THE HOUSE OF GOD ON TRIAL

 

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

– I Peter 4:17

 

By Janet & Jerry Moser

 

 

PREFACE

 

The premise of this report is that God has revealed many things in His Word concerning the Bible version issue:

 

 

I.      THE SECRET

 

Ø      WHAT IS THE PROBLEM CONCERNING THE BIBLE VERSIONS?

 

·        There has always been a conspiracy to corrupt the Word of God.

 

“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.” – 2 Cor. 2:17  

 

·        There has always been an attempt to cover up the corruption of the Bible.

 

“Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.” – Matt. 10:26

 

·        God will reveal what man has covered up.

 

“What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.” – Matt. 10:27

 

·        Christians are looking to other people for answers on the Bible version issue instead of looking to the Lord and His Word.

 

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” – Jeremiah 33:3  

 

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” – Psalms 32:8  

 

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” – Acts 17:11  

 

“For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” – Matt. 7:7-8

 

·        Christians have a responsibility to share with others the facts of the Bible version issue.

 

“For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” – Acts 20:27

 

 

Ø      WHY DO SO MANY IN THE CHURCH REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE THE CORRUPTION OF THE BIBLE?

 

·        The lukewarm condition of the Church.

 

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” - Rev. 3:15-16

 

“And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.” –  Jeremiah 9:3

 

·        The spiritual blindness of the Church.

 

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” – Rev. 3:17-18

 

“And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” - Matt. 13:14-15 (see also Is. 6:9-10; Is. 29:10-11)

 

·        Fear of the consequences of speaking to Church leaders about the Bible version issue.

 

“These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.” – John 9:22

 

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” – Prov. 29:25

 

“For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” – John 12:43

  

  

 

Ø      WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR COPYING THE SCRIPTURES FOR THE EARLY CHURCH?

 

·        Scribes were the professional transcribers of Scripture.

 

“Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.” – Ezra 7:11

 

·        Faithful men

 

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” – 2 Tim 2:2

 

·        Scribes who used faithful Scriptures.

 

“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” – 2 Tim. 1:13-14

 

 

IV.      THE SANHEDRIN

 

Ø      WHO WERE THE UNFAITHFUL SCRIBES WHO FIRST MADE CORRUPTED COPIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT?

 

·        The Scribes in the Sanhedrin.

 

“How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” – Matt. 16:11-12

 

“And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.” – Mark 14:53,55

 

Ø      WHAT ISSUE DID THE SCRIBES HAVE WITH THE NEW TESTAMENT AND WHY DID THEY CHANGE IT?

 

·         They did not believe the New Testament was an accurate record.

 

“The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.” – John 8:13   

 

·        They did not want the people to believe on Jesus.

 

“Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.” – John 11:47  

 

·        They had a vested interest in changing the Scripture — to cover up their responsibility for Jesus’ death.

 

“Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” – Acts 5:28

 

For verses in corrupted mss. in which references to members of the Sanhedrin were omitted, see: Section 12: Sin: Acts

 

Ø      WHAT WAS THE COMPOSITION OF THE SANHEDRIN?

 

“And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.” – Mark 15:1   

 

“But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council...” – Acts 23:6

  

·         The Sanhedrin

 

“Sanhedrin (…Aram. form of Gk. sunedrion, a ‘council, assembly session’)… In the time of Christ and the apostles the Sanhedrin is frequently mentioned as being the supreme Jewish court of justice (…Mark 14:55…).

Composition. This great council was formed…of high priests (i.e., the acting high priest, those who had been high priests, and members of the privileged families from which the high priest were taken), elders (i.e., tribal and family heads of the people and priesthood), and scribes (i.e., legal assessors), Pharisees and Sadducees alike (cf. Acts 4:1, 5-6; 5:17, 34). According to the Mishna the number of members was seventy, with a president, a vice president, and servants of the court… Josephus and the NT state that the acting high priest, as such, was always head and president. …It was believed that membership was for life and that new members were appointed either by the existing members or by the supreme political authorities… The jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin was restricted in the time of Christ to the eleven districts of Judea proper; hence it had no judicial authority over Jesus, so long as He remained in Galilee, but only when He entered Judea… The Sanhedrin was, above all, the final court of appeal for questions connected with the Mosaic law…” (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, 299:1126-27)

 

·         The Pharisees

 

“Although the Sadducean high priests were at the head of the Sanhedrin, the decisive influence upon public affairs was in the hands of the Pharisees. ‘They had the bulk of the nation as their ally, and women especially were in their hands. They had the greatest influence upon the congregations, so that all acts of public worship, prayers, and sacrifices were preformed according to their injunctions. Their sway over the masses was so absolute that they could obtain a hearing even when they said anything against the king or the high priest, consequently they were the most capable of counteracting the design of the kings. Hence, too, the Sadducees, in their official acts, adhered to the demands of the Pharisees, because otherwise the multitude would not have tolerated them.’ (Schurer, History of the Jewish People in the Time of Christ, div. 2, 2:28).” (Unger, 299:998)

 

“The Jewish religion as it is today traces its descent, without a break, through all the centuries, from the Pharisees. Their leading ideas and methods found expression in a literature of enormous extent, of which a very great deal is still in existence. The Talmud is the largest and most important single piece of literature…and the study of it is essential for any real understanding of Pharisaism.” (Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, 1948, Vol. 8, pg. 474)

 

·         The Sadducees

 

“Still, each party had its strong characteristic, that of the Pharisees being a rigid realism, while the Sadducees were aristocratic. Josephus repeatedly designates them [Sadducees] as those who gain only the rich and have not the people on their side (Ant. 13.10.6)” (Unger, 299:1109)

 

·         The Scribes

 

“During the Exile in Babylon educated scribes apparently became the expert in God’s written word, copying, preserving, and teaching it. Ezra was a scribe in this sense of expert in teaching God’s word (Ezra 7:6). A professional group of such scribes developed by New Testament times, most being Pharisees (Mark 2:16). They interpreted the law, taught it to disciples and were experts in cases where people were accused of breaking the law of Moses.” (Holman Bible Dictionary, 784:1237)

 

SCRIPTURE

 

 

GOD

 

 

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

 

 

MAN

 

 

ANGELS

 

 

SIN

 

 

SALVATION

 

 

THE CHURCH

 

 

FUTURE THINGS

 

 

                 V.      THE SCHEME

 

Ø      WHAT WAS THE PLAN OF THE SCRIBES?

 

• To overthrow the counsel of God concerning Jesus.

 

“And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” – Acts 5:38-39

 

§         When intimidation didn’t work, the Sanhedrin set up false witnesses in Alexandria—the Alexandrian manuscripts.

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” – Psalm 2:2-3

• To corrupt Scripture.

 

“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.” – 2 Cor. 2:17

 

“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” – Romans 1:25

 

• To set up three false witnesses, as they also did when forging three Alexandrian manuscripts.

 

And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:” – Acts 6:12-13

 

“This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” – 2 Cor. 13:1

 

Ø      HOW DID THE SCRIBES GET THEIR HANDS ON THE TRUE SCRIPTURES?

VI.     THE SIGNIFICANCE

 

Ø      WHAT IS THE MAIN REASON FOR CHANGING THE SCRIPTURES?

“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. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” – 1 Tim 3:16-4:1

 

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