Sunday, January 8, 2017 Grace Life School of Theology From This Generation For Ever Lesson 43 Passages Proving Plenary Preservation is Presumptuous

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1 1 Sunday, January 8, 2017 Grace Life Schl f Thelgy Frm This Generatin Fr Ever Lessn 43 Passages Prving Plenary Preservatin is Presumptuus Intrductin Last week in Lessn 42 we cncluded that drpping the standard f verbatim identicality was the slutin fr slving the crllary prblem. T help illustrate this pint we cmpared Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 and nted that Luke s accunt f what Christ read in the synaggue in Nazareth des nt match exactly with the passage He is reading frm in Isaiah 61, even in a KJB. I wuld like t use ur time this mrning t ffer further prf frm scripture that demanding verbatim identicality as the standard fr preservatin is excessive and ut f step with hw the Bible itself wuld teach yu t think abut the matter. Nah Webster s American Dictinary f the English Language defines the wrd verbatim as fllws: VERBA'TIM adv. [L.] Wrd fr wrd; in the same wrds; as, t tell a stry verbatim as anther has related it. The gal f this lessn is t shw that the testimny f the scriptures des nt require verbatim phraselgy but simply equivalent meaning. It is pssible t say the exact same thing using different wrds. At 3:30, I drve t the stre. I drve t the stre at half past three. Cnsider the fllwing example frm II Timthy 2:15. Geneva... dividing the wrd f truth aright. King James rightly dividing the wrd f truth. In bth f these examples, the rder f wrds and the wrds themselves are different but the substance is equivalent. This highlights a pint that I have been making since Lessn 5, there is a difference between 1) a different way f saying the same things and 2) a substantive difference in meaning. Pastr Bryan Rss

2 2 There are fur prfs that scripture apprves f substantive equivalence and des nt require verbatim identicality: The fact that New Testament qutes f the Old Testament d nt match verbatim. The fact that Old Testament qutatins f the Old Testament d nt match verbatim. The fact that New Testament qutatins f the New Testament d nt match verbatim. II Kings 19 and Isaiah 37 d nt match verbatim. New Testament Qutes f the Old Testament In this categry I wuld like t cnsider the fllwing tw categries f passages: Scripture Passages It is written Passages Scripture Passages This categry explres instances where a New Testament figure is reading frm a manuscript cpy f the Old Testament. Yet the manuscript cpies that are read frm in the New Testament d nt match exactly with the Old Testament texts that are being read in the KJB. Isaiah 61:1-2 & Luke 4:18-19 Isaiah 61:1-2 Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit f the Lrd GOD is upn me; The Spirit f the Lrd is upn me, because the LORD hath aninted me t preach gd tidings unt the meek; he hath sent me t bind up the brkenhearted, t prclaim liberty t the captives, because he hath aninted me t preach the gspel t the pr; he hath sent me t heal the brkenhearted, t preach deliverance t the captives, (and recvering f sight t the blind), and the pening f the prisn t them that are bund; T prclaim the acceptable year f the LORD, t set at liberty them that are bruised, T preach the acceptable year f the Lrd. We have already seen this example in Lessns 5 and 42. The manuscript cpy that Christ is reading frm in Luke 4 is nt an exact match with the King James text f Isaiah 61, the passage Pastr Bryan Rss

3 3 the Lrd is reading frm. Yet, the Lrd Jesus Christ calls the manuscript cpy He is reading frm scripture. The passages are substantively equivalent despite nt pssessing verbatim wrding. Isaiah 53:7-8 & Acts 8:32-33 Isaiah 53:7-8 Acts 8:32-33 He was ppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he pened nt his muth: he is brught as a lamb t the slaughter, and as a sheep befre her shearers is dumb, s he peneth nt his muth. He was taken frm prisn and frm judgment: and wh shall declare his generatin? Fr he was cut ff ut f the land f the living: He was led as a sheep t the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb befre his shearer, s pened he nt his muth: In his humiliatin his judgment was taken away: and wh shall declare his generatin? fr his life is taken frm the earth. fr the transgressin f my peple was he stricken. Acts 8:26-30 the Ethipian Eunuch is n his way hme t Ethipia frm Jerusalem in his charit reading a manuscript cpy f the bk f Isaiah. When Philip is prmpted by the angel f Lrd t jin himself unt the Eunuch s charit, Philip finds him reading the passage abve frm Isaiah 53. When ne cmpares the text f Acts 8:32-33 with Isaiah 53:7-8 the wrding is far frm identical yet the dctrinal substance is unaltered despite nt pssessing verbatim wrding. Acts 8:32, 35 twice in this passage the Hly Spirit calls the text f verses 32 and 33 scripture despite the lack f verbatim wrding with Isaiah 53:7-8 in the KJB. Once again, this prves that demanding exact sameness in wrding as the standard fr preservatin is verreaching. Gd the Hly Spirit des nt even demand that in his wrd. It is written Passages In Lessns 36 and 37 we devted tw lessns t a study f hw the phrase it is written impacts the dctrine/prmise f preservatin. In Lessn 37 we cnsidered the impact f the Perfect Tense and Passive Vice upn the dctrine f preservatin. Pastr Bryan Rss

4 4 The perfect tense, which He utilized, expresses a cmpleted actin with a resulting state f being. The result f the actin cntinues frm the past thrugh the present and int the future. (Struse in Thu Shalt Keep Them, 35) Cmbining the perfect tense with the passive vice shws that the actin f the verb was cmpleted in the past by an agent ther than the subject f the verb with the results f the actin cntinuing int the present. The perfect tense, and the perfect passive in particular, is ften used in Scripture t teach dctrine and illustrate preservatin f truth. (Suttn in Thu Shalt Keep Them, 76) After explaining the meaning and significance f bth the perfect tense and passive vice and applying it t nn-preservatin related texts by way f explanatin and illustratin, Suttn explains the significance with respect t the dctrine f preservatin. Every ccurrence f it is written in the New Testament crrespnds with a perfect passive verb in Greek, accrding t Suttn: Sixty-three times in the NT the exact phrase it is written ccurs. The perfect passive verb gegraptai underlies fifty-nine f these references, while the ther fur ccasins represent the perfect passive participle gegramenn. (Suttn in Thu Shalt Keep Them, 78) In Lessn 36 we nted places where the phrase it is written ccurred yet there was nt verbatim identicality in hw the New Testament quted the Old Testament. Deuternmy 8:3 & Matthew 4:4 Deuternmy 8:3 Matthew 4:4... that he might make thee knw that But he answered and said, It is written, man dth nt live by bread nly, but by every wrd that prceedeth ut f the muth f the LORD dth man live. Man shall nt live by bread alne, but by every wrd that prceedeth ut f the muth f Gd. Is Matthew 4:4 in yur KJB an exact wrd fr wrd qutatin f Deuternmy 8:3? N! Des that mean ne f these is in errr? N! They are bth teaching the exact same dctrinal cntent withut using the exact same wrds. Matthew 4:4 & Luke 4:4 Matthew 4:4 Luke 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, Man shall nt live by bread alne, but by every wrd that prceedeth ut f the muth f Gd. That man shall nt live by bread alne, but by every wrd f Gd. Pastr Bryan Rss

5 5 S nt nly des Matthew s qutatin f Deuternmy 8:3 nt match exactly but the citatins f Deuternmy by bth Matthew and Luke, in the same cntext, d nt match each ther exactly. Yet n ne views these verses as differing substantively in terms f their dctrinal cntent. The same phenmena is bservable fr the ther it is written qutatins f the Lrd Jesus Christ during his temptatin. Deuternmy 6:16 & Matthew 4:7 Deuternmy 6:16 Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unt him, It is written again, Ye shall nt tempt the LORD yur Gd,... Thu shalt nt tempt the Lrd thy Gd. Deuternmy 6:13 & Mathew 4:10 Deuternmy 6:13 Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unt him, Get thee hence, Satan: fr it is written, Thu shalt fear the LORD thy Gd, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Thu shalt wrship the Lrd thy Gd, and him nly shalt thu serve. There are literally scres f these types f examples that we culd cite. Please cnsider these few in additin t what we saw in Lessn 36. Micah 5:2 & Matthew 2:5-6 Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:5-6 And they said unt him, In Bethlehem f Judaea: fr thus it is written by the prphet, But thu, Bethlehem Ephratah, thugh thu be little amng the thusands f Judah, yet ut f thee shall he cme frth unt me that is t be ruler in Israel; And thu Bethlehem, in the land f Juda, art nt the least amng the princes f Juda: fr ut f thee shall cme a Gvernr, that shall rule my peple Israel. whse gings frth have been frm f ld, frm everlasting. NIV... frm ancient times. ESV... frm ancient days. Pastr Bryan Rss

6 6 Zechariah 13:7 & Matthew 26:13 Zechariah 13:7 Matthew 26:13 Awake, O swrd, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellw, saith the LORD f hsts: Then saith Jesus unt them, All ye shall be ffended because f me this night: fr it is written, smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upn the little nes. I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep f the flck shall be scattered abrad. Psalms 69:25 & Acts 1:20 Psalms 69:25 Acts 1:20 Fr it is written in the bk f Psalms, Let their habitatin be deslate; and let nne dwell in their tents. Let his habitatin be deslate, and let n man dwell therein: and his bishprick let anther take. Isaiah 59:20 & Rmans 11:26 Isaiah 59:20 Rmans 11:26 And s all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, And the Redeemer shall cme t Zin, and unt them that turn frm transgressin in Jacb, There shall cme ut f Sin the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungdliness frm Jacb: saith the LORD. Isaiah 29:14 & I Crinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14 I Crinthians 1:19 Therefre, behld, I will prceed t d a marvellus wrk amng this peple, even a marvellus wrk and a wnder: Fr it is written, fr the wisdm f their wise men shall perish, and the understanding f their prudent men shall be hid. I will destry the wisdm f the wise, and will bring t nthing the understanding f the prudent. Many mre examples like these culd be presented fr cnsideratin. In fact, I challenge everyne t lk at each ccurrence f the phrase it is written in the New Testament and cmpare the assciated qutatin with its Old Testament cunterpart. I have nt been able t find ne that is cmpletely verbatim, the clsest ne I culd lcate is II Crinthians 8:15 s qutatin f Exdus 16:18. Pastr Bryan Rss

7 7 S, in the abve examples, which verse is right the NT r the OT passage? The answer is that they are bth right. Frm this we can make the fllwing bservatins: The NT qutatins f the OT are nt verbatim and smetimes cnsiderably different. The NT qutatins specifically say it is written, when thse exact wrds are nt in fact written. This prves that scripture cnsiders the NT phrasing t be the equivalent f the OT verse even thugh the wrds are nt verbatim. It is thus pssible fr different phrasings t be equivalent and bth be the wrd f Gd even thugh they are nt verbatim. Old Testament Qutes f the Old Testament & New Testament Qutes f the New Testament In case ne is tempted t argue that the examples cited in this sectin are illegitimate because the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek, they need t mark well that the same phenmena ccurs within each Testament. The Old Testament des nt qute the Old Testament with verbatim identicality. Likewise fr the New Testament. Deuternmy 24:16 & II Chrnicles 25:4 Deuternmy 24:16 II Chrnicles 25:4 But he slew nt their children, but did as it is written in the law in the bk f Mses, where the LORD cmmanded, saying, The fathers shall nt be put t death fr the children, neither shall the children be put t death fr the fathers: every man shall be put t death fr his wn sin. The fathers shall nt die fr the children, neither shall the children die fr the fathers, but every man shall die fr his wn sin. I Timthy 5:18 & Luke 10:7 Luke 10:7 I Timthy 5:18 And in the same huse remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: Fr the scripture saith, Thu shalt nt muzzle the x that treadeth ut the crn. Fr the laburer is wrthy f his hire. And, The laburer is wrthy f his reward. G nt frm huse t huse. I Timthy 5:18 clearly states the scripture saith yet when it qutes Luke 10:7 it des nt d s with verbatim identicality. Pastr Bryan Rss

8 8 In this way the wrd f Gd instructs us that demanding exact sameness r verbatim identicality in wrding as the standard fr preservatin was an excessive and unbiblical assumptin. This false assumptin has caused many t ere t ne f the fllwing extremes: Optin 1: Originals Only Psitin this psitin cnfines inspiratin, infallibility, and inerrancy t the nn-existent riginal autgraphs as means f dealing with the variant readings. Advcates argue that it is their jb t recnstruct the Biblical text. This psitin is nnscientific and nn-falsifiable. In the absence f the riginals hw des ne knw whether they have accurately recnstructed the text. This psitin is f n practical cnsequence and cannt be maintained by faith in Gd s wrd. Optin 2: Faith fr Faith s Sake pretends like the variant readings d nt exist and insist upn Plenary Verbal Preservatin. Sme incrrectly insist that Gd re-inspired His Wrd in English between 1604 and 1611 as a means f prviding the verbatim identicality f wrding that this view f Preservatin demands. This view has the crrect starting pint, is cnsistent with the fedeistic (believing) apprach t Scripture; but carries the crllary between Preservatin and Inspiratin t far. II Kings 19 and Isaiah 37 II Kings 19 and Isaiah 37 represent a different case than we bserved in the previus pint. In this case bth passages are fund in the Old Testament and were riginally written in Hebrew. Mrever, they prtray the exact same event. Yet, they are nt identical. These chapters are nt like the gspels where they are different accunts that prvide different perspectives and cntain different infrmatin. These are nearly identical in cntent but have different wrding. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Jhn are different accunts that are written fr different purpses. Therefre, when they recrd the same events they include different details. Differ in length Sme have a genealgy, sme d nt Thse that d have a genealgy d nt match They recrd different events II Kings 19 Isaiah 37 1) And it came t pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clthes, and cvered himself with sackclth, and went int the huse f the LORD. 2) And he sent Eliakim, which was ver the husehld, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders 1) And it came t pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clthes, and cvered himself with sackclth, and went int the huse f the LORD. 2) And he sent Eliakim, wh was ver the husehld, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders Pastr Bryan Rss

9 9 f the priests, cvered with sackclth, t Isaiah the prphet the sn f Amz. 3) And they said unt him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day f truble, and f rebuke, and blasphemy: fr the children are cme t the birth, and there is nt strength t bring frth. 4) It may be the LORD thy Gd will hear all the wrds f Rabshakeh, whm the king f Assyria his master hath sent t reprach the living Gd; and will reprve the wrds which the LORD thy Gd hath heard: wherefre lift up thy prayer fr the remnant that are left. 5) S the servants f king Hezekiah came t Isaiah. 6) And Isaiah said unt them, Thus shall ye say t yur master, Thus saith the LORD, Be nt afraid f the wrds which thu hast heard, with which the servants f the king f Assyria have blasphemed me. 7) Behld, I will send a blast upn him, and he shall hear a rumur, and shall return t his wn land; and I will cause him t fall by the swrd in his wn land. 8) S Rabshakeh returned, and fund the king f Assyria warring against Libnah: fr he had heard that he was departed frm Lachish. 9) And when he heard say f Tirhakah king f Ethipia, Behld, he is cme ut t fight against thee: he sent messengers again unt Hezekiah, saying, 10) Thus shall ye speak t Hezekiah king f Judah, saying, Let nt thy Gd in whm thu trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall nt be delivered int the hand f the king f Assyria. 11) Behld, thu hast heard what the kings f Assyria have dne t all lands, by destrying them utterly: and shalt thu be delivered? 12) Have the gds f the natins delivered them which my fathers have destryed; as Gzan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children f Eden which were in Thelasar? 13) Where is the king f Hamath, and the king f Arpad, and the king f the city f Sepharvaim, f Hena, and Ivah? 14) And Hezekiah received the letter f the hand f the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up int the huse f the LORD, and spread it befre the LORD. f the priests cvered with sackclth, unt Isaiah the prphet the sn f Amz. 3) And they said unt him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day f truble, and f rebuke, and f blasphemy: fr the children are cme t the birth, and there is nt strength t bring frth. 4) It may be the LORD thy Gd will hear the wrds f Rabshakeh, whm the king f Assyria his master hath sent t reprach the living Gd, and will reprve the wrds which the LORD thy Gd hath heard: wherefre lift up thy prayer fr the remnant that is left. 5) S the servants f king Hezekiah came t Isaiah. 6) And Isaiah said unt them, Thus shall ye say unt yur master, Thus saith the LORD, Be nt afraid f the wrds that thu hast heard, wherewith the servants f the king f Assyria have blasphemed me. 7) Behld, I will send a blast upn him, and he shall hear a rumur, and return t his wn land; and I will cause him t fall by the swrd in his wn land. 8) S Rabshakeh returned, and fund the king f Assyria warring against Libnah: fr he had heard that he was departed frm Lachish. 9) And he heard say cncerning Tirhakah king f Ethipia, He is cme frth t make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers t Hezekiah, saying, 10) Thus shall ye speak t Hezekiah king f Judah, saying, Let nt thy Gd, in whm thu trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall nt be given int the hand f the king f Assyria. 11) Behld, thu hast heard what the kings f Assyria have dne t all lands by destrying them utterly; and shalt thu be delivered? 12) Have the gds f the natins delivered them which my fathers have destryed, as Gzan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children f Eden which were in Telassar? 13) Where is the king f Hamath, and the king f Arphad, and the king f the city f Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? 14) And Hezekiah received the letter frm the hand f the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unt the huse f the LORD, and spread it befre the LORD. Pastr Bryan Rss

10 10 15) And Hezekiah prayed befre the LORD, and said, O LORD Gd f Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thu art the Gd, even thu alne, f all the kingdms f the earth; thu hast made heaven and earth. 16) LORD, bw dwn thine ear, and hear: pen, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the wrds f Sennacherib, which hath sent him t reprach the living Gd. 17) Of a truth, LORD, the kings f Assyria have destryed the natins and their lands, 18) And have cast their gds int the fire: fr they were n gds, but the wrk f men's hands, wd and stne: therefre they have destryed them. 19) Nw therefre, O LORD ur Gd, I beseech thee, save thu us ut f his hand, that all the kingdms f the earth may knw that thu art the LORD Gd, even thu nly. 20) Then Isaiah the sn f Amz sent t Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD Gd f Israel, That which thu hast prayed t me against Sennacherib king f Assyria I have heard. 21) This is the wrd that the LORD hath spken cncerning him; The virgin the daughter f Zin hath despised thee, and laughed thee t scrn; the daughter f Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 22) Whm hast thu reprached and blasphemed? and against whm hast thu exalted thy vice, and lifted up thine eyes n high? even against the Hly One f Israel. 23) By thy messengers thu hast reprached the Lrd, and hast said, With the multitude f my charits I am cme up t the height f the muntains, t the sides f Lebann, and will cut dwn the tall cedar trees theref, and the chice fir trees theref: and I will enter int the ldgings f his brders, and int the frest f his Carmel. 24) I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sle f my feet have I dried up all the rivers f besieged places. 25) Hast thu nt heard lng ag hw I have dne it, and f ancient times that I have frmed it? nw have I brught it t pass, that thu shuldest be t lay waste fenced cities int ruinus heaps. 15) And Hezekiah prayed unt the LORD, saying, 16) O LORD f hsts, Gd f Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thu art the Gd, even thu alne, f all the kingdms f the earth: thu hast made heaven and earth. 17) Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; pen thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the wrds f Sennacherib, which hath sent t reprach the living Gd. 18) Of a truth, LORD, the kings f Assyria have laid waste all the natins, and their cuntries, 19) And have cast their gds int the fire: fr they were n gds, but the wrk f men's hands, wd and stne: therefre they have destryed them. 20) Nw therefre, O LORD ur Gd, save us frm his hand, that all the kingdms f the earth may knw that thu art the LORD, even thu nly. 21) Then Isaiah the sn f Amz sent unt Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD Gd f Israel, Whereas thu hast prayed t me against Sennacherib king f Assyria: 22) This is the wrd which the LORD hath spken cncerning him; The virgin, the daughter f Zin, hath despised thee, and laughed thee t scrn; the daughter f Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 23) Whm hast thu reprached and blasphemed? and against whm hast thu exalted thy vice, and lifted up thine eyes n high? even against the Hly One f Israel. 24) By thy servants hast thu reprached the Lrd, and hast said, By the multitude f my charits am I cme up t the height f the muntains, t the sides f Lebann; and I will cut dwn the tall cedars theref, and the chice fir trees theref: and I will enter int the height f his brder, and the frest f his Carmel. 25) I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sle f my feet have I dried up all the rivers f the besieged places. 26) Hast thu nt heard lng ag, hw I have dne it; and f ancient times, that I have frmed it? nw have I brught it t pass, that thu shuldest be t lay waste defenced cities int ruinus heaps. Pastr Bryan Rss

11 11 26) Therefre their inhabitants were f small pwer, they were dismayed and cnfunded; they were as the grass f the field, and as the green herb, as the grass n the husetps, and as crn blasted befre it be grwn up. 27 But I knw thy abde, and thy ging ut, and thy cming in, and thy rage against me. 28) Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is cme up int mine ears, therefre I will put my hk in thy nse, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thu camest. 29) And this shall be a sign unt thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grw f themselves, and in the secnd year that which springeth f the same; and in the third year sw ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits theref. 30) And the remnant that is escaped f the huse f Judah shall yet again take rt dwnward, and bear fruit upward. 31) Fr ut f Jerusalem shall g frth a remnant, and they that escape ut f munt Zin: the zeal f the LORD f hsts shall d this. 32) Therefre thus saith the LORD cncerning the king f Assyria, He shall nt cme int this city, nr sht an arrw there, nr cme befre it with shield, nr cast a bank against it. 33) By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall nt cme int this city, saith the LORD. 34) Fr I will defend this city, t save it, fr mine wn sake, and fr my servant David's sake. 35) And it came t pass that night, that the angel f the LORD went ut, and smte in the camp f the Assyrians an hundred furscre and five thusand: and when they arse early in the mrning, behld, they were all dead crpses. 36) S Sennacherib king f Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 37) And it came t pass, as he was wrshipping in the huse f Nisrch his gd, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sns smte him with the swrd: and they escaped int the land f Armenia. And Esarhaddn his sn reigned in his stead. 27) Therefre their inhabitants were f small pwer, they were dismayed and cnfunded: they were as the grass f the field, and as the green herb, as the grass n the husetps, and as crn blasted befre it be grwn up. 28 But I knw thy abde, and thy ging ut, and thy cming in, and thy rage against me. 29) Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is cme up int mine ears, therefre will I put my hk in thy nse, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thu camest. 30) And this shall be a sign unt thee, Ye shall eat this year such as grweth f itself; and the secnd year that which springeth f the same: and in the third year sw ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit theref. 31) And the remnant that is escaped f the huse f Judah shall again take rt dwnward, and bear fruit upward: 32) Fr ut f Jerusalem shall g frth a remnant, and they that escape ut f munt Zin: the zeal f the LORD f hsts shall d this. 33) Therefre thus saith the LORD cncerning the king f Assyria, He shall nt cme int this city, nr sht an arrw there, nr cme befre it with shields, nr cast a bank against it. 34) By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall nt cme int this city, saith the LORD. 35) Fr I will defend this city t save it fr mine wn sake, and fr my servant David's sake. 36) Then the angel f the LORD went frth, and smte in the camp f the Assyrians a hundred and furscre and five thusand: and when they arse early in the mrning, behld, they were all dead crpses. 37) S Sennacherib king f Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 38) And it came t pass, as he was wrshipping in the huse f Nisrch his gd, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sns smte him with the swrd; and they escaped int the land f Armenia: and Esarhaddn his sn reigned in his stead. Pastr Bryan Rss

12 12 This cmparisn between II Kings 19 and Isaiah 37 within the KJB yields the fllwing baseline data (Nt claiming these statistics are infallible. It is very pssible that I miscunted smething.): 2 cmpletely identical verses 2 different prepsitins 4 different punctuatins 4 cases where singular and plural can bth be crrect 9 different wrds and phraselgies 12 different spellings 15 different verse divisins 35 different phrasings Cnclusin Based upn the textual FACTS bserved in this lessn, it wuld be wrng t require verbatim identicality as the standard fr preservatin. This standard cannt even be sustained within the King James text. Cnsequently, it is nt helpful r prductive fr King James advcates t adpt a standard fr preservatin that cannt even be sustained in the very Bible they are asserting is perfect. The example set frth in scripture is that Gd s wrd can be expressed in multiple different phrasings that are equivalent. Requiring verbatim identicality as the standard fr preservatin is demanding mre than the Bible claims fr itself. I believe in perfect preservatin if by perfect ne means the existence f a pure text that des nt reprt infrmatin abut Gd, His nature r character, His dctrine, His dispensatinal dealings with mankind, histry, archelgy, r science that is FALSE. In shrt, Gd s prmise t preserve His wrd assures the existence f a text that has nt been altered in its fundamental character r dctrinal cntent despite nt being preserved in a state f verbatim identicality. Wrks Cited Reid, David W. Ridge Farm Bible Cnference Ntes (2012). Clumbus, OH: Clumbus Bible Church. Struse, Thmas. Every Wrd: Matthew 4:4 in Thu Shalt Keep Them: A Biblical Thelgy f the Perfect Preservatin f Scripture. El Sbrante, CA: Pillar & Grund Publishing, Suttn, David. The Perfect Passive: It is Written in Thu Shalt Keep Them: A Biblical Thelgy f the Perfect Preservatin f Scripture. El Sbrante, CA: Pillar & Grund Publishing, Pastr Bryan Rss

13 13 Pastr Bryan Rss