the person of Christ and in the Scriptures... in controversy with Apollinaris, Diodorus had put forth a theory of the relation of the two natures of Christ which seemed to dissolve the one divine-human Person into two. According to the fragments still preserved of the work called into question ("Against the Synusiasts" and "On the Holy Spirit"), he apparently distinguished between the Logos and the Son of David, one the Son of God by nature, the other by grace." 36. 3. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (347-407) Among Diodorus' students at the School of Antioch were John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia. The various encyclopedias agree that Chrysostom's view of sin was unscriptural: "[Chrysostom's] conception of the Divine image in man, which he regards as consisting in his dominion over creation recalls Diodorus and Theodore. He regards the Fall as resulting in a privation of gifts which were not a part of man's natural constitution. He does not teach a complete loss of the Divine image. He agrees with Theodore in insisting on free will and denying original sin... He denies that mortality is the cause of sin." 37. "[Chrysostom] expressly controverts the view...that sin is an integral part of our nature." 38. The Chrysostom Society is a group of neo-Gnostics founded and led by Richard Foster. Members include Madeline L'Engle of the New Age St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York, Karen Mains, Eugene Peterson, author of The Message, and similar false prophets who have sought to mainstream the esoteric as Christianity. Foster noted Chrysostom's agreement with the theology of the famous Gnostic of the School of Alexandria: "In his later life, Chrysostom was much maligned for his agreement with much of Origen's theology..." 39. 4. THEODORUS (350-428) Diodorus seems to have inculcated in his students other views at variance with Scripture:

On election according to grace: "...Both Theodore and Chrysostom...reject the idea of an absolute predestination in favor of a conditional predestination. God's purpose, says Theodore, is dependent on man's free will." 40. On salvation: "From Ephesians 1:10, Theodore drew the conclusion that all men and all rational creatures will finally look to Christ and attain perfect harmony. The eschatological teaching of Diodorus and Theodore is one of the few points of agreement between them and Origen... The hope that, though the wicked will suffer just punishment for their sins, this punishment will not be everlasting." 41. On the atonement: "Theodorus['s] views upon human nature and sin led him to find the central significance of Christ's work not so much in his death as in His Resurrection. The purpose of the Incarnation was the perfection rather than the restitution of humanity. Christ is the new creation, who exhibits God's plan in its final completeness. In Him, there is set forth that image of God which man was meant to attain, but which he failed to attain...The deliverance which He has won for men is already potentially theirs, though it is only in the future that it fully takes effect. The omissions are significant. The conceptions of guilt and responsibility, and the idea of Christ's death as an atonement are absent. Death is but a necessary stage, through which Christ passes to the Resurrection and inaugurates the higher and final stage of man's development. The necessity of the Incarnation is not based on the Fall, but on the general conception of the Divine purpose for man, which required that he should be delivered from his present state of mortality." 42. A Christian Israel Identity web site, Stone Kingdom Ministries, asserts that the school of Antioch taught Universal Salvation: Later, because some Christians disagreed with the methods of interpretation used by the Alexandrian and Caesarian schools, the school of Antioch was founded. Although the teachings of the Antiochian school were somewhat at variance with the teachings of the two earlier schools, they too taught Universal Reconciliation. Seeking support for the concept of Universal Salvation, proponents must resort to citing as "Church Fathers" the Gnostic worthies, eg., Clement, Origen, Eusebius, Chrysostom: Universalism: The Prevailing Doctrine Of The Christian Church During Its First Five Hundred Years It is shown in this volume [Lecky's Rationalism in Europe, I] that not only were Diodore, Theodore, and others of the Antiochan school Universalists but that for centuries four theological schools taught the doctrine. Neander says: "... The Antiochan school were led to this doctrine, not by Origen but by their own thinkings and examinations of the Scripture. They regarded the two-fold division of the development of the creature as a general law of the universe. This led to the final result of universal participation in the unchangeable divine life." Dr. Beecher pays this remarkable testimony: "I do not know an unworthy, low, or mean character in any prominent, open, and avowed Restorationist of that age of freedom of inquiry which was inaugurated by the Alexandrine school, and defended by Origen. But besides this it is true that these ancient believers in final restoration lived and toiled and

suffered, in an atmosphere of joy and hope, and were not loaded with a painful and crushing burden of sorrow in view of the endless misery of innumerable multitudes. It may not be true that these results were owing mainly to the doctrine of universal restoration. It may be that their views of Christ and the Gospel, which were decidedly Orthodox, exerted the main power to produce these results. But one thing is true: the doctrine of universal restoration did not hinder them. If not, then the inquiry will arise, Why should it now?" It was not without reason that the Antioch School refused to canonize the books of II Peter, II and III John, Jude and Revelation. The doctrine of the Universal Salvation could be easily refuted by these five books which contained so many verses on eternal judgment as to render them irrepressible: II Peter 2:4-9 - For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly...The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:..." II Peter 3:7 - But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Jude 5-7 - I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Revelation 20:11-15 - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Hebrew Roots leader, Peter Michas, also flirts with the concept of Universal Salvation in numerous (18) references to the "salvation of humankind" or similar phrases in his book, The Rod of an Almond Tree. On page 129 he openly states: "Many have been fascinated by the search for the Ark of the Covenant. Even more fascinating is to trace the rod of God and search out its essential role in the universal redemption of mankind." Theodorus was finally condemned at the second general Council at Constantinople in 381 for teaching that Jesus was a sinful man who, nevertheless, became perfect:

"The second general Council, at Constantinople in 381, condemned impious Theodore of Mopsuestia who said that the Logos of God is one, Christ was another, suffering molestations from passions of soul and desires of the flesh, and gradually leaving the worse things, becoming better with advance in [good] works and becoming immaculate by living, was baptized as a mere man in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, and by Baptism received the grace of the Holy Spirit and merited to become a son." (DS 434). We notice: "1) The clear implication of two persons, one who was morally inferior, gradually became better, was baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit implying that the Son [the Logos] was one person, and Christ was another person, as the opening line had said. 'mere man.' [psilon anthropon] and merited to become a son. 2) He said Jesus was subject to disorderly passions - like the infamous movie, 'The Last Temptation.'" 43. 5. NESTORIUS (c 381-451) That an evil tree cannot produce good fruit was tragically demonstrated as the School of Antioch turned out more and greater heresy. Nestorius studied under Theodore at the School of Antioch and would end up teaching that Christ was actually two distinct persons. Columbia Encyclopedia: "...Nestorius directly derived his views, considered heretical from Theodore." 44. Encyclopedia Britannica: "[Nestorius] received his education at Antioch, probably under Theodore of Mopsuestia. As a monk in the neighboring monastery of Euprepius, and afterwards as presbyter, he became celebrated in the diocese for his asceticism, his orthodoxy and his eloquence." 45. David Otis Fuller: "Nestorius denied the union of the two natures of God and man in the one person of Christ. He was accused of teaching that there were two distinct persons, the Person of God the Son and the Person of the man Christ Jesus. This teaching was condemned by the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431 at which Cyril of Alexandria presided." 46. Condemnation of this heresy at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. would signal the demise of the School of Antioch, which had left a grievous legacy for the churches of the East: Encyclopedia Britannica: "The [Nestorian] church traced its doctrines to Theodore of Mopsuestia rather than to Nestorius, whose name they first repudiated not regarding themselves as having been proselytized to any new teaching." 47. Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion & Ethics: "The condemnation of Nestorianism by the Church in AD 431, was fatal to the development to the school of Antioch and to the reputation of its great representatives. Marius Mercator about 431 maintained that Theodore was the real author of Pelagianism, and later on called attention to the Nestorian tendency of his teaching." 48. The Hastings Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics provides further evidence of the apostasy of the Church of Antioch: "...The Antiochenes...regarded the purpose of the Incarnation as the accomplishment of man's destiny rather than the deliverance of him from the consequence of sin." 49. "The Antiochenes held LXX [Septuagint] in the highest reverence..." 50.

Respected nineteenth century textual scholar, Dean Burgon, identified in his volume on the Traditional Text those heretical sects that still use the Peshitta: "One authority tells us this -- 'The Peshitto in our days is found in use amongst the Nestorians, who have always kept it, by the Monophysites on the plains of Syria, the Christians of St. Thomas in Malabar, and by the Maronites, on the mountain terraces of Lebanon." 51. Fundamentalists seriously misrepresent the Antioch Church as a center of orthodoxy, which instead was the source of the major heresies. Furthering the misconception, Jack Moorman presents a misleading image of the Church of Antioch as the source of the Textus Receptus: "One view of the origin of the Old Latin is that it was translated in Antioch, Syria, by missionaries of the West. Support for this view is demonstrated by the strong Syrian and Aramaic tendencies in the existing manuscripts. If this is the case then the Old Latin is associated with that city which was not only the missionary center in the book of Acts, but also the place that history accords as the fountainhead of the Received Text." 52. The truth seems more available in secular histories, which catalog the famous heretics indigenous to Syria, as well as Egypt. The Secret Book Of The Egyptian Gnostics by Jean Doresse declares Syria, with special mention of Antioch, to be the origin of Gnosticism, whence the leadership of this pernicious heresy removed to Alexandria: "Gnosticism appeared originally in Syria. It is in Samaria and the Valley of the Lycos that we trace it for the first time. Simon [the sorcerer] is a man of Gitta and Samaria; Menander is originally of Capparetia - again in Samaria; Satornel is of Antioch; Cerdon is a Syrian; Cerinthus comes from Asia Minor;...In the time of Hadrian (A.D. 110-38), Gnosticism passes over from Syria into Egypt: it is in Alexandria that the greatest doctors of the heresy are flourishing - Bacilides, Carpocrates, and Valentinus. Then it reaches Rome; and this is the moment when the Christian doctors realize the importance of heresies which, in the East, had been incubating for a considerable time... Marcion was in Rome from 140, and thence expelled by the Church in 144, being by excommunicated by his own father, the Bishop of Sinope." 53. THE BYZANTINE TEXT The Lord's condemnation in Revelation 2:15 of Nicolas of Antioch, whose doctrine distinguished between the perfect and the non-perfect, seems indicative of the Gnostic leavening in Antioch and therefore the Holy Spirit's departure from this early center of Gnosticism. By 95 A.D., God had moved on to other churches -- those in Asia Minor whom the Lord Jesus Christ specifically addressed in Revelation 2 and 3. "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne." (Rev. 1:4) "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea." (Rev. 1:10,11)

As pastor of the Church of Ephesus, Timothy had been entrusted with the "parchments" of Paul, the true Word of God (II Timothy 4:13). "The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time." 54. The Book of the Revelation was committed to the seven Churches of Asia Minor, not Antioch. Upon the latter it seems that God had declared ICHABOD - 'the glory has departed'. The Providential Preservation of the Greek Text of the New Testament, by Rev. W. MacLean, documents that it was the Greek Orthodox priests who fled Constantinople circa 1450 who took the Greek texts with them to Europe. "For many centuries before the Reformation," writes the Rev. T.H. Brown, "Greek Scholarship was virtually non-existent in Western Europe. In 1453 Constantinople, the eastern capital of the eastern part of the Empire and the centre of the Eastern Church, fell to the Moslem invaders. One far-reaching result of this calamity was that Christian scholars with a knowledge of Greek, and with Greek copies of the Holy Scriptures in their possession, fled to Western Europe where their influence gave a new impetus to the study of the Greek language. It has been said of this period that 'Greece rose from the grave with the New Testament in her hand.'" Rev. MacLean further explains how the Textus Receptus was compiled from Greek manuscripts which were not corrupted with the Antiochan heresies: "Among the next generation of Greek scholars was Erasmus of Rotterdam, who prepared an edition of the Greek New Testament from five manuscripts in repute at that time. This edition was printed in 1516 and was followed by four later editions. At Alcala (Complutum) University, in 1502, Cardinal Ximenses gathered manuscripts and men under the direction of Stunica, who published the 'Complutensian Polyglot' in 1522, again from comparatively few manuscripts. Robert Stephens, relying largely upon Erasmus and Stunica, and with a possible sixteenth manuscripts at this disposal, produced editions of the Greek text in 1546, 1550, 1551 and 1559. In 1552 he withdrew to Geneva and joined the Protestant cause. Theodore Beza produced five editions of the Greek between 1559 and 1598. These followed Stephens fairly closely, although Beza had some ancient manuscripts not available to Stephens. The Elzevir Brothers' 1624 edition printed at Leyden has much in common with those of Stephens and Beza. The Elzevir edition of 1624 has had this title on the Continent." John Cereghin's In Defense of Erasmus outlines the development of the Textus Receptus in the early 16th century via the scholarship of Erasmus, who rejected the Vaticanus B manuscript upon which Jerome had based the Roman Catholic Vulgate. Erasmus' biographer, Roland Bainton, wrote: "Erasmus felt that the Vulgate was in a number of respects inaccurate. Jerome, for all his learning, made mistakes, and a new translation was in order." 55. Nor did Erasmus use the Syriac Peshitta for his Greek New Testament. Robert Sargent's seminary textbook, Landmarks of English Bible: Manuscript Evidence, states: "In fact he used only two manuscripts for the bulk of his work, with another two for comparison, and a fifth for the book of The Revelation. These were all manuscripts from the 11th to the 15th century A.D. He used the following miniscule mss.:

1 -- 11th Cent. -- Gospels-Acts-Epistles. 2 -- 15th Cent. -- Gospels. 2ap -- 12th/14th Cent. -- Acts-Epistles. 4ap -- 15th Cent. -- Acts-Epistles. 1r -- 12th Cent. -- Revelation. Miniscules 2 and 2ap were the basis of Erasmus' text. But this is only part of the story. a. Erasmus had access to and knowledge of many other manuscripts. Through his travels and earlier studies he became well acquainted with a vast array of manuscript evidence. b. Erasmus had knowledge of and evidently access to the text of the Codex Vaticanus (which was listed in the Vatican library in 1481 A.D.), for he divided all the known manuscripts into 2 groups -- those which agreed with the text of B, and those which were of the Byzantine text." 56.

THE SEMITIC NEW TESTAMENT

THE PLOT TO REPLACE THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT
PART II
THE CELTIC CHURCH The schism in the 5th century separated the Syrian Church into the Nestorian and Jacobite traditions. According to the Britannica Online, the Syriac Peshitta was identified with both traditions, which were major heretical sects. "Following the split in the Syriac Church in the 5th century into Nestorian (East Syrian) and Jacobite (West Syrian) traditions, the textual history of the Peshitta became bifurcated. Because the Nestorian Church was relatively isolated, its manuscripts are considered to be superior..." The Church of Antioch, origin of the Syriac Peshitta, would continue in these two traditions. The East Syrian or Nestorian Church and the West Syrian or Jacobite Church, whose Patriarchates still reside in Antioch, would also comprise the Celtic Church which occupied the British Isles. According to The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders, the Celtic Church retained the unorthodox doctrines of Syria: "The Celtic Church - closer in doctrine and in its rituals and ceremonies to Syria than to Rome, still exists. Although it is not a secret society, it may be regarded as such by many western Christians because of the infusion of pre-Christian and non-Christian Celtic beliefs. "As with many of the secular groups in the present book, the Celtic Church is not in fact a true survival, but a restoration.

"The archbishop of Dol and the Celts is of still more recent origin dating from 1952 and related directly to the Syrian Patriarchate of Antioch; the other branch derives from the Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch." 57. The term "Jacobite" derives from a Merovingian fable that the stone upon which the Patriarch Jacob slept was an anointed Stone of the Covenant which determined the legitimate kings of Scotland and England. These kings were believed to be lineal descendants in the messianic bloodline of Jesus Christ, as explained in Bloodline of the Holy Grail: "Not only were the Grail Knights and Templars appointed Guardians of the Stewart Sangreal (Holy Grail) in Scotland, they also became protectors of the Stone of Destiny (the Stone of Scone). This most sacred of Scots treasures had been brought to Scotland from Ireland by Fergus Mor mac Erc, the first King of Dalriada, in the 5th century, having originally been carried to Ireland from Judah in about 586 BC. The venerated holy relic was said to be the Stone of the Covenant, known as 'Jacob's Pillow' (Gen. 28:18-22), on which Jacob laid his head and saw the ladder reaching up to Heaven at Beth-el. In a dream God promised Jacob that his seed would generate the line of kingship to follow the line which in due course became the Davidic succession. "When the Jews were persecuted by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Mattaniah, the son of King Josiah (and a direct descendant of David), was installed in Judah. Known as King Zedekiah, he acceded to the throne of Jerusalem in 598 BC. Twelve years later Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar, whereupon Zedekiah was taken to Babylon and blinded (Jer. 39:6-7, 52:10-11). His sons were murdered, but his daughter Tamar was removed to Ireland (via Egypt and Spain) by the prophet Jeremiah. He also brought the anointed Stone of the Covenant, which became known as Lia Fail (Stone of Destiny). In Latin it was the Saxum Fatale. "Princess Tamar (Teamhair) gave her name to Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, and she married Ard Ri (High King) Eochaid, ancestor of Ugaine Mar (Ugaine the Great). Subsequently, over a millenium, Eochaid's successors were crowned in the presence of the sacred Stone. The Irish heritage then progressed to Scotland, where the relic of Judah became synonymous with the Kings of Dalriada. King Kenneth (MacAlpin (844-859) later moved the Stone to Scone Abbey when he united the Scots and the Picts. By the time of William the Lion (d. 1214), the Stone of Destiny bore witness to nearly a hundred coronations in sovereign descent from King Zedekiah." 58. The Messianic Legacy boasts of the various heretics par excellence in the early Church era, who were considered to be the founding fathers of Celtic Christianity: "If Celtic Christianity drew heavily on Egypt, it also drew heavily on the more explicitly heretical traditions of Syria, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia. We have already discussed how Nestorian thought served as a repository for certain Nazarean traditions. As early as 430 - the time of Saint Patrick - a book explaining the teachings of Nestorius was being circulated in the West. Nestorius himself had studied at the theological school of Antioch, where his mentor was a man known as Theodore of Mopsuestia. At the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553, Theodore and all his works were officially anathematised and declared heretical. In consequence, most of his teachings have long since vanquished. And yet much of what we know of him today comes from Ireland. One of his major scriptural commentaries survives only in an old Irish manuscript. Additional material from Theodore turns up in other Irish manuscripts, dating from the eighth century, the ninth

century and, in one case, from the late tenth century - more than four hundred years after Theodore was condemned. It has been suggested that Theodore's works were translated and brought to Ireland by no less a figure than Saint Columba..." 59. Authors Baigent and Leigh also identify the Celtic Church as the repository of the Nazarean tradition of Syria: "In its organization, then, in its use of certain texts, in many of its outward aspects, the Celtic Church circumvented the Church of Rome and functioned as a repository for elements of Nazarean tradition transmitted from Egypt, Syria, and Asia Minor." 60. The Celtic Church used various heretical texts to support their doctrines: "As we have noted, the Celtic Church drew upon a broad spectrum of texts beyond Rome's sphere of influence - Nazarean texts, Nestorian texts, Priscillianist texts, Gnostic and Manichean texts, books of both Judaic and 'Christian' apocrypha. In one instance, the Book of Cerne, a prayer is found ultimately deriving from a work in the corpus found at Nag Hammadi." 61. The Celtic Church has always claimed to represent true Christianity and post-modern culture has been inundated with popular literature designed to create that image. For example, The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland, by Prince Michael Stewart always frames the issue in terms of the Roman Church as the antagonist, which persecutes the true Christian Celtic Church. The reader will notice in the following excerpt that the fabled King Arthur and St. Augustine would have been contemporaries in Britain, albeit on opposing sides of doctrinal issues. This was Augustine of Canterbury, not to be confused with Augustine of Hippo who opposed the Manicheans two centuries earlier. The "Christian message" in this Stewart claim to orthodoxy was the body of doctrine preserved by the heretic Nestorius, who denied the union of the two natures of God and man in the person of Christ: "St. Columba had brought the original Christian message (preserved by the Syrian bishop Nestorius) into Ireland and Scotland from the Middle East, so that both the Old and New Testaments received equal status within the Celtic Church. In deed it was Columba who, in 574, had crowned and anointed King Aedan mac Garan of Dalraida (Celtic Pendragon and father of King Arthur) - the first British monarch to be installed by priestly ordination - and this greatly upset the Church of Rome. Following Columba's death in 597, the Pope sent St Augustine to dismantle the Celtic Church in Britain, but although he became England's new Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, his mission failed in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, where the Celtic Church prevailed." 62. Sounding much like the various and sundry rebbes which have inundated the Church to teach the Christians their Hebrew Roots, Prince Michael laments the removal of Jewish traditions by the Roman Church: "Early Celtic Christianity was the closest of all religious teachings to the original doctrines of Jesus, and it had emerged within a few years of the Crucifixion as the foremost Church of the Christian world. Christians of the Celtic Church were recorded in Ireland in the latter reign of Emperor Tiberius (AD 14-37), long before St Peter went to Rome. Given that Jesus' own teachings formed the basis of the faith, the Mosaic structure of the Old Testament was duly incorporated. Judaic marriage laws were observed, together with the celebrations of the Sabbath and Passover, while Easter was correctly

held as the traditional feast-day of the Spring goddess, Eostre, long before the Roman Church foisted a new significance on the old Celtic festival at the Synod of Whitby in 644. "Contrary to traditional belief, Emperor Constantine the Great (AD 274-337) did not embrace Christianity as the religion of Rome; he adapted Christianity into a new form which was implemented as the religion of Rome. Constantine's reign as Emperor was actually related to the Syrian Sol Invictus cult of sun worship, but he determined to create a purpose-built religion to divert Christianity from its Judaic origins. He redefined Jesus' birthday to comply with the Sun Festival on 25 December, and substituted the sacred Sabbath (Saturday) with the Sun-day. Indeed by a series of such manoevres, the highpoints of Judaic Christianity were conveniently merged with the pagan tradition, and the Persian cult of Mithras, which stressed the concept of final judgement, was also partially enveloped. "The outcome, from a purely political base, was the uniquely contrived and controllable State 'hybrid' of the Roman Church. On being formalized at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, the new Roman doctrine proclaimed all alternative faiths heretical, all except for the Celtic Church, which was too well-established to provoke. Any such attempt would have been tantamount to a declaration of war, particularly against Ireland; and at that time Rome did not have the military capability to confront the fierce troops of the Irish kings." 63. Laurence Gardiner, author of Bloodline of the Holy Grail, describes Celtic Christianity as Torah observant, the type of mixture which would have developed out of the Judaized Syrian Church. Celtic spirituality is frequently characterized by the term "Nazarene" - a name also given to the Essene Community at Qumran: "A unique and indigenous culture thus developed in the form of Celtic Christianity. It derived primarily from Egypt, Syria and Mesopotamia, and its precepts were distinctly Nazarene. The liturgy was largely Alexandrian and, because Jesus's own teachings formed the basis of the faith, the Mosaic content of the Old Testament was duly retained. The old Jewish marriage laws were observed, together with the celebration of the Sabbath and Passover, while the divinity of Jesus and the Roman dogma of the Trinity played no part in the doctrine. The Celtic Church had no diocesan bishops but was essentially under the direction of abbots (monastic elders). The whole was organized on a clan structure, with its activities focused on scholarship and learning." 64. James Trimm, encourages students of the Hebrew Roots Movement to move beyond Rabbinic sources to the Dead Sea Scrolls which contained the writings of the Essene Community of Qumran, sources which have likely influenced his translation of the Semitic New Testament. Nazarenes Qumran and the Essenes "The modern efforts to restore New Testament understanding to its Nazarene Jewish origins has often focused on parallels with Rabbinic Judaism (which descends from Pharisaic Judaism). There is much to be said for such parallels and I do not oppose these comparisons. However many of the Nazarene movement have neglected the very significant parallels between the New Testament, the Nazarenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls and Essene Judaism..." Authors of The Messianic Legacy mention the Celts' alternative scriptures, most likely based on the Syriac Peshitta:

"(The Celtic Church) even had its own translation of the Bible - a translation which Rome deemed unacceptable." 65. Where do we find a disproportionately large number of Syriac Peshitta manuscripts today? Forever Settled by Jack Moorman, locates them -- where else? -- in the British Museum... "In 1950, Kenyon stated that there were 250 extant Peshitta manuscripts, of which more than 100 were in the British Museum." 66. THE GNOSTIC SECTS For some mysterious reason, many Fundamentalist scholars identify as "Christian" the Celtic Church and certain other religious sects that are historically known to be Gnostic and even deeply occultic. Following are two examples of this type of misinformation as they are found in the books of David Otis Fuller and D.A. Waite. David Otis Fuller wrote in Which Bible?: "The first stream (of manuscripts) which carried the Received Text in Hebrew and Greek, began with the apostolic churches, and reappearing at intervals down the Christian Era among enlightened believers, was protected by the wisdom and scholarship of the pure church in her different phases: precious manuscripts were preserved by...the Syrian Church of Antioch which produced eminent scholarship; by the Italic Church in northern Italy; and also at the same time by the Gallic Church in southern France and by the Celtic Church in Great Britain; by the pre-Waldensian, the Waldensian, and the churches of the Reformation." 67. Defending the King James Bible, by D.A. Waite, catalogues various churches which used the Old Latin and Syriac Peshitta as translations of the Textus Receptus: a. Historical Evidences for the Received Text During the Apostolic Age (33-100 A.D.) (1) All of the Apostolic Churches used the Received Text. (2) The churches in Palestine used the Received Text. (3) The Syrian Church at Antioch used the Received Text b. Historical Evidences for the Received Text During the Early Church Period (100-312 A.D.)... (4) The Peshitta Syriac Version, (150 A.D....) This was based on the Received Text (5) Papyrus #66 used the Received Text (6) The Italic Church in Northern Italy (157 A.D) (7) The Gallic Church of Southern France (177 A.D.) (8) The Celtic Church in Great Britain used the Received Text "Why did all these have their Bibles based on the Received Text? -- the churches in Italy, France, and Great Britain -- why? Because that was the true Word of God, and they knew it. That was the Received Text...The Churches used this text and not any other.... (9) Church of Scotland and Ireland used the Received Text (10) The Pre-Waldensian churches used the Received Text (11) The Waldensian (120 A.D. and onward) used the Received Text. 68. Fundamentalists are fond of listing the Waldensians and pre-Waldensians as the "true Christians" who preserved the stream of manuscripts that would later be called the Textus

Receptus. In his outstanding book, Baptist Successionism: A Crucial Question in Baptist History, James Edward McGoldrick documented the doctrines held by the Waldenses: In 1179 a small delegation of Waldenses appeared at Rome during the Third Lateran Council and asked Pope Alexander III (1159-81) for his approval of the Waldenses ministry. At that time the Waldenses gave the pope a copy of their Bible translation. The pope and council recognized the Waldenses right to practice evangelical perfection but denied them the right to preach As of yet the Waldenses had issued no pronouncements which could have been rightly construed as heresy, and in 1180 Waldo signed a statement of faith dictated by a papal legate in which the popular exponent of apostolic living subscribed to all of the major tenets of traditional Catholicism Because Waldos confession of faith is quite specific in its affirmation of loyalty to traditional Catholicism, it bears quoting at length: We believe in one Church, Catholic, Holy, Apostolic and Immaculate, apart from which no one can be saved, and in the sacraments therein administered through the invisible and incomprehensible power of the Holy Spirit, sacraments which may be rightly administered by a sinful priest Waldos outlook on the Christian life was at least semimonastic When Waldo adopted a life of poverty, he left his family after giving some of his possessions to his wife and come to a convent of nuns, to which he entrusted the care of his daughters In a statement of faithPeter Waldo affirmed his belief in transubstantiation, prayers for the dead and infant baptism. The famed Baptist historian A.H. Newman drew the only conclusion warranted by the evidence. Waldo and his early followers had more in common withRoman Catholicism than with any evangelical party. His views of life and doctrine were scarcely in advance of many earnest Catholics of the time. the early generations of the sect maintained the essentially Catholic view that salvation comes by grace plus human works of merit in the early phase of their history they retained a priestcentered, sacramental view of salvation. They accepted all seven sacraments of the medieval church, including infant baptism, the real presence of Christ in the eucharist, and priestly absolution from sin. In fact, a Waldense confession of faith composed at a relatively late date of 1508 espoused all of these tenets. (McGoldrick, pp. 71-80) Moreover, Peter Waldo translated the bible used by the Waldenses from the Latin Vulgate, rather than manuscripts in the line of the Received Text: The Latin Vulgate Bible was the only edition of the Scriptures at that time in Europe; but that language was inaccessible to all, except one in an hundred of its inhabitants.

Happily for Waldo, his situation in life enabled him to surmount that obstacle. [H]e either himself translated, or procured some one else to translate the four Gospels into French (William Jones, History of the Christian Church, Vol. II, pp.7, 9, 10; 5th Ed., 1826). He [Waldo] employed Stephen of Ansa and Bernard Ydross to translate the Gospels from the Latin Vulgate of Jerome into the Romance dialect for the common people. (Thomas Armitage, History of the Baptists, Traced by their Vital Principles and Practices, from the Time of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to the Year 1886, p.295). There can be no question that the Celtic Church and those sects described as preWaldensian - the Cathari, Bogomils and Albigenses - were Gnostic in the extreme. David Cloud has written volumes of anti-Catholic material to vindicate these heretical sects which were the object of the Papal Inquisition: "The persecutions which were poured out upon these Bible-believing people beginning in the 7th century caused them to be scattered throughout Europe, everywhere carrying with them the New Testament faith. The Lutheran historian Mosheim, writing in the 17th century, says:...They were later known by many names, including Paterini, Cathari, Bulgarians, Patarins, Gazarians, Turlupins, Runcarians, and Albigenses... The term 'Albigenses' probably derived from a Council which was held in the year 1176 at the town of Lombers near Albi, "for the purpose of examining certain reputed heretics" (Faber, p. 221)... "The Bogomiles, possibly an offshoot from the Paulicians, were condemned as heretics and suffered great persecution...The Alibgenses rejected the Roman Church and esteemed the New Testament above all its traditions and ceremonies... Reineriou also falsely accused the Waldensians with Manicheanism. This Reinerius is probably the same persecutor employed by Pope Innocent III to hunt out the 'heretical' Waldenses and Cathari throughout southern France and northern Spain..." 69. "We have now seen that the Baptists, who were formerly called Anabaptists. ... were the original Waldenses, and have long in the history of the Church received the honor of that origin. On this account, the Baptists may be considered the only Christian community which has stood since the apostles, and as a Christian society which has preserved pure the doctrines of the Gospel through all ages." 70. Examination of historical records unveils a far different picture of the Waldensian and pre-Waldensian churches, which are found to be instead among the guardians of the Gnostic heresies. Space does not permit a full treatment of this subject, but a sampling of encyclopedias and other sources bears witness to this assertion: International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies & Fraternal Orders: "The Waldenses were part of the Manichean-Bogomil-Cathari-Albigensian tradition... They first came to prominence in the south of France in the late 12th century..." 71. Occult Theocrasy, Edith Starr Miller:

...Peter of Bruys (died 1126) and the monk Henri (died (1148)gained many adherents and left numerous disciples whose Manichean opposition to the Church was identical with that of the Cathares. Upon such grounds fell the preaching of Peter Waldo who, although he repudiated the dualist doctrine of the Manicheans, formed a serious opposition to the Church. He created the sect of the Waldenses divided in two degrees, Perfect and Believers. The former made a vow of Poverty and as such took the names of Poor Brethren, the latter formed the Outer or Third Order.... From the South of France and Northern Italy, persecution drove the Waldenses to the Central and Northern provinces of France, thence to England, then from Lombardy to Germany and Bohemia. John Wickliffe (1324-1384) in England and John Huss (1369-1415) in Bohemia, were their foremost representatives and in the latter country they formed the Bohemian Brethren who later took the name of Moravian Brethren or Religious Masons." (Chap. XXIII, 143:163-64) A Concise History of Foreign Baptists, G.H. Orchard: Dissenters were called by various names, as the Poor of Lyons, Lionists, Paterines, Puritans, Arnoldists, Petrobrussians, Albigenses, Waldenses, etc, different names, expressive of one and the same class of Christians. However various their names, they may be says Mezeray, reduces to two, that is, the Albigensesand the Vaudois, and these two held almost the same opinions as we call Calvinists. The Albigenses, whose religious views had been a considerable time established, (Dr. D.R. Alexiss Rem. Albig. Ch., c.11, p.116) gave their entire support to Waldo, so soon as he appeared in public. (p.192) Joachim of Fiore and the Myth of the Eternal Evangel in the 19th Century, Marjorie Reeves & Warwick Gould: Leroux saw the thirteenth century as one of extraordinary religious ferment and, with a fine disregard for doctrinal differences, put all the heretics into one basket - Amalricians, Albigensians, Waldensians, Cathars, Apostolic Begards, Followers of Eon de LEtoile and Pierre de Bruys, Joachites, and so on - for according to him they were all preaching the doctrine of the new evangel, of a religion superior to Christianity... (George Sand) echoes Leroux in pointing to all those earlier voices of St John who sustained the heresy of the Evangel, including Joachim of Fiore, John of Parma, St Francis, In other lists she names the Poor of Lyons, Wycliffites, Picards, Taborites Adamites, Fraticelli, Begards, Waldensians Here, she says, is the key to all the convulsions and mysteries of the Middle Ages, and she asks the question: Where shall we find another key to open the problems of this present time? (256:88,100) The Dictionary of Bible and Religion, William Gentz: The Waldenses were ascetics who believed in visions, prophecies, spirit possession. They also were committed to millenarian views. (234:1097) Columbia Encyclopedia, "Manichaeism": "Little is heard of the Manichees in the West after the 6th cent., but their doctrines reappear in the medieval heresies of the Cathari, Albigenses, and Bogomils. It was the practice in the Middle Ages to call by the name of Manicheaism any dualistic Christian heresy." 72. Glossary of Christian History

"Albigenses: A group commonly called Cathari, meaning "pure ones." Since they were especially influential in and about the town of Albi in southern France some people called them Albigenses. Although most of what we know about the Albigenses comes from their enemies, it is likely that they filtered into Europe from Bulgaria. Like the Gnostics in the early church, the Cathari held that the universe is the scene of an eternal conflict between two powers, the one good, the other evil. Matter, including the human body, is the work of this evil power, the god of the Old Testament. He had imprisoned the human soul in its earthly body. To escape from the power of the flesh the true Cathar was supposed to avoid marriage, sexual intercourse, eating of meat, and material possessions. Here was a radical poverty, but not one based on the example of Jesus so much as on the perceived nature of the universe. The Cathari rejected not only popes and bishops, but basic Christianity. They tried to escape from evil, not by repentance and faith but by dividing the self in two. Not only did the Cathari succeed in reviving the ancient dualist heresy, by 1200 they had gained the protection of the princes of Toulouse, a cultural area in southern France, and were spreading at an alarming rate. The Roman church eventually unleashed the Inquisition against the Cathari to rout them out and destroy them and the movement was brought to an end before the thirteenth century closed." Occult Theocrasy, Edith Starr Miller: "Manicheism, with its hierarchy and missionary system, had taken root in Europe and, with its chief seat in Bulgaria, had thus found it way into Northern Italy and the southern part of France. Unquestionably Manicheans in their beliefs and teachings, the Cathares (purifiers or pure) held the unadulterated tradition of Manes. Their hierarchy was that established by their founder. In the 12th century, their chief supreme chief was in Bulgaria having under him, bishops, priests, deacons and simple Perfects. These composed the class of Perfects who were distinguished from the second degree of Believers... "As to the Albigenses, their name derived from Albi, a town of Languedoc, covered not one but many sects issued form Manicheism and Arianism, and counted also many Jews or Judaised Christians. Under this appellation of Albigenses, historians, whether political or religious, have almost unanimously included the Cathares." 73. Languedoc, the home of the Catharis and Albigenses in southern France, was linked to the Albigensian heresy and the Grail treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau by authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail -- and also to the Cabala: "The Languedoc had much in common with Byzantium. Learning, for example, was highly esteemed... Greek, Arabic and Hebrew were enthusiastically studied; and at Lunel and Narbonne, schools devoted to the Cabala - the ancient esoteric tradition of Judaism were thriving... And while culture flourished in the Languedoc, something else flourished as well - the major heresy of medieval Christendom. In the words of Church authorities the Languedoc was 'infected' by the Albigensian heresy, 'the foul leprosy of the south.' ...Not infrequently they were branded or stigmatized with the names of Arian, Marcionite, and Manichean... "Elusive though it is, there does seem to be some link between the Cathars and the whole cult of the Grail as it evolved during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. A number of writers have argued that the Grail romances - those of Chretien de Troyes and Wolfram von Eschenbach, for example - are an interpolation of Cathar

thought...Something had been smuggled out of Montsegur just after the truce expired. According to tradition the four men who escaped from the doomed citadel carried with them the Cathar treasure, but the monetary treasure had been smuggled out three months earlier. Could the Cathar 'treasure', like the 'treasure' Sauniere discovered, have consisted primarily of a secret? Could that secret have been related in some unimaginable way to something that became known as the Holy Grail?" 74. The Merovingian Order of the Holy Grail cites the writings of high-ranking Rosicrucian, Arthur E. Waite, who claimed that the Hidden Church of the Holy Grail descended from Joseph of Arimethea, who, according to Merovingian lore, was the natural father of Jesus. It was through this family, claim the Merovingians, that the Holy Grail was brought to the Languedoc in France: "The First Family escaped the Holy Land (First Chosen Land), and went to France (Europe being the Second Chosen Land). They settled at Marseilles and then went to the Languedoc and settled at Rhedae (Rennes le Chateau). Here, the High Priesthood taught its doctrine to the Celtic peoples." A. E. Waite was prominent member of the Rosicruciana in Anglia and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Waite wrote in The Hidden Church of the Holy Graal that, within Christianity, the Gnosticism of the East held the "pearl of great price", a reference to the hidden knowledge and esoteric wisdom of remote antiquity: "Behind all this I should look assuredly to the East, in the direction of that pure catholic Gnosticism which lies like a pearl of great price within the...shell of external Christianity, which is not of Marcion or Valentinus, of Cerenthus and all their cohorts, but is the unexpressed mystery of experience in deep wells whence issue no strife or sects." 75. Fundamentalist leaders have deceptively portrayed the Church of Antioch and its spiritual descendants - the Waldensian, Cathari, Albigensian and the Celtic churches - as bastions of Christian orthodoxy. It is possible that some Fundamentalists have reiterated, at times nearly verbatim, statements from other sources without verifying their accuracy. However, an error of this magnitude seems intended to deceive. At some point, one or more of these Fundamentalist leaders set forth a monstrous lie which was received as truth by their disciples, who trusted in the credentials and reputation of impressive persons, and did not conduct their own research on the subject. The implications of such a deception within Fundamentalism are staggering, considering that the Celtic Church claims to be the authentic Christianity and is preparing to place on the Throne (Mercy Seat) in the rebuilt Temple of Jerusalem a false messiah of the lineage of Jesus Christ! The Stone of Destiny as 'Jacob's Pillow' will be used in the coronation of their "Christ" as the King of Israel: "On declaring himself Overlord of Scotland in 1296, Edward I of England stole what he thought was the Stone of Destiny. What he actually got was a piece of sandstone from a monastery doorway, which has since rested beneath the Coronation Throne at Westminster Abbey. This piece of rubble is 26 inches long by 11 inches deep (c. 66x 28 cm) and weighs about 335 lbs (c. 152 kg). Royal seals of the early Scots kings depict a much larger installation rock, but this rock was not the sacred Stone of Destiny -- no more than is the medieval masonry prize of King Edward. The real Stone of Destiny is

said to be smaller, more naturally rounded, and is of inscribed black basalt, not of handcut sandstone. It was hidden by the Cistercian Abbot of Scone in 1296, and it has remained hidden ever since. The Columbian tradition tells us that, on secreting the Stone, the Abbot prophesied that one day 'The Michael' would return to his inheritance." 76. (This conspiracy is treated in our report The Merovingian Dynasty.) Those who have sought to mainstream the Celtic Church, and with it the Syriac Peshitta, have set the parameters of the discussion carefully. It is the old Hegelian dialectic of two opposing sides -- within Christianity the proponents of the KJV (Textus Receptus/ Fundamental) vs. those of modern versions (Alexandrian/ Catholic) -- which are vying for supremacy in a contest whose end has been predetermined. Having valiantly contended for their respective Greek texts and English translations, the believers will soon be offered the synthesis -- the Semitic New Testament based on various Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts such as the Syriac Peshitta. For the facilitators of this Process do not make known to the warring factions that, while they are preoccupied with a divisive controversy, they are also being channeled into a planned resolution or synthesis. These facilitators are strategically placed in leadership with assignments to conduct the debate with as much acrimony as possible, thereby dividing and conquering the bewildered Christians. The facilitators, who originally framed the issue in a biased and adversarial context, are skillfully bringing the dialectical process to its desired conclusion -- consensus. Thesis (KJ/TR) + Antithesis (Modern Versions) = Synthesis (Hebrew/Aramaic texts) The Third Way is the objective of the One World Religionists, and the preordained method of attaining synthesis is through the dialectical process. Modern translations have already prepared the way of apostasy for multitudes to accept counterfeit scriptures. Fundmentalism is the last stronghold contending for the Received Text as found in the KJV. Now that these brethren have been assured by their revered scholars that the Syriac Peshitta and the Old Latin Bibles, the texts of Antioch, are also based upon the TR, they will not suspect otherwise. In this way, the last bastion of orthodoxy will be drawn into the camp of the new Christianity, of the Nazarene variety which characterizes the Eastern Churches. The infiltration of Protestant and Catholic churches by the Hebrew Roots / Nazarene Movement is already well advanced and their Rebbes will soon be offering the Judaized Church a Semitic New Testament which supports the historic heresies. SYRIAC PESHITTA VS. THE TEXTUS RECEPTUS Translator of the Aramaic Bible Translation Project, Victor N. Alexander, explains his translation of Matthew 15:6 in the Syriac translation of the P'shitta: "I opened up John and started reading the ancient Aramaic of this Gospel for the first time, and I was awed by it. Here was a clear view of the Triune God, from the very beginning of the first chapter. The key word was "Milta," a beautiful word in its theological connotation. "Logos" and "Word" are such poor substitutes. There is essentially no English translation for the word "Milta" in a theological sense. Therefore, I

had to come up with one. I have translated the word "Milta" as "Manifestation." Jesus Christ is God Manifest. There is one God. There are three Manifestations, the Father and the Son and the holy Spirit." 77. Matthew 15:6 Aramaic Translation - "And you have disregarded the Manifestation of God for the sake of your rituals." 78. Peshitta - "And you have made the word of God of none effect by your tradition." KJV - "Thus ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." Victor Alexander has taken liberty to translate the Aramaic word "Milta" as "manifestation" rather than "commandment" as it is found in the Greek. The Greek does not permit such a translation, but of course, the HRM has already dispensed with the Greek New Testament. The Syriac Peshitta changes the Greek word for "commandment" in Matthew 15:6 to "word." However, the word in the Textus Receptus is "episkopos" and relates to "the office of overseer" rather than "logos" which means "word" (See Strongs #1785 and #3056). The Greek word "episkopos" is appropriate for, although the rebellious may have no regard for God's commandment or authority, it is impossible to make God's word of none effect. "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) Students of Peter Michas and other HRM ministries will be using an Aramaic translation that reinforces Hebrew Roots doctrines which are considered heretical by the standard of the Greek New Testament. The Aramaic Bible's rendering of Matthew 15:6 will allow for the rabbinical teaching on the manifestation of God to supersede obedience to the commandments of God. In his book, The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan, Peter Michas explains that, in Scripture, the "manifestation of God" is the Shekhinah: "Mount Moriah is profoundly significant in God's plan. Here, God fellowshipped with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Here, the Temple would be built where the Shekhinah (Divine Presence) manifested inside the Holy of Holies. And here, the Messiah will seat Himself on a throne in His Temple during the Millennial Kingdom!" 79. "Indeed, the Divine Presence, as manifested by the Shekinah (Glory Cloud), dwelled in the Holy of Holies on top of Mount Moriah." 80. "In almost every case that the voice of God is recorded in the Bible, the glory of God is present as well. The manifestation of the Shekinah (Divine Presence) occurred initially on Mount Sinai when God spoke to the people (Exodus 19:18-21)... "Accordingly, though it is not recorded in the gospels, it seems likely that there may have been a manifestation of God's glory as Yeshua gave up His Spirit.... Even so, it is likely that only selected individuals were able to perceive this manifestation of God's power and presence (Acts 9:3-7)

"Without exception, the human response to the Shekinah is one of awe and sometimes fear so great that it results in falling to the ground... As Yeshua died, the centurion and other witnesses may have been allowed to see (or sense in some way) the luminescence of His Spirit as it left His earthly body. 81. Since the Hebrew word "Shekinah" is not to be found in the Old Testament, where does Peter Michas find this word? In the Jewish writings, he would have learned that Shekinah refers to the female aspect of God who was the consort of YHWH. Lest their students suspect the truth, the rabbinical "explicators" carefully assure them that the Shekinah was not the same goddess as the pagan Asherah: The Torah and the Shekinah The Shekhinah is defined, in traditional Jewish writings, as the "female aspect of God" or the "presence" of the infinite God in the world. She is introduced in the early rabbinical commentaries as the "immanence" or "indwelling" of the living God, whose role as the animating life force of the earth is to balance the transcendent deity. She may be distinguished from the 'Canaanite' Mother Goddess Asherah who the ancient Hebrews honored until about 622 B.C.E. when King Josiah removed the Asherah from the Jerusalem temple and destroyed the outlying shrines. While she does not appear by name in the five books of Moses, the explicators of the Old Testament refer to her in interpreting the text. For example, when Moses encounters the burning bush, he is told to remove his shoes and prepare himself to receive the Shekhinah. According to the rabbis, the choice of the simple thorn bush as the vehicle for the revelation was to emphasize the Shekhinah's presence, since nothing in nature can exist without her. In Proverbs, we are introduced to the Divine Mother as Chochmah (Wisdom), who was present from the time of creation as the loving consort and coarchitect with the YHVH, who also reflects the association of the Shekinah with humanity. 82. A renowned Kabbalist of our own times, Daniel C. Matt, is professor of Jewish mysticism at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkely, California. In his popular volume, The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism, Matt elucidates for the initiated the esoteric meaning of worship of the Shekhinah: "The rabbinic concept of Shekhinah, divine immanence, blossoms into the feminine half of God, balancing the patriarchal concept that dominates the Bible and the Talmud. Kabbalah retains the traditional discipline of Torah and mitsvot (commandments), but now the mitsvot have cosmic impact: 'The secret of fulfilling the mitsvot is the mending of all the worlds and drawing forth the emanation from above.' According to Kabbalah, every human action here on earth affects the divine realm, either promoting or hindering the union of Shekhinah and her partner -- the Holy One, blessed be he. God is not static being, but dynamic becoming. Without human participation, God remains incomplete, unrealized. It is up to us to actualize the divine potential in the world. God needs us." 83. So, we learn in a roundabout fashion the meaning of the Aramaic Bible's translation of Matthew 15:6: "And you have disregarded the Manifestation of God for the sake of your rituals." According to Kabbalah authority, Daniel Matt, to disregard the manifestation of God is to adhere to the partriarchal concept of God found in the Bible and to ignore the cosmic implications of such verses. Those who neglect their duty to endeavor to bring the feminine half of God into union with her partner, YHVH, have failed to actualize the divine potential in the world.

How does one give due regard the Shekhinah so as to actualize the divine potential? The previous reference the The Genesis of Eden website is found in a "Requital Document" which Shekinah has issued as a demand for restitution: Requital: Giving in fair exchange for what has transpired: "Do you requite my love?" The Requital is the name of the Day of Judgement. This document is a practical agenda to give you as world leaders two years to make good and to protect the futures of all the diverse and relatively powerless people of this planet, the "meek", who "shall inherit the earth", and will have to turn what is left after the chaos of the environmental and biodiversity climacteric into a sustainable society for the future unfolding of life and our offspring.... To: world political, economic and religious leaders For: every sentient being on planet Earth. "To preach good tidings unto the meek" I am calling a gathering of the nations in the name of Sakina - Jerusalem Epiphany 2000 to celebrate the Requital of male and female in the Song of Songs and to "judge the quick and the dead" - i.e. to determine how you and the other leaders of the last two millennia have performed in history - and to take the next step for life and for the defenceless species we are driving to extinction. By "the nations", I mean all the ethnic peoples, especially those who have been reduced to near annihilation by colonial and economic exploitation - the peoples who emerged from the Rift Valley, spanning the ! Kung to the Shipibo, the Huichol, the Maori and on to the Israelites and the Palestinians themselves, who still form an unresolved wound that began when the Hapiru descended upon the Canaanites and Phillistines in the time of Saul, whose name the Palestinians still celebrate. Feminine Apocalypse: The millennial 'apocalypse' is, by definition, the 'unveiling' of the bride - the end of the occlusion of the feminine and her sequestering and repression. This bride is the feminine spirit, returning to her sacred place of natural sustainability to complete our vision and to correct the imbalance and oppression of the patriarchal cultural epoch. Until respect for the feminine and for nature is restored to its sacred status, men will continue to rape and plunder the earth in the name of science, of progress, and of God. I thus ask all of you on this planet, male and female alike, to respect the restoration of the feminine spirit of Wisdom and sustainability... I am thus not here to lead, but to apologise to the womankind of the world for their treatment over the last two millennia and the destruction wrought upon the Earth by mankind and to ask you to join in the sacred marriage of the biosphere in reunion and in forgiveness so that our immortal living heritage will be preserved. 84. Obviously, the Aramaic manuscripts which support Kabbalistic concepts of the divine cosmos, do make the literal commandments of God of none effect. Now we are to

understand that Matthew 15:6 actually refers to honoring the Manifestation of God by restoring the feminine and nature to their divine status. Requirements of the Christians in Requital Document of Sakina include: Bottom Line: The Pope has declared the millennium to be an occasion to right the sins of the Church ... I applaud this and request the following: Apology made for blaming Christ's Roman crucifixion on the Jews - a virtuous step taken much too late. This should be forthcoming from all Christians publicly. Apology required for the Crusades, Inquisition and Witch Burnings which lasted six of the last eight centuries and killed as many people as the holocaust. Rescind the anathema maranatha.* Apology required for the suppression of the Gnostics. Removal of all dogmas which control female reproduction. Allow us living beings to develop a democratic ethics of diversity and choice. Full support for contraception and voluntary measures towards population abatement. The central dogma of molecular biology that DNA makes RNA makes protein was overturned by the discovery of retroviruses, HIV being a notable example. Science cannot afford dogma and it is likewise a stain on the nature of religion. Abolish the death penalty in remembrance of Christ. *Rescinding the anathema maranatha refers to abrogating Paul's curse in I Corinthians 16:22, which New Age mythology explains as the curse placed upon the goddess Isis who "was worshipped by the Semites as Mari-Anath in consort as an Elohim Mari-El." The Requital Document states: I hereby unpronounce and exorcise Paul's ancient curse: 1 Corinth 16:22 "If any 'man' love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let 'him' be Anathema maranatha". SAKINA REQUITAL is scheduled for the 2000 JERUSALEM: Coming of Age in the Millennium to be held during the Feast of the Epiphany, the Gnostic birth of Christ, in conjunction with the Dead Sea Festivities Jubilennium. (Dec 1999 - Jan 2000) Christians are encouraged by the numerous Messianic and other parachurch organizations to participate in the Millennial celebrations in Jerusalem. These ecumenical celebrations are being orchestrated to unify all religions, and especially Christianity, Judaism and Islam. To facilitate the merger, church denominations are also laying the foundation for doctrinal unity. The United Methodist Church now has included a prayer to "God the Mother" in its worship book for the Millennium, this upon the insistence of the UMC feminist faction which cites medieval mystics as justification for the new concept of God.

The feminist concept of the "Shekhinah" and the related occult trinity of the Kabbalah is elucidated on the Genesis of Eden web site. In Kabbalah, the term for Holy Spirit, Ruach, supposedly has a feminine gender and is "the Mother." Therefore, say the Kabbalists, "the Christian Trinity properly translated should be Father, Son and Mother." For more information on the Shekhinah, please refer to the Watch Unto Prayer report Methodists Worship God the Mother . The Aramaic Bible Online further demonstrates the departure of this translation from The Greek New Testament. VERSE COMPARISONS (See also: PROGRESSION OF NEW TESTAMENT CORRUPTION) To assist the reader's evaluation of doctrines altered in the Syriac Peshitta, researcher Jan Moser has compared the Greek New Testament with the Peshitta, which she obtained from the William Tyndale Library in Michigan. The compilation of her research on the Syriac Peshitta is as follows: THE DOCTRINE OF SIN Matt. 9:13 - omit "to repentance" Matt. 15:6 - change "commandment" to "word" (cf. Is. 55:11 - i.e., cannot make God's word of none effect) Luke 16:9 - change "ye fail" to "it fails (Arminians believe in sinless perfection and must fulfill the Law) Rom. 8:1 - omit "but according to the spirit" (Origen, Marcion and Chrysostom also made the change; Chrysostom quotes exactly as Syriac Peshitta) Titus 1:4 - eliminate "mercy" (Chrysostom and Theodore same) Heb. 8:12 - eliminated "and iniquities" Jude 1 - change "sanctified" to "love" JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD I Tim. 3:16 - "He" who was manifest in the flesh (Origen and Theodore same) Matt. 24:36 - change "my Father" to "the Father" John 1:18 - only begotten "God" rather than "Son" (Origen and Clement same) Acts 3:26 - change "son" Jesus to "servant" Acts 8:37 - whole verse in brackets (Chrysostom same) Eph. 3:9 - omit "by Jesus Christ" FREE WILL VS. ELECTION I Cor. 2:4 - omit "man's" wisdom Gal. 4:26 - omit "all" (can lose salvation) (Marcion, Origen, Chrysostom same) Gal. 3:1 - omit "that you should not obey the truth" SALVATION Luke 9:56 - change "save" to "quicken" Col. 1:14 - omit "through his blood" DOCTRINE OF NICOLAITANS / PRIESTHOOD Rev. 2:15 - omit "which thing I hate" Luke 8:3 - change "him" to "them" (Origen uses same reading)

GENERAL / ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Matt. 24:36 - added "nor the son" after heaven (Origen and Chrysostom picked up reading) Matt. 11:19 - changed "of her children" to "of her deeds" (works salvation) Matt. 13:40 - omit "this" world (age) and insert "the" age Matt 14:24 - change "in the midst of the sea" to "many furlongs away from the land" (diminishes depth of water; no miracle) Matt. 23:8 - omit "Christ" Matt. 25:13 - omit "wherein the son of Man comes" Matt 27:35 - omit "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture did they cast lots." (Origen same) Mark 9:24 - omit "Lord" Mark 11:10 - omit "in the name of the Lord" Mark 12:32 - change "there is one God" to "he is one" Luke 1:78 - change "hath" to "will" visit us Luke 22:31 - change "Lord" to "Jesus" John 4:1 - change "Lord" to "Jesus" John 7:39 - omit "holy" Acts 2:30 - omit "as concerning the flesh he would raise up Christ" Acts 9:5,6 - omit "it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him" Acts 9:20 - substitute "Jesus" for "Christ" Acts 9:29 - omit "Lord" Acts 10:6 - omit "he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do" Acts 12:24 - change "word" to "gospel" of God Acts 18:25 - changed "the Lord" to "Jesus" Acts 19:10 - omit "Jesus" Acts 22:16 - change "the name of the Lord" to "His name" Romans 1:16 - omit "of Christ" Romans 13:9 - omit "thou shalt not bear false witness" Romans 15:19 - change "spirit of God" to "holy spirit" I Cor. 2:13 - change "spirit of God" to "spirit" I Cor. 7:17 - change "God" to "the Lord"; change "as the Lord has called everyone" to "as God has called everyone" (instead of Christ calling and distributing, it is God doing it) I Cor. 14:16 - change " bless with the spirit" to "bless in spirit" (denial of Holy Spirit, could be man's or other spirit) II Cor. 4:10 - remove "the Lord" from "bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord" II Cor. 4:14 - change "raised up" to "resuscitated" (questionable - depends on Aramaic rendering in S.P.) Eph. 5:9 - change "fruit of the spirit" to "fruit of the light" Eph. 5:29 - change from "Lord" to "Christ" Philippians 3:11 - change "resurrection of the dead" to "resurrection from among the dead" Col. 1:2 - omit "and the Lord Jesus Christ" Col. 3:15 - change "God" to "Christ" Col. 3:22 - change "fearing God" to "fearing the Lord"

I Thess. 1:1 - omit "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" I Thess. 2:19 - omit "Christ" II Thess. 2:2 - change day of "Christ" to day of "the Lord" I Tim. 1:17 - omit "wise" (they alone are wise) I Tim. 2:7 - omit "in Christ" I Tim. 6:19 - change "eternal" to "that which is truly" (Origen same) II Tim. 2:19 - change "Christ" to "our Lord" Philemon 20 - change "the Lord" to "Christ" Heb. 1:3 - omit "our" sins James 1:12 - change "Lord" to "God" I Peter 1:22 - omit "through the spirit" I Peter 1:24 - change "man" to "it" (glorify flesh) I Peter 3:15 - change "Lord God" to "Lord Christ" I Peter 4:1 - change "for us" to "for you" (Nicolaitan) I Peter 4:14 - omit "on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified" I Peter 5:5 - omit "be subject" (Nicolaitan) I Peter 5:14 - omit "Jesus" II Peter 2:11 - omit "before the Lord" II Peter 2:17 - omit "forever" II Peter 3:10 - omit "in the night" / change "will be burned up" to "will be discovered" I John 1:7 - omit "Christ" I John 5:2 - change "keep his commandments" to "follow his commandments" I John 5:7,8 - omit "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth" (Clement same reading) Jude 25 - omit "wise" Rev. 1:5 - changed "washed" us from our sins to "loosed" Rev. 1:6 - changed "kings" to "kingdom" Rev. 1:8 - omit "beginning and ending" / added "God" to "Lord" (referring to God the Father) Rev. 1:11 - omit "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" Rev. 5:10 - changed "us" to "them" (changed "we shall reign" to "they reign"} Rev. 5:14 - omit "and liveth forever and ever" Rev. 8:13 - change "angel" to "eagle" Rev. 11:4 - change "God" to "Lord" of earth Rev. 11:8 - change "our" Lord to "their" Lord Rev. 11:15 - change "the kingdoms of this world are become" to "the kingdom of this world is become" (see Time of Enthronement of Antichrist) Rev. 11:17 - omit "and art to come" Rev. 12:17 - omit "Christ" Rev. 13:1 - change "name" to "names" of blasphemy Rev. 14:1 - added "and his name" to his Father's name Rev. 14:5 - omit "before the throne of God" (human perfection) Rev. 15:3 - change "king of saints" to "king of ages" Rev. 16:5 - omit "O Lord" (omit "and shalt be" and change to "the holy One") Rev. 16:17 - omit "of heaven" Rev. 17:8 - change "is" to "shall be present"

Rev. 17:16 - change "upon" to "and" the beast Rev. 19:1 - omit "the Lord" Rev. 20:5 - omit "again" Rev. 20:12 - change "God" to "the Throne" Rev. 22:6 - change "holy prophets" to "spirits of the prophets" PROGRESSION OF NEW TESTAMENT CORRUPTION THE HEBREW ROOTS MOVEMENT THE SEMITIC NEW TESTAMENT - PART I

ENDNOTES 1. David Bivin and Roy Blizzard, The Difficult Words of Jesus, 1984, reprinted 1994 and 1995, pp. 19,20 (pp. 2,3 in 1994 edition). 2. Ibid. p 19-20 (pages 2 and 3 in 1994 edition). 3. Peter A. Michas & Robert Vander Maten, The Rod of An Almond Tree in God's Master Plan, WinePress Pub., 1997, p. 19. 4. http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/363_Transp/Orthodoxy/Chabad.html 5. Messianic Friends Network, http://www.ezl.com/~peterm/Links.html http://www.messianic.com/friends.htm . 6. The Rod of an Almond Tree, p. 179. 7. Ibid., p. 180-81. 8. William R. Newell, Romans, Kregel Classics, Grand Rapids, MI, 1994, p. 415. 9. Kenneth Barker, The NIV: The Making of a Contemporary Translation (Zondervan Corp., 1986), pp. 166, 110.; New Age Bible Versions, p. 594. 10. D.A. Waite, Defending the King James Bible, Bible for Today Press, 1992, p. 39; 11. Email: From: James Trimm <jstrimm@swbell.net>, To: losttribes@nazarene.net <losttribes@nazarene.net>, Subject: (losttribes) SNTP update (sources), Date: Monday, February 22, 1999 7:00 PM. 12. David Otis Fuller, Which Bible?, Grand Rapids Int. Pub., 1970, pp. 197-98. 13. Which Bible?, p. 130. 14. D.A. Waite, Defending the King James Bible, p. 45. 15. Jack Moorman, Modern Bibles - The Dark Secret, Foundation Magazine, Sept-Oct. 1992, p. 30; Forever Settled, p. 116. 16. Edward F. Hills, The King James Bible Defended, Des Moines, IA, Christian Research Press, 1993, 1956, p. 121. 17. William P. Grady, Final Authority: A Christian's Guide to the King James Version, Shererville, IN, Grady Publications, 1993, p. 34. 18. Peter Ruckman, The Christian's Handbook of Biblical Scholarship, Bible Baptist

Bookstore, 1988, p. 94. 19. Samuel Gipp, An Understandable History of the Bible, 1987, p. 67. 20. G.A. Riplinger, New Age Bible Versions, p. 488. 21. James H. Sightler, M.D., A Testimony Founded Forever, Sightler Publications, Greenville, SC, 1999, p. 12. 22. "When Manuscripts Collide," Wendy Murray Zoba, Christianity Today, Oct. 23, 1995, p. 30-1. 23. Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth, Zondervan Publishing House, 1981, 1993, p. 114. 24. "Thus Spake Jesus Christ," Gregg Garrison, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Dec. 12, 1998, Religious News Service. 25. Columbia Encyclopedia, "Maronites," p. 1700. 26. Which Bible?, p. 197-8. 27. Interpreter's Bible Dictionary, Supplementary Volume, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1993, p. 853. 28. Britannica Online, "Syriac Peshitta," http://www.eb.com/ . ' 29. Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion & Ethics, "Antiochene Theology," p. 585. 30. D.A. Waite, Defending the King James Bible, Bible for Today Press, 1992, p. 45. 31. David Otis Fuller, Which Bible?, Grand Rapids International Publications, 1970, p. 125. 32. Secret Books of the Egyptian Gnostics, Jean Doresse, p. 13. 33. "Outline of Christology," William G. Most, http://www.ewtn.com/library/THEOLOGY/CHRI602.TXT ' 34. Arius-The Trinity Controversy in the Church, Fazal Ahmad - UK The Review of Religions, September 1996 http://www.flash.net/~royal/controversy.html 35. Mircea Eliade, Encyclopedia of Religion, "Arianism", Vol. 1, p. 405. 36. New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, "Diodorus," Samuel Macauley Jackson, ed., Grand Rapids MI: Baker Book House, 1964, p. 435. 37. Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion & Ethics, James Hastings, NY: Charles Scribner Sons, 1951, "Antiochene Theology", p. 587. 38. New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, "Chrysostom," p. 75. 39. Devotional Classics, Richard Foster, p. 326. 40. New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, James Hastings, NY: Charles Scribner Sons, 1951, "Antiochene Theology", p. 591. 41. Ibid., p. 592. 42. Ibid., p. 590. 43. "Outline of Christology," William G. Most, http://www.ewtn.com/library/THEOLOGY/CHRI602.TXT 44. Columbia Encyclopedia, "Theodore of Mopsuestia", p. 2728. 45. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910, "Nestorius," p. 409. 46. True or False?, David Otis Fuller, Grand Rapids International Publications, 1973, 1983, Terrence H. Brown, "God - Was Manifest in the Flesh...(I Timothy 3:16)", p. 33-4. 47. Encyclopedia Britannica, "Nestorius," p. 407. 48. Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion & Ethics, James Hastings, NY: Charles Scribner Sons, 1951, "Antiochene Theology", p. 592. 49. Ibid., p. 593.

50. Ibid., p. 585. 51. Which Bible?, p. 198, citing Dean John Burgon and Miller, The Traditional Text, p. 128. 52. Jack Moorman, Modern Bibles: The Dark Secret, p. 29. 53. Jean Doresse, Secret Book Of The Egyptian Gnostics," p. 12. 54. The Holy Bible, Authorized King James Version, Footnote: II Timothy. World Bible Publishers. 55. Roland H. Bainton, Erasmus of Christendom, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1969, p. 139. 56. Robert J. Sargent, Landmarks of English Bible: Manuscript Evidence, Bible Baptist Church Pub., p. 159. 57. Alan Axelrod, The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders, Checkmark Books, 1997, p. 47-8. 58. Laurence Gardner, Bloodline Of The Holy Grail, "The Stone Of Destiny," Element Books, 1996, p. 299 59. The Messianic Legacy , Michael Biagent, Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln, Dell Publishing, 1986, p. 119. 60. The Messianic Legacy, p. 120. 61. The Messianic Legacy , p. 124 62. Prince Michael Stewart, The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland, Element Books, 1998, p. 29. 63. The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland, p. 30. 64. Bloodline of the Holy Grail, p. 189. 65. The Messianic Legacy, p. 122. 66. Jack Moorman, Forever Settled, p. 121. 67. Which Bible, p. 187. 68. Defending the King James Bible, pp. 45-6. 69. David Cloud, Rome and the Bible, Way of Life Literature, 1996, p. 34, 36, 37. 70. David Cloud, Way of Life Encyclopedia, Roman Catholic Dominion 500-1500 A.D. 71. The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders, p. 121. 72. Columbia Encyclopedia, p. 1680. 73. Lady Queenborough, Edith Starr Miller, The Occult Theocrasy, Los Angeles, 1933, pp. 162-3. 74. Biagent, Lincoln & Leigh, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, Dell Pub., 1982, pp. 51-2, 61-2. 75. Arthur Edward Waite, The Hidden Church of the Holy Graal, London: Rebman Ltd., 1909, p. 681. 76. Bloodline Of The Holy Grail, "The Stone Of Destiny," p. 299. 77. "Ancient Aramaic New Testament," Victor N. Alexander, http://www.va.com/bible/confession.html 78. Testament of Matthew, Matthew 15; http://www.v-a.com/bible/matthew-15.html 79. Peter Michas, op.cit., p. 80. 80. Ibid, p. 82. 81. Ibid., p. 205. 82. "The Torah and the Shekinah," Chris Kirk,

http://matu1.math.auckland.ac.nz/~king/Preprints/book/torah/tor.html 83. Daniel C. Matt, The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism, HarperSanFrancisco, 1996, p. 1. 84. "Requital Document," Chris King , 1997, http://matu1.math.auckland.ac.nz/~king/Preprints/book/genesis/requital.htm

THE MYSTICAL BIBLE

'THE MESSAGE' Of MYSTICISM
by

Janet Moser
The basis of this study is the English paraphrased text of the New Testament written by Eugene Peterson called "The Message." Through the use of paraphrase, 'The Message' was 'crafted' to present the doctrines of mysticism to the Christian church in order to seduce believers into the occult and the New Age Movement. Readers who recognize mystical/occult terminology, will definitely get "the message" Mr. Peterson is seeking to convey throughout his version of the Bible.

OUTLINE I. STUDY FOUNDATION

A. Key verse B. Thesis C. Summary

II. SATAN'S PLAN (as it relates to mysticism and 'The Message')

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. Christianity must embrace mysticism Doctrines about the Bible rejected Bible to be interpreted and taught allegorically, not literally Christian doctrine to be changed New Bibles will contain new Gospel and new message Mysticism to be taught in Christian and Jewish seminaries Mysticism to be made accessible to average person Those teaching mysticism to the Church will deny it New Age mysticism to be promoted by the Church and Masonry Mysticism will become the universal religion through the ecumenical movement World Bible to be based on mysticism

III. SCRIPTURE (verses which have been changed by 'The Message')

A. B. C. D. Prophecies concerning the Church's apostasy into mysticism Principles/doctrines concerning Bibliology Commandments concerning the Bible and doctrine Warnings concerning changing the Scripture

IV. TOPICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

A. Bible translation B. Declaration of the Unity of the World C. Mysticism/occultism

V. MAKING CONNECTIONS (people directly or indirectly related with 'The

Message' and Eugene Peterson) A. Organizations 1. Chrysostom Society 2. Huntington House Publishers 3. The Navigators 4. Regent College 5. Renovare 6. Temple of Understanding 7. Theosophy 8. Lindesfarne 9. Freemasonry B. People 1. Gordon Fee 2. Leighton Ford 3. Richard Foster 4. Billy Graham 5. Madeleine L'Engle 6. J.I. Packer 7. Lucy Shaw 8. Prince Michael Stewart

VI. DICTIONARY OF TERMS

A. Mysticism's definition B. Mysticism's interpretation of Scripture C. Mysticism's terms, key words - found in 'The Message' D. Mysticism's doctrines - found in 'The Message'

VII. CHRONOLOGY APPENDIX

1. 'The Message' compared to the King James Bible A. Mystical/occult terms and key words used in 'The Message'

B. Mystical/occult doctrines found in 'The Message' C. Mystical/occult/Masonic practices found in 'The Message' D. Other occultic concepts found in 'The Message'

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I . STUDY FOUNDATION
A. Key verse Ro.1:25- Who CHANGED THE TRUTH of God into a lie, and worshipped the creature more than the Creator ... Note- See III.E. for 'The Message's' perversion of this verse B. Thesis Through the use of paraphrase, 'The Message' was 'crafted' to present the doctrines of mysticism to the Christian church in order to seduce it into occultism and the New Age Movement. C. Summary The basis of this study is the English paraphrased text of the New Testament written by Eugene Peterson, called "The Message." Those readers who recognize mystical/occult terminology, will definitely get "the message" Mr. Peterson is seeking to convey within his Bible version. On the back of his Proverbs Version, he writes, "Discover ancient wisdom you can use in your life today." In section IV.C., you will "discover" that "ancient wisdom" is a term that refers to the esoteric wisdom, doctrines, and terminology taught by the ancient mystery religions. Mr. Peterson goes on to say that his version of "Proverbs makes these words of ancient wisdom accessible to modern generations..." This parrots the remark made by Michael Howard in his book "Occult Conspiracy," where he says that occultist Rudolf Steiner made the esoteric teachings of Ancient Wisdom 'accessible to the average person' - see II.G.. On the cover page of his New Testament, Mr. Peterson writes, "The Message is a contemporary rendering of the Bible from the original languages, crafted to present its tone, rhythm, events and ideas in everyday speech." Since Masonry refers to itself as "the craft," it's not surprising to -find that Mr. Peterson has "crafted" Masonic initiation practices into his version - see Appendix I.C. Seeing that mysticism/occultism uses and demands an allegorical interpretation of Scripture, the translation method of paraphrase/dynamic equivalence is preferable for those seeking to "craft" a mystical interpretation into the translation. Also, by using paraphrase, one has all the Bible verses at his disposal, without being limited to only the Greek changes offered by the Nestle/Aland Greek New Testament that the more literal modern translations rely upon. Therefore, this study seeks to look at only the paraphrased verses that relate specifically to mysticism, rather than addressing the Greek changes, because most of the Greek changes deal with removed portions of Scripture, and it is much easier to see what "Message" Mr. Peterson is trying to promote by reading the words that are found IN the text, rather than what has been OMITTED FROM the text. Two endorsers of "The Message," Richard Foster and Madeleine L'Engle, will be used to define most of the mystical terms appearing in the text, because they are both involved in,

and promote, mysticism. As for the other endorsers, one is reminded of the old saying, "birds of a feather flock together;" or, as the Lord so wisely said in Matt.24:8, "for wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together." When one serves up a mystical "piece de resistance," it is interesting to see who comes to dinner. After you have finished studying this material, hopefully you will have lost your appetite for this dish. Man simply does not wish to change Scripture unless he has a hidden agenda that rests upon a foundation of unbelief concerning one or more aspects of God's Word. A changed Bible will change three things: 1) your faith, Ro.10:17; 2) your doctrine, I.Ti.4:1, II.Ti.4:3-4; 3) your behaviour, Ro.1:25-32, Gen.3:1,6. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to 'bring to light the hidden things of darkness', I.Cor.4:5, in order that you may 'have no "Fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them," Eph.5:11. This study seeks to show that Mr. Peterson's hidden agenda rests upon a foundation of mysticism. The following statement by Eugene Peterson in his article, "Spirit guest," published by Christianity Today 11-8-93, reveals that he is inclined toward mysticism himself. He refers to two mystics, Juliana of Norwich and Teresa of Avila, whom he looks to for personal spiritual encouragement. "Single-minded, persevering faithfulness confirms the authenticity of our spirituality. The ancestors we look to for encouragement in this business - Augustine of Hippo and Julian of Norwich, John Calvin ... Teresa of Avila - didn't flit! They stayed." NavPress's "A RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLISHER TO SPECIFIC CRITICSM OF 'THE MESSAGE," reveals that we are not alone in our convictions concerning "The Message;" others have come to the very same conclusions, as expressed in the following 3 issues and criticisms: "3. Does 'The Message'...introduce a different gospel message that is unbiblical?' "4. Does 'The Message' reflect 'New Age' influences? Some critics have objected to terms scattered throughout 'The Message' that they see as tainted with a 'New Age' agenda.' "6. Are people being deceived by 'The Message' or drawn away from the truth of God's word? Some critics have denounced 'The Message' as distorting God's Word and spreading Deception in the Church.' The issue of "New Age" terms alone should have sounded an alarm to NavPress, and caused them to research Mr. Peterson's terminology,--for Scripture itself counsels us to: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good, Abstain from all appearance of evil. (I.Thes.5-21-22) It is regrettable that NavPress has chosen to ignore the Lord's counsel, and continues to navigate the unsuspecting into mysticism, not only through the text of "The Message," but also through the publications of some of its endorsers as well. The 3 issues mentioned above are the very things that are dealt with in the following study. In the light of I.Thes.5:21-22, we have chosen to reject "The Message'' of mysticism, as presented by Mr. Peterson. After studying these issues, we hope that you will come to the same conclusions.

II. SATAN'S PLAN

Note: Except for Samantha Smith's remark, all other quotes are by occultists. A. Christianity must embrace mysticism "Embracing the Cosmic Christ will demand a paradigm shift, and it will empower us for that shift; a shift ... from rationalism to mysticism" (Fox, p.134-135) B. Doctrines about the Bible rejected "The 'higher criticism,' to-day has destroyed the authority of the Christian Scriptures in their literal form, but has offered us nothing to replace that interpretation. We have to turn elsewhere ... (to) the various Theosophical Societies ... (and) in the ritual of Freemasonry..." (Kingsland, p.91-92) "The documents of the Bible itself, very far from being the inspired word of 'God', are exceedingly human documents; and - as Dr. Eisler says ... even the Gospels themselves were falsified in order to bring them into line with 'Orthodoxy'. They are full of errors, contradictions, unbelievable statements, and are replete with 'the precepts and doctrines of men'; not to mention errors of translation and re-translation." (Kingsland, p.36) C. Bible to be interpreted and taught allegorically, not literally "There always has been and ... always must be an exoteric doctrine for the masses, and esoteric teaching for those who - as Plotinus says - 'are fortunately able to perceive it'. But in fact these 'mysteries' cannot be stated in any language but that of allegory and symbolism ... and in a physical language which can only be symbolical, never literal." (Kingsland, p.26) "Paul ... speaks of 'false apostles, deceitful workers,' ... (2 Cor.xi.12) ... Must we not say, in deed, that all those teachers in the Church who still base their teachings on the literal word of the Scriptures belong to this class, and are simply 'blind leaders of the blind'." (Kingsland, p.84) "... what is known traditionally and historically as 'Christianity' consists of man-made dogmas based on a literal interpretation of those Scriptures, and not on their allegorical, mystical, and gnostic nature." (Kingsland, p.23) D. Christian doctrine to be changed "We have in the Modernist Movement some kind of attempt within the Church itself to bring Christian doctrines more into line with our modern knowledge and our modern concepts as to the nature of Man and the Universe in which he lives. But can Christian doctrine be thus reconstructed if the Bible is to be taken in its literal narrative and word? ... The Bible, then, along with other Scriptures, having its origin in this same Ancient Wisdom or Gnosis... (is) sadly mutilated and garbled in our authorized version; its proper interpretation lies in what we can gather from other sources of those great fundamental principles concerning Man's nature and destiny which have been taught for ages past, and long before the Jews were ever heard of" (Kingsland, p.78, 81) E. New Bibles will contain new Gospel and new message "Judaism is old, obsolete and separative and has not true message for the spirituallyminded... The Christian faith has also served its purpose; its founder seeks to bring a new Gospel and a new message that will enlighten all men everywhere." (Bailey, p.754) 'The real Gospel of the Christ is ... the ancient Gnosis ... (Kingsland, p.47) F. Mysticism to be taught in Christian and Jewish seminaries "Education for Deep Ecumenism - Courses in the mystics, and above all courses that bring out the mystic in each minister, rabbi, or priest-to-be, must be taught in our seminaries" (Fox, p.239)

G. Mysticism to be made accessible to average person "In rare instances these esoteric teachings [Ancient Wisdom] have been presented by an initiate to the public in a way which has made it accessible to the average person ... (An) initiate of' the secret societies who was instrumental in the spread of their esoteric teachings in the early part of the 20th century was Rudolf Steiner." (Howard, p.171, Occult Conspiracy) H. Those teaching mysticism to the Church will deny it "Occult writings often twist everything. In our ongoing study of mysticism/occultism/ spiritualism, we often find that the authors deny what they are actually teaching. Strangely enough, many readers fall prey to this deception when the teachings are disguised as something spiritual or "Christian." (Smith, p.14) Note; An example of this is found in Richard Foster's book 'Celebration of Discipline', p.17, which says, 'Christian meditation ... involves no hidden mysteries, no secret mantras, no mental gymnastics, no esoteric flights into the cosmic consciousness.' He then proceeds on p.5 to encourage the use of the imagination to picture the 'Christ within' when meditating. In his earlier 1978 edition, he actually presents a guided imagery 'trip' into the unconsciousness, which he has conveniently removed from the later editions. I. New Age mysticism to be promoted by the Church and Masonry "...the new world order must be built ... The three main channels through which the preparation for the new age is going on might be regarded as the Church, the Masonic Fraternity and the educational field" (Cuddy, "President Clinton," p.35, quoting Alice Bailey, Externalization of the Hierarchy) J. Mysticism will become the universal religion through the ecumenical movement "A living cosmology cannot happen from science and art alone. Mysticism too must be integral to this awakening, basic to this global renaissance. Indeed, the new science is demanding a mystical awakening ... Yet mysticism - which represents the depth of religious traditions the world over - has never been tried on an ecumenical level. We have no inkling what power would ensue for creativity, for employing one another, for exciting the young to deep adventures once again ... were mysticism to be unleashed on a global scale." (Fox, p. 229) "Alice Bailey's writing in 'Glamour: A World Problem'...indicates that a 'new world religion is now on its way to externalizing ... the inauguration of the New Age ... [and] the only ritual which is still regarded as of value to the human family as a whole particularly to the advanced person - is the Masonic ritual." (Cuddy, Dawning, p.274) Note - Now you know why Eugene Peterson's 'The Message' contains Masonic ritual practices. K. World Bible to be based on mysticism "In her ... book... 'When Humanity Comes of Age', Britain's Vera Alder discusses the coming of the Great Teacher. She says that as soon as he has consolidated world power, he will form and head a Spiritual Research Panel that will evaluate and combine all the world's religions and teachings, the occultic 'ancient wisdom', and Mystery teachings... 'The Research Panel would develop the new 'Bible' of a World Religion which will be the basis of future education.'" (p.39) (Marrs, Mystery Mark, p.63)

III. SCRIPTURE
Note: The King James Bible is compared to 'The Message' where there is a contrast in meaning. These words are printed in bold type. A. Prophecies concerning the Church's apostasy into mysticism 1. Seducers concerning the Bible will become worse and worse, not just "things" II.Ti.3:13 KJB - But EVIL MEN AND SEDUCERS SHALL WAX WORSE AND WORSE, deceiving and being deceived. Message- Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They're as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, THINGS CAN ONLY GET WORSE. 2. Man shall reject sound doctrine, and turn to fables/myths II.Ti.4:3-4 KJB - For THE TIME WILL COME when they will not endure sound doctrine ... and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (muthos = myths) Message - You're going to find out that THERE WILL BE TIMES when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food - CATCHY OPINIONS that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase MIRAGES. Note: On "The Mythical Bible" television program, "The Message" endorser, Madeleine L'Engle stated, 'These marvelous mysteries could not be understood in the language of literalism, or inerrancy, and all such attempts to restrict the glory are deadly indeed." (Smith, p.16, quoting Madeleine L'Engle, "The Mythical Bible" television program, "The Chicago Sunday Evening Club," October 1991) B. Principles/doctrines concerning Bibliology 1. Inspiration of the Bible a. God inspired holy men - not women - to write it II.Pet.1:21 KJB - 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 Message - Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men AND WOMEN to speak God's word b. Every word, not just every part, was inspired by God II.Ti.3.16 KJB - ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God ... Message - EVERY PART OF SCRIPTURE is God-breathed ... c. The Bible is a record of what God thinks and speaks, not of what man thinks and speaks Is.55:8 KJB - For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord Message, Introduction, p.7 - "The goal is not to render a word-for-word conversion of Greek into English, but rather to convert the tone, the rhythm, the events, the ideas, into THE WAY WE ACTUALLY THINK AND SPEAK." d. Every word, not just every promise, of God is pure Prov.30.5

KJB - Every WORD of God is pure ... Message - Every PROMISE of God proves true ... Ps.119 :140- Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. Note: Those who truly love God's word would never change it; they accept it as it is by faith 2. Interpretation of the Bible a. God's word is to be interpreted simply, in its literal form. Satan's attack of God's word "Hath God said?" - not Eve's love for God. II.Cor.11:3 KJB - But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eye through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the SIMPLICITY that is in Christ. Message- And now I'm afraid that exactly as the Snake seduced Eye with his smooth patter, you are being lured away from the SIMPLE PURITY OF YOUR LOVE fir Christ. b. Those who are unstable in their doctrine will twist difficult verses II.Pet.3:16 KJB- As also in all his (Paul's) epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are UNLEARNED AND UNSTABLE wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Message- Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. IRRESPONSIBLE people who don't know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it. Note: Too bad he didn't take this warning literally! 3. Translation of the Bible a. Many have corrupted the Bible II.Cor.2:17 KJB - For we are not as many which CORRUPT the word of God ... Message- ...but at least we don't take God's Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. Note - ???????? b. Many change God's word Ro.1:25 KJB - Who CHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE, and worshipped the creature more than the Creator Message- And all this because they TRADED THE TRUE GOD FOR A FAKE GOD, and worshipped the god they made instead of the God who made them ... c. God rejects the use of man's 'craft' and deceit when handling His word II.Cor.4:2 KJB - But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Message- And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God. C . Commandments 1. We are to guard the sound words of Scripture, not guard our faith and love II.Ti.1:13

KJB - Hold fast the FORM OF SOUND WORDS, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Message- So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. IT'S AS SOUND as the day you first heard it from me. 'The goal is not to render a word-for-word conversion of Greek into English...' (Peterson, The Message N. T., Introduction, p.7) 2. Avoid those who teach doctrine contrary to what you have learned Ro.16:17-18 KJB - Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YE HAVE LEARNED; and avoid them. Message- Keep a sharp eye out for those who TAKE BITS AND PIECES Of THE TEACHING THAT YOU LEARNED and then use them to make trouble. D. Warnings concerning the changing of Scripture Rev.22:18-19- For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

THE MYSTICAL BIBLE

'THE MESSAGE' Of MYSTICISM
PART II
TOPICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA CONNECTIONS: PEOPLE & ORGANIZATIONS

IV. TOPICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

A. Bible translation 1. New purpose "The older focus in translating was the form of the message ... The new focus, however, has shifted from the form of the message to the response of the receptor." (Nida, Theory & Practice, p.1) Note: Serving man becomes more important than preserving God's Word - Ro.1:25 2. New principles - contrasted with Scriptural principles

a. Concerning languages of the Bible "The languages of the Bible are subject to the same limitations as any other natural language." (Nida, Theory & Practice, p.7) Note: God specifically chose the Hebrew and Greek language as the basis of Scripture II.Ti.3:16, II.Pet.1-.21 b. Concerning form of words of the Bible "To preserve the content of the message the FORM MUST BE CHANGED." (Nida, Theory & Practice, p. 5) Note: The form of the words of Scripture must remain unchanged - 11.Tim. 1:13 c. Concerning translation of the Bible "The translator must attempt to reproduce the meaning of a passage as understood by the writer." (Nida, Theory & Practice, p. 8) Note: The writers did not always understand what they wrote - Dan.12:8-9, I.Pet.1:10-12, Is.55:8-9. d. Concerning interpretation of the Bible "The writers of the Biblical books expected to be understood." ( Nida, Theory & Practice, p.7) Note: The writers did not expect to be understood, except by the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit - II.Pet.3:16, I.Cor.2:6-16, Jn.16.12-13, I.Jn.2:27 3. New techniques a. Dynamic equivalence 1) Meaning - "change" (Ro.1:25) "'Dynamic' means: 'lb. Of or pertaining to dynamics, active; opposed to static; pertaining to change or process'." (Waite, p.101, quoting Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1949, p.257) 2) Basis - Transformational Grammar "There is a whole area in the field of English called Transformational Grammar, where everything is changed from one form to another [such as changing a verb to a noun]. This

is the real seed plot of the so-called DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCY where you don't have the words brought over into English (or another language) word for word" (Waite, p.90) 3) History - Eugene Nida - see "New Purpose" and "New principles," above 'The modern history of DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCE began with Eugene Nida. He was the man who was with the Wycliffe Bible Translators, the American Bible Society, and the United Bible Society. He popularized this DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCE method which is used throughout the world." (Waite, p.93) "In 1947, Eugene Nida wrote the book, 'Bible Translating', published by the United Bible Society ... of London." (Waite, p.19) 4) Concept "Dynamic equivalency interprets the text rather than translates the text." (Johnson) "Subtracting, changing, and adding to the Word of God, are the essence and heart of DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCY in its approach to translation. It's not translation, but changing the Word of God. It is pure paraphrase." (Waite, p.,43) Note. Dr. Waite's view is different from Gordon Fee's (see below) who treats dynamic equivalence as something different than paraphrase. Dr. Waite is right; any change becomes paraphrase, whether it rejects changes in the Greek base, or non-literal translation changes from Greek to English. Therefore, this study has treated "The Message" as a product of dynamic equivalence as well as paraphrase. 5) Problem "...if they use this DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCE technique of translation (t)hey can change it at will. That is the saddest thing in the whole picture of our modern versions and in the whole translation and version problem ... All of it is hypothesis and guesswork by men. Anything they want to come up with is right. So, we see that DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCE is more important even than the textual issue..." (Waite, P.98) b. Paraphrase/free (See Gordon Fee in V. B.) 1) Meaning "The attempt to translate the ideas from one language to another, with less concern about using the exact words of the original. A free translation, sometimes called a paraphrase, tries to eliminate as much of the historical distance as possible." (Fee, p.35) 2) Problems a) Commentary, not translation

"A free translation ... can ... stimulate your thinking about the possible meaning of the text." (Fee, p.36) "The problem with a free translation ... especially for study purposes, is that the translator updates the original author too much. Furthermore, such a 'translation' all too often comes close to being a commentary." (Fee, p.36-7) b) Single translator "A free translation is always done by a single translator, and unless the translator is also a skilled exegete who knows the various problems in all of the biblical passages, there is a danger that the reader will be mislead." (Fee, p.37) Note: Then why does he endorse "The Message"? 4. New theology "How many of you would be happy to have John 1:1 translated 'in the beginning was Logic, and Logic was with God and Logic was God; as a Reformed theologian, Gordon Clark, has advocated. Or perhaps you would be happy with the feminist rendering, 'in the beginning was Wisdom and Wisdom was with God and Wisdom was God; because some feminist theologians feel this is one way of feminizing the Trinity? The change of one landmark word in the theological terrain can alter the entire landscape." (Letis, p.79-80) "The changes thus far are in the right direction and should contain the germs of a new theology. Every age must produce its own theology." (Schaff, p.142) Note: This referred to the texts of the English Revised and American Standard Bibles. B. Declaration of Unity of the World 1. History "During the mid-1980s, 'New Genesis', a book that called for a new global spirituality, prompted [Juliet] Hollister and her friends to ask Robert Muller (then assistant secretarygeneral to the U.N.) to draft a 'Declaration of the Unity of the World'... This New Age Draft led to the Temple of Understanding sponsoring a meeting on Mount Sinai in October of 1984 to thrash out inter-religious consensus ..." (Smith, p.78) 2. Document consensus Note: Mystical terms and doctrines found in both the "Declaration" and "The Message" are in upper-case letters a. The ONENESS OF HUMAN FAMILY, irrespective of color, sex, creed, nation - or any other distinctive characteristic.

b. The HARMONIOUS place of the individual person in the total order of things, as a unique entity of DIVINE ORIGIN, with physical, mental, moral, and spiritual aspirations, and with basic relationship to the universe and eternity. c. The importance of religion, prayer, MEDITATION SPIRITUAL EXERCISES, CONTEMPLATION, and the INNER SEARCH as links between human life and the universe. d. The existence of an incipient conscious and heart of humanity, which speaks for what is good and against what is bad for humans; which advocates and fosters understanding, COOPERATION, and altruism instead of DIVISION, struggle, and indifference among nations. e. The value of dedicated service to others, with a compassionate response to human suffering, with special attention to the poor, handicapped, the elderly, refugees, the rejected, and the lonely. f. The duty to give thanks and express gratitude for the abundance of life which has been given to humanity, an abundance not to be selfishly possessed or accumulated, but to be shared and given generously to those who are in need, with a sense of social justice. g. Need for ecumenical agencies and world religious organizations to foster dialogue and collaborative arrangements, and to bring the resources and inspiration of the religions to bear upon the solution of world problems. h. A rejection of violence as being contrary to the sanctity and uniqueness of life, and affirmation of the law of love and compassion as the great transcending force which alone can break the nemesis of war and violence. i. An acceptance of the precept - "Thou shalt not kill, not even in the name of a nation or a faith." j. The evolutionary task of human life and society to move through the eternal stream of time towards INTERDEPENDENCE, communion, and an ever-expanding realization of DIVINITY.' (Smith, p.78-9) C. Mysticism/occultism 1. Purposes of mysticism a. Men to become divine "The mystic experience', says Recejac, 'ends with the words, 'I live, yet not I, but God in me'... In its early stages the mystic consciousness feels the Absolute in opposition to the Self ... As mystic activity goes on, it tends to abolish this opposition ... When it has reached its term, the consciousness finds itself possessed by the sense of being at one and

the same time greater than the Self and identical with it: great enough to be God, intimate enough to be me." (Underhill, p.82) "The mystic desires to be as close to God as possible; if not indeed part of the Divine Essence Itself; whereas the ordinary devotee of most religious systems merely desires to walk in God's way and obey His will." (Spense, p.284) "Mysticism maintains the possibility of intercourse with God, not by means of revelation or the ordinary religious channels, but by dint of introspection, culminating in the feeling that the individual partakes of the divine nature." (Spense, p-283-4) b. Men to become Christs "The mission of mysticism to mankind ... is to lead Homo sapiens to the state in which it can use science and be led by spirit to create the race of Christs, the perfect race untainted by original sin." (Kirby, p.229) 2. View of Scripture - starting point "To the mystic, Scripture is seen as the starting point, but true spiritual growth comes when one has graduated beyond rational contemplation of Scripture to meditation upon a word, a phrase, even the writings of mere mortals." (Dager, p.10) Example of Gordon Fee: "Your Bible, whatever translation you use, which is your 'beginning' point, is in fact the end result of much scholarly work." (Fee, p.15) 3. Other names for mysticism a. Ageless wisdom "The Ageless Wisdom is the golden thread connecting the hidden, mystical teachings within the major religious traditions." (McLaughlin, p.5) "Peter Roche de Coppens ... suggests that if Christians were to discover the hidden messages in the Bible, they would realize that Christianity and this ageless wisdom are perfectly compatible." (Marrs, Dark Secrets, p.124, quoting Peter Roche de Coppens' forward to F. Aster Barnswell, "The Meaning of Christ for Our Age") b. Ancient wisdom "...when I speak of the Gnosis, I do not refer specifically to the Greek or Coptic variety, but to that 'Ancient Wisdom' which can be discovered as a thread of gold running through allegories and myths and fables from the very earliest times of which we have any

literary records, and which has more recently been somewhat more fully expounded to us by some of the existing Masters of that Wisdom." (Kingsland, p.83) Example of two books: The Gnosis of Ancient Wisdom in the Christian Scriptures or The Wisdom in a Mystery, by William Kingsland The Gnostic Scriptures: Ancient Wisdom for the New Age, by Bentley Layton c. Gnosis/gnosticism "The writings of the apostles, they (the Gnostics) said, in addressing themselves to mankind in general, enunciated only the articles of the vulgar faith, but transmitted the mysteries of knowledge to superior minds, to the Elect, mysteries handed down from generation to generation in esoteric traditions; and to this science of the mysteries they gave the name of (Gnosis)." (Pike, p.248) "I am not using the term 'Gnosis' as applying merely to the tenets of certain Gnostic sects but I am using it in connection with a definite super-knowledge ... which was taught by Initiates, Adepts, and Masters of the Ancient 'Mysteries' and Mystery Cults which are known to have existed in Egypt and elsewhere, even in remotest times. That is the sense in which the term was originally understood. It is the mystic knowledge which effects regeneration, rebirth into the full consciousness of one's divine nature and powers as a 'Son of God'." (Kingsland, p.14) d. Secret doctrine "... both the Old and the New Testament Scriptures contain, hidden beneath the mere narrative, an esoteric meaning, a 'Secret Doctrine', a 'Gnosis'." (Kingsland, p.83) " all the Gnostic sects ... claimed to possess a secret doctrine, coming to them directly from Jesus Christ, different from that of the Gospels and Epistles and superior to these communications which in their eyes, were merely exoteric." (Pike, p. 542)

V. MAKING CONNECTIONS
The connections between these organizations and people will become clear in the following quotes. Organizations / Endorsers Navigators Renovare Regent College

Chrysostom Cathedral of St. John the Billy Graha Society Divine

Eugene Peterson Richard Foster Madeline L'Engle J. I. Packer Gordon Fee Billy Graham Leighton Ford Luci Shaw

x x

x x

x x x x

x x x x

x 'Prince' Michael Stewart

Theosophy Quakers Lindesfarne \_______ _____James Parks Morton_____ Cathedral of St. John the Divine Madeleine L'Engle Richard Foster - Quaker Eugene Peterson Navigators/NavPress Billy Graham A. Organizations 1. Chrysostom Society

Celtic/Druidic Christianity Findhorn Temple of Understanding ___________/

"...the group was started by Richard Foster, who convened a particular bunch of writers together." (Smith, p.123)

"Here is a partial list ...:... Peterson, Eugene N...... Foster, Richard J....... L'Engle, Madeleine;..." (Smith, p.130-31) "Chrysostom lived a pure, simple life ... Extremely ascetic in his insistence upon simplicity of life, and inclined to mysticism, he did not always possess tact; but he did have a courteous, affectionate, kindly nature." (Cairns, p.152) 2. Huntington House Publishers (Published Samantha Smith's book, "Trojan Horse") Note: In a telephone conversation with Samantha, she mentioned that Huntington House pulled Eugene Peterson's name from the following quote: "The following is a list of evangelicals who have unfortunately endorsed Richard Foster's teachings in 'Spiritual Disciplines' Second edition, pp.203-210).,." (Smith, p.113) NOTE: "Spiritual Disciplines" should read "Celebration of Discipline." 3. The Navigators/NavPress "...The Navigators sponsored a Richard Foster conference at their Glen Eyrie retreat center and sent announcements to those on their own (The Navigators') mailing list." (Meisel, p. 3) Note: 'The Message' is published by NavPress Note: In the 1998 Navigator Summer Camp, King Arthur's Camelot was related to the Kingdom of God. This whole Holy Grail concept, mythology, and experience is based on mysticism: ,...on one level the Grail is an initiatory experience that in modern terminology would be described as a 'transformation' or 'altered state of consciousness'. Alternatively it might be described as a 'Gnostic experience', a 'mystical experience', 'illumination', or 'union with God'. It is possible to be even more precise and place the experiential aspect of the Grail in a very specific context. That context is the Cabala and Cabalistic thought.' (Baigent, p.303-4) Note. Cabalism/Kabbalism is Jewish mysticism 4. Regent College "Eugene H. Peterson is professor of spiritual theology it Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia." (Peterson, dust jacket) Note: Other endorsers of "The Message" mentioned on the dust jacket are: "Gordon D. Fee ... professor of New Testament, Regent College" "J.I. Packer ... professor of theology, Regent College" 5. Renovare

"Actively promoting the revival of the meditative and contemplative traditions among mainline Christians today is Renovare (pronounced Ren-o-var-ay, Latin meaning 'to make new spiritually), founded by psychologist Richard J. Foster." (Dager, p.1) "Renovare's Board of Reference: .... J.I. Packer ..... Eugene H. Petersen..." (Dager, p.15) 6. Temple of Understanding "The priesthood which helped to create and operate the Temple of Understanding is the United Lodge of Theosophists of New York, through the tax exempt Lucis Trust." (Howard, 'A One World Church', p.13) "The Temple began through the efforts of a strange group of 'founding friends'... establishing a world interfaith center based in the U.S. Additional sponsors have included ... the Society of Friends (Quakers)..." (Smith, p.77) "Their intentions: to create a 'new type of mystic ... to be distinguished by his ability to see God immanent in all faiths and not just in his own brand of religious belief - the New World Religion." (Smith, p.77) "...the Temple of Understanding ... is closely tied to the United Nations and is housed at Madeleine L'Engle's church, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Not surprising, James Parks Morton is the president of the Temple of Understanding." (Smith, p.75) Note: James Parks Morton is Dean of The Cathedral of St. John the Divine 7. Theosophy "...theosophy claims simply to be the house of the secret doctrine, the wisdom which is the Perennial Philosophy, which is common to all religions." (Kirby, p.13) 8. Lindesfarne "Although the Lindesfarne Association is a 'non-denominational and independent notfor- profit tax-exempt educational corporation,' its headquarters are located in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. 'The Very Reverend' James Parks Morton serves as Lindesfarne's chairperson..." (Smith, p.97) "...the Lindesfarne Association an offshoot of Findhorn, a New Age community in Northern Scotland known for its gardens and nature spirits)." (Smith p.67) "The Lindisfarne Association is named after the ancient Celtic monastery ... and sees itself as a type of change agent that will help bring about the transition for the New World Order." Smith, p.98)

"The Lindesfarne Association first began ... as a New Age commune and was funded by Laurence S. Rockefeller ... The founder and director, William Irwin Thompson ... (is an) Irish Druid" (Smith, p. 93-4.) "Thompson ... leaned toward a contemplative and communal mode for his group." (Smith, p.94) 9. Freemasonry "Both Wicca and Freemasonry are, by coincidence or design, both referred to as 'The Craft'" (Schnoebelen, p.167) Note: Peterson uses 'crafted' in connection with "The Message": "The Message is a contemporary rendering of the Bible from the original languages, crafted to present its tone, rhythm, events, and ideas in everyday language." (Peterson, cover page) "The Masonic order is not a mere social organization, but is composed of all those who have banded themselves together to learn and apply the principles of mysticism and the occult rites." (Carrico, quoting Manly P. Hall, Lost Keys of Freemasonry, p.19) B. People Those who endorse "The Message"; their endorsement, beliefs, and affiliations. The final name, Prince Michael Stewart, is included because he is the Druidic Head of the Celtic Church - connecting him to the druidic institutions of Findhorn, Lindesfarne, Cathedral of St. John's, L'Engle, etc., etc., etc ... 1. Gordon Fee "The Message' is exegetically sensitive yet speaks in the language of today." "The best translational theory is dynamic equivalence. A literal translation is often helpful as a second source." (Fee, p.36) "...For the New Testament, the only Greek text available to the 1611 translators was based on late manuscripts, which had accumulated the mistakes of over a thousand years of copying .... This is why for study you should use almost any modern translation rather than the KJV." (Fee, p.34) "Which translation, then, should you read? We would Venture that the NIV is as good a translation as you will get." (Fee, p.43) Note: This book was written in 1981, several years before he endorsed "The Message"

2. Leighton Ford "This new version of the New Testament will help many to transfer God's eternal truths to their contemporary lives." "Sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ... more than 10,000 Christian leaders met at Amsterdam in 1986 to plan a strategy for evangelizing the world ... Leighton Ford declared, 'Preach the Gospel but don't be so negative as to refuse to endorse or work with those who belong to a group that proclaims a different Gospel.'" (Hunt, Berean Call, p.112) Note: Leighton Ford is married to Billy Graham's sister In his endorsement of Richard Foster's book, "Celebration of Discipline", he says, p. 203: "I personally was greatly helped when I first read it and have recommended it widely. Richard Foster's lucid writing plus his emphasis on disciplined grace have made this one of the notable books of our time. I often refer to it ... I welcome the new edition of 'Celebration of Discipline'." 3. Richard Foster "I thank God for 'The Message'. In it Eugene Peterson gives a fresh and authentic voice to the Scripture. I recommend it highly." "...Direct communication from the spirit realm [is] kept alive in the church today through Richard Foster and others..." (Hunt, Occult Invasion, p.301) "Richard Foster ... became a new guru to evangelicals with his 1978 bestseller 'Celebration of Discipline'. It opened many Christians to the occult by instructing readers in occult techniques (including visualization of Christ..)." (Hunt, Occult Invasion, p.204) "Despite the biblical assertion that no one has seen God's face and lived, Foster takes his followers on spiritual journeys up beyond the heavenly places and into the 'Presence of God', face to face with the Creator ... through the use of Eastern meditative techniques, His book, 'Celebration of Discipline', provides step-by-step instructions on how to: meditate, contemplate, 'center-down'....and 'concentrate on the breathing'. Using guided imagery, he leads his readers through the occult practices of visualization, meditation, and even astral travel." (Smith, p.111-12) "It is little wonder that Foster, a Quaker, would institute such mystical practices in Renovare's curricula. The history and philosophy of Quakerism are marked by the mystical Early Quakerism especially was given over to the inducement of trances, violent shaking, (hence the name 'Quakers'), glossolalia, visions and mindless ecstasy." Dager, p.13)

"Alexander Whyte declares, 'with your imagination anointed with holy oil, you again open your New Testament. At one time, you are the publican: at another time, you are the prodigal...at another time, you are Mary Magdalene: at another time, Peter in the porch ... Till your whole New Testament is all over autobiographic of you." (Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p.30) Note: The "whole New Testament is all over autobiographic of you" cannot be, unless in one's imagination he imagines he is also God. This exercise causes man to become the "center" of Scripture, rather than God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. In Eugene Peterson's endorsement of Richard Foster's book, 'Celebration of Discipline', Peterson writes on page 206: "Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all his brothers and sisters to share the find, Richard J. 'Foster has 'found' the spiritual disciplines that the modern world has stored away and forgot, and has excitedly called us to celebrate them. For they are, as he shows us, the instruments of joy, the way into mature Christian spirituality and abundant life." Note. Richard Foster in his later editions changed certain parts of his book to cover where he is truly coming from: OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCES (O.B.E.) 1978 edition, p. 27 "After awhile there is a deep yearning within to go into the upper regions beyond the clouds..." NOTE: I am omitting the rest of the quote in order to protect the reader! 1998 edition - omitted REFERS TO HIMSELF AS A NEW AGER 1978 edition, p.170 "We of the New Age can risk going against the tide. Let us with abandon relish the fantasy games of children. Let's see visions and dream dreams." 1998 edition, p.198 "We who follow Christ can risk going against the cultural tide. Let's with abandon relish the fantasy games of children. Let's see visions and dream dreams." 4. Billy Graham In Billy Graham's special edition of "The Message: New Testament", we find:

"This Billy Graham Evangelistic Association special edition, with explanations by Billy Graham, is published with permission from the NavPress Publishing Group." Note: This version was offered free by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and contains occasional one page topics written by Billy Graham interspersed throughout the book. This obviously would quality as a BIG ENDORSEMENT by Billy Graham. Note: Billy Graham also endorsed Peterson's "The Message: Proverbs" on its back cover. 5. Madeleine L'Engle "'The Message' is so good it leaves me breathless. Eugene Peterson has done for the U.S. and the late 20th century what J.B. Phillips did for Great Britain and the middle of the century - and even more!" "She is author-in-residence and assistant librarian at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, where she also serves as lay preacher." (Smith, p. xi) "L'Engle herself uses twentieth century mystics to help her in meditation and contemplation." (Smith, P.16) In her endorsement of Foster's book, L'Engle writes on page 205: "'Celebration of Discipline' won me when it was first published ... Indeed, his offerings to us of the joy of discipline will help us to seek the kingdom of God in a more joyous and less moralistic way..." Note: She must have overlooked Matt.6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS... a. Atonement "In forensic terms, the atonement means that Jesus had to die for us in order to atone for all our awful sins, so that God could forgive us. In forensic terms, it means that God cannot forgive us unless Jesus is crucified and by this sacrifice atones for all our wrongdoing. But that is not what the word means...It means exactly what it says, at-onement...There is nothing about crime and punishment in the makeup of that that word. It simply means to be at one with God." (Smith, p.174, quoting L'Engle, "Stone for a Pillow", p.22-23) b. Bible "These marvelous mysteries could not be understood in the language of literalism, or inerrancy, and all such attempts to restrict the glory are deadly indeed." (Smith, p.162, quoting L'Engle, "The Mythical Bible", television program, "The Chicago Sunday Evening Club," Oct. 1991)

"The Bible is not a moral book. It is not an ethical book. It is a magnificent story book. It doesn't give any answers, it just tells more stories." Smith, p. 161, quoting L'Engle, interview in "The Door", December 1986, p.25) c. God "If we accept that God is within each of us, then God will give us ... the courage to accept the responsibility of being co-creators." (Smith, p.42, quoting L'Engle, 'And It Was Good', p.19) "From her feminist perch, she takes aim at the male gender of God, calling Him 'the paternalistic male chauvinist pig Old Testament God'." (Smith, p. ix, quoting L'Engle, 'The Irrational Season', p.159) d. Judgment "The judgment of God is the judgment of love, not of power plays or vindication or hate." (Smith, p.176, quoting L'Engle, "Stone for a Pillow," p.117) e. Salvation "I know a number of highly sensitive and intelligent people in my own community Who consider as a heresy my faith that...(God) will not rest until all of creation, including Satan, is reconciled to him, until there is no creature who cannot return his look of love with a joyful response of love." (Smith, p.175-6, quoting L'Engle, 'The Irrational Season, p. 97) f. Second Coming "The Second Coming is the redemption of the entire cosmos, not just one small planet ... All will be redeemed in God's fulness of time, all, not just the small portion of the population who have been given the grace to know and accept Christ." (Smith, p.176, quoting L'Engle, "Stone for a Pillow," p.117) g. Sin, morality "In spite of what she says to the contrary, Madeleine L'Engle's writings do contain, promote, and teach a whole gamut of New Age topics, philosophies, and techniques, including, but limited to: magic, divination, spirit guides, crystal balls, mediums, fortune telling, spells, monism, pantheism, nature worship, Zen meditation, lesbianism, graphic fornication, cosmic consciousness, druids, human sacrifice, demons, dragons, runes,...astral travel and on and on. These are all elements of the occult, which she has put in a box and marked 'for Children'." (Smith, p.40) "Moralism belongs to the old law and old covenant. Jesus Christ ... overturned the laws of moralism." (Smith, p.169, quoting L'Engle, "The Irrational Season", p. 102)

6. J.1. Packer "In this crowded world of Bible versions, Eugene Peterson's blend of accurate scholarship and vivid idiom make this rendering both distinctive and distinguished. 'The Message' catches the logical flow, personal energy, and imaginative overtones of the original very well." Note: Packer is also on the Board of Reference for Richard Foster's Renovare - see above. 7. Luci Shaw "In 'The Message' the ideas of the New Testament writers seem to take on flesh and blood, personality, and three-dimensional authenticity." Note: The New Testament contains God's ideas, not man's ideas. Concerning Madeleine L'Engle's book: "In the forward of 'And It Was Good', Luci Shaw, a former member of the English staff at Wheaton College, writes: '...As we worked together through the intricacies of the manuscripts of 'And It Was Good', time and time again, I literally caught my breath at some of Madeleine's outrageous statements ... protesting the radical nature of her declarations ... But reading further ... I would grasp the holy logic of her conclusions and find myself acknowledging, 'You not only can say that, you should!" (Smith, p.41) Note: Luci Shaw is a "Stylistic Consultant" for Peterson's "The Message: Proverbs", and she also endorses Richard Foster's book, "Celebration of Discipline" on page 207. What a small world! 8. Prince Michael Stewart "...the President of the International Parliament .... endorsed by the United Nations, ratified my legal rights as Head of the Royal House of Stewart and Head of the Celtic Church of the Sacred Kindred of Saint Columba, Under International Law, my titles were verified on 4 November 1985 as being Prince and Lord of Scotland .... Prince of ... Jerusalem, ... and legal Pretender to the Throne of Britain." (HRH Prince Michael, p.3056) "My position at the Head of the Celtic Church was fully ratified in 1985 following the death of my grandfather, Julius Joseph James, in Brussels .... At this, I became 57th Archpriest and Temporal Head of Scotland's ancient Druidic-Christian Church of the Culdees." (HRH Prince Michael, p.308

THE MYSTICAL BIBLE

'THE MESSAGE' Of MYSTICISM

Part III
DICTIONARY of MYSTICAL TERMINOLOGY CHRONOLOGY of GNOSTIC SCRIPTURES APPENDIX: THE MESSAGE COMPARED TO THE KJV BIBLIOGRAPHY

VI. DICTIONARY A. Definition of Mysticism

MYSTIC 1. Of occult or mysterious character, power, or significance ... 2. Of or pertaining to mystics or mysticism 3. A person initiated into mysteries 4. A person who attains, or believes in the possibility of attaining insight into mysteries transcending ordinary human knowledge, as by immediate intuition in a state of spiritual ecstasy (Random House College Dictionary) MYSTICISM 1. The beliefs, ideas, or mode of thought of mystics 2. The doctrine of an immediate spiritual intuition of truths believed to transcend ordinary understanding, or of a direct, intimate union of the soul with God through contemplation and love (Random House College Dictionary)

B. Mystical Interpretation of Scripture

ALLEGORY 1....- figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another (Random House College Dictionary) "allegory: parable, fable, moral, myth, story, tale' (McCutcheon, Roget's Super Thesaurus) C. Mystical Terms, Key Words Found in "The Message" (See Appendix I) "When confronted with legitimate concerns about her beliefs, L'Engle charges that those who criticize her books have 'obviously never read them'. Instead, continues her rebuttal, they are fundamentalists looking for 'key words' and attacking her out of fear." (Smith, p.xi) AS ABOVE, SO BELOW "The mystical belief 'of the secret societies were, and indeed are, based on the Hermetic maxim 'As above - so below' which teaches that the natural world is a material reflection of the spiritual. It forms the esoteric basis for the Ancient Egyptian Mysteries, Gnosticism, Esoteric Christianity, the Cabbala, the Hermetic tradition, alchemy and

societies such as the Templars, Freemasons and Rosicrucians. (Howard, Occult Conspiracy, p.170-1) "The whole universe is the great world, the macrocosm; its parts are small universes in themselves, microcosms. Such a microcosm is man, who is in himself an image of the universe and a perfect being. But the great universe is likewise a man, and as it is 'god', God has a human form." (Fox, p.213, quoting Otto Rank, "Art and Artist", p.114-15) BREAKTHROUGH "New Age Dominican priest Matthew Fox calls Eckhart his favorite mystic and claims to actually communicate with this dead monk. Fox wrote a book called 'Meditations with Meister Eckhart: A Centering Book' for all those daring to make the mystical, spiritual journey ... Fox quotes Eckhart as saying there is a four-fold path to God, the last being something 'deep' called 'breakthrough', where one begins to hear voices." (Smith, p.156) CENTER/CENTER DOWN "Psychologist Richard Foster teaches that contemplative prayer requires 'centering down', a New Age term that means to quiet the mind and body to complete silence and stillness. It is defined as re-creating silence...'recollecting of ourselves until we are a unified whole' ... In reality, it is a practice of shutting down one's mind to rational thought and opening it up to demonic influences and emotional responses." (Smith, p.114) CONTEMPLATION "When contemplation appears ... the Subject ceases to perceive himself in ... his general consciousness. He is raised above himself .... In this state ... the mystic is conscious of being in immediate relation with God Himself; of participating in Divinity." (Underhill, p.330) "The methods of contemplative prayer are similar in all traditions. Sit quietly, preferably comfortably .... breathe slowly, rhythmically, deeply. Fit the words of your mantra to this rhythm. And don't be afraid of the word, 'mantra'." (Smith, p.109, quoting Madeleine L'Engle, 'And It Was Good", p.135-36) "There are too many stories of mystics being able to move hundreds of miles through the power of contemplation for us to be able to toss them aside." (Smith, p.17, quoting Madeleine L'Engle, 'Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, p.86) DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL "The most intense period of that great swing-back into darkness which usually divides the 'first mystic life', or Illuminative Way, from the 'second mystic life', or Unitive Way, is generally a period of utter blankness and stagnation, so far as mystical activity is concerned. The 'Dark Night of the Soul', once firmly established, is seldom lit by visions or made homely by voices ... The once-possessed power of .. contemplation now seems wholly lost." (Underhill, p.381) Note: Underhill has a whole chapter on "The Dark Night of The Soul", p.380-412. DEEP CONSCIOUSNESS/WORSHIP Note: See BREAKTHROUGH above GREAT WORK "De Coppens says that the divinity of man through spiritual initiation is the 'Great Work' that is the central objective of the 'Ageless Wisdom'." (Marrs, Dark Secrets, p.124,

quoting Peter Roche de Coppens' forward to F. Aster Barnswell, "The Meaning of Christ for Our Age," p.xix-xxxi.) "Aleister Crowley ... taught that the Great Work, the 'transformation of humanity', would be accomplished in the last decade of the 20th century." (Naprs, Cipcie af Intrigue, p.230) INSIDE OUT "Probably (Larry) Crabb's best known and most popular book is 'Inside Out', published by NavPress ... The very title 'Inside Out' suggests the Freudian notion of the unconscious." (Meisel, p.1) Note: Also see PANTHEISM below INTERDEPENDENCE Note: See DECLARATION OF UNITY OF THE WORLD, Section IV.B.2. #10 KNOW THYSELF "...the Arabian alchemist Abipipi:...'O man, know thyself! In thee is bid the treasure of treasures'." (Kingsland, p.86, quoting Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled, Vol.2, p.617) "A human being partakes of all emanations or planes of reality at once without knowing it until he or she achieves cosmic consciousness ... This is the esoteric meaning of know thyself, which post-Freudian people are apt to understand as merely making the unconscious conscious, as psychological awareness ... But the ultimate meaning of 'know thyself' seems to be 'know thy Self'" (Moffatt, p.344) Note. See TRUE/REAL SELF below PRESENCE Of GOD "Practicing the 'Presence of God' is actually a form of Zen Meditation." (Smith, p.120) SACRED SITES/PLACES "Joseph Campbell described the human sacrifices of the Aztecs and then called Mexico City, where these incredible horrors occurred, a 'sacred site'." (Smith, p.139, quoting Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers, "The Power of Myth") SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES "Out of the traditions of Quakerism, Richard Foster and William L. Vaswig, co-directors of Renovare, are selling books and holding conferences for the spiritually anemic', offering spiritual disciplines well-known to the pagan world to induce deeper spirituality." (Smith, p.119) TRUE/REAL SELF "In the creation tradition, all people are mystics. Mysticism is not elitist; it touches the true self in each one of us." (Fox, p.58) "The mystic in us ... is unleashing and creating ... the true self. Co-creation happens here, for the birth of the mystic is a birth with God of what is divine and truly oneself. It is the outward birth of the image of God from within. Each self is a unique mirror of divinity..." (Fox, p.64) "A co-creator is one who births the mystic self or allows it to be born. In allowing the 'true self" or mystic to be born one is already involved in a deep process of birthing the Cosmic Christ.," (Fox, p.201) Note. See also DIVINITY OF MAN below.

D. Doctrines of Mysticism found in "The Message"

ANDROGYNY "Primordial man. The early mystics in erred from Genesis 1:26 - 'Let us make man in our image' - that the physical Adam was created on the pattern of a spiritual Adam that existed in the celestial world ... This became part of the later mystical view of the cosmos

in which everything on earth had its counterpart in the realm of the Godhead." (Rabinowicz, "Adam Kadmon", p.8) Note: See AS ABOVE, SO BELOW above "Adam Kadmon, or primordial man - ... This being is sexless or bisexual..." (Hastings,"Kabbala", p.626) "The entire world process is necessary to shape the Perfect Man so that the original state of androgyny (male and maiden at the same time) will be restored." (Eliade, "Gnosticism", p.568) DIRECT REVELATION "... all the Gnostic sects ... claimed to possess a secret doctrine, coming to them directly from Jesus Christ, different from that of the Gospels and Epistles and superior to those communications, which in their eyes, were merely exoteric." (Pike, p.542) "...the Camisards ... like the Cathars ... stressed the supremacy of gnosis, or direct knowledge, over faith ..." (Baigent, p.431) "Led by the rise in the popularity of the monastic lifestyle, contemplative prayer has found its way into the Christian community, providing instructions an 'how to hear God's voice' - for those who are seeking 'deeper truths'. Proponents have even managed to come up with a biblical foundation for the quest: Adam and Eve talked with God in the Garden; Cain, Abel, Noah, Abraham, and the prophets all heard from God; and Paul was taught by the Lord Himself. Therefore, since Christ has been resurrected and has not stopped 'speaking, teaching, and acting', then surely He communicates with His people today in an 'audible voice'." (Smith, p.111) DIVINE OR1GIN Of MAN "Mysticism demands a return to our origins... Meister Eckhart ... invites us to 'return to God and the core, the soil, the ground, the stream and the source of the Godhead'." (Fox, p.55) DIVINITY OF MAN "Robert Browning in his poem, 'Paracelsus'...'There is an inmost centre in us all, Where truth abides in fulness...' Now that 'inmost centre' is, in the teaching of the Ancient Gnosis, the real SELF; the eternal, immortal, divine self which is one with the universal SELF, commonly called God. Thus the root teaching of this Ancient Wisdom at all times has been the divine nature of Man; and what was taught in the inner schools of the Mysteries... was the method of achieving this supreme knowledge in a practical manner; that is to say the attainment of god-like character and powers. Every man is potentially a god, however feeble may be his powers at the present time. At root he is God." (Kingsland, p.20) Note. See also TRUE/REAL SELF above. PANENTHEISM "Healthy mysticism is panentheistic. This means that it is not theistic, which envisions divinity 'out there' or even 'in here' in a dualistic manner that separates creation from divinity. Panentheism means 'all things in God and God in all things'. This is the way mystics envision the relationship of world, self, and God ... Panentheism melts the dualism of inside and outside..." (Fox, p.57) Note: Also see INSIDE OUT above. POSITIVE THINKING "' ..anything the human mind can believe, the human mind can achieve.'...This seductive idea lies behind the Human Potential movement, which is another name for the New Age

movement." (Hunt, p.19, quoting Napolean Hill, "Grow Rich with Peace of Mind," p.176) SACRED SEX "According to Foster ... Juliana of Norwich showed him the depths of Divine Love ... of' a somewhat sensual and 'intimate' relationship with God." (Smith, p.129) "And also our good Lord revealed that it is very greatly pleasing to him that a simple soul should come naked, openly and familiarly. And loving I pray to thee O God, give me yourself for you are enough for me." "Therefore we may ask from our Lover to have all of him that we may desire. For it is our nature to long for him, and it is his nature to long for us. In this life we can never stop loving him." (Foster, Devotional Classics, p.71, quoting Juliana of Norwich, "Revelations of Divine Love") "Her writings have been called the most perfect fruit of later medieval mysticism." (Foster, Devotional Classics, p.68) SELF-SACRIFICE "...the Christian mystic has to be prepared to follow his faith to the point where he can look at the possible imminent end of Homo sapiens as an event of joy." (Kirby, p-17) "Christians ... know that a man must die to himself before he can ... be born again in spirit ... It may well be that mankind as a whole must be crucified, even unto death, before coming into its inheritance ... Christians can say with Teilhard de Chardin, that death itself is beneficent, the only way to grow beyond forms which have served their limited purpose .... but with the serious and the worried, they look upon the possible extermination of the human race secure in the knowledge that it could be but a prelude to the resurrection of the species." (Kirby, p.201-02) "The intent is for men to die ... at the demand of his own soul. When man has reached a higher stage in evolution, with deliberation and definite choice of time, he will consciously withdraw from his physical body." (Bailey, "Death the Great Adventure," p.59) UNIVERSAL SALVATION Note: See beliefs of Madeleine L'Engle in Section V.B.5.e.

VI. CHRONOLOGY
1945 - Nag Hammadi Gnostic scriptures discovered 1946 - Dead Sea Scrolls discovered 1947 - Eugene Nida wrote "Bible Translating" Note: See IV.A.3.a.3. 1974 - Lindesfarne began publishing 1978 - Richard Foster writes "Celebration of Discipline"

1984 - Declaration of Unity of the World written; includes mysticism in its inter-religious consensus Note: See IV.B.1. 1992-1993 - Richard Foster conference scheduled for Navigators Note: it is unclear whether or not this actually took place. It is possible that it was cancelled by Richard Foster due to his busy schedule. 1993 - "The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary Language" written 1995 - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's special edition of "The Message" New Testament 1998 - Navigator Summer Camp relates mysticism of King Arthur's Camelot to kingdom of God

APPENDIX I.
"THE MESSAGE" COMPARED TO THE KING JAMES VERSION
Note: Please keep Dr. Letis' remark in mind when reading the following verses - see section IV.A.4., as well as the dictionary terms in section VI. THE TEMINOLOGY USED IS THE POINT Of THIS STUDY! There are other doctrinal errors in the following verses, which have not been addressed in this study. Mystical terminology is highlighted in larger print. A. Mystical/occult terms and key words used in "The Message" AS ABOVE, SO BELOW Matt.6:10 KJB - Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Message - Set the world right; do what's best - AS ABOVE, S0 BELOW BREAKTHROUGH Acts 11:18 KJB - Then Hath god also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Message - God has BROKEN THROUGH to the other nations, opened them up to Life! CENTER/CENTER DOWN II Cor.5:14 KJB - For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead Message - Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this FOCUSED CENTER: One man died for everyone. II.Pet.1:19

KJB - We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts Message - We couldn't be more sure of what we saw and heard - God's glory, God's voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You'll do well to keep FOCUSING on it. Its the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the MORNING STAR in your hearts. CONTEMPLATION I.Ti.2:1-2 KJB - I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Message - The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so that we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble CONTEMPLATION, DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL Lk.22:53 KJB - When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no handsagainst me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Message - Day after day I've been with you in the Temple and you've not so much as lifted a hand against me. But do it your way - it's a DARK NIGHT, a dark hour. "DEEP" CONSCIOUSNESS/WORSHIP I.Pet.1:17 KJB - pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Message - Your life is a journey you must travel with a DEEP CONSCIOUSNESS of God. Rev.4:2 KJB - And immediately I was in the spirit: ... Message - I was caught up at once in DEEP WORSHIP. GREAT WORK Phil. 1:6 KJB - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Message - There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this GREAT WORK in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. INSIDE OUT Matt. 17:2 KJB - And was transfigured before them: ... Message - His appearance changed from the INSIDE OUT, right before their eyes Mk. 1:8 KJB - I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. Message - His baptism - a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit - will change you from the INSIDE OUT. Lk. 3:16

KJB - ...he shall baptize you with the Holy ghost, and with fire. Message - The main character in this drama ... will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the INSIDE OUT. Ro. 12:2 KJB - ...but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind .... Message - ...fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the INSIDE OUT. INTERDEPENDENCE Ro. 1:14 KJB - I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. Message - Everyone I meet - it matters little whether they're mannered or rude, smart or simple - deepens my sense of INTERDEPENDENCE and obligation. KNOW THYSELF I Jn.2:27 KJB - But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie ... Message - Christ's anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF and him, uncontaminated by a single lie. PRESENCE OF GOD Acts 22:17 KJB - And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; Message- After I was back in Jerusalem and praying one day in the Temple, lost in THE PRESENCE OF GOD, Rev. 20:11 KJB - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them Message - I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the PRESENCE, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth. SACRED SITES/PLACES Lk.7:16 KJB - And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God ... Message - They all realized they were in a PLACE Of HOLY MYSTERY, that God was at work among them. SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES Acts 2:46 KJB - And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple ... Message - They followed a daily DISCIPLINE of worship in the Temple.., I.Ti .4:8 KJB - For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things ... Message - Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a DISCIPLINED LIFE in God is far more so ... TRUE/REAL SELF

Matt.5:44-45 KJB - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven ... Message - When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your TRUE SELVES, your God-created selves Lk. 12:2 KJB - There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Message - You can't keep your TRUE SELF hidden forever; before long you'll be exposed. Jn. 1:12 KJB - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Message - But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their TRUE SELVES, their child-of-God selves. B. Mystical/occult doctrines found in "The Message" Note: There are many more occult doctrines in "The Message", but these have been limited to correspond to the doctrines found in the dictionary section - VI. ANDROGYNY Matt.19:6 KJB - Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder Message - Because God created this ORGANIC UNION OF THE TWO SEXES, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart. Mk. 10:6 KJB But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. Message In the original creation, God made MALE AND FEMALE TO BE TOGETHER. I Ti.2:15 KJB - Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing ... Message - On the other hand, her childbearing brought about salvation, REVERSING EVE. BIBLE - NON-LITERAL INTERPRETATION Matt.22:46 KJB - And no man was able to answer him a word. Message - That stumped them, LITERALISTS that they were. DIRECT REVELATION I Cor. 2:13 KJB - Which things we also speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Message - We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us PERSON-TO-PERSON through Jesus, and WE'RE PASSING IT ON TO YOU IN THE SAME FIRSTHAND WAY. Gal .1 :12 KJB - For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Message - I got it straight from God, received the Message DIRECTLY from Jesus Christ. Heb. 1:2 KJB - Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son ... Message - Recently he spoke to us DIRECTLY through his Son. DIVINE ORIGIN/DIVINITY OF MAN Heb. 2:11 KJB - For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Message - Since the One who saves and those who are saved have a COMMON ORIGIN, Jesus doesn't hesitate to treat them as family ... I . Jo 2:22 KJB - Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ Message - So who is lying here? It's the person who denies that Jesus is the DIVINE Christ. (Note: compare I.Jn.3:2) PANENTHEISM/UNITY Eph.4:6 KJB - One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in YOU ALL Message - One God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and IS PRESENT IN ALL Eph.4:15 KJB - But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ Message - God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love - like CHRIST IN EVERYTHING. POSITIVE THINKING Matt.9:29 KJB - Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. Message - He touched their eyes and said, "BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE." SACRED SEX Mk.12:25 KJB - For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. Message - After the dead are raised up, we're past the marriage business. As it is with angels now, ALL OUR ECSTASIES AND INTIMACIES THEN WILL BE WITH GOD. Mk. 12:30 KJB - And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; ... Message - The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord your God with all your PASSION and prayer and intelligence and energy .... Ro.8:23 KJB - And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves ... Message - The Spirit of God is AROUSING US within.

I.Cor.6:16-18 KJB - What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Message - There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, "The two become one". SINCE WE WANT TO BECOME SPIRITUALLY ONE WITH THE MASTER, WE MUST NOT PURSUE the kind of sex that that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever THE KIND OF SEX THAT CAN NEVER "BECOME ONE". Phil 3:8 KJB - Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ... Message - I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could EMBRACE CHRIST AND BE EMBRACED BY HIM. Phil.3:10 KJB - That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death Message - I gave up all that inferior stuff so that I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and GO ALL THE WAY WITH HIM to death itself. I l.Pet.1:3 KJB - According to his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Message - Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know personally and INTIMATELY, the One who invited us to God. SELF-SACRIFICE Lk.9:24 KJB - For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. Message - Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your TRUE SELF. UNIVERSAL SALVATION - Note. This is "the Message" Jn.17.2 KJB - As thou has given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him. Message - You put him in charge of everything human So he might give real and eternal life to ALL in his charge. Acts 10:35-36 KJB - But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousenss, is accepted with him. Message - The Message he sent to the children of Israel - that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again - well, he's doing it everywhere,among EVERYONE. Acts 15:17 KJB - That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Message - ALL the pagan people included in what I'm doing. I.Cor.15:22

KJB - For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Message - Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ. II.Cor.5.15 KJB - And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Message - He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. Col .1:26-28 KJB - Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: ... which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Message - The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you ... That is the substance of our Message. Col .3:11 KJB - Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free. but Christ is all, and in all. Message - From now on everyone is defined by Christ, EVERYONE IS INCLUDED IN CHRIST. C. Mystical/occult/Masonic practices found in 'The Message' NOTE: Many of the Masonic rites if initiation are derived from The Legend of Hiram Abiff APRON Lk.12:37 KJB - he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat .... Message - He'll put on an APRON, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, CLIMB OUT OF COFFIN Eph.5:14 KJB - Awake thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Message - Wake up from your sleep, CLIMB OUT OF YOUR COFFINS; Christ will show you the light. ONE-EYED Matt.5:29 KJB - And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee ... Message - You have to choose to live ONE-EYED or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. RIGHT HAND PULLED HE UP Rev.1:17 KJB - and he laid his right hand upon me, saying onto me ... Message - His RIGHT HAND PULLED ME UPRIGHT, his voice reassured me: STONE MASONS THREW OUT Matt.21:42

KJB - The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner ... Message - The stone THE MASONS threw out is now the cornerstone THIRD DEGREE Mk.10:34 KJB - And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. Message - Then they will hand him over to the Romans, who will mock and spit on him, GIVE HIM THE THIRD DEGREE, and kill him. Lk. 18:33 KJB - And shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. Message - Then after giving him the THIRD DEGREE, they will kill him. D. Other occultic concepts HAUNTING Acts 1:20 KJB - For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation become desolate, and let no man dwell therein ... Message - It's exactly what we find written in the Psalms: "Let his farm become HAUNTED. So no one can ever live there". NEW WORLD ORDER Eph.3:5 KJB - Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit Message - Only in our time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this NEW ORDER. Rev.21:4 KJB - ...for the former things are passed away. Message - ...all the first ORDER of things gone. PUT HEX ON Gal.3.1 KJB - O foolish Galatians, who bath bewitched you ... Message - You crazy Galatians! Did someone PUT A HEX on you?

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Baigent, Michael, Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln, HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL; Dell Publishing, 1983 Bailey, Alice A. and the Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul. DEATH: THE GREAT ADVENTURE; New York: Lucis Publishing Company, 1990.

Bailey, Alice. THE RAYS AND THE INITIATIONS; Lucis Publishing Co., 1960. Blavatsky, H.P. ISIS UNVEILED: A MASTER KEY TO THE MYSTERIES OF ANCIENT AND MODERN SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY. Burgon, John W. "The Revision Revised". TRUE OR FALSE?; Editor, David Otis Fuller, D.D. Grand Rapids, MI.: Grand Rapids International Publications, 1973. Cairns, Earle E. CHRISTIANITY THROUGH THE CENTURIES Zondervan, 1954 Carrico, David. "Satanic Ritual Abuse and Secret Societies". (Video) Cuddy, Dennis L. "President Clinton Will Continue The New World Order". RESEARCH MANUAL: AMERICA 2000/GOALS 2000 - MOVING THE NATION EDUCATIONALLY TO A "NEW WORLD ORDER"; Editor, James R. Patrick; Citizens for Academic Excellence, 1994, p.28-48 Cuddy, Dennis Laurence. NOW IS THE DAWNING Of THE NEW AGE NEW WORLD ORDER, Oklahoma City, OK., Hearthstone Publishing Ltd., 1991 Cumbey, Constance. THE HIDDEN DANGERS Of THE RAINBOW; Lafayette, LA.: Huntington House, 1983 Dager, Albert James. "Special Report on Renovare: Taking Leave of One's Senses"; MEDIA SPOTLIGHT, March l992. Fee, Gordon and Douglas Stuart. HOW TO READ THE BIBLE FOR ALL ITS WORTH; Zondervan Publishing House, 1993 (1981) Foster, Richard J. CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE: THE PATH TO SPIRITUAL GROVTH; Harper San Francisco, 1998 (1978) Foster, Richard J. & James Bryan Smith, editors. DEVOTIONAL CLASSICS: A RENOVARE RESOURCE FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL; Harper Collins, 1993. Fox, Matthew. THE COMING OF THE COSMIC CHRIST; Harper San Francisco, 1988. Howard, Michael. THE OCCULT CONSPIRACY; Rochester, VT.: Destiny Books, 1981. Howard, W.B. "A One World Church"; THE CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE; October 1997; p.6-17. Hunt, Dave. THE BEREAN CALL REPRINTS, 1986-1997; The Berean Call, 1998. Hunt, Dave. OCCULT INVASION; Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1998.

Hunt, Dave & T.A. McMahon. THE SEDUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IN THE LAST DAYS; Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1986 Johnson, Dr. Dell and Dr. Theodore Letis. "The Leaven in Fundamentalism"; Pensacola Christian College, 1998 (Video) Kingsland, William. THE GNOSIS OR ANCIENT WISDOM IN THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES: OR THE WISDOM IN A MYSTERY; London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1954 (1937) Kirby, Richard. THE MISSION OF MYSTICISM; London: SPCK, 1979. Letis, Theodore P., Ph.D. THE ECCLESIASTICAL TEXT: TEXT CRITICISM, BIBLICAL AUTHORITY & THE POPULAR MIND; Philadelphia, PA; The Institute for Renaissance and Reformation Biblical Studies, 1997. Marrs, Texe. CIRCLE Of INTRIGUE: THE HIDDEN INNER CIRCLE OF THE GLOBAL ILLLMNATI CONSPIRACY; Austin, TX: Living Truth Publishers, 1995. Marrs, Texe. DARK SECRETS OF THE NEW AGE; Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1987. Marrs, Texe, MYSTERY MARK Of THE NEW AGE; Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1988. McCutcheon, Marc. ROGET'S SUPER THESAURUS; Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books, 1995. McLaughlin, Corinne & Gordon Davidson. SPIRITUAL POLITICS: CHANGING THE WORLD FROM THE INSIDE OUT; New York: Ballantine Books, 1994. Miesel, Rick. "The Navigators: Psychoheresy & Ecumenism"; Adapted/excerpted from. PSYCHOHERESY AWARENESS LETTER, July-August 1997; Santa Barbara, CA: Psychoheresy Awareness Ministry Moffett, James. THE UNIVERSAL SCHOOLHOUSE: SPIRITUAL AWAKENING THROUGH EDUCATION; San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1994. NavPress. "A Response from the Publisher to Specific Criticisms of 'The Message"' Nida, Eugene A. BIBLE TRANSLATING: AN ANALYSIS OF PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES; N.Y.: American Bible Society, 1947 Nida, Eugene, A. and Charles R. Taber. THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TRANSLATION; Leiden, Netherlands: E.J. Brill, 1974

Peterson, Eugene M. THE MESSAGE: THE NEW TESTAMENT IN CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE; Colorado Springs, CO., NavPress 1993 Peterson, Eugene H. THE MESSAGE: THE NEW TESTAMENT IN CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE; Billy Graham Special Edition Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1995. Peterson, Eugene H. THE MESSAGE: PROVERBS; Billy Graham Special Edition; Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1995. Peterson, Eugene H. "Spirit Quest", CHRISTIANITY TODAY, Nov-8, 1993, p.27-30 Pike, Albert, MORALS AND D0GMA OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE OF FREMASONRY; Richmond, VA; L.N. Jenkins, Inc., 1871. Rabinowicz, Tzvi M., Editor. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HASIDISM . Schnoebelen, William J. "Freemasonry: The Witchcraft Connection"; THE DARK SIDE OF FREEMASONRY; Editor: Ed Decker; Lafayette, LA: Huntington House Publishers, 1994; p.161-174. Smith, Samantha and Brenda Scott. TROJAN HORSE; Lafayette, LA. Huntington House Publishers, 1993. Spense, Lewis. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OCCULTISM; Citadel Press, 1977. Stein, Jess, Editor. THE RANDOM HOUSE COLLEGE DICTIONARY, REVISED EDITION; Random House, Inc., 1975. Waite, Rev. D.A. DEFENDING THE KING JAMES BIBLE; Collingswood, NJ: The Bible for Today Press, 1992. THE ROD OF AN ALMOND TREE IN GOD'S MASTER PLAN by Peter A. Michas, Robert Vander Maten and Christie Michas (WinePress Publishing, 1997) : Review by Lynn D. Leslie which appeared in The Christian Conscience magazine and on the Messengers of Messiah website: http://watch-unto-prayer.org/rat-review.html
SEE

Color Key: Red = Quotes from The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan Black = Quotes from other occult sources Blue = Watch Unto Prayer comments

THESIS OF BOOK Peter Michas and Robert Vander Maten seek to make a case throughout the book that the Garden of Eden was situated in the place which later became Jerusalem. From this premise, the authors propose that the Tree of Life was literally passed down through the generations via the Patriarchs as the Rod of Authority until David planted it and thousands of years later it became the cross upon which Jesus Christ died. This relic, the authors believe based on Rev. 22:2, will reappear as the Scepter of Authority in the New Jerusalem and bud as a sign of the Messiah's authority, as it once validated the authority of Aaron. Thus mankind will recognize the Messiah on the basis of a theory derived from the legends of unbelieving rabbis, conjecture and the Hebrew Roots reinterpretation of Scripture. This review will consider various teachings of The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan and compare them with similar teachings found in kabbalist and other occult sources. To his talmadim (students), Peter Michas has insisted that he is not a kabbalist. However, the Christian must evaluate teachings, rather than assertions, as the measure of a religious leader. The Lord Jesus Christ expressed this spiritual prinicple in Matthew 7:18: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Common sense applies the Duck Rule: "If it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, and it walks like a duck...Chances are it's a duck even if you call it something else." Chabad Lubavich Hasidism Primeval Light & Gematria Duality: As Above, So Below Jerusalem: Location of Garden of Eden Oneness Doctrine: Unitarianism Adam Kadmon: Feminine-Masculine God Tree of Life vs. Cross Rod of Authority: Relic of Tree of Life Shekina: The Divine Feminine Under the Mosaic Law The Kabbalist Tree of Life Universal Salvation Jesus the Nazarene The Ineffable Name of God The Semitic New Testament Doctrine of Atonement Deity of Jesus Christ Responsibility of Jews

CHABAD LUBAVICH HASIDIM

In the Preface of The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan, Peter Michas discusses his early disenchantment with the New Testament in the Greek language and its translation into the English. To satisfy his curiosity about the true origins of the New Testament, Pastor Michas visited the local Chabad- Lubavich House, where he would receive an education in the Hebrew Roots of Christianity. "I ended up going into a place call Chabbad House which was run by the Lubavich, the ultra-orthodox rabbis. This was the beginning of my education in the Hebraic roots of the Bible. As my knowledge of the Hebraic context of Scripture grew, my God was being revealed to me in ways that cannot even be explained. I realize that if God had not preserved the Jewish people and their books (including the Bible), most spiritual truth and surely all of the culture of Scripture would have been lost to traditions of men." (p. 19) For those who may be unfamiliar with this organization, Hebrew scholar Dr. Eliezer Segal of the University of Calgary, describes Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism as a Kabbalist movement: "The name 'Chabad' is a Hebrew acronym for the expression 'Chokmah,' 'Binah" and 'Da'at' -- Wisdom, Intelligence and Knowledge. These Kabbalistic terms are central to the distinctive intellectual theology of the movement... The name Lubavitch refers to a town in Lithuania that was the centre of the movement for a brief period during the nineteenth century...Chabad Hasidism continued to be a major force among Russian and Lithuanian Jews from its inception..." The doctrines of the Lubavitch Movement are derived from the Kabalah. The Encyclopedia of Religion states that the Kabbalah is currently studied in traditional Jewish institutions according the Lubavitch and Sephardic interpretations: "The dominant brand of Qabbalah in the modern Qabbalistic Yeshivot (traditional Jewish academies) is the Lurianic system. It is studied according to the interpretations offered by Mosheh Hayyim Luzzatto, by Eliyyahu ben Shelomoh Aalman, by Habad, the Lubavitch Hasidic Movement and by the Sefardic Qabbalists of the Beit El Academy in Jerusalem." The Watch Unto Prayer report on The Lubavich Movement is most instructive of the agenda of this Jewish sect, whose various rebbes were believed to be the promised Messiah, only to pass away to the dismay but not disillusionment of their devoted adherents. The most recent rebbe, the Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneerson, moved in 1940 from Russia to America, where he expressed his determination to make the Lubavitch movement into an American religious movement. Chabad-Lubavitch is now an international movement with headquarters in New York. The American Friends of Chabad Lubavitch in Washington, D.C. coordinates activities for Chabad on Capital Hill, lobbies for Chabad causes, and runs study groups and social programs geared towards congressional staffers. In 1991, Chabad-Lubavitch in cooperation with President Bush established the observance of Education Day, USA "to return the world to the moral and ethical values contained in the Seven Noahide Laws." There are frequent references in The Rod of an Almond Tree to The Torah Anthology. For information on Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's anti-Christian writings and principle role in the

mainstreaming of Jewish mysticism through translation and teaching of the Kabbalah, see To Embrace Hebrew Roots - Part VII . The Torah Anthology is introduced by Peter Michas in Chapter 1: The Light of the Messiah. THE TORAH ANTHOLOGY: The Torah Anthology was written by Rabbi Yaakov Culi, one of the greatest Sephardic sages of his time, and first published in 1730... In 1967, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan began an English translation which was completed by Rabbi Eliyahu Tonger after Rabbi Kaplan's death. (p. 37) The Sephardic Jews are descendants of the large Jewish community living in Spain and Portugal in the Middle Ages. These Jews had allied with the Moslem invaders and infiltrated the religious orders to subvert the Church/State government and to purvey their occult practices throughout Christendom. In 1492, Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon forcibly expelled the Sephardic Jews, who have been credited with disseminating Cabalism in Europe.

PRIMEVAL LIGHT & GEMATRIA

The first chapter of The Rod of an Almnd Tree suggests the term "Primeval Light" as the light which God commanded in Genesis 1:3,4. This, Peter Micahs claims, is the light of "illumination" or "enlightenment." Quoting Gen. 1:3-5 he proceeds to interpret it metaphorically, when in fact there is no indication that the passage refers to anything but physical light. "The light that was revealed on Day One of creation was completely unlike any other light in its brilliance and qualities. Rabbinic literature refers to it as the 'Primeval Light' and that it was spiritual in nature." The footnote to this quotation is: "Rabbi Michael Munk, The Wisdom of the Hebrew Alphabet, p. 174." Gematria is explained by Rabbi Munk on the web pages of Mirach: home of the practical kabbalist: The Hebrew Alphabet:The Hebrew alphabet, detailed below, consists of twenty-two letters. All of these letters are consonants. Vowels are indicated by small dots and marks surrounding the individual letters. Four of the letters have a different form when they fall at the end of the word. Each letter has a meaning and a numeric value associated with it. The letters are considered to be the building blocks of creation (see Sepher Yetzirah for more information on this subject). The Sepher Yetzirah: The Sepher Yetzirah, or Book of Formation, is acknowledged as being one of the most important kabbalistic texts. Its brief note-like style has made it one of the most commented upon works in the field of kabbalah. The concepts contained within it detail the basic acts of creation through the use of the Hebrew letters. It is supposed to be the text which medieval kabbalists used to create a golem. The preference for spiritual over physical light is gnostic thought, which maintains that matter is evil and the soul, which is embedded in matter, must be released from its bondage in order to ascend and be absorbed into the divine principle from which it originated. To arrive at this interpretation of Genesis 1:3-5, authors Michas and Vander Maten rejected the plain sense of Scripture, which is revealing the physical creation, and

employing instead the ancient kabbalistic art of gematria, which assigns numerical meaning to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet to arrive at a desired interpretation: The Hebrew word, 'or', is translated 'light' in the above verses. The literal meaning of this word is 'illumination' or 'luminary.' Its root means 'to be, cause, or make luminous' and 'enlighten,' and may be used literally and/or metaphorically..." (pp. 42-3) By study of the numerical equivalence of Hebrew words (gematria), the light of creation is shown to be related to the light of Torah. God's instruction according to the 613 commandments given in the first five books of the Bible. In John 1:1, Yeshua is referred to as the Word, the meaning of which is identical to Torah. Again this is a direct reference to Yeshua as the Light and the Word (Torah) of God.... (p. 43) Delving deeper into the Hebrew of Genesis 1:3, we find that there are two Hebrew words translated 'let there be light.' The word meaning 'light' has already been discussed. The other Hebrew word literally means 'let be.' The word 'there' does not appear in the original Hebrew but has been added for clarification. In fact, the Hebrew wrod that means 'let be' is a masculine form and therefore refers to 'him', rather than 'it.' Therefore, the Hebrew can validly be translated as 'Let Him be Light.' In this way, Messiah is revealed in the original Hebrew words! An expanded translation of Gen. 1:3-5, including its metaphorical meanings, is: v. 3 And Elohim said, 'Let Him be Light [life, natural and spiritual; prosperity; honor; joy and all manner of happiness in this world and the next, encouragement; comfort; hope in adversity; the saving knowledge of Elohim and of the Messiah]' and He was Light. v. 4 And Elohim saw [the revelation of] the Light that [the knowledge and wisdom of it] was good. And Elohim separated the Light from the darkness [spiritual darkness, spiritual ignorance, spiritual discernment]. v. 5 And Elohim spoke, 'You will be the light' [Messiah; Word of God], until darkenss [Lucifer; spiritual darkness] is defeated. And Elohim called the darkness a state of spiritual chaos and confusion. And [Lucifer] was the evening [the originator of spiritual darkness] when spiritual truth began to be obscured, and there also was the morning [the Word of God, Light, Truth] as light dawned [prosperity and happiness] the first age. God expressed Himself through this Primeval Light when He commanded the Light to be revealed. By his Word, God's knowledge, wisdom, and purpose for this world burst across the chaotic waters in a blinding revelation of God's glory...God gave this light as the knowledge of Himself...God's first words to the world contained the knowledge of Himself, the very essence of Himself, the Word of God. This was the light that shone so brilliantly on Day One. It was the gift of the Light of God, the Primeval Light that was revealed to a world which had been consumed in chaos and darkness." (pp. 44-45) In Zoroastrianism, the religion of Babylonia, Primeval Light emanates from an incomprehensible "essence" which is the Persian concept of God, portrayed as the evil Demiurge: PERSIAN ZOROASTRIANISM AND RUSSIAN VANDALISM

For countless ages, the devotees of Mithra worshipped at his shrines, until Zarathustra, descending from heaven in the shape of a"Golden Star," transformed himself into a man, and began teaching a new doctrine. He sung the praises of the One but Triple god--the supreme Eternal, the incomprehensible essence "Zervana-Akerene," which emanating from itself "Primeval Light," the latter in its turn produced Ahura-Mazda. But this process required that the "Primeval One" should previously absorb in itself all the light from the fiery Mithra, and thus left the poor god despoiled of all his brightness. Losing his right of undivided supremacy, Mithra, in despair, and instigated by his Ahrimanian nature, annihilated himself for the time being, leaving Ahriman alone, to fight out his quarrel with Ormazd, the best way he could. Hence, the prevailing Duality in nature since that time until Mithra returns; for he promised to his faithful devotees to come back some day." Again, in Kabbalistic Magic, Primeval Light is found in an extrapolation of the Torah which teaches the ten emanations of the Sephirot and man's divine spark: On How to Use the Mystical Interpretations of the Jewish Holy Books in Adventure Role-Playing Games "The physical universe itself is composed of four worlds, which are not planets, and correspond to the four stages of Creation. These stages are another aspect of the creation process and do not conflict with the six phases or "days" of Creation listed in the beginning of the Torah. The four worlds, and their related stages of creation, are: 1) Olam HaAtzilut (World of Emanation), which represents the archetypal ten emanations and the creation of primeval light; 2) Olam HaBeriah (World of Creation), which contains the Divine Throne and symbolizes the spiritual universe apart from God, and Man's divine "spark"; 3) Olam HaYetzirah (World of Formation), wherein reside the angels and men's souls, and symbolizes the concept within creation of individual existence (i.e., number, measure and form) as opposed to archetypes or ideas; and 4) Olam HaAsiyah (World of Activity) which is the material universe." Primeval light--the word primal also means primeval-- under the Kabbalah is referenced as "Primal God, the Ancient One"; the second veil in the sephiroth is Ain soph---and ain soph aur = the limitless light; the whole ten Sephiroth reperesent the Heavenly Man, or Primordial Being. The gnosis presented by Peter is almost identical to the Manichean system of gnosticism. Why does Peter Michas interpret the Hebrew word "or" as light since Strong's Concordance presents a majority of literal renderings? 215 -- owr - ore; a prim root, to be (cause make) luminous (lit. and metaphor): -X break of day, glorious, kindle, (be, give, show) light (-en,ened) set on fire, shine. 216 -- owr: ore; from 215; illumination or (concr) luminary (in every sense , including lightning, happiness,etc.) - bright, clear + day --light (-ing), morning sun. 217 -- uwr -- oor; form 215, flame, hence (in the plur) the East (as begin the region of light) -fire, light -- see 224. 224 -- uwryim, oo-reem; plur of 217; lights, Urim, the oracular brilliancy of the figures in the high-priests breastpplate-Urim

3974 ma'owr;... me'orah from 215, something lighted, i.e. an aperture; by impl., a crevice or hole of a serpent---den The prominent leaders in the dissemination of Kabbalism today are preparing their followers for the opening of the Third Eye or the Primal Light of gnostic illumination: THE LIGHT OF THE MESSIAH Daniel Matt, THE ESSENTIAL KABBALAH, p. 90 Rabbi Isaac said, "The light created by God in the act of Creation flared from one end of the universe to the other and was hidden away, reserved for the righteous in the world that is coming as it is written: 'Light is sown for the righteous.' Then the worlds will be fragrant, and all will be one. but until the world that is coming arrives, it is stored and hidden away." Zohar, The Book of Splendor Basic Readings from the Kabbalah selected and edited by Gershom Scholem, Schocken Books, New York Copyright 1949 renewed 1977 About the author "Gershom Scholem was professor of Jewish mysticism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem until his death in 1982. Among his many pathbreaking books are Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism, and On the Mystical Shape of the Godhead. " Chapter on Genesis_ the Beginning---The First Light Page 5 Refers to and quotes Gen.. 1:3 "... this is the primal light which God made. It is the light of the eye. It is the light God showed to Adam, and by means of it he was enabled to see from end to end of the world. This light God showed to David, and he, beholding it, sang forth his praise, saying, "Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee." {Ps. 31:20}. This is the light through which God revealed to Moses the land of Israel from Gilead to Dan." See also: Hebrew Roots: Gematria & Numerology

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW - OCCULT CONCEPT OF DUALITY

"As above, so below" is the esoteric philosophy which implies a correspondence between the forces of nature and the movement of the stars in the celestial realm. The ancient mystery religions viewed the cosmos as being bound together in perfect duality with the earth. The following occult sources explain the Hermetic principle of duality: THE MESSAGE OF THE SPHINX, Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval, NY: Three Rivers Press, 1996, p. 132.

"These [Hermetic writings] express the philosophy 'as above, so below' and advocate the drawing down to earth of cosmic powers as an essential step in Mankind's quest for knowledge of the divine and immortality of the soul: 'And I, said Hermes, will make Mankind intelligent, I will confer wisdom on them, and make known to them the truth. I will never cease to benefit thereby the life of mortal men; and then will I benefit each one of them, when the force of nature working in them is in accord with the movement of the stars above... 'All the world which lies below has been set in order and filled with contents by the things which are placed bove; for the things below have not the power to set in order the world above. The weaker mysteries must yield to the stronger, and the system of things on high is stronger than the things below.' [Kore Kosmou (Excerpt XXIII-29) in Hermetica, op.cit. p. 473.] MYSTICISM: THE NATURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNES, Evelyn Underhill, Oxfore OneWorld Publications, 1994, p. 159. "Quodsuperius Sicut Quod Inferius [As above, so below] - the first words of that Emerald Table which was once attributed to Hermes Trismegistus himself - is an axiom is an axiom which must be agreeable to all Platonists. It plays a great part in the theory of mysticism." THE OCCULT CONSPIRACY, Michael Howard, Destiny Books, 1989, pp. 170-71. "The mystical beliefs of the secret societies were, and indeed are, based on the Hermetic maxim 'As above - so below' which teaches that the natural world is a material reflection of the spiritual. It forms the esoteric basis for the Ancient Egyptian Mysteries, Gnosticism, Esoteric Christianity, the Cabbala, the Hermetic tradition, alchemy and societies such as the Templars, Freemasons and Rosicrucians." In The Rod of an Almond Tree, Peter Michas mentions two Adams: "Adam was created as a whole being, complete in form and containing a balance of malefemale and a balance of logic-emotion. Then God separated from Adam another Adam as a helpmate (Genesis 2:2-22; Genesis 5:2)." (p. 48) This is reminiscent of the concept of the Hasidic Adam in the physical realm whose spiritual counterpart Adam-Kadmon inhabited the celestial realm. The ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HASIDISM defines Primordial Man as physical Adam made in the image of the spiritual Adam, a concept which expresses the occult philosophy "as above, so below." "Primordial Man. The early mystics inferred from Genesis 1:26 - 'Let us make man in our image' - that the physical Adam was created on the pattern of a spiritual Adam that existed in the celestial world. (cf. also Ezekiel 1:26 - 'the likeness as the appearance of a man') This became part of the later mystical view of the cosmos in which everything on earth had its counterpart of the realm of the Godhead." Peter Michas further recommends to the reader that the reason for the Fall is explained as a lack of male/female unity:

"Adam named her Eve and they were designed to work together as one complete being... Because Adam and Eve failed to act as a unit, they became vulnerable and succumbed to darkness and disobedience to God." (p. 48) Adam's sin was not in failing to act in unison with Eve, but for doing so in rebellion against God. However, the gnostic Gospel of Thomas has Jesus recommending a unifyication of the sexuality: "When you make the two one, when you make the inside like the outside, and the above like the below, then you will enter the kingdom of heaven." For a more detailed discussion of the gnostic concept the divine Masculine-Feminine or Androgyne, please refer to the Watch Unto Prayer report on Kabbalah Initiation. Again Peter Micas disregards the plain sense of Scripture, preferring the gnostic interpretation of the sages which applies the concept of occult correspondences to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden: Rod of an Almond Tree - Chapter 2 "Mi-kedem may mean 'in the east' -- and it may mean 'prior to.' In respect of the last, our Sages have made the statement (Peshahim 54a): Seven things were created prior to the creation of the world... and Gan Eden [the Garden of Eden], since it says, Mi-kedem. The two meanings can be thought of as corresponding, respectively to a spatial reference direction and a temporal one (or rather: one that is independent of time, being that 'prior to the world' is tantamount, according to our current understanding, to: unrelated to temporal duration). Consistent with this ambiguity in meaning -- which is taken as implying that to both meanings must correspond aspects of reality -- is the statement: 'Just as God created a Gan Eden on earth... He created a Gan Eden on high'" [emphasis (italics) added (by Peter Michas)] Having compared Malbim's theory of the Garden of Eden to the Tabernacle and the city of Jerusalem which are patterned after heavenly realities, Peter Micahs concludes that the Tree of Life was not originally planted in the literal Garden of Eden, but was a supernatural Tree with roots in the ethereal realm: "In the same way, therefore, this fascinating concept of a dual, patterned creation may apply to the Garden of Eden." "Returning to the Garden, it is remarkable that rabbinic Sages accepted a concept of God transplanting the Tree of Life into the Garden of Eden...Malbin explains: "'The term 'planting (netiyah) means, in the case of the trees, placing their seeds in the earth. Our sages explain that the seeds which God had implanted were like locust horns, by which they are telling us that the seed which were placed in the earth were very large. [As I have explained elsewhere, planting of large seeds can be described either by the term seeding (zriyah) or implanting (zmihah) reveals in this verse that the trees matured as soon as they were planted, within the hour sprouting leaves and producing ripe fruit. The verse also stresses that He made it to grow 'out of the ground' - which prompted our Sages to deduce that the planting had not been done in this soil of the garden but elsewhere. (Their declaration that the trees were implanted, can also be taken as saying that they were transplanted -- the word shitla meaning the latter, as well)]

"This concept of transplantation of the Tree of Life is highly significant, for it ties into another profound possibility: that even a branch from this tree could be successfully transplanted (Chap. 6)... (pp. 114-15) It is probable that Peter learned the concept of occult correspondences through the Hasidic Chabbad Lubavich, where he studied the Hebrew Roots of Christianity, as stated in the Preface of his book. Two Kabbalist websites cites references to the Heavenly Jerusalem linked to the earthly Jerusalem: The Zohar: The Book of Radiance ...I am reading Cracking The Bible Code by Dr. Jeffrey Satinover....a very, very interesting book...more so than Drosnin's. On page 10 he has the following quote from the Jewish Zohar which I find very curious....."For, as we have learnt, Jerusalem is the center of the earth and A HEAVENLY PLACE CALLED ZION IS ABOVE IT, and from this place it is blessed, and the two are indissolubly linked together"...Zohar, Vayikra 3. Fulfilling the Torah of Moses in the Shekhinah and the Asherah "Here is Jerusalem, and you should know why you came here. Above Jerusalem, in heaven, there grows a tree, and out of the roots of the tree flow three rivers, and these rivers are Judaism, Christianity and Islam". Grand Mufti Ja'abary of El-Aksa Citing as references The Mountain of Moses by Larry Williams, The Midrash Says by Rabbi Weissman and The Torah Anthology by Rabbi Kaplan, Peter Michas speculates on the history and future of the miraculous branch from the Tree of Life: "At the time of Adam's expulsion from the Garden, God gave the rod to Adam. From Adam, the rod was passed down through the generations until it came into the possession of Moses. Interestingly, one story claims Moses' rod as having come from the Tree of Life. "Tying these various bits of information together, a link to the story of Luz and its unique almond tree emerges. The conclusion drawn by the authors is that the rod of God was in actuality a branch from the Tree of Life, which was an almond tree!" (p.115) "In Revelation 2:7, Yeshua states: 'To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.' This Scripture seems to indicate that at the time John recorded the Book of Revelation, the Tree of Life was in Heaven and continues to be until its reappearance in the New Jerusalem. Perhaps it was the source of the Tree of Life in the earthly Garden of Eden." (p. 177) "Is it possible that a branch of this tree was preserved, for it is to be returned by the prophet Elijah to the Messiah when He returns to establish the Millennial Kingdom. Or perhaps another rod will come directly from the Tree of Life in Heaven." (p. 149)

A New Age website that draws heavily on Kabbalism quotes a reference to the Hermetic axiom in the gnostic scriptures and presents the identical teaching on the return of the Tree of Life: The Return of the Tree of Life in the Apocalypse (Cook) Revelation and the Return of the Tree of Life In the final culmination of the Bible in the last passage of Revelation, is an endearing passage which prophesies the return of the tree of life as the central throne of God, the source of immortal life and the healing of the nations in the new Jerusalem: And [the angel] shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. And this tree is to be the source to the blessed: Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. The lunar monthly yielding of fruit reflects more closely the living sacrament than the annual fruits of flowering plants. The twelve sacred fruit are the other great spiritual sacraments of the tree. Around them extend to life-prolonging and anti-cancer properties of a diversity of plants. This prophecy is of double significance in that it is heralded by an earlier Old Testament vision in Ezekiel 47. "Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward ... And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. ... And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. ... And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine". It is further parallelled in the Essene prophesies of the priestly Messiah: "And he shall open the gates of paradise, And shall remove the threatening

sword against Adam. And he shall give to the saints to eat from the tree of life, And the spirit of holiness shall be on them." According to this New Age website, the 12 Fruits of the Tree of Life, or sacraments which those who obey the commandments will be privileged to eat, are the psychoactive or hallucinogenic plants which will reconnect them with the celestial realm: 1: Papaver somniferum: The Poppy of the Holy Mother 2: Cannabis: The Sacred River of the Sadhu 3: The Sacred Mushroom: Teonanactl and the Lady of the Alder 4: The Vine of the Soul and the Hallucinogenic Snuffs 5: The Little Deer and the Keys to the Golden Gates 6: The Black Seed of the Aztecs and the Fires of St. Anthony 7: Tabernanthe iboga: The Spirit of the Ancestors 8: Erythroxylum coca: The White Goddess of the Conqueror 9: The Path of the Fly Agaric Shamans 10: The Devil's Witching Weeds 11: Alcohol: Inebriant of the Patriarchy 12: Tobacco: The Butt End of the Visionary Quest 13: The Herb of the Shepherdess The Goddess dozen The authors of HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL envision the soon establishment of a revived and redefined "Holy" Roman Empire, governed by the world's elite, based not upon religious tradition, but upon spiritualist foundations which is connected with and replicates the celestial kingdom of the cosmos: "For the purposes of our inquiry the Hieron du Val d'Or proved relevant by virture of its formulation of what M. Chaumeil calls and esoteric geo-politics and an ethnarchical world order. Translated into more mundane terms this entailed, in effect, the establishment of a new Holy Roman Empire in nineteenth-century Europe -- a revitalized and reconstituted Holy Roman Empire, a secular state that unified all peoples and rested ultimately on spiritualist, rather than social, political, or economic foundations. Unlike its predecessor, this new Holy Roman Empire would have been genuinely 'holy,' genuinely 'Roman,' and genuinely 'imperial' -- although the specific meaning of these terms would have differed crucially from the meaning accepted by tradition and convention. Such as state would have realized the centuries-old dream of a 'heavenly kingdom' on earth, a terrestrial replica or mirror image of the order, harmony, and hierarchy of the cosmos. It would have actualized the ancient Hermetic premise, 'As above, so below.' And it was not altogether Utopian or naive. On the contrary, it was at least remotely feasible in the context of late nineteenth century Europe." (p. 198)

JERUSALEM: NAVEL OF THE EARTH

The Rod of an Almond Tree rejects the standard belief that the Garden of Eden was located in Mesopotamia and attempts to prove that Jerusalem was the location with the four rivers of Genesis being streams flowing from under the Temple. The significance of

this change of location can be understood from the reference which follows from David Talbott's book, The Saturn Myth: Rod of An Almond Tree: Chapter 2 "Most scholars believe the Garden of Eden was located in Mesopotamia, where the ancient Babylonian civilization originated. Jewish legend lists the Land of Israel, Arabia or the center of Africa as possiblities... "Given this understanding, Mesopotamian may be discarded in favor of the Promised Land, the most highly qualified and promising candidate for the location of the Garden of Eden. The account in Genesis 2:10-14 gives specific information regarding four rivers in the Land of Eden... Therefore we should look for four separate rivers which share a common headwater source somewhere within Eden... "Given the conventional interpretation of Genesis 2:10, a river that divides into four separate rivers has never been discovered. Perhaps with the insight gained by the above discussion, we will have an open mind to evaluating new possibilities... As stated above, it is plausible that underground waterways were involved...Interestingly, Genesis 2:6 (NIV) makes reference to underground streams providing water to the surface: vi 6 "But streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground." "The authors have chosen the NIV translation of this passage because it more accurately translates (Hebrew word) as "streams." Other translations have used the word "mist" but the Hebrew word is more closely related to the word for "stream" than mist. At this point, the authors would like to propose the hypothesis that the missing Pishon and Gihon rivers are not lost at all but are instead currently flowing underground! Moreover there is even evidence that these rivers have been underground or partially underground since the beginning, but shared the same headwater source as the Tigris and Euphrates... "Therefore the existence of an underground river beneath Jerusalem is indicated. It has also been verified that a spring, called the Gihon Spring, is located beneath Jerusalem as it was in Old Testament times. Moreover, the only Biblical references for the name 'Gihon' are in reference to the spring in Jerusalem and the Gihon River in the Garden of Eden. If the Gihon River does flow beneath Jerusalem and provides the source for the spring by the same name, does the Bible provide any clues to link Jerusalem and the original Garden of Eden? "The answer is found in...Ezekiel 28:13-14...'You [Lucifer]...were in Eden, the garden of God...You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I [God] placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God...' "The 'holy mountain of God' is a direct reference to Mount Moriah in Jerusalem! Today, Mount Moriah forms the platform for the Temple Mount. God selected Mount Moriah as the site of his Temple... Therefore, the Bible clearly connects Jerusalem to the site of the original Garden of Eden, where God fellowshipped with Adam and Eve. In this regard, it is interesting that according to Jewish legend, Adam was created from the dust of Mount Moriah. THE SATURN MYTH, David N. Talbott, Doubleday and Co., Inc., Garden City, NY, 1980, p. 136. "This quality of the central sun persists in Hebrew and Muslim imagery of Adam, the Heaven-Man. The Nassenes esteemed as the "rock" and "cornerstone." Writes Jung: "The

Stone is indeed of supreme importance, because it fulfills the function of Adam-Kadmon as the 'capital stone', from which all the upper and lower hosts in the work of creation are brought into being.' "The theosophic Zohar declares, 'The world did not come into being until God took a certain stone which is called the foundation stone, and cast it into the abyss so that it held fast there, and from it the world was planted. This is the central point of the universe, and on this point stands the Holy of Holies'. "Patai summarizes the tradition: in the middle of the Temple and constituting the floor of the Holy of Holies, was huge native rock which was adorned by Jewish legend with all the peculiar features of Ompholos, a Navel of the Earth. This rock, called in Hebrew Ebhen Shet Iyyah, the Stone of Foundation, was the first solid [i.e., stable, stationary] thing created and was placed by God amidst the as yet boundless fluid of the primeval waters. Legend has it that just as the body of an embryo is built up in its mother's womb from the navel, so God built up the earth concentrically around this Stone... 'Hebrew and Muslim tradition locate the foundation stone in the paradise of Eden. The Arabic term for the stone is es-Sakra - 'the Rock'. Thus the Mosque of Omar - known as Kubbat es-Sakra, "Dome of the Rock" - bears on its western facade the inscription: ""The Rock of the Temple - from the Garden of Eden." "The legends relate that the Foundation Stone conceals beneath it all the world's waters and winds... A Muslim text states that 'all rivers and clouds and vapors and winds come from under the Holy Rock in Jerusalem.' This can only mean that the four rivers of Eden which water 'the whole earth', have their origin in, or under, the Foundation Stone."

ONENESS DOCTRINE - UNITARIANISM

Peter Michas and Robert Vander Maten reject the doctrine of the Trinity: Rod of An Almond Tree: Chapter 14 "The unity of Yeshua HaMashiach with God the Father and the Holy Spirit has never been clearly understood from the doctrine of the Trinity..." (pp. 255-56) "To understand the true relationship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, it is essential to preserve the concept of oneness..." (p. 256) "The aspect of the Father may be simply understood as the Will of God. The aspect of the Son may be understood as the Word of God. The aspect of the Spirit of the Holy One may be understood as the Power of God..." (p.257)

"To say God is three 'persons' opens the door to misunderstanding God. God is Spirit and cannot be reduced to the concept of a person..." (p. 257) "The Spirit of the Holy One is the very essence of the power of God the Father and not some separate entity." (p. 257) Holy Spirit = Ruach or Holy Breath "The Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) wrote God's commandments on stone tablets." (p. 229) Messengers of Messiah is part of the Messiah Friends Network, whose Statement of Faith does not includes neither the deity of Jesus Christ nor the Holy Spirit as a Person, but as the breath of God: YHVH is the One true God; He is our God. Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) is the Messiah of Israel, revealed as YHVH in the flesh. His death is the valid permanent sacrifice for sin, and His resurrection is the promise of eternal life, for all who trust Him. The scriptures are authored by the Breath of God through human agency. YHVH indwells those who obey Him with His Holy Breath (Ruach HaKodesh). All who trust YHVH as Avraham did, obeying His Voice (His Messiah), they are the offspring of Avraham by covenant. Those who are the righteous redeemed show themselves to be obedient to Torah with love in all their living, bringing glory to YHVH. The only true Torah (Teaching) of the Most High is that which is written in the Holy Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. The Oneness Doctrine teaches that New Testament Jesus is the Old Testament Father: Herbert W. Armstrong of the Worldwide Church of God taught: "...like the 'Oneness' people, that the Jehovah or Yahvah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New. With several exceptions, the YHVH of the Old Testament is the Father who created everything through His Son, however." [WCG VS. COG (7th day)] Peter Michas teaches: "To understand the true relationship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, it is essential to preserve the concept of oneness . . . In the Old Testament Hebrew, the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) is translated LORD and refers to Yeshua. Therefore, 'the Lord your God' is a reference to 'YHVH/LORD your Elohim.' This shows that YHVH is a oneness with the plurality of Elohim." ( p. 256, 259)

ADAM KADMON / FEMININE-MASCULINE GOD

Peter Michas teaching on THE ROLE OF WOMEN states that, because the human race had its origin in Adam, the Christian's identity is rooted in Adam. This teaching negates the doctrine of the new birth in the New Testament which states, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (II Cor. 5:17) "It is crucial that we understand our roots, for we can only fully grasp the significance of our identity through Adam. The goal of this writing is to pique the reader's curiosity to the point where he/she will desire to search the scriptures for God's Truth on these and all biblical principals.

Because the human race had its origin in Adam, discovering who Adam is will lead us to a better understanding of who we are. To accomplish this, one must become acquainted with Hebrew culture and language because understanding a teaching comes from understanding the perspective and language of the person(s) teaching." According to The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan, Adam was androgynous: "Adam was created as a whole being, complete in form containing a balance of malefemale and a balance of logic-emotion. then God separated from Adam another Adam as a helpmate (Genesis 2:2-22; Genesis 5:2). Adam named her Eve and they were designed to work together as one complete being...Because Adam and Eve failed to act as a unit, they became vulnerable and succumbed to darkness and disobedience to God." (p. 48) Jacob Boehme reintroduced the concept of the androgynous Adam who was divided into sexes through the fall: Mircea Eliade, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION, Vol. I, NY: Simon & Schuster MacMillan, 1995, p. 279. "The Judeo-Christian myth and theology of the androgyny of the primal man were successfully reinterpreted and revalorized by Jakob Boehme (1575-1624). For this great mystic and theosophist, Adam's sleep represents the first fall: Adam separated himself from the divine world and 'imagined himself' immersed in nature, by which act he lowered himself and became earthly. The appearance of the sexes is a direct consequence of this first fall...Another fundamental idea of Boehme, Gichtel, and other theosophists was that Sophia, the divine virgin, was originally part of the primal man. When he attempted to dominate her, the virgin separated herself from him." THE SECRET DOCTRINE, Vol. II, H.P. Blavatsky, p. 234. "'...28, 29, 31. Stand in awe of him and sin not; speak his name with trembling...For Satan is the magistrate of the Justice of God [Karma]: he beareth the balance and the sword.... For to him are committed Weight and Measure and Number.' "Compare the last sentence with what the Rabbi, who explains the Kabala to Prince alKhazari in the Book of that name, says, and it will be found that the Weight and Measure and Nubmer are, in Sepher Yetzirah, the attributes of the Sephiroth (the three Sephrim, or figures, ciphers), covering the whole collective number of 10; and that the Sephiroth are the collective Adam-Kadmon, the 'Heavenly Man' or the Logos. Thus Satan and the Anointed were identified in ancient thought. Therefore, "'33. Satan is the Minister of God, Lord of the seven mansions of Hades..." See also: Hebrew Roots: Kabbalah Initiation

TREE OF LIFE VS. THE CROSS

According to The Rod of An Almond Tree, Chapter 7, Jesus did not die on the Cross, but on the Tree of Life: "The Greek word xulou (or xulon) is translated 'tree' in each of the above passages. This Greek word refers to a living tree, not a Roman cross. Even as Yeshua was going to His crucifixion, He made a direct reference to this act being carried out 'when the tree is green' (Luke 23:31, NIV). The descriptive Greek word means 'full of sap'; such a tree is clearly living. "One may then ask: What about the 'cross' that Simon had to carry for Yeshua to the crucifixion site? In actuality this beam was not a Roman cross but rather a crossbar that was nailed to the crucifixion tree. It was to this plank of wood that Yeshua was nailed at the wrists... "Another Greek word, stauros, appears in certain passages where it has been translated 'cross.' Its primary meaning is 'upright pole' or 'stake.' However, it can also refer to a crossbar. (p. 143) "It is also a matter of historical record that before 326 C.E., the cross did not exist as a Christian symbol, but was derived from paganism." (p. 145) Through redefining "cross" to mean "crossbar," the doctrine of the Cross is undermined and may be reinterpreted to mean the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, which is the means of attaining to immortality via the path of initiation. The Sephirot of the Kabbalah is called the Tree of Life. The following excerpts from occult sources shed much light on the esoteric meaning of the Tree of Life: A DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS, J.E. Cirlot, NY: Barnes & Nobles, 1971, 1995, p. 69. "Cross" "...the Cross is...an inversion of the Tree of Paradise. Hence, the cross is often represented in medieval allegory as a Y-shaped tree...like the Tree of Life, the cross stands for the world-axis. Placed in the midst of the mystic centre of the cosmos, it becomes the bridge or ladder by means of which the soul may reach to God." A DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS, Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, Penguin Books, 1996, p. 1028. "DeLubac regards the cross, standing on a mountain in the centre of the world, as wholly renewing the ancient symbol of the Cosmic or World Tree. In any case, Christian iconography provides constant examples of the leafy cross, or Tree Cross, where the gap between the upper branches reveals the symbolism of the fork and its graphic representation of the letter Y, or Oneness and Duality. At the extreme limit, by metonomy, Christ himself the World Tree, the World Axis, the ladder, a comparison which Origin makes explicit." SHAMBHALA, Victoria LePage, Wheaton IL, Quest Books, Theosophical Pub. House., 1996, p. 155. "[The Christmas Tree] was once called the Tree of Life, or the World Tree. Uniting the dimensions of heaven, earth and the underworld, it was the cosmic axis at the center of the world, the Axis Mundi, through which the eternal energies of creation poured

continuously into time. The greenness of the Tree of Life...is...the sign of promise of life eternally renewed... Similarly, the silver star on the top of the Christmas tree, the one the magi saw, is as a mythic image of the polestar of world axis and the bright star of Inanna, Aphrodite and Venus, accompanying all the divine births all over the Near East." A DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS, Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, Penguin Books, 1996, p. 1031. "The Tree of Life may originally may have been regarded as an image of the Primordial Hermaphrodite, but on the level of the phenomenal world the trunk rising to the skies, a symbol of preeminently solar strength and power, is really the phallus, the archetypal image of the Father." A review of Madeleine L'Engle by Claris Van Kuiken, Battle To Destroy Truth: Unveiling A Trail Of Deception ( 1996) states: "The Quest magazine,...is a publication of The Theosophical Society. This society is based on a highly developed system of occultism derived from mystery religions and Hindu philosophy....Because of my research, I knew that The Quest was an occult magazine and obtained a copy. Inside the front cover it read: "Ancient Wisdom for a New Age." Books such as "The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, The Goddess Reawakening, The Tarot, Shamanism, The Wholeness Principle, The Kabbala, are encouraged reading." "In TRUTH AND REVELATION, Berdyaev promotes the concept of transcendental man, the "Adam Kadmon of the Kabbalah." He states that 'Truth is revealed in various ways in accordance with degrees of consciousness' and that the 'supra-consciousness corresponds to transcendental man' (Geoffrey Bles Ltd., London, W.C., 1953, pp. 17,27). In the Kabbala (the occult books of Jewish mysticism), the aim of humankind is to realize union with the Divine. Symbolizing this union is a diagram called the Tree of Life which depicts ten different levels or spheres of spiritual reality in man and the cosmos. These ten stages are called Sephirot (emanations of God" (Drury, Nevill, Dictionary of Mysticism, Rev. ed., Avery Publishing Group Inc., Garden City Park, New York, 1992, p. 3). In the Kabbala, we find the New Age concept of androgyne (also taught in witchcraft and Eastern religion as shown in the first part of this article). Adam Kadmon is both male and female. The right side of the Tree of Life is female; the left is male....The purpose of the Tree of Life is to show 'the descent of the divine into the material world, and the path by which people can ascend to the divine while still in the flesh.' It is through contemplation and meditation (techniques similar to Eastern yoga disciplines, that the Kabbalist ascends the Tree of Life to attain 'enlightenment' or godhood (Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, Harper's Encyclopedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience, pp. 307 -308)." THE ROD OF AN ALMOND TREE IN GOD'S MASTER PLAN by Peter A. Michas, Robert Vander Maten and Christie Michas (WinePress Publishing, 1997)

Reviewed by Lynn Leslie in The Christian Conscience: http://www.ezl.com/~peterm/review.html Color Key: Red = Quotes from The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan Black = Quotes from other occult sources Blue = Watch Unto Prayer comments

The Rod of an Almond Tree in God's Master Plan - Part I

THE ROD OF GOD: A RELIC FROM THE TREE OF LIFE

Rod of An Almond Tree, Chapter 6, builds a doctrine of the divine Rod of God that is based upon the stories of the rabbis which were passed through the generations. According to the rabbis, Peter Michas and Robert Vander Maten, this relic will be the Rod of the Messiah: "According to the Haggadah (narrative of the Talmud), the rod, with blossoms and fruit, was created at the twilight between the sixth day and the Sabbath of Creation....At the time of Adam's expulsion from the Garden, God gave the rod to Adam.(p. 115) ... which was engraved with the Ineffable Name of God (YHVH) (p. 119)..." "According to rabbinical commentary and stories passed from generation, the rod transferred from Adam successively down the line to Enoch, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses an David. According to the Midrash Yehlamdenu: "the staff with which Jacob crossed the Jordan is identical with that which Judah gave to his daughter-in-law, Tamar...[Genesis 32:10; 38:18]. It is likewise the holy rod with which Moses worked...[Exodus 4:20-1], with which Aaron performed the wonders before Pharoah,... [Exodus 7:10], and with which, finally, David slew the giant Goliath... [I Samuel 17:40].... (pp. 119-20) "Let us not be too quick to discard information based upon legend (stories passed down through the generations)... Perhaps at some future time, a discovery will be made to verify the history of this divine rod. It seems that the rod was handed down by Adam to Enoch and then to Methuselah. From Methuselah, it would have been transferred to Shem, the son of Noah...Shem was also the head of an academy teaching God's knowledge and was Abraham's tutor. [Torah Anthology]." "Undoubtedly, David's victory was proof of God's miraculous intervention. The rod, engraved with the Ineffable Name, bore witness to the authority which this miracle of redemption had been performed....The authors believe David planted the rod. The authors believe that the serpent had never been removed from the rod and, therefore must have remained attached to the almond tree as it grew. Subsequently, the serpent was removed and destroyed, but the almond tree was left intact. (pp. 128, 133)

"When Yeshua returns, He will set up His Throne in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 43:7). At this time, it is thought that the prophet Elijah will return the rod - a branch from the Tree of Life - to the Messiah...The Messiah will seat Himself on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies on Mount Moriah. He will replace the Ark that had symbolized Him, in the place where God had first fellowshipped with Adam and Eve, in the same place the Divine Presence dwelt among His People! Just as a branch from the Tree of Life was kept before the Ark, He will set the almond rod before Himself on the Throne of God, where the Tree of Life had grown in the Garden of Eden!" (p. 135) Which Bible? by David Otis Fuller, (Grand Rapids International Publications, 1970, p. 310) documents the worship of this relic: "It will be necessary to cite only two texts to show why the Protestants cannot use the Douay or Catholic Version in its present condition... Hebrews 11:21 reads: 'By faith Jacob dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and adored the top of his rod.' What is this if not image worship?" According to the Merovingian book, BLOODLINE OF THE HOLY GRAIL by Laurence Gardner, the budding Rod of Jesse designates the royal lineage of David: "Following Pope Gregory IX's first Catholic Inquisition of 1231, Grail lore was condemned by the Church...As a result, the tradition moved towards underground symbolism -particularly that of the Tarot cards...The four suits of the Tarot's minor Arcana were the Swords, Cups, Pentacles and Batons or wands...These corresponded with the sword, cup, dish and lance of the Grail Hallows. Eventually they became redefined as the Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs that are used today. The Spade was originally a Blade (the male symbol); the Heart was the Chalice of the alternative Church (the female symbol V)' the Diamond was a valuable Pentacle disc..., and the Club (denoting the continuing Davidic lineage) was depicted as the sprouting Rod of Jesse. (p. 250) "...a new Glastonbury tradition [was] the enchanted thornbush. In 1520, local literature described a bush on Wearyall Hill that bore fresh leaves and blossoms at Christmastime as well as in May. The bush was destroyed during the Cromwellian Civil War (16421651), but shoots from it were replanted in the area, and each plant flowered again in the same way. Botanical experts discerned that the shrub was not native to England, and seemed to be of Levantine origin. And so a new Somerset mythology began. "In 1716 a local inkeeper asserted that the unusual thorn plant sprang from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea, which he had planted to blossom at Christmas (not that the December festival had been relevant in Joseph's day. It was nearly 300 years later that Constantine adjusted the date of Jesus's birthday). The notion that Joseph's 'rod' should burst into flower in this way derived originally from a prophetic verse in Isaiah (11:1), which reads 'And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse [the father of David], and a Branch shall grow out of his roots'. In some Church artwork and apocryphal writings, the budding staff of the royal bloodline is depicted in the hand of Jesus's father, Joseph. (Element Books, 1996. p. 242) The Rod of an Almond Tree discounts the New Testament book of Hebrews teaching on the tabernacle which seems to conflict with the account given in Exodus:

"According to God's command, this perpetually budding almond rod...was to be placed 'before the testimony' (Num. 17:10). This meant that it was to be placed in front of the Ark, which contained the 'testimony,' that is the tablets of the covenant (Ten Commandments). Numbers 17:10 - And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. Notice that the other Old Testament references confirm that only the tablets were kept inside the Ark (Exodus 25:16; 40:20;I Kings 8:9). Exodus 25:16 - And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. Exodus 40:20 - And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark. I Kings 8:9 - There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. "Unfortunately, due to a mistranslation of Hebrews 9:3-4, the traditional belief is that Aaron's rod was placed inside the Ark... Hebrews 9:3-4 - And behind the second veil, there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was the golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tablets of the covenant. However, the original Greek grammar indicates that the subject of this passage is the Holies. Accordingly, the items described refer to those contained inside the Holy of Holies, not inside the Ark itself. "This understanding clarifies additional information given in the above passage. Firstly, it is known that the manna (like the rod) was placed in front of, not inside the Ark (Exodus 16:33-34) Exodus 16:33,34 - And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations. As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. Secondly, what is referred to as the "altar of incense" is actually the Mercy Seat, the gold lid of the Ark. In the original Greek, the phrase "of incense" does not appear. In fact, the actual altar of incense is known to have been placed inside the Holy Place, not inside the Holy of Holies (Exodus 40:26). Exodus 40:26 - And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail. The placement of the miraculously budding almond rod before the Ark of the Covenant is of the greatest significance and will become very evident. At this time, it should be understood to represent the Tree of Life - both literally and symbolically." (pp. 124-5) "The Book of II Kings indicates that the serpent on this pole was fashioned out of Moses' own property. Knowing that God's redemptive work had thus far been accomplished

through the rod of Moses, it seems logical to assume that the rod was again used for this purpose. Moreover, known as the rod of God, it symbolized God's authority and judgment. A picture on the cover of The Midrash Says depicts the serpent, attached to a crossbar, mounted on a rod." (p. 126) "'Undoubtedly, David's victory was proof of God's miraculous intervention. The rod, engraved with the Ineffable Name, bore witness to the authority by which this miracle of redemption had been performed." (p. 128) "From the previously quoted Scripture (II Sam. 15:23,24,25,30,31), it is known that Aaron's rod was positioned in front of the Ark in the Holy of Holies...As King, David was vested with the responsibility of preserving the rod and the authority to carry the rod." 9 (pp. 130-1) "II Kings 18:4 Hezekiah removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze [copper] serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. "Notably, the copper serpent is mentioned in the same passage as the Asherah groves. It seems to place the serpent on the Mount of Olives, the same place where the authors believe David planted the rod. The authors believe that the serpent had never been removed from the rod and, therefore, must have remained attached to the almond tree as it grew. Subsequently, the serpent was removed and destroyed, but the almond tree was left intact." (p. 133) THE SECPTER OF AUTHORITY "When Yeshua returns, He will set up His Throne in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 43:7). At this time, it is thought that the prophet Elijah will return the rod -- a branch from the Tree of Life -- to the Messiah... The Messiah will seat Himself on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies on Mount Moriah. He will replace the Ark that had symbolized Him, in the place where God had first fellowshipped with Adam and Eve, the same place the Divine Presence dwelt among His People! Just as a branch from the Tree of Life was kept before the Ark, He will set the almond rod before Himself on the Throne of God, where the Tree of Life had grown in the Garden of Eden." II Thess. 2:3,4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." To arrive at an understanding of the occult reason for placing a phallic symbol at the entrance of a temple, let us now turn to H.P. Blavatsky for possible enlightenment as to the mystical explication of the Holy of Holies and of the Ark which rested therein. "The Sanctum Sanctorum of the Ancients, i.e., that recess on the Western side of the Temple which was enclosed on three sides by blank walls and had its only aperture or door hung over with a curtain -- also called the Adytum -- was common to all ancient nations. "Nevertheless, a great difference is found between the secret meanings of this symbolical place, in the esotericism of the Pagans and that of later Jews, though the symbology of it was originally identical throughout the ancient Races and Nations. The Gentiles, by

placing in the Adytum a sarcophagus, or a tome, and the solar god to whom the temple was consecrated, held it, as Pantheists, in the greatest veneration. They regarded it - in its esoteric meaning -- as the symbol of resurrection, cosmic, solar (or diurnal), and human. It embraced the wide range of periodical and (in time) punctual, Manvantaras, or the reawakenings of kosmos, earth, and man to new existences; the sun being the most poetical and also the most grandiose symbol of the same in heaven, and man -- in his reincarnations -- on Earth. (The Secret Doctrine, Vol. II, pp. 459-462) "The Ark, in which are preserved the germs of all living things necessary to repeople the earth, represents the survival of life, and the supremacy of spirit over matter, through the conflict of the opposing powers of naturethe Ark corresponds with the navel The umbilicus is connected with the receptacle in which are fructified the germs of the race. The Ark is the sacred Argha of the Hindusan oblong vessel used by the high priests as a sacrificial chalice in the worship of Isis, Astarte, and Venus-, Aphrodite, all of whom were goddesses of the generative powers of nature, or of matter -- hence, representing symbolically the Ark containing the germs of all living things." (Isis Unveiled, Vol. II, p. 444) In Theosophy, therefore, the Holy of Holies represents the womb of nature, the female generative principle found in the mystery religions of Egypt, Babylon, India, Kabbalism, Masonry, etc. A tomb and the solar god were placed in the doorway to the Holy of Holies. The esoteric meaning of this arrangement typified cosmic, planetary and human resurrection or regeneration. Mme. Blavatsky notes that the symbolism of the pagan Sanctum Sanctorum corresponds to the Kabbalist/Masonic interpretation of the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Jerusalem: "and the Jewish Ark of the Covenant had precisely the same significance; with the supplementary addition that, instead of a beautiful and chaste sarcophagus (the symbol of the matrix of Nature and resurrection) as in the Sanctum Sanctorum of the pagans, they had the ark made still more realistic in its construction by the two cherubs set up on the coffer or Ark of the Covenant, facing each other, with their wings spread in such a manner as to form a perfect yoni (as now seen in India)." (The Secret Doctrine, Vol. II, p. 460) Such an interpretation of the Ark of the Covenant constitutes the highest blasphemy, and yet is precisely the perverted view which Antichrist will hold toward the Ark of the restored Jewish Covenant. As Antiochus had "indignation against the holy covenant" and took away the daily sacrifice in 170 B.C., thus will the Antichrist proscribe the Jewish system of blood sacrifices and set in the Holy Place a pagan idol which incurs God's judgment. With Scripture in view and having established through many sources that that the solar god, Hermes, was worshipped in the image of a phallic stone or quadrangular stone pillar, we venture to state that the obelisk may be the idol or abomination that will be "set up" in the Holy Place. See Watch Unto Prayer report A Sacred Assembly THE INTERPRETER'S DICTIONARY, Supplementary Volume, New Year, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1976, 1993, p. 627. A Festival of Yahweh's Enthronement.

"This view propounded principally by Mowinckel and accepted in many circles of Biblical Scholarship, holds that the New Year Festival was primarily a celebration of an enthronement of Yahweh...The enthronement of Yahweh that is celebrated and made a present reality at the New Year Festival is his entering upon kingship upon the time of creation, when he stilled the unruly waters of chaos...The New Year is therefore the time when Yahweh recreates and makes all things new. The most prominent ritual...was a procession of the ark...dramatizing Yahweh's entry into his palace." Antichrist will change times: New Year based on Jewish and Celtic calendar. See The Occult Calendar

SHEKHINAH - THE DIVINE FEMININE

Rod of an Almond Tree - Chapter 3 "Mount Moriah is profoundly significant in God's plan. Here, God fellowshipped with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Here, the Temple would be built where the Shekhinah (Divine Presence) manifested inside the Holy of Holies. And here, the Messiah will seat Himself on a throne in His Temple during the Millennial Kingdom! Most assuredly, Mount Moriah is of primary importance in God's prophetic work...the Tree of Life was on Mount Moriah..." (pp. 80-1) "Indeed, the Divine Presence, as manifested by the Shekinah (Glory Cloud), dwelled in the Holy of Holies on top of Mount Moriah." (p. 82) "(Zechariah 11):... v. 13 Then the word of the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.' So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord. "Compare the NASB translation above with a direct translation from the Hebrew in Judaica Books' Twelve Prophets:... "v. 13 And the Lord said to me: Cast it to the keeper of the treasury, to the stronghold of glory [Temple] -- of which I stripped them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and I cast it into the house of the Lord, to the keeper of the treasury." (pp. 168-9) "In almost every case that the voice of God is recorded in the Bible, the glory of God is present as well. The manifestation of the Shekinah (Divine Presence) occurred initially on Mount Sinai when God spoke to the people (Exodus 19:18-21)... "Accordingly, though it is not recorded in the gospels, it seems likely that there may have been a manifestation of God's glory as Yeshua gave up His Spirit.... Even so, it is likely that only selected individuals were able to perceive this manifestation of God's power and presence (Acts 9:3-7)

"Without exception, the human response to the Shekinah is one of awe and sometimes fear so great that it results in falling to the ground... As Yeshua died, the centurion and other witnesses may have been allowed to see (or sense in some way) the luminescence of His Spirit as it left His earthly body. (p. 205) Genesis of Eden: The Hieros Gamos Part 1 Many Kabbalists conceive of God as embodying both male and female energies, which were divided during creation as part of the process of emanation. They speak of the shekhinah, which in traditional Judaism means the divine presence on earth, as the feminine aspect or mystical bride of God. And they often use language as a means to analyze such mysteries, as in this ex cerpt from a contemporary non-Jewish Kabbalist which offers an explanation for the mysterious use of the plural form for God early in the Bible: The Hebrew word used to denominate God in Genesis is Elohim. This word is a plural formed from the feminine singular ALH (Eloh) by adding IM to it. Since IM is the termination of the masculine plural, added to a feminine noun it makes ELOHIM a female potency united to a male principle, and thus capable of having an offspring. The same intended misconception is given in the Christian idea of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. In the Kabbalah the Deity manifests simultaneously as Mother and Father and thus begets the Son. We are told that the Holy Spirit is essentially masculine, but the Hebrew word used in the Scriptures to denote spirit is Ruach, a feminine noun. The Holy Spirit is really the Mother, and thus the Christian Trinity properly translated should be Father, Son and Mother. -Migne Gonzalez-Wippler, A Kabbalah for the Modern World. Rod of an Almond Tree - p. 229 "The Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) wrote God's commandments on stone tablets."

UNDER THE MOSAIC LAW

Rod of An Almond Tree: Chapter 12 - Sabbath: Day of the Resurrection "Yeshua told Nicodemus: '...as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life' (John 3:14-15)." "Early Christians observed the Sabbath according to the Biblical Commandment. The Biblical Sabbath observance continued until the time of Constantine when Sunday, 'the Lord's Day,' was substituted for Sabbath." (p. 218)

"Unfortunately, in the process of 'Christianizing,' paganism, Christianity itself became more and more paganized. Pagan feast days were substituted for God's Biblical Feast Days and, in the process, the prophetic timetable was lost." ( p. 220) See Watch Unto Prayer report: Under the Law

THE KABBALIST TREE OF LIFE

Rod of an Almond Tree - Chapter 5: The Tree of Life "...According to Genesis 28:... "And (Jacob) called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz... What was this place that Jacob called 'the house of God'? The place had been called Luz, but he renamed it Bethel, meaning the 'House of God.'...Mount Moriah in Jerusalem is identified with the site of Jacob's dream... "An essential clue relating to the Tree of Life is found in the earliest known name for Mount Moriah, Luz. It means 'almond tree' in Aramaic, Arabic, and Ethiopic. According to The Torah Anthology, the city of Luz was associated with an immense almond tree. In addition, it was thought that God, from the time of creation, had determined that the Death Angel would not have any power in this place so that its inhabitants would never experience death." (p. 113) Footnote 3: "The research and insight of Peter A. Michas indicates that the ladder to Heaven had two legs: one leading up from the Holy of Holies on Mount Moriah and the other leading up from the Red Heifer Altar on the Mount of Olives...The meaning of the two legs above Jerusalem represents 'The Gate of Heaven' referred to in Genesis 28:17." (p. 118) SHAMBHALA, Victoria LePage, Wheaton, IL, Quest Books, Theological Pub. House, 1996, p. 157. "...The inititiatic system at the core of all the Western mysteries is centered on a... representation of the tree,...of the sephirot." The Return of the Tree of Life in the Apocalypse (Cook) Revelation and the Return of the Tree of Life In the final culmination of the Bible in the last passage of Revelation, is an endearing passage which prophesies the return of the tree of life as the central throne of God, the source of immortal life and the healing of the nations in the new Jerusalem:

And [the angel] shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. And this tree is to be the source to the blessed: Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. The lunar monthly yielding of fruit reflects more closely the living sacrament than the annual fruits of flowering plants. The twelve sacred fruit are the other great spiritual sacraments of the tree. Around them extend to life-prolonging and anti-cancer properties of a diversity of plants. This prophecy is of double significance in that it is heralded by an earlier Old Testament vision in Ezekiel 47. "Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward ... And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. ... And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. ... And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine". It is further parallelled in the Essene prophesies of the priestly Messiah: "And he shall open the gates of paradise, And shall remove the threatening sword against Adam. And he shall give to the saints to eat from the tree of life, And the spirit of holiness shall be on them." A DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS, Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, Penguin Books, 1996, p. 1028. "DeLubac regards the cross, standing on a mountain in the centre of the world, as wholly renewing the ancient symbol of the Cosmic or World Tree. In any case, Christian iconography provides constant examples of the leafy cross, or Tree Cross, where the gap between the upper branches reveals the symbolism of the fork and its graphic representation of the letter Y, or Oneness and Duality. At the extreme limit, by metonomy, Christ himself the World Tree, the World Axis, the ladder, a comparison which Origin makes explicit."

SHAMBHALA, Victoria LePage, Wheaton IL, Quest Books, Theosophical Pub. House., 1996, p. 155. "[The Christmas Tree] was once called the Tree of Life, or the World Tree. Uniting the dimensions of heaven, earth and the underworld, it was the cosmic axis at the center of the world, the Axis Mundi, through which the eternal energies of creation poured continuously into time. The greenness of the Tree of Life...is...the sign of promise of life eternally renewed...Similarly, the silver star on the top of the Christmas tree, the one the magi saw, is as a mythic image of the polestar of world axis and the bright star of Inanna, Aphrodite and Venus, accompanying all the divine births all over the Near East." A DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS, J.E. Cirlot, NY: Barnes & Nobles, 1971, 1995, p. 69. "Cross" "...the Cross is...an inversion of the Tree of Paradise. Hence, the cross is often represented in medieval allegory as a Y-shaped tree...like the Tree of Life, the cross stands for the world-axis. Placed in the midst of the mystic centre of the cosmos, it becomes the bridge or ladder by means of which the soul may reach to God." See As Above, So Below - p. 117 - Heavenly Tree of Life to reappear in New Jerusalem "Jeremiah's vision of the rod of an almond tree and God's promise to watch over His word, Yeshua, to perform the act of redemption was fulfilled at the crucifixion (Jeremiah 1:11,12). In this way, the Tree of Life, the source of the almond rod, is both literally and symbolically represented in the redemption of all humankind. Through it, God brought redemption first to the Israelites and, ultimately, to all humankind through Yeshua -- the Fruit of the Tree of Life, Who gives eternal life to all who trust in Him alone!" (p. 147) "Regarding the crucifixion, certain symbolic meanings and patterns are revealed when viewed from the Hebraic perspective. One such pattern is that of the menorah. As previously mentioned, the menorah, the golden seven-branched candelabrum kept in the Holy Place of the Temple, represented the Tree of Life (chapter 5). And a miraculously budding branch of this tree, called Aaron's rod, was planted on the Mount of Olives by David and grew into the crucifixion tree (Chapters 6 and 7). In this symbolic parallel, Yeshua represents the fruit of the Tree of Life..." (p. 234) Father + Mother = Son; Tree of Life = Hermaphrodite A DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS, Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, Penguin Books, 1996, p. 1031. "The Tree of Life may originally may have been regarded as an image of the Primordial Hermaphrodite, but on the level of the phenomenal world the trunk rising to the skies, a symbol of preeminently solar strength and power, is really the phallus, the archetypal image of the Father." An expose about Madeleine L'Engle by Claris Van Kuiken: Battle To Destroy Truth: Unveiling A Trail Of Deception, 1996, was evaluated by a researcher: "The Quest magazine,...is a publication of The Theosophical Society. This society is based on a highly developed system of occultism derived from mystery religions and

Hindu philosophy....Because of my research, I knew that The Quest was an occult magazine and obtained a copy. Inside the front cover it read: "Ancient Wisdom for a New Age." Books such as "The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, The Goddess Reawakening, The Tarot, Shamanism, The Wholeness Principle, The Kabbala, are encouraged reading." "In TRUTH AND REVELATION, Berdyaev promotes the concept of transcendental man, the "Adam Kadmon of the Kabbalah." He states that 'Truth is revealed in various ways in accordance with degrees of consciousness' and that the 'supra-consciousness corresponds to transcendental man' (Geoffrey Bles Ltd., London, W.C., 1953, pp. 17,27). In the Kabbala (the occult books of Jewish mysticism), the aim of humankind is to realize union with the Divine. Symbolizing this union is a diagram called the Tree of Life which depicts ten different levels or spheres of spiritual reality in man and the cosmos. These ten stages are called Sephirot (emanations of God" (Drury, Nevill, Dictionary of Mysticism, Rev. ed., Avery Publishing Group Inc., Garden City Park, New York, 1992, p. 3). In the Kabbala, we find the New Age concept of androgyne (also taught in witchcraft and Eastern religion as shown in the first part of this article). Adam Kadmon is both male and female. The right side of the Tree of Life is female; the left is male....The purpose of the Tree of Life is to show 'the descent of the divine into the material world, and the path by which people can ascend to the divine while still in the flesh.' It is through contemplation and meditation (techniques similar to Eastern yoga disciplines, that the Kabbalist ascends the Tree of Life to attain 'enlightenment' or godhood (Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, Harper's Encyclopedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience, pp.307 -308)."

UNIVERSAL SALVATION
Rod of an Almond Tree (references throughout book) Page 86 - "His sacrifice was the ultimate atonement for the sins of all humankind." 95 - "Now that the place of Yeshua's sacrifice for the sin of humankind has been firmly established..." 106-7 - "Yeshua's sacrifice provides full payment for sin for Jew and Gentile alike." 117 - "...a plan of redemption was provided for humankind to be restored to an eternal, spiritual union with the Creator."

129 - "[It is]...fascinating...to trace the rod of God and search out its essential role in the universal redemption of humankind...the authors believe it was... preserved until the crucifixion to become the instrument of redemption for all humankind." 132 - "Was David given a vision of these events and then directed by God to plant the rod, knowing it would become the instrument of redemption for all humankind?" 147 - See above -"... the redemption of all humankind. Through it, God brought redemption first to the Israelites and, ultimately, to all humankind through Yeshua -- the Fruit of the Tree of Life, Who gives eternal life to all who trust in Him alone!" (p. 147) 148 - "Two thousand years later, Yeshua, His head surrounded by the same kind of thorns...was provided as the ultimate substitute sacrifice for all humankind's sins." 165 - "Moreover, [Yeshua] may have been expressing the hope that humankind would accept that sacrifice and no longer partake of the fruit of disobedience." 174 - "The wine symbolizes His blood: it was shed in atonement for humankind's sin." 175 - "...He asked that the will of the Father be done, knowing that the only way to bring salvation to humankind was through His own sacrifice..." 176 - "Yeshua voluntarily gave Himself over to them in order to fulfill His purpose of redeeming humankind." 181 - "Yeshua, God's Passover Lamb -- innocent of any sin -- was delivered as a substitute sacrifice for the sins of humanity." 183 - "Clearly, this altar was of supreme importance to God in accepting the ultimate sin sacrifice for all humankind's sin." 184 - "This was a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity's sin yet to come." 193 - "Even the name Yeshua, meaning 'Salvation,' is consistent with Yeshua's role as the Savior of humankind (Matt. 1:21)" [And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.] 195 - "This same Messiah is the Savior of all humankind because the root of Jesse includes all believers (Isaiah 60) 235 - "The symbolic meaning of Passover pointed to Yeshua, and was fulfilled in His sacrifice as God's Passover Lamb for the redemption of all humankind."

JESUS THE NAZARENE

Rod of an Almond Tree: Chapter 10 - The Hidden Meaning of Pilate's Inscription "And Pilate wrote an inscription [title] also, and put it on the cross. And it was written, 'JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS' (John 19:19) "After two thousand years, is it possible to unlock the mystery of its meaning? [new revelation] "...First note that there are slight variations among English translations. For example, both King James Version (KJV) and New International Version (NIV) translate: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS "In contrast, both New American Standard and Amplified Bible (AB) translate: JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS "The word translated 'Nazareth' in some English translations and 'Nazarene' in others is accurately translated from the original Greek as Nazarene. The actual Hebrew word, transliterated into English, is Hanatzri." "Judging by the reaction of the religious leaders, it seems the translation of the second omicron is and, resulting in the following English translation of the inscription: JESUS THE NAZARENE AND KING OF THE JEWS "The last two Greek words in the inscription translate into English as 'of the Jews.' In Hebrew, it is one word, which translates into English as HaYehudim." (pp. 189-191) Nazarenes = name of initiated members of Essene Community at Qumran. The Society for the Advancement of Nazarene Judaism is part of the Messianic Friends Network to which Messengers of Messiah also belongs. The following explanation of the Nazarenes identical to that found in Bloodline of the Holy Grail: Nazarenes Qumran and the Essenes by James Trimm "The modern efforts to restore New Testament understanding to its Nazarene Jewish origins has often focused on parallels with Rabbinic Judaism (which descends from Pharisaic Judaism). There is much to be said for such parallels and I do not oppose these comparisons. However many of the Nazarene movement have neglected the very significant parallels between the New Testament, the Nazarenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls and Essene Judaism...

"Yeshua went out into the wilderness to be tempted (Mt. 4:1f). Yeshuas twelve talmidim (students) remind us of the council of twelve at Qumran (Manual of Discipline 1QS 8:1). Yeshuas twelve talmidim seemed to be headed by three (Kefa (Peter), James (Yaakov) and Yochanan (John) and the twelve laymen of Qumran were headed by three priests (1QS 8:1)." Cf. Bloodline of the Holy Grail, Laurence Gardiner, p. 36-7, 50. "The modern Arabic for 'Christians' is Nasrani, and the Islamic Koran refers to the Christians as Nasara or Nazara. These variants ultimately derive from the Hebrew Hozrim, a plural nown stemming from the term Nazrie ha-Brit 'Keepers of the Covenant', a designation of the Essene Community at Qumran on the Dead Sea... "John the Baptist and Jesus's brother James were both Nazarites...Nazarites were ascetic individuals bound by strict vows through predetermined periods, as related to Moses (Numbers 6:2-21). In the gospel era, Nazarites were associated with the Essene Community of Qumran - the environment of Joseph and Mary... "The apostles were clearly no ragtag band of righteous devotees but an influential Council of Twelve under their supreme leader Jesus the Christ (King). Only much later did his name become contracted to 'Jesus Christ', as if this were a proper name in its own right. It is worth reminding ourselves here that the Qumran Manual of Discipline details the importance of a Council of Twelve to preserve the faith of the land." See also Watch Unto Prayer report on The Message of Mary for gnostic life of Jesus.

THE INEFFABLE NAME OF GOD

Rod of an Almond Tree: Chapter 10 - The Ineffable Name of God "...God gave Adam a branch from the Tree of Life, which was engraved with the Ineffable Name of God (YHVH). Considering its source, it must have been of supreme symbolic significance...Perhaps at some future time, a discovery will be made to verify the history of this divine rod." (p. 119) "According to one account: On Joseph's death the Egyptian nobles stole some of his belongings, and, among them, Jethro appropriated the staff. Jethro planted the staff in his garden, when its marvelous virtue was revealed by the fact that nobody could withdraw it from the ground; even to touch it was fraught with danger to life. This was because the Ineffable Name of God was engraved upon it. When Moses entered Jethro's household he read the Name, and by means of it was able to draw up the rod, for which service Zipporah, Jethro's daughter, was given to him in marriage (emphasis added). [The Jewish Encyclopedia] "What makes this account so remarkable is the reference to planting the rod engraved with the Ineffable Name of God (YHVH). Considering the prior reference to God's

transplanting the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, it seems of great consequence that a reference is made to planting a branch from this same tree in another garden." (pp. 121-2) "Undoubtedly, David's victory was proof of God's miraculous intervention. The rod, engraved with the Ineffable Name, bore witness to the authority which this miracle of redemption had been performed...." (p. 128) "The Roman Catholic Church borrowed this idea when they placed the four letters INRI on the crucifix. These are the first letters of the four words that make up the inscription in Latin, the language of the Roman Catholic Church: IESVS NAZARENVS REX IUDAEORVM "However, the hidden meaning is entirely lost unless one goes back to the original Hebrew....The first letters of the first four Hebrew words are:

"Before this mystery can be fully revealed, we must remember that Hebrew is read from right to left. In order to clarify this aspect, let us look at the Hebrew for the full inscription, translated into English (from left to right): YESHUA HANATZRI VEMELECH HAYEHUDIM "Thus the first letters of the four words are: YHVH "YHVH -- the Tetragrammaton - is none other than the Ineffable Name of God! It was considered too awesome and too sacred to even be spoken. Let us recall that the rod also carried the Ineffable Name of God." (p. 192) "When the High Priest recited the Tetragrammaton [the name of God] on Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] it could be heard at a very great distance. This was a great miracle, like when the Torah was given, as it was written, 'Moses spoke and God answered in a voice' (Exodus 19:19). God made Moses' voice so strong that all 600,000 Israelites could hear it. Similarly, the same was true of the High Priest. God would make his voice so loud that all the people could hear it (emphasis added)." [Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, The Torah Anthology] "Yeshua, who is The High Priest, spoke with a voice so powerful that it reverberated from the Mount of Olives. Biblical and historical sources seem to show that the only damage sustained during the 'earthquake' at the time of the crucifixion was limited to the Temple and the tombs located on the Mount of Olives. Was the great voice of God, as spoken by Yeshua as He faced the Temple, the actual cause of the ground's shaking?" (pp. 199-200)

Theosophical Glossary, H.P. Blavatsky, Theosophical Publishing House, pp. 155-6. Ineffable Name. With the Jews, the subsitute for the "mystery name" of their tribal deity Eh-yeh, 'I am', or Jehovah. The third commandment prohibiting the using of the latter name 'in vain', the Hebrews substituted for it that of Adonai or "the Lord".... At the present moment neither the Jews nor Christians seem to remember, or so much as suspect, the occult reason why the qualification of Jehovah or YHVH had become reprehensible; most of the Western Kabbalists also seem to be unaware of the fact. The truth is, that the name they bring forward as 'ineffable', is not in the least so. It is the "unpronounceable" or rather the name not to be pronounced, if any thing; and this for symbological reasons. To begin with, the "Ineffable Name" of the true Occultist, is no name at all, least of all is it that of Jehovah. The latter implies, even in its Kabbalistical, esoteric meaning, an androgynous nature, YHVH, or one of a male and female nature. It is simply Adam and Eve, or man and woman blended in one, and as now written and pronounced, is itself a substitute. But the Rabbins do not care to remember the Zoharic admission that YHVH means "not as I Am written, Am I read" (Zohar, fol. III., 230a). One has to know how to divide the Tetragrammaton ad infiniturm before one arrives at the sound of the truly unpronounceable name of the Jewish mystery-god."

ANTIOCH - SEMITIC NEW TESTAMENT

Rod of an Almond Tree: Preface Preface 1 - A Search for Truth - Peter A. Michas Page 19 - "I realized that there were errors in the English translations of the Bible...Like most Christians, I had been taught that the New Testament was originally written in Greek.. I wondered if the gospels were originally written in Judea (OR POSSIBLY IN ANTIOCH, the largest Christian community of the earliest Church), by Jews, about a Jew in Jewish culture, could it be that the Greek was, in fact, attempting to express the Hebrew language and Jewish culture? This required further investigation... I ended up going into a place called Chabbad House which was fun by the Lubovich, the ultraorthodox rabbis. This was the beginning of my education in the Hebraic roots of the Bible." IGNATIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA ONLINE IGNATIUS THEOPHOROS (Greek: "God Bearer") (d. c. 110, Rome), bishop of Antioch, Syria, known mainly from seven highly regarded letters that he wrote during a trip to Rome, as a prisoner condemned to be executed for his beliefs. He was apparently eager to counteract the teachings of two groups--the Judaizers, who did not accept the authority of the New Testament, and the Docetists, who held that Christ's sufferings and

death were apparent but not real. The letters have often been cited as a source of knowledge of the Christian church at the beginning of the 2nd century. Ignatius represented the Christian religion in transition from its Jewish origins to its assimilation in the Greco-Roman world. Ignatius apparently fought two groups of heretics: (1) Judaizers, who did not accept the authority of the New Testament and clung to such Jewish practices as observing the Sabbath, and (2) Docetists (from the Greek dokein, "to seem"), who held that Christ had suffered and died only in appearance. See important Watch Unto Prayer report: The Semitic New Testament

DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT

Rod of an Almond Tree: Denial of Substitutionary Atonement "Just before Yeshua died, He cried out: 'My God, My God, Why has Thou Forsake Me!' and 'It is finished!' (Mark 15:34; John 19:30) These words are often misunderstood to mean that somehow God the Father abandoned His Son. Nothing could be further from the truth and the profound meaning of these words is restored once they are put back into the Hebraic context. According to Hebraic understanding, a reference to the first and last words of a particular text denotes the entire text. With this understanding, Yeshua's final words are of the utmost significance. In Hebrew, He cried out the first and last words of Psalm 22. The Jewish witnesses, especially the priests knew what that Psalm contained: a detailed prophetic picture of the crucifixion, written one thousand years before by David! Truly, Yeshua was testifying that He is the prophetic fulfillment of Psalm 22!" (pp. 1845) "Most Biblical commentators say that it was the veil in front of the Holy of Holies that was rent in two. However there were actually two veils in the Second Temple: one in front of the Holy Place, at the eastern entrance to the Temple, and another separating the Holy Place from the innermost...Holy of Holies...Scripture is very specific that it was the veil of the Temple that was rent from top to bottom... [A.T.] Robertson states: "Josephus (War VI. 199) tells of a quaking in the temple before the destruction and the Talmud tells of a quaking forty years before the destruction of the temple [in 70 C.E.]. Allen suggests that a 'cleavage in the masonry of the porch, which rent the outer veil and left the Holy Place open to view, would account for the language of the Gospels, of Josephus, and of the Talmud' (emphasis added)... "What they witnessed was the symbolic removal of the spiritual separation that existed between God and humanity. Human beings no longer required a Levitical High Priest as their mediator to God. From that time forward each believer was given a direct access to God through Yeshua, the eternal High Priest, and the only mediator between man and God." (pp. 200-2)

"Hank Hannegraff gives an excellent explanation to clarify the meaning of [II Corinthians 5:21]: '...Jesus did not literally become sin; sin was imputed to Him. The Bible insists that the sacrifice of Christ was a sufficient substitutionary offering precisely because it was a sinless sacrifice...' "Yeshua did not literally become sin, but the totality of humanity's sin (both past and future) was imputed to Him on the tree. Because Yeshua was sinless and could not retain sin, the authors belief the sin was sent back to Satan by means of the man who chose Satan as his master. "The fate of the unrepentant man, represented by the scapegoat, was to go to a place of desolation and separation from God. (p. 240-1) The scapegoat was a type of Christ bearing the sin of Israel. Misinterpretation of these Scriptures misses entirely the substitutionary aspect of the atonement. Hank Hannegraff is an apostate evangelical who rejects the KJV-Only position and retracted his criticism of the Pensacola Revival.

DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST

Rod of An Almond Tree: Joseph was the father of Jesus P. 195 - "At His second coming, Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah) will be revealed as Yeshua ben David (Yeshua, son of David) and fulfill His role as the Messiah who comes to set up His Kingdom in triumph. At the time of His crucifixion, however, He fulfilled the role of the Messiah as the Suffering Servant, Yeshua ben Joseph (Isaiah 53).

RESPONSIBILITY OF JEWS
Denial of culpability for death of Jesus - Chapter 9 "At this point it is essential to clarify the meaning of the Greek words, hoi Ioudiaoi, translated 'the Jews.' According to Malcolm Lowe, a Christian writer, editor and lecturer residing in Jerusalem: "...When John 19 is read carefully, one finds that the people had no role in the death of Jesus. Even those who call for the freeing of Barabbas are not a crowd of people, but just the chief priests and their officers... "But who was the real power in the leadership at the time of Yeshua?

"The Herodian dynasty was founded by Herod the Great, whose father was an Edomite (Idumean) and whose mother was a Nabatean Arab. Recall that the Hasomonean dynasty which annexed Idumea compelled the Edomites to adopt Judaism. For this reason, Herod considered himself to be a Jew. However, the Pharisees, the spiritual leaders of the people, and the Jewish people never accepted Herod and his descendants as legitimate rulers. In fact, Herod required assistance from Rome to become installed as King of the Jews. "No only were the Edomites the actual political power at that time, but the religious leadership was totally under their control... The Herodian Edomites totally controlled the office [of High Priest] and filled it with illegitimate priests based solely on political considerations... "At Passover, the people could choose to release one man condemned to die. Pilate offered Yeshua as that man but the corrupt religious leaders and their associates chose Barabbas. The people were not present and so no represented. Scripture clearly indicates that the Jewish people as a whole accepted Yeshua as a prophet from God, and that it was the chief priests (the religious leadership and the rulers (the Edomite leadership) who were responsible for condemning and crucifying Him..." (pp. 179-81) The 2000 JERUSALEM: COMING OF AGE IN THE MILLENNIUM event has composed an agenda which requires that the Christian Church absolve the Jews of all responsibility for the death of Jesus Christ: The Rebirth of the Church and the Transfoliation of Life "This continuing anti-semitism of the Christian Church incorrectly blaming the Jews for Jesus' death when it was by Rome himself that he was crucified leads directly to the mentality of the holocaust triggering the founding of the Jewish state and the unresolved tension in the Middle East today. A full apology is required for all the centuries, not too little too late." Requirements of Christians in Requital Document of Sakina to include: Bottom Line: The Pope has declared the millennium to be an occasion to right the sins of the Church ... I applaud this and request the following: Apology made for blaming Christ's Roman crucifixion on the Jews - a virtuous step taken much too late. This should be forthcoming from all Christians publicly...

THE PROVIDENTIAL PRESERVATION OF THE GREEK TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

BY Rev. W. MacLean , M.A. - Westminster Standard. Fourth Edition 1983 - Printed by Te Rau Press Limited, Gisborne. PREFACE. "The Providential Preservation of the Greek Text of the New Testament" has been compiled from the writings of distinguished scholars, in defence of the integrity and providential preservation of the Greek Text underlying the Authorised Version of the English Bible. The extracts in the main are from the following sources: 1. "The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels Vindicated and Established" by Dean Burgon of Chichester, completed and edited by the Rev. Edward Miller, Prebendary of Chichester after Dean Burgon's death. This is a standard work. The learned Dean's Vindication - 'that grand scholar' to use Dr. Scriviner's phrase - is unanswerable. 2. "The King James Version Defended. - A Christian View of the New Testament Manuscripts" by Dr. E.F. Hills, first issued in 1956". The Rev. Donald MacLean, Theological Tutor, Glasgow, in his review writes,"The refreshing title given to his book shows that Dr. Hills has no dubiety about the superiority of the Textus Receptus to other texts. We are not acquainted with Dr. Hills' theological position, but he is evidently a firm believer in the inspiration and infallibility of the Bible, and a strenuous opponent of the modern critical methods which have so disastrously ruined the authority of the Word of God in the consciences of sinners. It appears, too, that Dr. Hills is a scholar of considerable ability. 'It is evident,' says President R.B. Kuiper of Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids, in the Preface, 'that Dr. Hills is entitled to a hearing because of his scholarship. I think it is no less evident that he deserves a respectful hearing because of his theological convictions.' Prof. F.F. Bruce of Sheffield University, who does not agree with Dr. Hills' point of view, says of him - 'a well known textual critic and probably the most distinguished contemporary defender of the superiority of the Byzantine text-type.' It is encouraging to read one of Dr. Hills acknowledged ability being such a whole-hearted defender of the King James Version. It would be out of place in a magazine of this kind to enter into a detailed discussion of the reasons given by Dr. Hills for accepting the Textus Receptus, but some indication may be given of his views on a proper approach to the subject. These stem from two positions which he considers to be absolutely necessary for one to have a proper view of the text of the Bible. The first of these is belief in the divine inspiration and the consequent infallibility of the Word of God. Anyone who looks upon the Bible as a divine revelation cannot approach it as he would any other book written by a human author. The second position taken by Dr. Hills is that the Scriptures have been preserved by God in His providence so that the Church would always have the Word as a light to her feet

and a lamp to her path. Both these positions are contained in the admirable statement in the Westminster Confession of Faith, in which the Scriptures are maintained to have been "immediately inspired by God and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages." (Ch. I. Sec. VIII). "Liberal scholars, of course, reject the doctrine of divine inspiration which makes God the Author of His Truth, and constitutes the Bible an infallible revelation of His mind. Conservative scholars, while accepting divine inspiration, have been lamentably weak on the second position concerning God's singular care and providence in keeping the Scriptures pure in all ages. This reviewer was very pleased with Dr. Hills' sharp criticism of Dr. B.B. Warfield on this aspect of the subject. Although Warfield was an evangelical scholar of great erudition, and an able opponent of Liberalism, he failed to show a similar consistency in the sphere of Textual Criticism. His view of God's singular care was that copies of the Scriptures had been multiplied and scholars raised up to collect and collate the various manuscripts and give us the Word of God. In this way he looked upon critics such as Westcott and Hort as instruments of God's singular care in keeping the text pure. He did not seem to see that the tendency of critical methods which look upon the Bible as any other book, was not to preserve the Text but to destroy it, by making additions to and subtractions from it according to the subjective view of any particular critic... "While the true Christian is not dependent upon the fluctuating opinions of men for his belief in the Scriptures - (this comes from the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit) - yet he cannot fail to be interested in attempts made to defend the Word of God against the inroads of unbelieving criticism. Dr. Hills' book is a fine attempt to do this and we look forward to further books from his able and wellinformed pen." - Dr. Donald MacLean. (Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Magazine, June, 1960.). 3. "The Doctrinal Deficiencies of the Modern Versions Traced to Their Sources. With Special Reference to the Revised Version and the Revised Standard Version" by the Rev. Terence H. Brown, a copy of which Mr. Brown sent to the Westminster Standard, Gisborne, and in his accompanying letter kindly said, "We would like you to feel free to use this material at your discretion" Mr. Brown's article has been incorporated in this tractate with the exception of the list of significant passages, denying the eternal deity of Christ, which he quotes from the Revised Standard Version. Mr. Brown is the Secretary of the Trinitarian Bible Society, London, a Society which prints and circulates the Authorised Version only. Mr. Brown is an authority on New Testament Manuscripts. His critique of the New English Bible "The New Translation of the New Testament. A Detailed and Critical Examination of the Text" has had a world-wide circulation. With admirable clearness and precision he demonstrates how disastrously the translators have failed to substantiate the claims advanced for their translation that the work of the Church

was hindered by the archaic language of the Authorised Version of 1611, and the Revised Version of the 19th Century. The aim of this tractate is to counteract the insinuations and avowed attacks on the integrity of the text on which the Authorised Version is based. "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." II Corinthians 2:17. Rev. W. MacLean.

THE PROVIDENTIAL PRESERVATION OF THE GREEK TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

"Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, all of which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life. The books commonly called the Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of Scripture: and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, not to be any otherwise approved, or else made use of, than other human writings." (The Westminster Confession of Faith. ch. 1.) "No sooner," writes Dean Burgon, "was the work of Evangelists and Apostles recognised as the necessary counterpart and complement of God's ancient Scriptures and became the 'New Testament,' than a reception was found to be awaiting it in the world closely resembling that which He experienced Who is the subject of its pages. Calumny and misrepresentation, persecution and murderous hate, assailed Him continually. And the Written Word in like manner, in the earliest age of all, was shamefully handled by mankind. Not only was it confused through human infirmity and misapprehension, but it became also the object of restless malice and unsparing assaults. {"The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels Vindicated and Established" p.10. Behind this restless malice and unsparing assaults is the enmity of him who "was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." John 8:44. And never was there a time in which Satan's restless malice and unsparing assaults are so directed against the Written Word, through his agents under the cloak of religion and scholarship so-called, than in this our day of blasphemy and rebuke. "Before our Lord ascended up to heaven," continues Dean Burgon, "He told His disciples that He would send them the Holy Ghost, who should supply His place and abide with His Church for ever. He added a promise that it should be

the office of that inspiring Spirit not only to bring to their remembrance all things whatsoever he had told them, but also to guide His Church 'into all Truth' or 'the whole Truth,' (John 16:13). Accordingly, the earliest great achievement of those days was accomplished on giving to the Church the Scriptures of the New Testament, in which, authorised teaching was enshrined in written form,.....There exists no reason for supposing that the Divine Agent, who in the first instance thus gave to mankind the Scriptures of Truth, straightway abdicated His office: took no further care of His work; abandoned those precious writings to their fate. That a perpetual miracle was wrought for their preservation - that copyists were protected against all risk of error, or evil men prevented from adulterating shamefully copies of the Deposit - no one, it is presumed, is so weak as to suppose. But it is quite a different thing to claim that all down the ages the sacred writings must needs have been God's peculiar care; that the Church under Him has watched over them with intelligence and skill, has recognised which copies exhibit a fabricated, which an honestly transcribed text has generally sanctioned the one, and generally disallowed the other." The great theologian, Dr. John Owen in the "Divine Original of the Scripture", states: "The providence of God hath manifested itself as no less concerned in the preservation of the writings than of the doctrine contained in them; the writing itself being the product of His own eternal counsel for the preservation of the doctrine, after a sufficient discovery of the insufficiency of all other means for that end and purpose. And hence the malice of Satan hath raged no less against the Book than against the truth contained in it." (p.300). "The doctrine of the providential preservation of the Scriptures," writes Dr. L.F. Hills, "was not explicitly stated in any creed until the seventeenth century, when two formulations appeared, the one in the Westminster Confession (1646) and the other in the Swiss Declaration (1673). The Westminster Confession affirmed that 'the Scriptures were immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages.' And the Swiss Declaration developed this same doctrine more fully in the following words: 'Almighty God not only provided that His Word which is a power to every one who believes, should be committed to writing through Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles, but also has watched over it with a fatherly care up to the present time, and guarded lest it might be corrupted by the craft of Satan or any fraud of man.' "But the doctrine of the providential preservation of Scripture is not merely a seventeenth century doctrine. I is the doctrine of the Scriptures, and of Christ Himself. Our Lord evidently believed that the Old Testament had been thus preserved. There are two passages especially which clearly indicate this. The first is Matt. 5:18: "Till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." And the second is Luke 16:17 "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." Here Jesus attributes greater stability to the text of the Old Testament than to the heavens and the earth. .....

"Christ also taught that the same divine providence which had preserved the Old Testament would preserve the New Testament, too. In the concluding verses of the Gospel of Matthew we find His "Great Commission" not only to the twelve apostles but also to His Church throughout all ages, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations." Implied in this solemn charge is the promise that through the working of God's providence the Church will always be kept in possession of an infallible record of Christ's words and works. "The providential preservation of the Scriptures is also a necessary consequence of their divine inspiration. The God who inspired the Scriptures and gave them to His people to be an authoritative guide and consolation cannot allow this perfect and final revelation of His will to perish. Because God has inspired the Scriptures, He has also preserved them by His providence." "The very concept of God's providential preservation of Scripture," continues Dr. Hills, "involves this basic idea, that God authenticates as well as preserves, that He has placed His Church in actual possession of the genuine text. God chose the Jewish Church to be the guardian of the Old Testament Scriptures and the Greek Church to guard the New, and at the time of the Reformation, Protestants received from the Jews and the Greeks the genuine texts of holy Scripture....Therefore, if the New Testament really has been divinely inspired and providentially preserved, the theory of Westcott and Hort cannot be correct because it has neglected the two special factors which make the textual criticism of the New Testament different from that of all other books.... "Since, therefore, God controls and directs all the activities and processes of the universe, even the smallest, surely the transmission of the New Testament down through the ages must always have been the object of God's special care and guidance. The nature and results of this providential preservation of the New Testament text can be summarised in the six following axioms of consistently Christian New Testament textual criticism: (a) The purpose of the providential preservation of the New Testament is to preserve the infallibility of the inspired original Text. (b) This providential preservation concentrated itself on the Greek New Testament text. (c) This providential preservation operated within the sphere of the Greek Church. (d) This providential preservation operated through the testimony of the Holy Spirit. (e) The text of the majority of the manuscripts is the providentially preserved and approved text.

(f)

The text of the majority of the manuscripts is the standard text."

"The New Testament text, therefore, which is found in the vast majority of the extant manuscripts is the providentially preserved and approved text, the text upon which Almighty God, expressing Himself providentially in the usage of the Greek Church, has placed His divine sanction. This text is usually called the Byzantine Text, because it was the text of the whole Greek Church during most of the Byzantine Period (312-1453). It is found not only in the vast majority of the extant New Testament manuscripts but it also very familiar to the vast majority of Bible readers all over the world, for it is the text of the King James Version and of the other early Protestant translations. "The Byzantine text then, found in the vast majority of the New Testament manuscripts, is the text upon which God, working providentially through the usage of the Greek-speaking Church, has placed the stamp of His approval. It is the best extant text. It represents the inspired original text very accurately, more accurately than any other New Testament text which survives from the manuscript period. In other words, the Byzantine Text is the Standard Text." *(Extracts from ch. 2 of "The King James Version Defended!")See appendix II PROOFS VINDICATING THE TRADITIONAL OR STANDARD TEXT. 1. Printed Editions of the Greek New Testament

"For many centuries before the Reformation," writes the Rev. T.H. Brown, "Greek Scholarship was virtually non-existent in Western Europe. In 1453 Constantinople, the eastern capital of the eastern part of the Empire and the centre of the Eastern Church, fell to the Moslem invaders. One far-reaching result of this calamity was that Christian scholars with a knowledge of Greek, and with Greek copies of the Holy Scriptures in their possession, fled to Western Europe where their influence gave a new impetus to the study of the Greek language. It has been said of this period that 'Greece rose from the grave with the New Testament in her hand.' Among the next generation of Greek scholars was Erasmus of Rotterdam, who prepared an edition of the Greek New Testament from five manuscripts in repute at that time. This edition was printed in 1516 and was followed by four later editions. At Alcala (Complutum) University, in 1502, Cardinal Ximenses gathered manuscripts and men under the direction of Stunica, who published the "Complutensian Polyglot" in 1522, again from comparatively few manuscripts. Robert Stephens, relying largely upon Erasmus and Stunica, and with a possible sixteenth manuscripts at this disposal, produced editions of the Greek text in 1546, 1550, 1551 and 1559. In 1552 he withdrew to Geneva and joined the Protestant cause. Theodore Beza produced five editions of the Greek between 1559 and 1598. These followed Stephens fairly closely, although Beza had some ancient manuscripts not available to Stephens. The Elzevir Brothers' 1624 edition

printed at Leyden has much in common with those of Stephens and Beza. The Elzevir edition of 1624 has had this title on the Continent. 2. The Protestant Translations.

The Protestant versions in England and on the Continent in the 16th and 17th centuries were based on these editions of the Greek text. These early printed Greek editions were themselves based on comparatively few manuscripts, which have nevertheless proved to be representative of the Greek text embraced many centuries earlier throughout the Greek Church. The English versions of Tyndale, Coverdale, Matthews (or Rogers), the Great Bible, the Geneva Bible, the Bishops' Bible and the Authorised Version were all based upon this little company of Greek documents, in which was preserved the Greek Text generally received throughout the Greek Church since the Apostolic ages. The Authorised Version. At the Hampton Court Conference of 1604 the Puritan leader Reynolds made the suggestion - which was first opposed and then adopted by the Conference with the enthusiastic approval of King James 1 - that there should be a new translation of the Holy Scriptures in English, to replace the different versions then in common use. Fifty-four men, including High Churchmen (not to be confused with Anglo-Catholics) and Puritans. The greatest Hebrew and Greek scholars of the age, formed six companies to undertake the task. Using their Greek sources and the best commentaries of the European scholars, and referring to Bibles in Spanish, Italian, French and German, they expressed the sense of the Greek in clear, vigorous and idiomatic English. In 1786 Dr. Geddes wrote, "If accuracy and strictest attention to the letter of the text be supposed to constitute an excellent version, this is of all versions the most excellent." Bishop Lightfoot affirmed that this version was the storehouse of the highest truth and the purest well of our native English. "Indeed,", he wrote, "we may take courage from the fact that the language of our English Bible is not the language of the age in which the translators lived, but in its grand simplicity stands out in contrast to the ornate and often affected diction of the literature of the time." 3. Recent Discoveries and Textual Criticism.

During the next three hundred years vast numbers of documents were brought to light and Biblical scholars made many attempts to reconstruct the Greek New Testament. There are now about 4,500 Greek manuscripts, including 170 papyrus fragments (2nd-7th century); 212 Uncial copies (4th-10th century) 2,429 Minuscules (9th-16th century) and 1,678 Lectionary copies. The overwhelming majority of these manuscripts agree so closely that they may be said to present the same Greek Text, called by some the "Byzantine Text"

because it prevailed throughout the Church in the Byzantine period A.D., 3121453 (and long after). 4. The Versions.

In addition to these Greek sources scholars have recovered copies of ancient translations in Latin, Syriac, Egyptian, Ethiopic, Armenian, Gothic, etc. Some of these originated before our oldest existing Greek copies and thus testify to the contents of still earlier manuscripts. The great weight of this evidence is favourable to the "Received Text" underlying the Authorised Version. 5. Early Greek and Latin Writers - The "Fathers"

The writings of early champions of the truth (and heretics) contain copious references to the Scriptures and again testify concerning the Greek text as it was in the 2nd century onwards - in a period earlier than our oldest copies. The majority of these witnesses support the so-called "Byzantine" or "Received" or "Traditional" text underlying the Authorised Version, and they establish the antiquity of this text and its superior acceptance in the earliest period. 6. The Papyri

It is alleged that the most ancient papyrus fragments are hostile to the Received Text, but it must be remembered that the fragments that remain are few in comparison with the many that must have perished through long and frequent use. It is probable that the surviving minority survived because they were not much used and that they fell into disuse because of their deficiencies. Twenty-nine papyri of the 6th and 8th centuries do not contain a distinctively "Byzantine" type of text, although it is beyond question that the "Byzantine" text was dominant in that period. These papyri are surviving representatives of a defective and discarded text. 7. Favourable Evidence of the Papyri

Some of the papyrus fragments of earliest date do contain reading which 19th century scholars had wrongly rejected as belonging to a late "Syrian" or "Byzantine" revision. This is true of the document known as Papyrus Bodmer II (A.D. 200?) which contains John chapters 1-14 including 13% of the readings rejected by the 19th century scholars as "late Byzantine" * *All the sections from "Printed Editions of the Greek New Testament" to "Favourable Evidence of the Papyri" are from the Rev. T.H. Brown's Article. ATTACKS ON THE TRADITIONAL OR RECEIVED TEXT. The Manuscripts.

The attacks on the Received Text are based on the assumption that the new versions of the Bible are based on more reliable manuscripts than those available in the 16th and 17th centuries. But this claim is not supported by the facts. "It may be admitted," writes Rev. Terence Brown, "that the earlier translators had fewer manuscripts at their disposal, but the vast majority of the documents discovered since exhibit the same kind of Greek text as that which underlies the Authorised Version. There are now about 4,500 manuscripts of the New Testament, varying greatly in their age, extent and state of preservation. The bulk of these documents contain the Greek text in a form similar to that found in the copies available in A.D. 1516 or A.D. 1604. The Dissenting Minority. "A small minority of ancient manuscripts contain a very large number of readings different from those found in the great majority. In the 19th century it became the fashion among Biblical scholars of the schools of Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, and Westcott and Hort, to evaluate this small cluster of ancient but defective manuscripts to a position of supreme and infallible authority. Five of these copies were held to be of greater weight than one thousand or more documentary witnesses arrayed against them." (Rev. T.H. Brown). "Manuscript copies" writes Dean Burgon are commonly divided into Uncial, i.e. those which were written in capital letters, and Cursive or "miniscule", i.e. those which were written in running or small hand. This division though convenient is misleading. The earliest of the "Cursives" are more ancient than the latest of the "Uncials" by fully one hundred years. The later body of the "Uncials" belongs virtually, as will be proved, to the body of the "Cursives." There is no merit, so to speak, in a MS. being written in the Uncial character. The number of the Uncials is largely inferior to that of the Cursives, though they usually boast a much higher antiquity.....Now it is not so much an exaggerated, as an utterly mistaken estimate of the importance of the textual decrees of the five oldest of these Uncial copies, which lies at the root of most of the criticism of the last fifty years. We are constrained in consequence to bestow what will appear to some a disproportionate amount of attention on these five codices: viz. The Vatican Codex (also knows as Codex B) and the Sinaitic Codex (also known as Codex Aleph) which are supposed to be both of the fourth century; the Alexandrian Codex A, and the fragmentary Parisian Codex Bezae at Cambridge, which is supposed to have been written in the sixth. ....It will be found in the end that we have been guilty of no exaggeration in characterising B, Aleph and D at the outset as three of the most corrupt copies in existence. Let not anyone suppose that the age of these five MSS. places them on a pedestal higher than all others. They can be proved to be wrong time after time by evidence of an earlier period than that which they can boast." (The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels, p. 24,25).

"These few ancient MSS. hostile to the true text abound in omissions, alterations and transpositions of words and phrases, and have no valid title to be regarded as the sole trustworthy guides to the text of Holy Scripture. Mere antiquity is no guarantee of authority. These are old copies but they are bad copies and the Greek Church as a whole in the 4th century rejected their unreliable testimony and permitted them to sink into undignified oblivion. They have been recently disinterred and permitted to foist their ancient errors upon undiscerning readers of our own times." (Rev. T.H. Brown.) In the 1860's the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus became available to Biblical scholars, and in 1881 Westcott and Hort advanced the theory that the New Testament text was preserved in an almost perfect state in these two fourth century manuscripts.* (*See Appendix III). The Codex Sinaiticus derives its name from the fact that it was discovered by Dr. Tischendorf in the Convent of St. Catherine at the foot of Mount Sinai in a basket full of old parchments to be used as fuel. This Codex is also known as Aleph. The Codex Vaticanus, Codex B, also dating back to the fourth century, has been in the custody of the Vatican for over 500 years. "Hort made a distinction," writes Dr. Hills, "between B and all the other manuscripts commonly classed as Alexandrian. He believed that B contained a singularly pure text to which he gave the name 'Neutral' (uncontaminated). ....This theory of the unique excellence of Codex B was enthusiastically upheld for many years by Hort's followers especially in England and America." In connection with Westcott and Hort's theory Dean Burgon writes, "We oppose facts to their speculation. They exalt B and Aleph and D because in their own opinions those copies are the best. They weave ingenious webs, and invent subtle theories, because their paradox of a few against the many requires ingenuity and subtlety for its support. Dr. Hort revelled in finespun theories and technical terms, such as "Intrinsic Probability," "Transcriptional Probability," "Internal evidence of Readings," "Internal evidence of Documents," which of course connote a certain amount of evidence, but are weak pillars of a heavy structure. Even conjectural emendation and inconsistent decrees are not rejected. They are infected with the theorising which spoils some of the best German work, and with the idealism which is the bane of many academic minds especially at Oxford and Cambridge. In contrast with this sojourn in cloudland, we are essentially of the earth though not earthy. We are nothing if we are not grounded in facts: our appeal is to facts, our test lies in facts, so far as we can we build testimonies upon testimonies and pile facts on facts. We imitate the procedure of courts of justice in decisions resulting from the converging product of all evidence, when it has been cross-examined and sifted. "I proceed to offer for the reader's consideration seven tests of Truth concerning each of which I shall have something to say in the way of explanation by-and-by. In the end I shall ask the reader to allow that where these seven tests are found to conspire we may confidently assume that the evidence is worthy of

all acceptance, and is to be implicitly followed. A reading should be attested then by the seven following: 1. Antiquity or Primitiveness; 2. Consent of Witnesses, or Number; 3. Variety of Evidence, or Catholicity; 4. Respectability of Witnesses, or Weight; 5. Continuity, or Unbroken Tradition; 6. Evidence of the Entire Passage, or Context; 7. Internal Considerations, or Reasonableness ." In the balances of these seven Tests of Truth the speculations of the Westcott and Hort school, which have bewitched millions are 'Tekel,' weighed in the balances and found wanting. "I am utterly disinclined to believe," continues Dean Burgon, "so grossly improbable does it seem - that at the end of 1800 years 995 copies out of every thousand, suppose, will prove untrustworthy; and that the one, two, three, four or five which remain, whose contents were till yesterday as good as unknown, will be found to have retained the secret of what the Holy Spirit originally inspired. I am utterly unable to believe, in short, that God's promise has so entirely failed, that at the end of 1800 years, much of the text of the Gospel had in point of fact, to be picked by a German critic out of a wastepaper basket in the convent of St. Catherine; and that the entire text had to be remodelled after the pattern set by a couple of copies which had remained in neglect during fifteen centuries, and had probably owed their survival to that and had bequeathed their witness to copies made from them. ... Happily, Western Christendom has been content to employ one and the same text for upwards of three hundred years. If the objection be made, as it probably will be, "Do you then mean to rest upon the five manuscripts used by Erasmus?" I reply that the copies employed were selected because they were known to represent the accuracy of the Sacred Word; that the descent of the text was evidently guarded with jealous care, just as the human genealogy of our Lord was preserved; that it rests mainly upon much the widest testimony; and that where any part of it conflicts with the fullest evidence attainable, there I believe it calls for correction." "Professor P. Glaue of Jena," writes Dr. Hills, "in a posthumous article recently published (1954) attacks the text of B and Aleph pronouncing it to be a "learned recension." which was produced in the first half of the fourth century, and which contains arbitrary (and even capricious) corrections of the text. Glaue believed that the Western text is the oldest text and the only text that has not been revised. In order to obtain the best possible edition of the New Testament, he argued, we must abandon our reliance on the text of B and Aleph and turn to the Western text, especially that found in D. This we must endeavour to purify through the use of conjectural emendation." (p. 63) An Error of Judgement*

*All the sections from "An Error of Judgement" to "The Unitarian Bias of the R.S.V." are from the Rev. T.H. Brown's article. "The discovery of these MSS., the Vatican (B) and the Sinai (Aleph)," writes the Rev. Terence Brown, "betrayed many Biblical students into a lamentable infirmity of critical judgement.Tischendorf himself, the discoverer of the Sinai Codex, amended his eighth edition in at least 3,505 places in conformity with new readings which he found in this document. The Codex Vaticanus exercised a similar mesmeric influence on the minds of many nineteenth and twentieth century scholars. The Revised Greek Text underlying the modern versions has the support only of that very small minority of the available MSS. which are in some respects in agreement with the unreliable text of the Sinai and Vatican Codices. An Elaborate Theory. Westcott and Hort devised an elaborate theory, based more on imagination and intuition than upon evidence, elevating this little group of MSS. to the heights of almost infallible authority. Their treatise on the subject and their edition of the Greek N.T. exercised a powerful and far-reaching influence, not only on the next generation of students and scholars, but also indirectly upon the minds of millions who have had neither the ability, nor the time, nor the inclination to submit the theory to a searching examination. A Fundamental Error. Those who do so will find that the whole theory was based upon a fundamental error, namely the assumption that the reliability of these fourth century documents was in proportion to their age. There were no doubt bad copies in every age, some corrupted by accident, some by ignorance and some by design. These two exhibit the most amazing number of incorrect readings. Deficiencies of These MSS. These two MSS and a few others containing a similar text, present in a weakened form, many of the passages of Holy Scripture which speak most plainly of the deity of the Son of God. The trend of Biblical scholarship in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has been towards a 'humanitarian' view of the person of Christ. It does not surprise us that many modern scholars should welcome the support of these two ancient documents, but it saddens us to see so many earnest evangelical Christians ready to accept without question a theory so destructive of the faith once delivered to the saints. Rejecting The Evidence.

In the words of a great nineteenth century scholar - "To cast away at least nineteen twentieths of the evidence, and to draw conclusions from the petty remainder is not less than a crime and a sin, not only by reason of the sacrilegious destructiveness exercised upon the Holy Scriptures, but because such a treatment is inconsistent with conscientious exhaustiveness and logical method." The True Text The Sinai and Vatican manuscripts represent a small family of documents containing various readings which the Church as a whole rejected before the end of the fourth century. Under the singular care and providence of God more reliable MSS. were multiplied and copied from generation to generation, and the great majority of existing MSS. exhibit a faithful reproduction of the true text which was acknowledged by the entire Greek Church in the Byzantine period A.D. 312-1453. This text was also represented by the small group of documents available to Erasmus, Stephens, the compilers of the Complutensian edition and other sixteenth century editors. This text is represented by the Authorised Version and other Protestant translations up to the latter part of the nineteenth century. The Revised Version of 1881. This version was intended to embody the testimony of the newly discovered manuscripts and the fruits of scholarly research in the Greek language, but the whole undertaking was so dominated by the mistaken textual theories of Westcott and Hort, that the years of labour produced an unreliable translation based upon an unreliable text. Influence of Westcott and Hort. When the Revision Committee met, each member was given an advance copy of the edition of the Greek N.T. prepared by Professor Westcott and Professor Hort. These scholars had both persuaded themselves that the true text of the N.T. was preserved in its purest form in the Codex Vaticanus and that the testimony of this manuscript or the Codex Sinaiticus supported by one or more of a small company of documents exhibiting the same kind of text must be regarded as almost infallible in all cases where the available manuscripts presented a variety of readings. Among the Revisers there was only one other who could lay claim to experience and ability in the realm of textual criticism, namely Prebendary Scrivener. As the revision proceeded textual matters were discoursed upon in turn by these three men and in many cases, the more conservative opinions of Scrivener were set aside under pressure from Westcott and Hort. The majority of the Revisers were disposed to be influenced by the judgement of the two

professors and the wiser and more judicious minority were constantly over-ruled in this way. The Revisers' Greek Text. After the publication of R.V. Scrivener was commissioned to prepare an edition of the Greek Text which had been followed by the Revisers. This text was not identical with that of Westcott and Hort but it owed much to their dominant influence and followed their lead in most matters of major importance. In this edition Scrivener was bound to reproduce a Greek text in which there were many features which were repugnant to his own wiser judgement. In his own works, particularly the learned "Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament" (which went through numerous editions including what might be termed a definitive edition by Miller), and Scrivener's Six Lectures on the Text of the New Testament, Scrivener dissented from many of the conclusions of the Revisers. The crux of the matter is Westcott and Hort's insistence upon the superiority of the Codex Vaticanus and the Codex Sinaiticus and a few kindred documents. The worst corruptions of the Greek Text appeared before the end of the second century and it is generally agreed among critical scholars that the few manuscripts available to Stunica, Erasmus and Stephens were infinitely better than many of the earliest period. Some of these ancient but imperfect manuscripts were progenitors of documents like the Codices Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, but side by side with them were other MSS. exhibiting the text more or less as represented by the so-called Received Text and Authorised Version. The most ancient writers and the translators of the most ancient versions were apparently acquainted with both kinds of text. The Antiquity of the Received Text. This fact is admitted by Bishop Ellicott the chairman of the revisers in his pamphlet, "The Revisers and the Greek Text of the N.T. by two members of the N.T. Company," pp. 11,12. "The manuscripts which Erasmus used differ, for the most part only in small and insignificant details from the great bulk of the cursive MSS. The general character of the Received Text is carried up beyond the individual manuscripts used by Erasmus....That pedigree stretches back to remote antiquity. That first ancestor of the Revised Text was at least contemporary with the oldest of our extant MSS., if not older than any one of them." This fact is admitted by Bishop Ellicott the chairman of the revisers in his pamphlet, "The Revisers and the Greek Text of the N.T. by two members of the N.T. Company," pp.11, 12. "The manuscripts which Erasmus used differ, for the most part only in small and insignificant details from the great bulk of the cursive MSS. The general character of their text is the same. By this observation the

pedigree of the Received Text is carried up beyond the individual manuscripts used by Erasmus....That pedigree stretches back to remote antiquity. The first ancestor of the Received Text was at least contemporary with the oldest of our extant MSS., if not older than any one of them." It must be emphasised that the argument is not between an ancient text and a recent one, but between two ancient forms of the text, one of which was rejected and the other adopted and preserved by the Church as a whole and remaining in common use for more than fifteen centuries. The assumptions of modern textual criticism are based upon the discordant testimony of a few specimens of the rejected text recently disinterred from the oblivion to which they had been deliberately and wisely consigned in the 4th century. The "Syrian Recension" Theory. Being convinced that the Vatican/Sinai type of text was the most ancient and most pure, Westcott and Hort assumed that there must have been a "Syrian Recension" of the Greek text some time between A.D. 250 and A.D. 350 and that this recension was the progenitor of the "Received Text." In their 'Introduction to the Greek N.T.', these two scholars spun a web of theories to advance the claims of their favourite manuscripts to the highest antiquity. One great obstacle was the frequent agreement of the Peshitto Syriac with the Greek Textus Receptus. This obstacle was removed by the simple expedient of changing the relative dates of the Peshitto and Curetonian Syriac, calling the latter the "Vetus" and the former the "Vulgate" Syriac. In his book on the N.T. Canon (1855) Westcott himself saw "no reason to desert the opinion which has obtained the sanction of the most competent scholars, that the formation of the Peshitto Syriac was to be fixed within the first half of the second century. The very obscurity which hangs over its origin is proof of its venerable age, because it shows that it grew up spontaneously among Christian congregations....Had it been a work of later date, of the 3rd or 4th century it is scarcely possible that its history should be so uncertain as it is." In the "Introduction to the N.T. in Greek," 1882, Westcott contradicted himself on all these points and contended that Curetonian Syriac was of greater antiquity, and that the Peshitto was an authoritative revision in the latter part of the 3rd or 4th centuries. Although entirely lacking in historical evidence, the Syrian Recension theory was particularly attractive because it appeared to give some semblance of authority to those engaged in the process of recasting the Greek Text in the mould of the Vatican/Sinai MSS. These documents belong to a small group exhibiting the kind of Greek similar to and generally approved by Origen, whose pronounced Arian tendencies sufficiently explain his preference for MSS. of this character. In many passages relating to the Person of Christ this type of text

dilutes the testimony of the Holy Scriptures to our Lord's deity. (Some of these passages are commented on below.) The Deity of Our Lord. In his Bampton lectures on the Divinity of our Lord, delivered in the year 1866 Canon Liddon gave a timely and solemn warning of the perils which then beset the church of Christ through the denial of our Saviour's essential and eternal deity. The detractors of this vital truth of God's Word have found a powerful ally in the modern versions which have been based upon the pro-Arian type of Greek Text exhibited by MSS. of the Vatican/Sinai group. Perhaps the most powerful unitarian assailants of the true doctrine of Holy Scripture to-day are the so-called "Jehovah's Witnesses." It is significant that their own version follows this type of text and that they are generally disposed to welcome versions like the R.S.V. and N.E.B. which display similar deficiencies and rest upon the same unsound foundation. Most people to-day, including theological students, teachers and ministers, are prepared to adopt the attitude that the "scholars" must be right and that matters relating to the Greek Text must be left in the hands of "experts." The evangelical professes to stand firm by the divine inspiration and authority of the Scriptures, the equal and eternal deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the atonement and other vital doctrines, but hopefully surrenders both text and translation to the biased judgement of unsound scholars and meekly allows the text of Holy Scripture to be arbitrated by a group of ancient but unreliable documents. The American Standard Version. After the English Revisers had completed their task the American Revision Committee continued its deliberations for some years and published the fruit of their labours early in the present century. This version was in many respects very similar to the English Revised Version, although diverging from it in hundreds of details of varying significance. The Revised Standard Version (R.S.V.). This version which is a revision of this "Standard Version" is the property of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., has achieved a measure of popularity in the English-speaking world, and some of the Bible Societies have amended their constitutions in order to permit its circulation. Its general adoption by English readers was commented on without disapproval by Professor Bruce in his article entitled, "One Bible - Many Versions" in "The Christian" on 9th October, 1964. It is quoted by evangelical preachers and writers and widely circulated by evangelical organisations.

Notwithstanding its present popularity and the misleading and sometimes illinformed testimonials to its excellence, there are very good reasons why discerning Christians with a reverent regard for the divine inspiration, authority and inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures should exercise great caution in the use of this version and refrain from encouraging its general use by undiscerning readers. The Translators. Some of the translators have written articles which indicate that they do not acknowledge the Bible doctrines of the Deity of Christ. His Pre-existence, His Virgin Birth, His Atoning Sacrifice and present intercession in Heaven. A translator who has adopted an entirely "humanitarian" view of the Son of God, and is prepared to respect His ideal humanity and to disregard His claims to full deity, is likely to betray his erroneous dogma in his translation. That this deficiency is apparent in the R.S.V. is demonstrated by the examples given later in this article. Socinianism. The last 150 years have witnessed a great resurgence of ancient heresies relating to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and these errors have left their mark on modern translations of the Bible. The translator, as well as the reader, is confronted with the vital question, "Whom do men say that I am?" The Ebionite of old, and later the Socinian, asserted that Jesus was merely man, whether supernaturally born, or as modern rationalists generally maintain, subject in all respects to ordinary natural laws. They contended that His moral eminence alone entitled the enthusiastic admirer to call Him "divine." Socinianism will confess Christ's "divinity" if this involves nothing more emphatic than an acknowledgment of certain moral features of the Divine Being displayed in the human life of Christ. Modern Humanitarianism. In modern days this phenomenon of "humanitarianism" is reproduced by writers who use language which seems to do justice to Christ's deity. They recognise Him as the "perfect revelation of God" and the "true head and Lord of human kind," but they deny the existence of a Trinity in the Godhead, and recognise in God no pre-existent Personal Form as the basis of His selfmanifestation to man. They therefore avoid any plain assertion that Christ is God. Arianism. Arians maintain that our Lord Jesus Christ existed before His Incarnation and that by Him, as by an instrument, the Supreme God made the worlds, and

that He is to be "worshipped" only as the highest creature. They insist that there was a time when He did not exist, that He had a beginning of existence and cannot be called God in the sense in which the Name is applied to the Supreme Being. This view of the Redeemer satisfied neither reason nor faith and has been well described as a resting point for minds which are sinking from a profession of Christian faith downwards to pure humanitarianism. Some of the translators have embraced and expressed unscriptural views akin to these, in contrast to the faith of the whole Church of Christ, which acknowledges the pre-existent and eternal deity of the only-begotten Son of God. His equality with the Father, His miraculous incarnation, His atoning death and physical resurrection. Doctrinal Changes. The advocates of the R.S.V. endeavour to assure their readers that the numerous changes in the text do not affect any fundamental doctrine. They allege that the alterations are exclusively dictated by newly discovered manuscripts and by the gains of scholarly research in the Biblical languages. These assurances are not in accordance with the facts. Fundamental doctrines relating to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ are weakened and obscured in the R.S.V. and the translators appear to have made some changes on dogmatic rather than linguistic or documentary grounds. A Jewish Scholar Among the R.S.V. Translators. The translation committee included in its membership a Jewish scholar, Mr. H.M. Orlinsky of the Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. This man would not accept the deity of Christ, but would favour a "unitarian" emphasis in any passage referring to the Messiah. For example, the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 was altered to read "A young woman shall conceive and bear a son." The correct reading is "A virgin shall conceive...." The erroneous reading in the R.S.V. makes it possible to dissociate this prophecy from the record of our Lord's miraculous birth of the virgin Mary in the New Testament. The Comment of a Jewish Rabbi The corrupted text met with the warm approval of Rabbi Balfour Brickner of Temple Sinai, Washington, who declared, "I am delighted to know that at last this great error of translation has been finally corrected, and that at last some elements of the Christian world no longer officially maintain that Isaiah 7:14 is a prediction that Jesus was to be born of the virgin Mary." The Unitarian Bias of the R.S.V.

Shortly after the R.S.V. New Testament was published its deficiencies were exposed in an article by Dr. R.C. Foster, Professor of Greek & N.T. in Cincinnati Bible Seminary, Ohio. His treatise was published in 1946 in the July issue of the "Church News Letter." After presenting a careful study of the numerous changes in the text, he wrote, "The Revised Standard Version is frankly unitarian and offers a very subtle attack upon the deity of Christ....It is as if the scholars were saying - This stubborn and unscientific generation of the 20th century insists on maintaining that Jesus was God in the flesh, but by the use of a literary device we will put words into their mouths as they read this version so that they will consciously or unconsciously admit that Jesus is not God but man." ATTACKS ON PARTICULAR PASSAGES OF GOD'S WORD. The Aleph and B Codices as has been shown, have no valid title to be regarded as the sole trustworthy guides to the text of Holy Scripture. "They abound" says Dean Burgon, "with so much licentiousness or carelessness as to suggest the inference that they are in fact indebted for their preservation to their hopeless character. Thus it would appear that an evil reputation ensured their neglect in ancient times; and has procured that they should survive to our own, long after multitudes which were much better had perished in their Master's service." It is not surprising, therefore, that omissions occur in these Codices. The fact that they occur in these Codices, oracular in the estimation of Westcott and Hort school, is sufficient to daub their appearance in the "Textus Receptus" as interpolations and forgeries. Reference to two passage will suffice to show how daringly men take from the Word of God. 1. The Last Twelve Verses of Mark's Gospel "These verses," writes Dr. Hills, "have an enormous weight of testimony in their favour, which cannot lightly be set aside. They are found in all the Greek manuscripts except B and Aleph and all the Latin manuscripts except k. And even more important, they were quoted as Scripture by early Church Fathers who died one hundred and fifty years before B and Aleph were written: namely Justin Martyr (c.150), Tatian (c. 175), Irenaeus (c. 180), and Hippolytus (c. 200). Thus the earliest extant testimony is on the side of these last twelve verses. Surely the critical objections against them must be exceedingly strong to overcome the evidence for their genuineness. It is necessary, therefore, to hear the most important of these objections against Mark 16:9-20 and to judge of their validity." Dr. Hills deals with these objections and concludes as follows:..."The modern critical attack upon the last twelve verses of Mark must be judged a failure for three reasons: (a) No satisfactory theory has been advanced to explain how Mark's Gospel could have ended at chapter 16, verse 8.

(b) No objection has been raised against Mark 16:9-20 which cannot be readily answered. (c) There is no counter-consideration which can avail to set aside the tremendously weighty evidence in favour of this concluding section of Mark, the evidence of all the Greek manuscripts and of four Church Fathers of the second century." Dean Burgon's book "The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel According to Mark, Vindicated Against Recent Critical Objectors and Established," a classic on the subject, received the following favourable review from Dr. Scrivener: "Dean Burgon's brilliant monograph....has thrown a stream of light upon the controversy; nor does the joyous tone of his book mis-become one who is conscious of having maintained a cause which is precious to him. We may fairly say that his conclusions have in no essential point been shaken by the elaborate and very able counter-plea of Dr. Hort." 2. 1 John 5:7 This verse, often referred to as the Johannine comma is regarded by the critics as a forged entry. "As to its being wanting" wrote the learned Dr. Gill in his Commentary, "in some Greek manuscripts, as the Alexandrian and others, it need only be said that it is to be found in many others; it is in an old British copy, and in the Complutensian edition, the compilers of which made use of various copies; and out of sixteen ancient copies of Robert Stephens', nine of them had it: and as to its not being cited by some of the ancient Fathers, this can be no sufficient proof of the spuriousness of it, since it might be in the original copy, though not in the copies used by them, through the carelessness or unfaithfulness of transcribers; or it might be in their copies and yet not cited by them, they having Scripture enough without it to defend the doctrine of the Trinity, and the divinity of Christ: and yet after all, certain it is, that it is cited by many of them: by Fulgentius in the beginning of the sixth century, against the Arians, without any scruple or hesitation: and Jerome, as had been observed before has it in his translation made in the latter part of the fourth century. In his epistle to Eustochium prefixed to his translation of the canonical epistles, he complains of the omission of it by unfaithful interpreters. It is cited by Athanasius about the year 350; and before him by Cyprian, in the middle of the third century, about the year 250; and it is referred to by Tertullian about the year 200; and which was within a hundred years, or little more, of the writing of the epistle: which may be enough to satisfy anyone of the genuineness of this passage: and besides there was never any dispute over it till Erasmus left it out of the first edition of his translation of the New Testament; and yet he himself upon the credit of the old British copy before mentioned, put it into another edition of his translation."

CONCLUSION. "We have seen" writes the Rev. T.H. Brown in the conclusion of his article, "that a small group of ancient but untrustworthy manuscripts are at variance with the vast majority of the documents now at the disposal of Biblical scholars. It has become the vogue to refer to the few as "the best manuscripts" whereas in reality they contain some of the worst corruptions of the ancient text. Some of these documents, particularly the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus were produced at the time when the most dangerous heresies prevailed in the Church with regard to the Person of Christ and His relationship to the Father. This little group proved specially attractive to those modern scholars who were disposed to adopt very similar erroneous views themselves. "Westcott and Hort in the last century endeavoured to make this deficient minority of the manuscripts respectable by propounding a theory that the majority of the N.T. documents were derived from copies which had been deliberately "edited" and embellished, implying that their conformity with the Trinitarian doctrine embraced by the Church was artificial and not original. There is in fact no historical evidence for any such revision, but this groundless and dangerous theory has cast its long shadow over the whole field of Biblical scholarship right down to our own time. "The Bible testifies to the eternal deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Eternal God. The modern versions and the defective manuscripts upon which they rely, obscures this vital testimony, which the Authorised Version faithfully preserves." One of the many proofs of the appalling apostacy of our day from the faith once delivered to the saints is the eagerness shown to discredit the Authorised Version of the English Bible on the one hand, and to popularise on the other, modern versions based on untrustworthy manuscripts whose translators have proved themselves unfaithful to the Received or Standard Text underlying the Authorised Version, which text through the special providence of God, has been preserved down through the ages from apostolic times. One of the stock arguments of the Jehovah's Witnesses in defence of their blasphemy is that the text of the Authorised Version is unreliable, and that the true text of the New Testament is to be found in the modern versions which deny the eternal deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Upon the Authorised Version the Lord has manifestly set the seal of His approval in imparting the blessing of eternal life through both the reading and preaching of it. The Lord in His mercy deliver us, and the rising generation, from the wolves in sheep's clothing who would rob us of this priceless heritage, and who by their carnal and unwholesome views foul the pure waters of divine revelation. "From such," it is written, "withdraw thyself." (1 Timothy 6:5). Instead of listening to the "perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of

the truth," let us rather give heed to what the Faithful and True Witnesses say, "Because thou hast kept the Word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (Revelation 3:10).

"Buy The Truth and Sell It Not".

"The Christian who rejects the King James Version," writes Dr. Hills in the conclusion of his excellent book, "and adopts one of its modern rivals, by this very action places himself on the high road to modernism. For along with the King James Version he has rejected the only concept of the providential preservation of Scripture which gives him any assurance that a pure New Testament text has been preserved down through the ages and is obtainable today. He has rejected the view that the special providence of God has operated in the sphere of the Greek Church and expressed itself in its usage and that therefore the Byzantine text, found in the vast majority of the New Testament manuscripts, is a trustworthy representative of the divinely inspired original text and the best of all extant texts. And not only this, but he has adopted other concepts of the providential preservation of Scripture, concepts which suggest that God does not really care whether or not a pure New Testament text is available to them. For, according to the best of these concepts, God has done nothing moe than to preserve the true New Testament text somewhere amid the extant manuscripts, leaving the scholars the task of finding it, if they can. According to the others God may not even have done this. Nay, it may even have been the purpose of God to allow a considerable degree of corruption to make its way into all the extant New Testament manuscripts. "These faulty concepts of the providential preservation of the New Testament lead speedily to a faulty concept of the original inspiration of the New Testament. For if God has been careless in the preservation of the New Testament, it is hard to see why He should have been scrupulously careful in the original writing of the New Testament. If God has preserved the New Testament in such a way that it is impossible to obtain assurance concerning the purity of this text, then there is no infallible New Testament to-day, and if there is no infallible New Testament to-day, it may very well be that there never was an infallible New Testament. If God has allowed the New Testament to lose its infallibility, why should we suppose that He created it infallible in the first place? Thus the rejection of the King James Version for one of its modern rivals leads first to the rejection of the doctrine of the providential preservation of Scripture, then to the rejection of the infallibility of Scripture, and finally, to the adoption of a modernistic religion which rests not on the authority of Scripture but on human reason. "Not all those who have thus rejected the King James Version have followed out the logic of their action to its final conclusion but they are always in danger of doing so. It is the purpose of this book, therefore, to lead such persons away

from this danger back to the Byzantine Text, found in the vast majority of the New Testament manuscripts, to the Reformation Text (Textus Receptus), which is the historic printed edition of the Byzantine Text, and to the King James Version, which is the classic English translation of the Reformation Text." (Dr. Hills). The Inspiration of The Scriptures. "We take this opportunity to point out to our members and adherents at home and abroad two of the main doctrines which are essential for the establishment and progress of the Kingdom of Christ on earth. These two are: (1) The Inspiration of the Scriptures, and (2) The need of an enlightened heart to receive unto salvation the divine truth of the Inspiration of the Rule of Faith. There is no occasion here to present any detailed statement of the truth of the Inspiration of the Word. Such statements can be got in appropriate books, specially for ordinary, popular purposes, in the writings of Halyburton. All that we have in view is to lay emphasis on the Confessional statement. The ultimate ground of receiving the Rule of Faith as inspired is not evidently the majesty of the whole and harmony of the parts - useful though these and other parts are but the Scriptures are self-evidencing. This implies that while men are unregenerate, they cannot spiritually discern the inspired rule to be inspired at all. No one, therefore, apprehends in a due manner, the self-evidencing light of Scripture, but those belonging to the Israel of God. It is essential for a soul to be divinely illuminated to appreciate savingly the Scriptures. These two fundamental doctrines of inspiration and internal illumination embrace, in their implications, all the confessional doctrines. A common objection is that, owing to the transcription of manuscripts down the ages, the Church lacks the original copies. The view of the Reformed Church regarding this is that God's special providence watched over Scripture. Moses Stuart points out that about 95 per cent of the existing variations have about as much significance as the question whether "honour" should be spelled with or without the letter "u". Although there are "various readings" yet "not one doctrine of religion is changed," says Stuart. "Not one important fact altered by the whole of the various readings collectively taken". Apart from the relatively few and unimportant variations, which are perfectly evident, we are in possession of the inspired Word of God. We therefore earnestly direct the attention of our people to these two fundamental doctrines of the Westminster Confession, namely, that Scripture is self-evidencing, or seen to be the Holy Infallible Word in its own light, while, at the same time, it cannot be savingly discerned as such, apart from the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit. To be established in these two complementary doctrines leads on to being rooted and grounded in the other doctrines of the one, holy, supreme rule given for the salvation of immortal

souls." (Rev. D.A. MacFarlane, M.A., Dingwall, Theological Tutor, Extracted from "Proceedings of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod" May, 1954). "The Bible reveals the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are unchangeable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed. CHRIST is its GRAND SUBJECT, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the Judgement, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labour, and condemns all who trifle with its holy contents." "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (II Timothy 3:16).

Appendix I The Hebrew Text of the Old Testament Vindicated. It was in connection with the Old Testament Scriptures that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Faithful and True Witness declared, "For 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), and again, "The Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). "For Christians it will be enough to know that our Lord Jesus Christ has set the seal of His infallible sanction on the whole of the Old Testament," wrote the late Canon H.P. Liddon who was Professor of Exegesis in the University of Oxford during the last part of the last century, when the heretical and destructive views of the Higher Critics were in the ascendancy. "He (Christ) found the Hebrew canon just as we have it in our hands to-day, and He treated it as an authority which was above discussion, - nay, more, he went out of His way, if we may reverently speak thus, to sanction not a few portions of it which our modern scepticism too eagerly rejects. When He would warn His hearers against the danger of spiritual relapse, He bade them to remember Lot's wife. When He would point out how worldly engagements may bind the soul to a coming judgement, He reminds them how men ate, and drank, and married, and were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered into the Ark, and the flood

came, and destroyed them all. When He would put his finger on a fact in past Jewish History, which, by its admitted reality, would warrant belief in His own resurrection, He points to Jonah, three days and three nights in the whale's belly. When standing on the Mount of Olives, with the Holy City at His feet, He would quote a prophecy, the fulfilment of which would make for His followers that its impending doom had at last arrived, He desires them to flee to the mountains, when they 'shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.' ....Yes, the trustworthiness of the Old Testament is, in fact, inseparable from the trustworthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ; and, if we believe that He is the true light of the world, we shall resolutely close our ears against any suggestions of the falsehood of those Hebrew Scriptures which have received the stamp of His divine authority." Professor Robert Dick Wilson, M.A., Ph.D., Princeton, who died in the first part of this century was a staunch defender of the doctrine of the Verbal Inspiration of Holy Scripture and claimed, with justice, to be an expert in all the questions involved in such a belief. Through long years of continuous study he mastered all the ancient languages and dialects needed to read the manuscripts of the Bible. In order to master the Babylonian language, not taught in any American University, he had to travel to Germany and study at the University of Heidelberg. To Babylonian he added Tehiopic, Phoenician, various Aramaic dialects. In his book "Is The Higher Criticism Scholarly?" he writes, "I have seen the day when I set out on some Bible research with fear and trembling wondering what I should discover - but now all that fear has passed." The following are selections from an address by Prof. Wilson on What Is An Expert? "If a man is called an expert, the first thing to be done is to establish the fact that he is such. One expert may be worth more than a million other witnesses that are not experts. Before a man has the right to speak about the history, the language, and the paleography of the Old Testament, the Christian church has the right to demand that such a man should establish his ability to do so. For forty-five years continuously, since I left college, I have devoted myself to the one great study of the Old Testament, in all its languages, in all its archaeology, in all its translations, and as far as possible in everything bearing upon its text and history. I tell you this so that you may see why I can and do speak as an expert. I may add that the result of my forty five years of study of the Bible has led me all the time to a firmer faith that in the Old Testament we have a true historical account of the history of the Israelite People; and I have a right to commend this to some of those bright men and women who think that they can laugh at the oldtime Christian and believer in the Word of God. You will have observed that the critics of the Bible who go to it in order to find fault have a most singular way of claiming to themselves all knowledge and all virtue and all love of truth. One of their favourite phrases is, "All scholars

agree." When a man writes a book and seeks to gain a point by saying "All scholars agree," I wish to know who the scholars are and why they agree. Where do they get their evidence from to start with? I remember that some years ago I was investigating the word "Baca" which you have in the English Bible - "Passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well." I found in the Hebrew dictionary that there was a traveller named Burkhart, who said that "Baca" meant mulberry trees. That was not very enlightening. I could not see how mulberries had anything to do with water. I looked up all the authority of the scholars in Germany and England since Burkart's time and found they had all quoted Burkhart. Just one scholar at the back of it! When I was travelling in the Orient, I found that we had delicious water here and there. The water sprang up apparently out of the ground in the midst of the desert. I asked my brother who was a missionary where this water came from. He said "They bring this water from the mountains. It is an underground aqueduct. They cover it over to prevent it from evaporating." Now the name of that underground aqueduct was Baca. My point is that you ought to be able to trace back this agreement among scholars to the original scholar who propounded the statement, and then find out whether what that scholar said is true. What was the foundation of his statement? I have claimed to be an expert. Have I the right to do so? Well, when I was in the Seminary I used to read my New Testament in nine different languages. I learned my Hebrew by heart, so that I could recite it without the intermission of a syllable; and the same with David, Isaiah and other parts of Scripture. As soon as I graduated from the Seminary, I became a teacher of Hebrew for a year and then I went to Germany. When I got to Heidelberg I made a decision. I decided and I did it with prayer - to consecrate my life to the study of the Old Testament. I was twenty-five then; and I judged from the life of my ancestors that I should live to be seventy; so that I should have forty-five years to work. I divided the period into three parts. The first fifteen years I would devote to the study of the languages necessary. For the second fifteen I was gong to devote myself to the study of the text of the Old Testament; and I reserved the last fifteen years for the work of writing the results of my previous studies and investigations, so as to give them to the world. And the Lord has enabled me to carry out that plan almost to a year. Most of our students used to go to Germany, and they heard professors give lectures which were the results of their own labours. The students took everything because the professor said it. I went there to study so that there would be no professor on earth that could lay down the law for me, or say anything without my being able to investigate the evidence on which he said it. Now I consider that what was necessary in order to investigate the evidence, was first of all, to know the language in which the evidence is given. So

I went to Berlin, and devoted myself almost entirely to the study of the languages bearing upon the Bible; and determined that I would learn all the languages that throw light upon the Hebrew, all the cognate languages, and also all the languages into which the Bible had been translated down to 600 A.D., so that I could investigate the text myself. Having done this I claim to be an expert. I defy any man to make an attack upon the Old Testament on the ground of evidence that I cannot investigate. I can get at the facts if they are linguistic. If you know any language that I do not know, I will learn it. Now I am going to show you some of the results. After I had learned the necessary languages I set about the investigation of every consonant in the Hebrew Old Testament. There are about a million and a quarter of these; and it took me many years to achieve my task. I had to read the Old Testament through and look at every consonant in it; I had also to observe the variations of the text, as far as they were to be found in the manuscripts, or in the notes of the Massoretes*, (*The Massoretes were a body of Jewish scholars who made it their business to hand down what they believed to be the true text of the Old Testament.). or in the various versions, or in the parallel passages, or in the conjectural emendations of critics; and then I had to classify the results. I prize this form of textual research very highly; for my plan has been to reduce the Old Testament criticism to an absolutely objective science; something which is based on evidence, and not on opinion. I scarcely ever make a statement which rests merely on my own subject belief. In order to be a textual expert of this kind it is necessary to be a master of paleography (the science which deals with ancient writings) and of philology; to have an exact knowledge of a dozen languages at least, so that every word may be thoroughly sifted. To ascertain the true text of the Old Testament is fundamental to everything concerning Bible history and Bible doctrine. The result of those thirty years' study which I have given to the text has been this. I can affirm that there is not a page of the Old Testament concerning which we need have any doubt. We can be absolutely certain that substantially we have the text of the Old Testament that Christ and the Apostles had, and which was in existence from the beginning. I would like to give a few other examples of true Biblical criticism. I can remember when it was thought very unprofitable to read the long genealogies found in the first chapters of First Chronicles - nine chapters of proper names. But to-day, in the scientific criticism of the Old Testament, proper names are of the profoundest importance. The way in which they are written - indeed, all that is

connected with them - has come to be one of the very foundations upon which scientific criticism of the Old Testament is built. Take the following case. There are twenty-nine ancient kings whose names are mentioned not only in the Bible but also on monuments of their own time; many of them under their own supervision. There are one hundred and ninety five consonants in these twentynine proper names. Yet we find that in the documents of the Hebrew Old Testament there are only two or three out of the entire hundred and ninety five about which there an be any question of their being written in exactly the same way as they were inscribed on their own monuments. Some of these go back for two thousand years, some for four thousand; and are so written that every letter is clear and correct. This is surely a wonder. Compare this accuracy with that of other writings. I have been blamed for not referring to the classical writings more frequently in my book on Daniel. Here is the reason - Take the list made by the greatest scholar of his age, the librarian at Alexandria in 200 B.C. He compiled a catalogue of the Kings of Egypt, thirtyeight in all; of the entire number only three or four of them are recognisable. He also made a list of the kings of Assyria: in only one case can we tell who is meant; and that one is not spelt correctly. Or take Ptolemy, who drew up a register of eighteen of the kings of Babylon. Not one of them is properly spelt; you could not make them out at all if you did not know from other sources to what he is referring. If any one talks against the Bible, ask him about the kings mentioned in it. There are twenty-nine kings of Egypt, Israel, Moab, Damascus, Tyre, Babylon, Assyria and Persia, referred to, and ten different countries among these twenty-nine; all of which are included in the Bible accounts and those of the monuments. Every one of these is given his right name in the Bible, his right country, and placed in the correct chronological order. Think what that means! Here is yet another case in which the labours of the expert are needed. It is the contention of the critics that the presence of Aramaic* (*Aramaic was the language of Mesopotamia and adjacent lands.) words in the Old Testament books is a clue to their date. I came to the conclusion that the critics said much about the Aramaisms that they could not substantiate. So I took a Hebrew dictionary and went through it from the first word to the last, and gathered up the results. Then I went to the Aramaic, and did the same. I compiled a list of all the relevant words and compared them with those in the Babylonian language. By carrying on the investigation in this scientific manner I found that, as a matter of fact, there is very little in the argument built on the presence of Aramaisms in the Old Testament. There are only five or six of these words in the whole of the book that could even be considered doubtful. The truth is that a century ago there was no Babylonian known; and when people found the Old Testament form of a noun or a verb that did not suit the Hebrew, they said it was Aramaic, and that the book which contained it was of a later date than it claimed to be. But since then God has given us a knowledge of Babylonian, with this result. Certain Aramaic nouns end in ooth (rhyming with "booth") and it was thought that this was peculiar to that language. But now we know that this is found in both Babylonian

and Hebrew. The Babylonian records take us back before the time of Abraham; and from thence onward, until the Babylonian kingdom came to an end, we find this noun-ending recurring. Thus the foundation of the old argument fell to pieces. In closing, I desire to call attention to the fact that while the study of the religious systems of the ancient peoples has shown that there was amongst them a groping after God, nowhere is it to be seen that they reached any clear apprehension of the One True God, the Creator, Preserver, Judge, Saviour and Sanctifier of His people. Their religions were of an outward kind; the Old Testament religion is essentially one of the mind and heart; a religion of love, joy, faith, hope and salvation through the grace of God. How can we account for this? The prophets of Israel declared that their teaching came from God. The modern critical school is antagonistic to this claim. They say that the prophets gave utterance to the ideas of their own time, and that they were limited by their environment. But if this is so how does it come about that neither from the oracles of Thebes and Memphis, nor from Delphi and Rome, nor from Babylon, nor from the deserts of Media, but from the sheep-folds and humble homes of Israel, yea, from the captive by the river of an alien land, came forth those great messages of hope and salvation? One of the mighty phrases of Scripture is that of "God with us"; this is the key which unlocks the mysterious chambers of the Old Testament, and opens to us their rich and enduring treasure." ......Bible League Quarterly, 1955. The late scholarly Principal J. Willoughby, a former President of the Sovereign Grace Union, wrote: "In recent times many scholars have attempted to discredit the written Word, especially the Old Testament. Many other scholars of repute, however, have found that the evidences on which the destructive critics base their conclusions are utterly worthless. The late Professor Dick Wilson was a scholar of massive learning. At the age of twenty-five he could read the New Testament in nine different languages. He could repeat from memory a Hebrew translation of the entire New Testament without missing a single syllable. He could do the same thing with large portions of the Old Testament also. He says: 'For forty-five years continuously since I left college I have devoted myself to the one great study of the Old Testament in all its languages, in all its archaeology, in all its translations, and, as far as possible, everything bearing upon its text and history.' He was acquainted with about forty-five languages and dialects. He probably knew more about the Old Testament and everything connected with it than did all the destructive critics put together. Professor Wilson, having long and thoroughly examined the evidence on which the destructive critics base their conclusions, found that it was utterly worthless. Concerning the evidence for the orthodox position he writes: 'The evidence in our possession has convinced me that "at sundry times and in divers manners God spoke unto our fathers through the prophets," and that the Old Testament in Hebrew, "being immediately

inspired by God," has "by His singular care and providence been kept pure in all ages." Appendix II God in His mercy did not leave His people to grope after the true New Testament text. Through the leading of the Holy Spirit He guided them to preserve it during the manuscript period. God brought this to pass through the working of His preserving and governing providence. First: many trustworthy copies of the original New Testament manuscripts were produced by faithful scribes. Second: these trustworthy copies were read and recopied by true believers down through the centuries. Third: untrustworthy copies were not so generally read or so frequently copied. Although they enjoyed some popularity for a time, yet in the long run they were laid aside and consigned to oblivion. Thus as a result of this special providential guidance the true text won out in the end, and today we may be sure that the text found in the vast majority of the Greek New Testament manuscripts is a trustworthy reproduction of the divinely inspired original text. This is the text which was preserved by the God-guided usage of the Greek Church. Critics have called it the Byzantine Text, thereby acknowledging that it was the text in use in the Greek Church during the greater part of the Byzantine period (452-1453). It is much better, however, to call this text the Traditional Text, we signify that this is the text which has been handed down by the God-guided tradition of the Church from the time of the Apostles unto the present day. A further step in the providential preservation of the New Testament was the printing of it in 1516 and the dissemination of it throughout the whole of Western Europe during the Protestant Reformation. This printed text is commonly called the Textus Receptus (Received Text). It is the text which was used by the Protestant Reformers during the Reformation and by all Protestants everywhere for three hundred years thereafter. It was from this Textus Receptus that the King James Version and the other classic Protestant translations were made. In the Textus Receptus God provided a trustworthy printed New Testament text for the Protestant Reformers and for all believing Christians down to the present day. Thus the printing of it was, after all, no accident but the work of God's special providence. (Believing Bible Study by Dr. E.F. Hills.) Appendix III

WESTCOTT AND HORT These two men were, Dr. (afterwards Professor F.J.A. Hort (1828-1892) a very aggressive personality, and his friend Professor (afterwards Bishop) D.F. Westcott (1825-1901) both of Trinity College, Cambridge. In doctrine they favoured the Romanising movement in their church, the 'Larger Hope' (of F.D. Maurice and Dean Farrar), the Darwinian hypothesis and the Old Testament Higher Criticism. They had been those who had turned from the Textus Receptus and had become infatuated with the Codex Vaticanus (B) and the other four oldest manuscripts (Codices Sinaiticus (Aleph), Alexandrinus (A), Ephraemi (C) and Bezae (D). They had come to feel that these, being the most ancient copies of the Scriptures known, must be the most accurate. For some years they had been at work on a re-construction of a new Greek New Testament text on this basis. The Vaticanus, the Sinaiticus and the Bezae codices, Dean Burgon considered the depositories of the largest amount of fabricated readings, ancient blunders, and intentional perversions of truth, which are discoverable in any known copies of the Word of God. Like many scholars before him, he became convinced that these manuscripts survived, only because they were full of mistakes and little used. Dean Burgon in his classic, the Revision Revised, deals with several hundred omissions and alterations Westcott and Hort made in their Greek New Testament. "Shame - yes, shame on the learning," the Dean exclaimed, "on the learning which comes abroad only to perplex the weak, and to unsettle the doubting, and to mislead the blind! Shame - yes, shame on the two thirds majority of wellintentioned, but most incompetent men, who - finding themselves (in an evil hour) appointed to correct 'plain and clear errors' in the English 'Authorised Version' occupied themselves instead with falsifying the inspired Greek Text in countless places, and branding with suspicion some of the most precious utterances of the Spirit! Shame - yes, shame upon them!" Extracts from "The Greek New Testament and The Modern Versions" by Bishop D.A. Thomson. (The Reformation Link. Dec. 1967 and The Bible League Quarterly, January-March, 1968). Let the Reformed Church in New Zealand and also all professedly evangelical bodies holding to the Westcott and Hort school take note! Appendix IV Bishop D.A. Thomson in his article "The New Testament Text and Early Church History" in "The Bible League Quarterly" (April 1968), refers to the rise

and spread of Gnosticism in the 2nd century. "It began as 'cells' within the Church," Bishop Thomson writes, "expanded rapidly and widely, and took different forms according to place and leadership...The orthodox leaders who attacked Gnosticism were Juian Martyr (c.100-165), Iranaeus (c.130-200), Clement of Alexandria (c.150-215), Tertullian (c.162-200), Origen (c.185-254) and Eusebius of Caesarea (c.260-340). This brief reference to Gnosticism has been made so that the controversy concerning the Greek text of the New Testament may be followed more clearly. It highlights the fact that throughout the second century there was very powerful propaganda, sometimes even from within Christian circles, which was thoroughly unsound with respect to the Person of Christ. There was the denial of His essential Deity and perfect manhood. Moreover some of the Gnostics did not scruple to tamper with the text of the gospels and the epistles, deleting or altering a scripture in the interest of their heretical views.(3) [(3) Tertullian accused Marcion of issuing a mutilated Gospel according to Luke. We have already noticed instances of serious omissions reproduced in this gospel by WH (pages 93-95). Other heretics altered the text of the other gospels. Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, and Jerome bear witness to this. See Traditional Text of the Holy Gospel, by Burgon and Miller, pages 287-291, and Believing Bible Study, by Dr. E.F. Hills, pages 129-135]. Hence the number of corrupt copies of portions of the New Testament began to multiply at an alarming rate. So much was this the case that Dr. F.H.A. Scrivener declared, "It is no less true to fact than paradoxial in sound, that the worst corruptions to which the New Testament has ever been subjected, originated within a hundred years after it was composed; that Irenaeus and the African Fathers, and whole Western, with a portion of the Syrian Church, used far interior manuscripts to those employed by Stunica, or Erasmus, or Stephens thirteen centuries later, when moulding the Textus Receptus." (4) [(4) Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, Third Edition, page 511] The detractors of the works of Erasmus, of the Textus Receptus and of the A.V. should weigh well this considered judgement of the leading textual critic of the generation that saw the production of the R.V. of 1881. Fortunately the Orthodox leaders were alive to this menace of the corrupting of Scripture engendered by the Gnostic movement. They exposed the corruptions and the corruptors. Then the Gnostic movement began to wane and with it the production of faulty copies of Scripture. It seems that only those survived which were hidden away and not used. Meanwhile an increasing number of accurate copies came into circulation.

By the middle of the 4th century the Traditional Text was prominent and shortly afterwards predominant. It held on its way without any serious challenge in the east, until in the 16th century it issued from the printing press and later was called the Textus Receptus and the Reformation Text. From it all the Protestant Versions of Europe, including our Authorized Version, were made. Just as there are still scholars and commonsense, sell-read Christians who reject the Higher Criticism and believe the Bible to be the fully inspired and inerrant Word of God, so there is a similar group who are satisfied that this Textus Receptus is the descendant of a long line of pure copies made from still earlier accurate manuscripts taken in the first instance from the original New Testament writings. They consider that the oldest manuscripts (the Vaticanus, the Sinaiticus, the Bezae, etc.), because of their inconceivably large numbers of discrepancies, obvious inaccuracies and omissions, should not be styled "the best." They feel that they are amongst the worst and are probably copies of some of the corrupt gospels and epistles, which in the 3rd and early 4th centuries were still circulating as the legacy of Gnostics. They suggest that these most ancient codices have only survived the ravages of time because they were recognised as inaccurate and were laid aside and neglected.(5) [(5) Since Dean Burgon's time some sixty-eight New Testament papri have been discovered in Egypt and the East. Most are fragmentary. Their texts seem very mixed. It had been claimed that they witness against the early date of the Traditional Text. Dr. Hills dissents from this verdict. He points out that papyrus Bodmer II, written it is believed at the latest A.D. 200, and so having the distinction of being the oldest N.T. MS. now known, while being textually mixed, contains a fair proportion of distinctively Traditional readings. See Dr. Hills' introduction to Dean Burgon's The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel according to St. Mark, Vindicated against critical objections, and Established, pages 44-67.] Had they, after they had been made been used to any extent, they would have become worn-out and perished long ago, as has been the fate of hundreds, if not thousands, of others. Their age, considered in conjunction with the aforementioned other factors, witnesses rather to their corruption than to any special purity of text. The thoughtful and the studious who hold these views are confirmed in their convictions by noticing a parallel. In their judgement there is a similar work of Grace and Divine Providence in the giving and preserving of this Text of Inspiration to that in the long series of events making up the History of Redemption. Grace and Providence have issued in Faith - begotten and lived out. To them it is significant that loyalty to the Traditional Text and its translation into many other tongues in Europe and further afield has been accompanied by many manifestations of faith, whereas the discarding of this text and the issuing of the modern versions to which reference has been made, has many

associations with the rejection of the historic Christian Faith and of positive unbelief. (Printed with the kind permission of Bishop Thomson) Appendix V When we regard the New Testament manuscripts from the believing point of view, we see that they confirm the orthodox Christian faith. We perceive that the Traditional text found in the vast majority of the Greek manuscripts is the true text which Christ has promised always to preserve in His Church. But there are many scholars today who claim to be orthodox Christians and yet insist that the New Testament text ought not to be studied from the believing point of view. The New Testament text, they maintain, ought to be treated just as the texts of other ancient books are treated. And in this they are followers of Westcott and Hort (1881), who laid down their basic principle on the following words: "For ourselves we dare not introduce considerations which could not reasonably be applied to other ancient texts, supposing them to have documentary attestation of equal amount, variety and antiquity." In this present chapter we ill endeavour to point out the error of this neutral, naturalistic Bible study and also the error of modern, neutral world-view which underlies this false method of handling the holy Scriptures. Why is it that the neutral method of Bible study has always this tendency to breed scepticism concerning the text of the Bible? The reason is plain. The reason is that it is not really possible to be neutral about the Bible. If you try to be neutral, if you ignore the divine inspiration and the providential preservation of the Bible and treat it like an ordinary human book, then you are ignoring the very factors that make the Bible what it is. If you follow such a neutral method of Bible study, you are still playing about on the surface and have failed to come to grips with the very essence of the Bible. In your textual criticism you have not yet dealt with the real, divinely inspired and providentially preserved Bible but with a false, purely human Bible of your own imagination. And since you are dealing with a false, purely human Bible, doubts as to the purity of its text must necessarily arise in your mind, doubts which you can find no means of banishing. But if by the grace of God you drop your neutral position and take your stand on the Bible as God's infallible Word, inspired by His Holy Spirit and preserved by His special providence, then it becomes evident to you that the true New Testament text has been preserved in the God-guided usage of the Church. Hence this true text is to be found in the vast majority of the Greek New Testament manuscripts, in the Textus Receptus, and in the King James Version and the other classic Protestant translations. (Believing Bible Study by Dr. E.F. Hills.)

THE WONDER OF THE BOOK. The wonder of the Book grows upon us as our experience is enlarged, for the more deeply we search it, the more we feel that the Bible is not merely a book, but The Book. It alone is the universal Book, the eternal Book, the Book for all time. It is the voice of the Lord. It stands alone, unapproachable in its grandeur, as high above all other books as heaven is above earth, or as the Son of God is above the sons of men. The Wonder of its Unification. The Bible, though regarded as a Book, is in fact a library of sixty-six volumes, written by between thirty and forty different authors, in three languages, on totally different topics and in extraordinarily different circumstances. One wrote history, another biography, one wrote on theology, another poetry, another prophecy, others on philosophy, jurisprudence, genealogy, ethnology, and narratives of wonderful journeys. Here in the Bible we have them all, in a little book that a child can carry in its little hand. The strangest thing of all is that, although their subjects are so diverse and difficult, and although it was impossible for man who wrote the first pages to have the slightest knowledge what others would write 1500 years later, yet this collection of writings is not only unified by men in one Book, but so unified by God, the Author, that we can never think of it today as anything else but one Book! And one Book it is indeed - the miracle of all literary unity. The Wonder of its Preservation. The Bible has withstood ages of ferocious and incessant persecution. Century after century men have tried to burn it and to bury it and to extirpate it. Kings of the earth set themselves and rulers of the church have taken counsel together to destroy it. Diocletian the Roman Emperor inaugurated in AD303 a terrific onslaught upon the Book. Bibles were destroyed, Christians were slain, and the Emperor boasted that the very name of the Christians was blotted out, and yet after a few years, the Bible came forth as Noah from the ark to repeople the earth, and in AD325 Constantine enthroned the Bible as the Infallible Judge of Truth in the great council of the Church held in that year. Later the Church of Rome denied the Scriptures to the people and for ages the Bible was practically an unknown book. Martin Luther was a grown man when he said that he had never seen a Bible in his life. No jailor ever kept a prisoner closer than the Church of Rome kept the Bible from the people. The worst opposition of all has been during the last two hundred years, with rationalism and modernism seeking to undermine the authority, inspiration and inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures. It was Voltaire's boast that within one hundred years of his death not a Bible would be found save as an antiquarian curiosity.

Many more than one hundred years have passed, and other pens and other voices have joined in the attack, but the Bible remains and is being more widely distributed and used than ever before. The Bible is Self-Authenticating. You need no historical critic for God's own Word. The Holy Spirit, who is the Author of the Book, makes it speak to our souls in such power as to give divine conviction. Men may arise to unsettle and destroy, but the Spirit of Christ comes to validate and confirm, with a certainty that is incommunicable by mere reason, and is impervious to the assaults of doubt. Spurgeon spoke of a poor woman who was challenged by an agnostic to prove that the Bible in her hand was God's Word. She pointed to the sun and said, " Can you prove that there is a sun in the sky 9 " The unbeliever answered, " of course, the proof is that it warms me and I see its light." " That is it," she replied " and the best proof that this Book is the Word of God is that it warms and lights my soul." It Cannot Be Improved We do not gild gold. We do not paint rubies. We cannot brighten diamonds. Neither can any artist add any final touch to this finished Word of God. It stands as the sun in the sky and this proud age can add nothing to it. It has the glory of God and any attempt to improve it can but disfigure it. It speaks with authority and breaks upon you as the Voice from heaven. Five hundred times in the Pentateuch, three hundred times in the following books and twelve hundred times in the prophets, the declarations are prefaced or concluded with such expressions as " Hear the Word of the Lord," or " Thus saith the Lord." No other book dares thus to address itself to the universal conscience. No other speaks with such a binding claim or presumes to command the obedience of all mankind. The book speaks to the inner conscience with the authority of God Himself. It reveals Christ The supreme wonder of the Book is Christ, Who is its fulness, its centre, its great subject. Of the whole Book it may be said, " The glory of God does lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." As long as men live upon the face of the globe, the Book that tells of Christ the Revealer, Redeemer, the Risen, Reigning, Returning Lord will draw men's hearts like a rnagnet, and men will stand by it, and live for it, and die for it. Do not think that we ought to read this Book as we read any other book, and study and analyse it just as we do any text book in literature or science. No ! When vou come to this Book, come to it with reverence. Read it with a plea for

the Spirit's help. " Put off thy shoes from Off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Other books are of the earth. This is from heaveri it is the living Word of the Living God, supernatural in origin. divine in authorship, regenerative in power, infallible in authority, personal in application, inspired in its every part. (Summarized and selected from '' The Wonder of the Book ' by Prof . Dyson Hague, M A. ) No. 31: A Westminster Standard Publication.

IN DEFENSE OF ERASMUS
Dr. John Cereghin

Introduction One of the loudest and most insistent criticisms of the Authorized Version of 1611, popularly known as the King James Bible, is that its Greek Text, referred to as the Textus Receptus, is inferior to "modern" Greek texts. The attack upon the Textus Receptus centers on the one Dutch Reformation scholar responsible for publishing it, Desiderius Erasmus. Erasmus published the first Greek New Testament in 1516 (first edition, followed by four others) which was the foundation for our modern Textus Receptus, which underlies the New Testament of the AV. The assumption of the enemies of God's Word is that, if you can somehow discredit Erasmus or his Greek text, then you can discredit the AV. These men then level their guns at Erasmus, attacking him personally and his Greek text. Then they sit back in smug satisfaction in imagining they have accomplished their goal. But have they? By no means! Their criticisms have been carefully examined and have been found to be wanting. Every one of their attacks upon Erasmus can be easily answered. Below is an essay I wrote to answer such criticisms that were forwarded to me by an AV opponent by the name of Rick Norris. He wrote me and asked me how I could support Erasmus and his Greek Text seeing he was a humanist, a Roman Catholic and that his text was hastily prepared and fraught with errors? I answered him with the facts that Erasmus was not a good Catholic but a Reformer at heart, that a Reformation humanist was

nothing like a modern humanist and his Greek text was a product of careful scholarship and was edited over a 20-year period. I grew weary at the continual stream of propaganda against Erasmus and his Greek text by these men so I decided to do my own research to answer my questions on this matter. To help you answer these men whose "high calling" is trying to discredit the English Bible, we offer the following replies to the most common attacks based on Erasmus. These attacks are: 1. Erasmus was a Roman Catholic. 2. Erasmus' Greek Text was "hastily prepared" and "fraught with errors." 3. Erasmus did not have access to the readings of modern manuscripts. 4. Erasmus was a humanist. (1) These are the standard accusations. Below is the refutation. If you have any additional information or if you spot a mistake, please let me know. My address is c/o Maryland Baptist Bible College, P.O. Box 66, Elkton MD 21922. Footnote: 1. This material that I will present is by no means new. It is easily and readily available. Yet critics of the TR/AV choose to ignore it and rather parrot old and recycled arguments that they get from each other instead of relying on new research. Examples abound, from the writings of John R. Rice to Robert Sumner's booklet Bible Translations and others. A very recent example is cited by David Cloud in O Timothy, volume 12, issue 6, on pages 19 and 20. Cloud reviews an article published by Bob Jones University in their Biblical Viewpoint (Nov. 1994) by S. E. Schnaiter, in which he simply rehashes arguments he got from someone else. Schnaiter claims that Dean Burgon was not very scholarly in his defense of the AV, that the differences between the majority and minority texts are small and unimportant and that Erasmus edited his Greek text in "great haste" from manuscripts "he happened to have on hand." Now I assume that Schnaiter is no fool, for he could have used the vast BJU library to consult the same books I did. Rather, this material is overlooked and suppressed by enemies of the AV. I would even go as far as to say "conspiracy" and "cover-up." Why do these men ignore and refuse to present this material? If I can find this material, why can't they? ***

Question #1 Why do you use the Textus Receptus when it was translated by a Roman Catholic, Erasmus? Wasn't Erasmus a Roman Catholic? Wouldn't this mean that the Textus Receptus and its resulting Authorized Version is a Roman Catholic translation? The inference is the TR and hence its subsequent translations are Roman Catholic. Yet the truth is that Erasmus may have been a professing Catholic but was not a practicing Catholic. Was Erasmus a Catholic? Yes, but so was everyone else [except the Baptistic Waldensians (see Question #16)] in this day. Erasmus was clearly a Reformer at heart. Erasmus constantly criticized the doctrinal and practical errors of Rome and its Bible, the Latin Vulgate, which he rejected. Martin Luther, an anti-Romanist, used Erasmus to translate his German New Testament. Would Luther have used a Roman Catholic text to translate a Protestant Bible? Erasmus died among Protestant friends, outside of the Catholic Church. (1) If Erasmus was so "Catholic" and his text so "Catholic," then who were the enemies of the Roman church? And why was Erasmus' manuscript never adopted by Rome? Why did Luther refer to Erasmus' second edition as "my wife" if Erasmus was so Catholic? (2) Erasmus Greek New Testament was placed on Rome's Index of Forbidden Books by the Council of Trent, which meant that it is forbidden for Catholics to even read it without approval from their bishop upon pain of mortal sin. (3) A Catholic writer, Hugh Pope, under an official Roman Catholic imprimatur and nihil obstat, says Erasmus was a heretic from Rome. He scoffed at images, relics, pilgrimages and Good Friday observances. Pope suggested Erasmus had serious doubts about every article of Catholic faith: the mass, confession, the primacy of the Apostolic See, clerical celibacy, fasting, transubstantiation and abstinence. (4) He also ridiculed invocation of the saints, reverence for relics and prayers to Mary. There was scarcely any superstition or abuse in the Roman Church that Erasmus did not denounce. (5) It is obvious then that Rome certainly has no desire to claim Erasmus. Erasmus was also a vocal opponent of Roman scholastic theology and of the ignorance of the monks. (6) Thus, AV critic, Doug Kutilek, is incorrect when he says "Erasmus did not disapprove of Roman Catholic doctrine." (7) To speak then of the "Roman Catholic Erasmus" and to try to paint him as a loyal Romanist is to speak against the facts and slander Erasmus' name. Hugh Pope continues regarding Erasmus and Rome: "He seemed to take pleasure in suggesting doubts about almost every article of

Catholic teaching . . . Small wonder then that he came to be regarded as the man who paved the way for the Reformation . . ." (8) The Pope offered to make Erasmus a cardinal but he refused (as did the martyr Savanarola), saying he would not compromise his conscience. (9) Erasmus was committed to putting the Bible into the hands of the common man and for the worldwide translation of the Bible, something no pope ever supported. (10) David Cloud maintains, "It is a historical fact that Erasmus was strong and public in his condemnation of Catholic heresies . . . Rome did brand him as an 'impious heretic' and the Pope forbade Catholics to read his works." (11) "Bigoted Catholics," according to Philip Schaff, reviled him as "Errasmus" because of his errors; "Arasmus" because he plowed up old truths and traditions; and "Erasinus" because he made an *** of himself by his writings. They even called him "Behemoth" and "Antichrist." The Sorbonne condemned 37 articles extracted from his writings in 1527. His books were burned in Spain and long after his death. (12) The Roman Catholic Diego Lopez Zuniga wrote a 54 page essay against Erasmus entitled Erasmi Roterodami blasphemiae et impietates (The Blasphemies and Impieties of Erasmus of Rotterdam) in 1522. How say ye then that Erasmus was a Roman Catholic? Somebody in Rome didnt think too highly of Erasmus! This quote from The Life and Letters of Erasmus, edited by J. A. Froude, also demonstrates the animosity between Erasmus and Rome: "Erasmus had undertaken to give the book to the whole world to read for itself -- the original Greek of the Epistles and Gospel, with a new Latin Translation -- to wake up the intelligence, to show that the words had a real sense . . . It was finished at last, text and translation printed, and the living facts of Christianity, the persons of Christ and the Apostles, their history, their lives, their teachings were revealed to an astonished world. For the first time the laity were able to see, side by side, the Christianity which converted the world, and the Christianity of the Church with a Borgia pope, cardinal princes, ecclesiastical courts, and a mythology of lies. The effect was to be a spiritual earthquake. Erasmus opens with a complaint of the neglect of Scripture (in his preface and notes to each gospel), of a priesthood who thought more of offertory plates than of parchments, and more of gold than of books: of the degradation of spiritual life, and of the vain observances and scandalous practices of the orders specially called religious . . . "His comments on Mathew 23:27 (on whited sepulchres): 'What would Jerome say could he see the Virgin's milk exhibited for money . . . the

miraculous oil; the portions of the true cross, enough if they were collected to freight a later ship? Here we have the hood of St. Francis, there Our Lady's petticoat, or St. Anne's comb, or St. Thomas of Canterbury's shoes . . . and all through the avarice of priests and the hypocrisy of monks playing on the credulity of the people. Even bishops play their parts in these fantastic shows, and approve and dwell on them in their rescripts. (13) "His comments on Matthew 24:23 (on Lo, here is Christ or there): 'I saw with my own eyes Pope Julius II, at Bologna, and afterwards at Rome, marching at the head of a triumphal procession as if he were Pompey or Caesar. St. Peter subdued the world with faith, not with arms or soldiers or military engines . . .' "His comments on I Corinthians 14:19 (on unknown tongues): 'They chant nowadays in our churches in what is an unknown tongue and nothing else, while you will not hear a sermon once in six months telling people to amend their lives . . .' "His comments on I Timothy 3:2 (on the husband of one wife): 'Other qualifications are laid down by St. Paul as required for a bishop's office, a long list of them. But not one at present is held essential, except this one of abstinence from marriage. Homicide, parricide, incest, piracy, sodomy, sacrilege, these can be got over, but marriage is fatal. There are priests now in vast numbers, enormous herds of them, seculars and regulars, and it is notorious that very few of them are chaste. The great proportion fall into lust and incest, and open profligacy.' "Such are extracts from the reflections upon the doctrine and discipline of the Catholic Church which were launched upon the world in the notes of the New Testament by Erasmus, some on the first publication, some added as edition followed edition . . . They were deliberate accusations attached to the sacred text, where the religion which was taught by Christ and the Apostles and the degenerate superstition which had taken its place could be contrasted side by side. Nothing was spared; ritual and ceremony, dogmatic theology . . . bishops, seculars, monks were dragged out to judgment, and hung as on a public gibbet, in the light of the pages of the most sacred of all books, published with the leave and approbation of the Pope himself . . . The clergy's skins were tender from long impunity. They shrieked from pulpit and platform . . ." (14) A.T. Robertson calls these anti-Roman notes in Erasmus text "caustic" and they raised the ire of the priests. (15) The priests saw the danger and instead of attacking the Greek Testament and its translation, they attacked Erasmus! Since they couldn't answer him theologically or

critically, they had to resort to their last gasp -- personal attack and insult of Erasmus. Edward Lee, a staunch papist and later Archbishop of York, organized a league of Englishmen to oppose Erasmus. (16) Erasmus literally had the firebrands of hell and Rome hurled at him. They absolutely hated him because he had dared tamper with the Vulgate. Erasmus was relatively orthodox in his doctrine, including his soteriology. He wrote in his Treatise on Preparation for Death: "We are assured of victory over death, victory over the flesh, victory over the world and Satan. Christ promises us remission of sins, fruits in this life a hundredfold and therefore life eternal. And for what reason? For the sake of our merit? No indeed, but through the grace of faith which is in Christ Jesus . . . Christ is our justification . . . I believe there are many not absolved by the priest, not having taken the Eucharist, not having been anointed, not having received Christian burial who rest in peace, while many who have had all the rites of the Church and have been buried next to the altar have gone to hell . . . Flee to His wounds and you will be safe." (17) How "Catholic" is this? A good Catholic would tell you to flee to Mary, the mass or the sacraments, in the hour of death. Philip Schaff, who was a closet-Catholic, calls Erasmus a "forerunner of the Reformation." He said that Protestants owed Erasmus a debt of gratitude for enabling Luther and Tyndale to make their translations. (18) Frank Logsdon, who renounced his organizational work on the New American Standard Version, said "How could you speak against a man, claiming that he is a Roman, when he turned down the offer of a cardinalship and campaigned against monasticism, against the liturgy of the Catholic Church, and was detested by the Catholic people? Do you know one of the reasons the Jesuits came into being under Loyola? Their main project was to supplant the Erasmus text . . . Their whole aim . . . is to destroy the Erasmus text, and the Authorized Version, of course, came from the Erasmus text." (19) Like most other Reformers, Erasmus desired to reform the Church from within. He did not desire to leave the Church. In this, his desire was similar to Luther. Erasmus never did officially leave the Church, desiring to reform it from within, but it cannot be denied that he was not a Romanist at heart.

Staunch Catholics were given to refer to Erasmus as a Lutheran at heart. They considered him and his works subversive. While Erasmus was not a Lutheran, there can be no serious or honest doubt that he was in sympathy with the main points of the Lutheran criticism of the Church. Melanchthon, Luther's right hand man, was quoted once as saying, "Erasmus nobiscum est," or "Erasmus is with us." (20) Michael Maynard, in his work A History of the Debate Over I John 5:7-8, sees a possible motivation for the spread of the lie and slander about Erasmus being a "good Catholic:" "The motive behind this . . . view of Erasmus being a 'good Catholic' appears to be an attempt to retaliate (by the editors of the United Bible Society text editors, including the Jesuit Carlo Martini on its editorial board). Since its advocates (of the UBS text) can justify neither the recent (1968) inclusion of the Jesuit Carlo Martini, on the UBS editorial committee, nor their reliance on ecumenical institutes, nor Roman Catholic involvement in UBS translations, they instead attempt to create the impression of a Catholic origin of the printed Received Text . . . Meanwhile, Received Text advocates are still waiting for the fundamentalists minority text advocates to explain why they trust four liberals and a Jesuit, who is in line to become the next pope, with the identity of the New Testament." (21) The hypocrisy of the UBS defenders (who are anti-TR and AV) then becomes clear. In an attempt to justify their reliance on the work of Jesuit Martini, they try to create a Romanist Erasmus. Their thinking is, "If you can rely on the Catholic Erasmus and his work, then we are allowed to support the work of this Jesuit Martini!" But since Erasmus was a "bad Catholic" at best, their alibi falls flat. Yet we do recognize that Erasmus never formally left the church. He was a Puritan within Rome rather than a pilgrim from it. He was an enigma. You cannot place him in any niche. David Cloud was quite accurate when he refers to him as "Mr. Facing-Both-Ways." (22) We do not try to turn him into some sort of "saint" that he might not have been. Our desire is simply to present a more balanced picture of his work. We do not seek to justify his outward neutrality nor his person. We are more interested in justifying his Greek text. Footnotes *** Question #2

Didnt Erasmus dedicate his Greek text to the pope? Erasmus did dedicate his first edition Greek New Testament to Pope Leo X, but as a patron of learning and not on a theological basis. (1) Leo also had done numerous favors for Erasmus, such as freeing him from his monastic vows and removing the disabilities of his bastardy. This Erasmus never forgot. (2) In this day, it would have been nearly hopeless to think that a Bible or a Greek text could be accepted without the approval of the pope. Another reason why Erasmus dedicated his text to the pope was so that it would be accepted. (3) Footnotes *** Question #3 Was Erasmus qualified to edit a Greek Text? Wasn't his Greek education substandard? There are also attacks upon Erasmus' education and preparation. Without a doubt, Erasmus was the most brilliant of the Reformation-era scholars. Every king wanted him in his court for the intellectual prestige he would bring. Yet charges abound that Erasmus was not very proficient in the Greek. This is not true for Erasmus had the best Greek education that could be had in 16th century Europe. He spent most of 1506 improving his Greek with study in Bologna, Rome, Florence and Padua under the best Greek teacher of the day. (1) In 1505, he edited Valla's Annotations on the New Testament. Some of his Greek learning may have been individual, but not all of it. It is difficult to imagine a man of Erasmus' talents and scholarship, who was dedicated to a study of the Greek classics, being deficient in his knowledge of Greek! Another attack against Erasmus was that he was not proficient in Hebrew. But this is an unimportant point. Why would he need to be when the was interested in Greek and Latin classics and New Testament manuscripts? Erasmus never tried to translate the Old Testament, so why would he need to study Hebrew? Footnote ***

Question #4 Wasn't Erasmus' Greek text "hastily prepared" and "fraught with errors?" The main complaint against Erasmus' Greek text is that it was prepared "hastily" and that he had only a few late manuscripts to work with. Again, these statements need to be clarified. His first edition was done hastily, but not because Erasmus was careless in his work, but because he had to meet the deadline established by his publisher. (1) He finished the work in about a year, which is a testament to his vast scholarship in that he was able to complete such a project in so short a time. If Erasmus' first Greek edition was done in haste, the four later editions were not! Erasmus spent the rest of his life (20 years) editing, revising and correcting that "hastily done" first edition. Besides, most first editions have printer's errors and mistakes in them that are corrected in later editions. The errors in Erasmus' first edition were of a minor nature anyway. (2) Yet on his "errors," Erasmus wrote "I did my best with the New Testament, but it provoked endless quarrels. Edward Lee (Archbishop of York) pretended to have discovered 300 errors. They appointed a commission, which professed to have found bushels of them. Every dinner table rang with the blunders of Erasmus. I required particulars and could not have them." (3) The point is the first edition may have been somewhat careless, but so what? Nobody used that first edition for any translation purposes and nothing was translated from that first edition. Luther used a corrected and improved second edition to translate his German New Testament, not the first. Let the enemies of the AV name one translation of any importance that was based solely on the first edition of Erasmus. The Stephanus text, translated by Robert Estienne (Stephanus), third edition, which is part of the TR/AV stream, was translated from Erasmus' 4th and 5h editions, not the first. Theodore Beza produced 9 editions of the Greek New Testament between 1565 and 1604. The most important are the 1565, 1582, 1588-9 and 1598 editions. Beza's texts differ little from Stephanus' 4th edition of 1551. The AV translators made large use of Beza's editions 1588-9 and 1598. In 1624, the Elzevir brothers published a text based on Beza's 1565 edition. (4)

We thus agree with Dean Burgon, who says, "to describe the haste with which Erasmus produced the first published edition of the NT, to make sport about the copies which he employed, all this kind of thing is the preceding of one who seeks to mislead his readers to throw dust in their eyes, to divert their attention from the problems actually before them." (5) The AV is not affected by that first edition at all. To whine about the first edition and then try to somehow tie the AV in with it is dishonest scholarship and a smokescreen in an attempt to obscure the facts. Footnotes *** Question # 5 Did Erasmus have access to modern manuscripts as did modern translators? If he did, did he make use of them? Erasmus had access to most of the same set of manuscripts as did modern translators with the obvious exception of Codex Sinaiticus, which was not rescued from the trash can at St. Catherine's monastery until the mid-19th century. Robert Sumner, an opponent of the AV, is only partially correct when he states, "Erasmus himself had no knowledge of the Alexandrian manuscripts. The Sinaiticus was not discovered at the monastery of St. Catherine's on Mt Sinai until the mid 19th century (that's true, although Erasmus certainly had access to the Sinaitic-type readings) and the Vaticanus, while in the Vatican library at Rome since about the 15th century, was not available for use by outsiders until the dawn of the 20th century." (1) That's false! Erasmus did have access to Codex B readings (2) and rejected them because he knew how corrupt they were. After all, B is the Pope's manuscript, and since Erasmus was anti-Catholic, he rejected it. Paulus Bombasius discovered the neglected Codex B in the Vatican library in 1521 and in June of that year sent Erasmus its readings from I John 4:13 and I John 5:7. (3) These same readings of Sinaiticus and Vaticanus were very much before the scholars in the 1611 AV as represented in the Latin Vulgate. Erasmus was a personal friend of Leo X (from his earlier days) and had access to every library in Europe (because of his reputation as a scholar), including the Vatican. Erasmus had access to Vaticanus if he wanted it. He didn't need the manuscript itself because Paulus

Bombasius, who was in Rome, was sending him B readings. (4) Its readings were then known as early as the 17th century. Sumner is just plain wrong to say that no one had access to B before the 20th century. Erasmus was furnished with 365 readings of B by Sepulveda, who was in possession of them as early as 1521. (5) Frederick Kenyon points out that the preface and dedication to Ximenes' text state that the text was derived from manuscripts loaned by Leo X from the Vatican library. (6) If Ximenes has these manuscripts made available to him, then certainly must have Erasmus (especially if he was such a "good Catholic" as his enemies claim!) Again! The controversy over I John 5:7 forced an appeal to Codex B in 1522! (7) So what does Sumner mean when he said no one had access to it at this time? How could it be introduced into a 1522 controversy over I John 5:7 unless people knew of its readings? When Cardinal Ximenes was preparing his Greek New Testament in the mid-1510's, he had access to Codex B. If he had such access then so certainly must have Erasmus. (8) The AV 1611 translators also had the readings of Codex B before them and rejected them as did Erasmus. Neither was ignorant of them. Erasmus also had access to Codex D, Codex Bezae but also rejected it. The AV translators also had these variant readings and rejected them. In 1675, John Fell put out a Greek text based on the Elzevir 1633 text with variant readings for Codex B. (9) If "no one had access to Codex B until the 20th century," as Sumner wrongly insists, how did Fell get his B readings? Footnotes *** Question #6 Was Erasmus familiar with the critical problems and the variant readings in the manuscripts? Yes, Erasmus was very well informed concerning the variant readings. Erasmus, in his writings and research, dealt with such problem passages as: 1. The closing of the Lord's Prayer -- Matthew 6:13.

2. The interview of the rich young man with Jesus -- Matthew 19:17-22. 3. The ending of Mark -- Mark 16:9-20. He defended the traditional ending. (1) 4. The angelic song -- Luke 2:14. 5. The omission of the angel, agony and bloody sweat -- Luke 22:43,44. 6. The woman taken in adultery -- John 7:53-8:11. He defended its inclusion. (2) 7. The mystery of Godliness -- I Timothy 3:16. (3) Through his study of Jerome and other Fathers, Erasmus was wellversed in the variant readings. (4) He edited and published works of Jerome, Cyprian, Pseudo-Arnobius, Hilarius, Irenaeus, Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostom, Basil and Origen (5) showing he would have been familiar with their Scriptural quotations. In 1505, he edited Valla's Annotations on the New Testament, which was a pioneer work for Biblical criticism." Footnotes *** Question #7 What about Erasmus' spiritual state? Was he a spiritual man? Erasmus never recorded any profound religious convictions or experience in his own life. (1) Luther saw the weakness and spiritual poverty of Erasmus, but this remark may have been influenced by Luther's opposition to Erasmus' position on the free will of man, over which Luther bitterly attacked Erasmus. (2) But some of Erasmus' writings are highly spiritual. Tyndale thought much of his Enchiridon (Manual of a Christian Soldier) and translated it into English. Enchiridon was a short, handy, Scripture-based call to Christian morality in lay people that was moderately critical of practices of the Church. Tyndale also thought much of Erasmus' Treatise on Preparation for Death. (3) Erasmus did write an interesting passage in the Preface to his Greek Testament which shows a reverence and love for Scripture that surpasses the average textual critic: "These holy pages will summon up the living image of His mind. They will give you Christ Himself, talking, healing, dying, rising, the whole

Christ in a word; they will give Him to you in an intimacy so close that He would be less visible to you if He stood before your eyes." (4) This passage again reveals the anti-Romanism of Erasmus. No Romanist looks for Christ in the Scriptures. They look for Him in the sacraments or in the rituals of the Church. No Romanist has a high love for Scripture, but Erasmus clearly did. Footnotes *** Question #8 Wasn't Erasmus a humanist? Here is a major attack and a very deceptive one. Was he a humanist? Not by our standards but, in Renaissance meaning, was simply one who studied the classics, classical culture and education. Andrew Brown, of the Trinitarian Bible Society, gives the proper definition of a humanist in this context: "Erasmus was a thoroughgoing 'Christian humanist' from his youth to his death. The use of the word 'humanist' in the Renaissance and Reformation period does not in any way share the atheistic connotations which that word now has in popular usage. A 'humanist' in that period was simply someone who was interested in classical literature, culture and education, as a means of attaining a higher standard of civilized life. Stephanus, Calvin and Beza were all humanists in this sense, and it is these 'humanist' ideals which have largely shaped Western culture in the succeeding centuries, blended with the teachings of the Christian Gospel." (1) There is nothing wrong with this kind of humanism! Edward Hills also defines Renaissance humanism: "The humanistic view was well represented by the writings of Laurentius Valla (1405-57), a famous scholar of the Italian renaissance. Valla emphasized the importance of language. According to him the decline of civilization in the dark ages was due to the decay of the Greek and Latin languages. Hence, it was only though the study of classical literature that the glories of ancient Greece and Rome could be recaptured. Valla also wrote a treatise on the Latin Vulgate, comparing it with certain Greek New Testament manuscripts which he had in his possession. Erasmus, who from his youth had been an admirer of Valla, found a manuscript of Valla's treatise in 1504 and had

it printed the following year. In this work, Valla favored the Greek New Testament over the Vulgate. The Latin text often differed from the Greek, he reported. Also, there were omissions and additions in the Latin translation, and the Greek wording was generally better than that of the Latin." (2) DeLamar Jensen, in his Reformation Europe, defines Christian humanism as "emphasizing historical study and a 'return to sources,' meaning the Bible. They placed more devotion to Scripture than did the Italian humanists." (3) Renaissance humanism was decidedly anti-Romanist. Europe was still emerging from the Satanic millennium (500-1500) in which Rome ruled Europe with an iron hand. Culture and education had suffered under Rome and the humanists were dedicated to reviving them. Footnotes *** Question #9 What translations used the Erasmus text? Translations from Erasmus: 1. John Tyndale (1) 2. Martin Luther used Erasmus' second edition. (2) 3. All English Bibles of the 16th and 17th century were based on Erasmus; text. (3) 4. French versions of Lefevre and Olivetan 1534 and 1535 5. Dutch version by Biestkens 1558 6. Swedish Uppsala Bible by Laurentius 1541 7. Spanish Bible by Cassiodoro de Reyna in 1569 8. Danish Bible by Christian III in 1550 9. Czech version of 1602 10. Italian version by Diodati in 1607 (4) 11. Welsh New Testament of 1563 (5) Footnotes *** Question #10 Why did Erasmus reject the Vulgate?

That Erasmus rejected the Vulgate is a historical fact. There are several reasons why he rejected it. He detected the 4th century corruption of the Alexandrian manuscripts on which the Vulgate was based, including the Vaticanus. He also opposed the obvious Roman bias in the translation of various passages. (1) To oppose the Vulgate was a very un-Romanist thing to do in this day. "To question the fidelity of the Vulgate was a crime of the greatest magnitude in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church." (2) A good Catholic of the Reformation era would not have dared to question or tinker with the Vulgate, but Erasmus, the "bad Catholic" did and was condemned for it. Footnotes *** Question #11 How many editions did Erasmus' Greek text go through? Five editions: I. First Edition -- 1516 A. Done hurriedly B. Erasmus not satisfied with it. (1) C. Not used by any translator nor is any translation based on it. D. This edition sold out in 3 years. (2) II. Second Edition -- 1519 A. A revision of the first edition in both the Greek and Hebrew B. About 400 changes from first edition but still suffered from many typos. Considering the state of printing technology of the day, typos were to be expected in any publication. C. Also used: 1. Codex Aureus loaned to him by the King of Hungary 2. Two manuscripts from the Austin Priory of Corsidonk 3. A Greek manuscript borrowed from the Monastery at Mt. Saint Agnes. (3) D. Luther used his second edition for his New Testament, although not exclusively.

III. Third Edition -- 1522 A. Included I John 5:7, due to P61 B. Used by Tyndale C. The basis for Stephanus' First Edition of 1546. IV. Fourth Edition -- 1527 A. 3 Columns -- the Greek, the Latin Vulgate and his own Latin translation B. Used 7 manuscripts including the readings in the Complutensian Polyglot. (4) V. Fifth Edition -- 1535 A. Omitted the Vulgate B. Nearly identical with the 3rd and 4th editions of Stephanus; differs little from his 4th edition. (5) C. The AV can be traced from this edition through Stephanus, not through the "hastily done" first edition. D. The new and revised printings went through a total of 69 printings before Erasmus died. (6) Footnotes *** Question #12 Didn't Erasmus only have a few late manuscripts to work with? The usual complaint, voiced by Doug Kutilek, an opponent of the AV, goes something like this: "Erasmus had the feeblest of manuscripts. He chiefly used one manuscript from the Gospels from the 12th century, and one manuscript of Acts and the Epistles also from the 12th century . . . It was hastily produced . . . There is no ground whatsoever for accepting the Textus Receptus as the ultimate in precisely representing the original text of the New Testament . . . It was in fact the most rudimentary and rustic, at best only a provisional text . . . The Greek texts of Griesbach, Tregelles, Tischendorf, Alford and Westcott and Hort were . . . a great improvement over the text of Erasmus because they more accurately presented the text of the New Testament in the form it came from the pens of the apostles." (1) This is very inaccurate and misleading.

What of the manuscripts he used? Erasmus was ever at work, ever collecting, comparing, publishing. He classified the Greek manuscripts and read the Fathers. By his travels he was brought into contact with all the intellectual currents of his time. (2) He looked for manuscripts everywhere during his travels and he borrowed them from everyone he could. His text was mainly based on the Basel manuscripts, but included readings from others to which he had access. He had collated many Greek manuscripts of the NT and was surrounded by all the commentaries and translations by the writings of Origen, Cyprian, Ambrose, Basil, Chrysostom, Cyril, Jerome and Augustine. (3) Erasmus had access to Codex Vaticanus, but rejected its readings that were at variance with the Byzantine text. He also had access to D, Codex Bezae, but also rejected it. (4) The AV translators also had these variant readings and rejected them. (5) The readings of these much boasted manuscripts recently made available are largely those of the Vulgate. The Reformers knew of these readings and rejected them, as well as the Vulgate. (6) The pedigree of Erasmus' "late minuscule manuscripts" thus date back to antiquity. (7) The text Erasmus chose had an outstanding history in the Greek, Syrian and Waldensian churches. (8) The texts used by Erasmus for his first edition: 1. 1 - 11th century, contained the Gospels, Acts, Epistles. Erasmus did not rely very much on 1 because it read too much like Codex B/Vaticanus. (9) 2. 2 - 15th century, contained the Gospels. 3. 2ap - 12th-14th century, contained Acts and the Epistles. Erasmus depended upon 2 and 2ap because they were the best and most accurate texts. (10) 4. 4ap - 15th century, containing Revelation. Erasmus mainly used 2 and 2ap, occasionally used 1 and 4ap. (11) Erasmus may have had as many as 10 manuscripts at his disposal, 4 from England, 5 at Basle and one loaned to him by John Reuchlin. (12) Thomas Strouse mentions that the earliest of his manuscripts went back to the 5th century, "advisedly." (13) Bishop Charles John Ellicott, Chairman of the Revision Committee, said about the Received Text: "The manuscripts which Erasmus used differ, for the most part, only in small and insignificant details from the bulk of the cursive manuscripts. The general character of their text is the same. By this observation the pedigree of the Received Text is carried up beyond the individual manuscripts used by Erasmus . . . That pedigree stretches back to remote antiquity. The first ancestor of the Received Text was at least

contemporary with the oldest of our extant manuscripts, if not older than any one of them." (14) So the question is not, "How old were those manuscripts that Erasmus used?" but rather whether those "late manuscripts" accurately preserve the originals. We state the Erasmus manuscripts were part of that Traditional stream of manuscripts that have always been accepted by God's people. The age of the individual manuscripts is not important, but rather their accuracy in preserving the older manuscripts which contained the very Word of God. Footnotes *** Question #13 Did Erasmus do any other translation work? Yes. In 1505, he made his own Latin translation of the New Testament while at Oxford. (1) In 1524, he published paraphrases and comments on the gospels and epistles which were widely received. (2) Footnotes *** Question #14 Why did Erasmus insert I John 5:7,8 into his text? Is there sufficient manuscript evidence to support it? Yes, there is overwhelming evidence for it. We may say indeed that if anyone doubts whether I John 5:7,8 belongs in Scripture, thy are wholly ignorant of the textual support in favor of it. First John 5:7,8 is an integral part of Scripture. The earliest references to it would be Tertullian (160-230), Cyprian (200-258), Priscillian (d. 385), Cassiodorus (480-570), Augustine (5th century), Athanasius (4th century) and Jerome (4th century). (1) It appears in the Vulgate. (2) It also appears in Manuscript 61 and Codex Ravianus. Stephanus found it in 9 of his 16 manuscripts. (3) Its attack and deletion from some manuscripts no doubt arises from the heresies in the early church, especially Arians. Those who oppose the inclusion of I John 5:7 are supporting the Unitarians and Jehovah

Witnesses while ignoring the overwhelming mass of manuscript evidence. Erasmus' role in the debate over these verses had been distorted by enemies of the AV. The standard position that liberals assume reads something as follows, given by AV-critic James White: "When the first edition of Erasmus' work came out in 1516 . . . (I John 5:7,8) was not in the text for a very simple reason: it was not found in any Greek manuscript of I John that Erasmus had examined. Instead, the phrase was found only in the Latin Vulgate. Erasmus rightly did not include it in the first or second editions. The note in the Annotations simply said, 'In the Greek codex I find only this about the threefold testimony: 'because there are three witnesses, spirit, water and blood.' ' His reliance upon the Greek manuscripts caused quite a stir . . . Since Erasmus had promised, in his response to Edward Lee, to include the passage should a Greek manuscript be found that contained it, he was constrained to insert the phrase in the third edition when presented with an Irish manuscript that contained the disputed phrase." (4) This is furthered by Stewart Custer of Bob Jones University: "Now Erasmus made a rash promise. He said, 'If you can show me a Greek manuscript that has the text in it, I will print it there' . . . They went back and summoned their scribes and got them to translate the Latin Vulgate into Greek and put that verse in. (It) came right back to him. The ink was hardly dry on the manuscript . . . those two manuscripts are 61 . . . the date is 16th century, the time of Erasmus. The other one is 629 . . . Those are the only two manuscripts out of those 5000 that have verse 7 in it . . . Told him frankly that if he didn't put that verse in, they'd excommunicate him. He, being a good Roman Catholic, put it in." (5) Both White and Custer are in error! Now for the facts: 1. On the "fact" that Erasmus made a rash promise, this was demonstrated to be false. This remark is one of the cherished legends about the history of New Testament scholarship. It is no more than a legend. Erasmus did not put the verses in his third edition on the basis of any supposed promise to Edward Lee. (6) Even Bruce Metzger admitted that Erasmus' "promise" needs to be corrected in the light of the research of H.J. de Jonge, a specialist in Erasmian studies, who finds no explicit evidence that supports this frequently made assertion. (7)

2. Was the ink hardly dry on 61, as Custer claimed? Erasmus didn't see it until a year after it was produced. Custer simply exaggerated. (8) 3. What of Custer's claim that there were only 2 manuscripts that contained the verse? R.E. Brown said a year earlier than Custer (1982) that there were 8 manuscripts. And it wasn't "5000" manuscripts as Custer claimed for, as of 1982, only 498 Greek manuscripts had been examined and in eight of them, the verses are found. (9) How could Custer assume the other 4500 manuscripts did not have the verses? 4. Was Erasmus threatened with excommunication? No evidence exists of it (10) because by the time of the third edition, he had found sufficient evidence to include it. Erasmus initially defended his omission of the verses as late as October, 1524. He had changed his views sometime between 1522-1527. (11) Footnotes *** Question #15 Why did Erasmus insert some Vulgate readings into his text? This was done because those readings simply happened to be the correct reading. As corrupt as the Vulgate is, it is not entirely incorrect. Occasionally it is correct. Edward Hills lists the major Vulgate readings in the Erasmus text as: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Matthew 10:8 Matthew 27:35 John 3:25 Acts 8:37 Acts 9:5,6 Acts 20:28 Romans 16:25-27 I John 5:7 (1)

This fact is not as damaging as it may sound. These Vulgate readings do not make the TR a Catholic manuscript. After all, the modern Catholic translations (such as the Jerusalem Bible or the New American Bible) often agree with the Authorized Version. Does this make those Catholic translations Protestant? Does it make the AV a Catholic Bible? Of course not. Generally speaking, the various translations will agree

among themselves more often than not. The issue is over the places where they disagree against the AV! Footnote *** Question #16 What was Erasmus' attitude toward the Anabaptists, Bohemian Brethren and other Reformation-age Baptistic groups? Erasmus was a supporter of the Anabaptists, the forerunners of the modern Baptists, who were savagely persecuted by both Catholic and Protestants. (1) Erasmus was also a supporter of the doctrines and practices of the Bohemian Brethren. They gave Erasmus a copy of their Apologia, or defense of their articles of faith in 1507, and requested that he read it through and give his comments. Erasmus said he saw no error in their doctrines. Erasmus did not come out in public with his support of the Brethren because he feared the consequences. (2) Editor's Note: Robert Sargent's response to this question conflicts with a number of Erasmus' letters regarding the Anabaptists published in J.A. Froude's Life and Letters of Erasmus (1894). Footnote #1 states: "Gipp, p. 152 and Maynard, p. 86, where he quotes a letter from Erasmus where he professed to have the "highest respect" for the Anabaptists." However, Michael Maynard's volume, A History of the Debate Over I John 5:7-8, appears to mistranslate Erasmus letter dated April 1, 1529 which states: "This sect (he says) is peculiarly obnoxious because they teach community of goods and will not obey magistrates. They have no churches. They do not aim at power, and do not resist when arrested. They are said to be moral in their conduct, if anything can be moral with so corrupt a faith." (Froude, p.366) Elsewhere in J.A. Froude's volume, which predates Roland Bainton's Erasmus of Christendom cited by Gipp, are found references to the Anabaptists from the letters of Erasmus: "Anabaptists must not be tolerated. The Apostles bade their people obey the magistrates, though the magistrates were heathens. Anabaptists will not obey even Christian princes. Community of goods

is a chimera. Charity is a duty, but property must be upheld." (Froude, pp. 344-45) "Lower Germany swarms with Anabaptists; Munster, as you know, is taken; but there has been a dangerous riot in Amsterdam... Munster is taken and the insurgents punished. The Anabaptists are crowding in hither from Holland. I am glad that the Emperor is doing well, wherever he may be; but I wish he had stayed in Germany and saved us from these creatures. These Anabaptists are no joke. They go to work with sword in hand, seize towns, drive their creed down people's throats, set up new kings and queens, and make their own laws. Last winter there were troubles in Paris. Bills were posted threatening the King for persecuting what they called the Word of God. Four-and-twenty of the authors of these writings were executed. Many of the nobles fled. The king has recalled them, and promised them liberty of conscience if they will leave politics alone. Some say he was advised to be moderate by the King of England and by the Pope." (Froude, pp. 428-30) Please see: Anabaptist chapter from The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages Also, Watch Unto Prayer report The Semitic New Testament: Part II which deals with the misrepresentation by Fundamentalist scholars of gnostic sects such as the Waldenses, Anabaptists, Cathars, Albigenses and the Bogomils. Footnotes *** In Summation: 1. Erasmus was not a practicing Roman Catholic, but had the heart of a Reformer. We realize he never formally "joined" the Reformation, but was in sympathy with much of it. 2. Erasmus was not a humanist in the modern sense of the word. 3. Erasmus' "hastily prepared" first edition is totally irrelevant to the discussion, since it was not the basis for any other Greek text except his own 2nd edition, nor was it used for any translation. 4. Erasmus had plentiful and ample manuscript evidence and access to the Alexandrian readings and of Codex B. 5. Erasmus, through his study of the patristic writings, was well-versed in the variant readings, which have changed little over the centuries.

Our faith in the superiority of the Textus Receptus and the Authorized Version remains intact and unshaken. We remain confident that our position for these traditional manuscripts is correct and is the true historical position that ought to be taken. The enemies of the AV have been unable to validate their charges and complaints against the AV and the TR. Let is be understood that we are fully aware of the problems of Erasmus. He was not perfect. Were he alive today, he probably would not be classified as a "Bible-believing Fundamentalist." But we are more interested in his work, his texts and his contribution to Biblical preservation through his Greek text.

Another Bible, Another Gospel Tables of Comparison of Selected Scriptures The Semitic New Testament

BIBLIOGRAPHY Kurt and Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament, Grand Rapids: Eerdman's, 1987, translated by Erroll Rhodes. Ronald Bainton, Erasmus of Christendom, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. David Beale, A Pictorial History of our English Bible, Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 1982. Donald Brake, The Preservation of the Scriptures. John William Burgon, The Revision Revised, Dean Burgon Society, Box 354, Collingswood, New Jersey 08108. David Cloud, For Love of the Bible: The Battle for the King James Version and the Received Text From 1800 to Present, Oak Harbor WA: Way of Life Publications, 1995. David Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible: Erasmus Was a Humanist, Oak Harbor WA: Way of Life Literature, 1986, 1993. David Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible: Reformation Editors Lacked Sufficient Manuscript Evidence, Way of Life Literature: Oak Harbor WA, 1992 David Cloud, O Timothy, various issues. David Cloud, Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible and Christianity, Oak Harbor WA: Way of Life Literature, 1993.

David Daniell, William Tyndale: A Biography, New Haven: Yale Press, 1994. John Davies, A History of Wales, London: Penguin Press, 1990. Will Durant, The Story of Civilization: Part VI - The Reformation , New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957. Charles John Ellicott, The Revisers and the Greek Text of the New Testament, by Two Members of the New Testament Company, 1882. J.A. Froude, Life and Letters of Erasmus, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1894. David Otis Fuller, ed. Counterfeit or Genuine? Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids International Publications, 1975, 1978. David Otis Fuller, ed. Which Bible? Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids International Publications, 1970, 1975. Samuel Gipp, The Answer Book, Shelbyville, TN: Bible and Literature Missionary Foundation, 1989. William Grady, Final Authority, Schereville, IN: Grady Publications, 1993. David Harrowar, A Defence of the Trinitarian System, Utica: William Williams, 1822. Edward Hills, Believing Bible Study, Des Moines: The Christian Research Press, 1967. Edward Hills, The King James Version Defended, Des Moines: The Christian Research Press, 1956, 1988. John Hurst, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 2, New York: Eaton and Mains, 1900. Samuel Macauley Jackson, ed. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1909. DeLamar Jensen, Reformation Europe, Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, 1981, 1992. Frederick Kenyon, Our Bible. Doug Kutilek, "Erasmus and His Greek New Testament," Biblical Evangelist, October 1, 1985. Frank Logsdon, "From the NASV to the KJV," The Baptist Challenge, March, 1992. John McClintock and James Strong, Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York: Harper and Brothers, 1891. Michael Maynard, A History of the Debate Over I John 5:7,8. Tempe AZ: Comma Publications, 1995. Bruce Metzger, The Text of the New Testament, New York: Oxford University Press, 1968. Andrew Miller, Miller's Church History, Bible Truth Publishers, 1980. Edward Miller, A Guide to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, Collingswood, NJ: Dean Burgon Society, 1886, 1979. Hugh Pope, English Versions of the Bible, St Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1952.

A.T. Robertson, An Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1925. Robert Sargent, Landmarks of English Bible: Manuscript Evidence , Oak Harbor WA: Bible Baptist Church Publications, n.d. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church: Volume VII - The German Reformation, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1910, 1970. Frederick Scrivener, A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament for the Use of the Biblical Student, ed. Edward Miller, 2 volumes, London: George Bell and Sons, 1894. Thomas Strouse, "The 19th Century Baptists, Bible Translations and Bible Societies," Tabernacle Baptist Theological Journal, Summer, 1994, Vol. 1, No. 2. Robert Sumner, "Dear Abner!" Biblical Evangelist, Nov. 1, 1992. Benjamin Wilkinson, Our Authorized Version Vindicated. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1949.

FOOTNOTES Question #1 1. David Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible: Erasmus was a Humanist. Oak Harbor WA: Way of Life Literature, 1986, 1993, p. 32. 2. Michael Maynard, A History of the Debate Over I John 5:7,8. Tempe AZ: Comma Publications, 1995, p. 327. Despite Luther's support for the Erasmus text, Luther was no personal friend of Erasmus, mainly because of their differing views on free will. 3. Samuel Gipp, The Answer Book. Shelbyville TN: Bible and Literature Missionary Foundation, 1989, p. 153 and Will Durant, The Story of Civilization: Part VI - The Reformation. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957, p. 285 and Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church: Volume VII - The German Reformation. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1910, 1970, p. 415. 4. Hugh Pope, English Versions of the Bible. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1952, p. 105 and Schaff, p. 413. 5. John Hurst, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 2. New York: Eaton and Mains, 1900, p. 107. 6. John McClintock and James Strong, Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 3. New York: Harper and Brothers. 1891, p. 278. 7. Doug Kutilek, "Erasmus and His Greek New Testament." Biblical Evangelist, October 1, 1985.

8. Pope, p. 105. 9. Cloud, p. 16 and Benjamin Wilkinson, "Our Authorized Version Vindicated," cited by David Otis Fuller, ed. Which Bible? Grand Rapids International Publications, 1970, 1975, p. 225. 10. Gipp, p. 151. 11. Cloud, pp. 16, 21. 12. Schaff, pp. 414-15. 13. Durant, p. 284. 14. J. A. Froude, Life and Letters of Erasmus. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1894, pp. 119-27. 15. A. T. Robertson, An Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1925, p. 18. 16. Cloud, p. 22. 17. Roland Bainton, Erasmus of Christendom, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1969, pp. 68-70, 269-70. 18. Schaff, pp. 402-3. 19. Frank Logsdon, "From the NASV to the KJV," The Baptist Challenge, March 1992, p. 11. 20. Maynard, p. 327. 21. Ibid., p. 329. 22. David Cloud, For Love of the Bible: The Battle for the King James Version and the Received Text From 1800 to Present. Oak Harbor, WA: Way of Life Publications, 1995, p. 33. Question #2 1. Samuel Macauley Jackson, ed. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. 4. New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1909, p. 165. 2. Durant, p. 286. 3. Robert Sargent, Landmarks of English Bible: Manuscript Evidence. Oak Harbor WA: Bible Baptist Church Publications, n.d., p. 154. Question #3 1. McClintock and Strong, Vol. 3, p. 277. Question #4 1. Edward Hills, The King James Version Defended. Des Moines: The Christian Research Press, 1956, 1988, p. 106.

2. Ibid. Kurt Aland (p. 4) adds that the errors in the first edition were due to typesetting errors, not to errors in the text. 3. Benjamin Wilkinson, "Our Authorized Version Vindicated" in True or False?, David Otis Fuller, Grand Rapids International Publications, p. 227. 4. Bruce Metzger, The Text of the New Testament. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968, pp. 105-6. 5. John William Burgon, "The Revision Revised" in True or False?, p. 132. Question #5 1. Robert Sumner, "Dear Abner!" Biblical Evangelist, November 1, 1992. During all the years of his editorship, Sumner never came out with a strong public stand for the AV and the TR and against the other Greek manuscripts and English translations. Instead, Sumner continually ridiculed the scholars who held to the historic position of defending the AV and hired out men like Doug Kutilek to openly attack the AV and TR. Sumner's profession that he is "for" the AV rings hollow when one reads his writings. And one must wonder why Sumner appeals to men like Dwight Moody, R.A.Torrey or John R. Rice to support his denial of the superiority of the AV when none of these men were textual scholars. Had Sumner never read Scrivener, Hills, Hodges, Burgon, Fuller, Miller or Waite? 2. Thomas Strouse, "The 19th Century Baptists, Bible Translations and Bible Societies." Tabernacle Baptist Theological Journal, Summer, 1994, Vol., I, No. 2, p. 7. 3. Michael Maynard, A History of the Debate Over I John 5:7,8. Tempe AZ: Comma Publications, 1995, p. 75. 4. David Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible: Reformation Editors Lacked Sufficient Manuscript Evidence. Way of Life Literature: Oak Harbor WA, 1993, p. 10. 5. Frederick Scrivener, A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament for the Use of the Biblical Student, ed. Edward Miller, 2 volumes. London: George Bell and Sons, 1894, 2:226, cited by William Grady, Final Authority, Schereville, IN: Grady Publications, 2993, page 113 and David Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible, op. cit., p. 9. Also Frederick Kenyon, Our Bible, page 133, cited in Benjamin Wilkinson, "Our Authorized Version Vindicated," cited by David Otis Fuller, ed. Which Bible? page 225. Maynard says, "A good Catholic would honor the 365

6. 7. 8. 9.

Vaticanus readings collected by J.G. Sepulveda, which agreed with the Vulgate. But Erasmus rejected these (p. 319). How could Erasmus reject Vaticanus readings unless he had them to reject? Maynard says on page 88 that Sepulveda supplied Erasmus with these readings because he was opposed to the manuscripts Erasmus was using to translate and edit his Greek text and was trying to influence Erasmus away from those manuscripts. Erasmus had these B readings to use for his 5th edition but rejected every single reading. Donald Brake, "The Preservation of the Scriptures," cited in David Otis Fuller, ed. Counterfeit or Genuine? Grand Rapids International Pub., 1975, 1978, p. 203. Edward Miller, A Guide to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, Collingswood, NJ: Dean John Burgon Society, 1886, 1979, p. 9. Kurt and Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament, p. 4. Metzger, The Text of the New Testament, p. 107.

Question #6 1. Gipp, The Answer Book, p. 151. 2. Ibid. 3. Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible: Reformation Editors Lacked Sufficient Manuscript Evidence , p. 12 and Strouse, Tabernacle Baptist Theological Journal, Summer, 1994, Vol. 1, No. 2, p. 7. 4. Hills, The King James Version Defended, pp. 198-99. 5. Hills, p. 196 and Encyclopedia Britannica, 1949, "Erasmus, Desiderius" in Vol. 8, p. 678. Question #7 1. McClintock and Strong, Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 3, p. 278. 2. Ibid. Erasmus was not in the Calvinist branch of the Reformation, but held to the free will of man, over which Luther violently assailed him. 3. David Cloud, Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible and Christianity, Oak Harbor, WA: Way of Life Literature, 1993, p. 137. 4. T. Robertson, An Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1925, p. 54.

Question #8 1. David Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible: Erasmus Was a Humanist, Way of Life Literature, Oak Harbor, WA, 1986, 1993, p. 24. 2. Hills, The King James Version Defended, p. 196. 3. DeLamar Jensen, Reformation Europe, Lexington MA: D.C. Heath, 1981. Question #9 1. David Beale, A Pictorial History of Our English Bible, Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 1982, p. 17. 2. Ibid., p. 65. 3. Ibid., p. 67 4. Grady, Final Authority: A Christian's Guide to the King James Bible, p. 131. 5. John Davies, A History of Wales. London: Penguin Press, 1990, p. 243. The Welsh are believed to be among the earliest national groups to embrace Christianity and may rightly be considered to be Baptistic. As early as 40 or 50 AD, Baptistic Christianity may have been established in Wales. The Welsh have a long and glorious spiritual history. As a result, they would have a good understanding about manuscripts and doctrine. The Welsh Church has accepted the traditional Greek text as the true New Testament text. Davies, echoing the belief of the translators of the value of the Erasmus text, says it was "based upon the most correct texts of the Greek Testament as they were established by the tradition of biblical scholarship initiated by Erasmus in 1516." Question #10 1. Gipp, The Answer Book, p. 151. 2. Andrew Miller, Miller's Church History, Bible Truth Publishers, 1980, p. 696. Question #11 1. Bainton, Erasmus of Christendom, p. 133. 2. Durant, The Story of Civilization: Part VI -- The Reformation , p. 285. 3. Donald Brake, "The Preservation of the Scriptures," cited in David Otis Fuller, ed. Counterfeit or Genuine?, p. 204. 4. Bainton, p. 133.

5. Brake, p. 203. 6. Durant, p. 285. Question #12 1. Cloud, Myths About the King James Bible: Reformation Editors Lacked Sufficient Manuscripts Evidence, pp. 4, 5. For Kutilek to say that the work of Westcott and Hort is an improvement over the work of Erasmus, and all those who preceded him in the remnant line of Christianity back to apostolic days, exposes Kutilek for the liberal that he is. 2. Ibid., pp. 6, 7. 3. Ibid., p. 8. 4. Ibid., p. 9. 5. Ibid., p. 10. 6. Ibid., p. 11. 7. Ibid., p. 13. 8. Ibid. 9. Sargent, Landmarks of English Bible: Manuscript Evidence, p. 155. 10. Ibid., pp. 155-56. 11. Cloud, Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible and Christianity, p. 137. 12. Brake, "The Preservation of the Scriptures," cited in David Otis Fuller, ed. Counterfeit or Genuine? p. 204. 13. Strouse, "The 19th Century Baptists, Bible Translations and Bible Societies." Tabernacle Baptists Theological Journal, Summer, 1994, Vol. 1., No. 2, p. 7. 14. Charles John Ellicott, The Revisers and the Greek Text of the New Testament of the New Testament, by Two Members of the New Testament Company, 1882, pp. 11, 12, cited by Cloud in For Love of the Bible, p. 52. Question #13 1. Edward Hills, Believing Bible Study. Des Moines: Christian Research Press, 1967, pp. 191-93. 2. Hurst, p. 108. Question #14 1. David Harrowar, A Defense of the Trinitarian System. Utica: William Williams, 1922, p. 44. 2. Ibid., p. 48. 3. Ibid., p. 36.

4. James White, The King James Only Controversy, Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1995, pp. 60-61. 5. Stewart Custer, debate on Westcott-Hort Text vs. Textus Receptus, October 11, 1983 at Marquette Manor Baptist Church, Schaumberg IL, cited by Maynard, p. 325. 6. Maynard, pp. 302, 325. 7. Ibid., p. 282, cites Bruce Metzger's book The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration.' 8. Ibid., p. 325. 9. Ibid., pp. 325-26. The 8 manuscripts are 61, 629, 918, 2318, 88vl, 221vl, 429vl, 636vl. That list came from Metzger (ibid., p. 268) 10. Ibid., p. 326 11. Ibid., p. 89. Question #15 1. Cited by Sargent, Landmarks of English Bible: Manuscript Evidence , p. 156 Question #16 [See Editor's Note to Question #16] 1. Gipp, p. 152 and Maynard, p. 86, where he quotes a letter from Erasmus where he professed to have the "highest respect" for the Anabaptists. 2. Maynard, p. 328