Responding to Jeffrey Khoo regarding Revelation 16:5

Jeffrey Khoo has provided some arguments regarding Revelation 16:5 (Errors in the King James Version? A Response to William W. Combs of Detroit Baptist Seminary in The Burning Bush, Vol. 15, No. 2, July 2009)(Cited by Moorman as "Dean Burgon Society eNews, 89- Sept. 2009," which based on the title and date I assume to be essentially the same point.)

*** Start of Khoo ***

Revelation 16:5

Combs says there is "an indisputable error" in Revelation 16:5 where the KJV reads, "And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus." He says the words "shalt be," should read "holy one." He says there is no evidence whatsoever for the reading "shalt be" which translates accurately the Greek esomenos. According to Combs the right word should be hosios ("holy one") and not esomenos.⁴⁹

It ought to be noted that Beza said he was certain about the reading esomenos in Revelation 16:5 in light of the internal evidences and the ancient manuscript he had in his possession. To be sure, Beza was not a Bible corrector but a Bible believer and defender of the Faith. As such, he would have known only too well the warning of Revelation 22:18-19 against adding to or subtracting from the Holy Scriptures. There must have been compelling reasons for him, with a high view of Scripture, to restore to the Holy Scriptures the true reading which his predecessors had apparently overlooked. He gave his reasons as follows,

"And shall be": The usual publication is "holy one," which shows a division, contrary to the whole phrase which is foolish, distorting what is put forth in scripture. The Vulgate, however, whether it is articulately correct or not, is not proper in making the change to "holy," since a section (of the text) has worn away the part after "and," which would be absolutely necessary in connecting "righteous" and "holy one." But with John there remains a completeness where the name of Jehovah (the Lord) is used, just as we have said before, 1:4; he always uses the three closely together, therefore it is certainly "and shall be," for why would he pass over it in this place? And so without doubting the genuine writing in this ancient manuscript, I faithfully restored in the good book what was certainly there, "shall be."⁵⁰

Besides the ancient Greek manuscript that Beza had, it ought to be noted that Beatus of Liebana in the eighth century, in his compilation of commentaries on the Book of Revelation has the Latin phrase, qui fuisti et futures es, for Revelation 16:5 which was found in the commentary of Tyconius which goes back to the fourth century.⁵¹ It is entirely possible that there were either early Greek manuscripts or Old Latin versions as early as the fourth century which contained the reading esomenos.

It is also significant to note that the reading hosios preferred by Combs is a harder reading. Robert L Thomas, Professor of New Testament at The Master’s Seminary, citing Swete commented, "Taking hosios as parallel with dikaios creates an intolerable harshness, however, and taking the adjective as a predicate adjective with ho on and ho en breaks the pattern of the Apocalypse in not assigning the expression a predicate nominative or adjective."⁵² We note that the reading ho esomenos, the future participle of eimi in its masculine, singular, nominative form with the definite article fits well the pattern of the Apocalypse and functions well as an adjectival participle to describe dikaios—the Righteous One who shall soon come to judge a most wicked world.

Although it is admitted that ho esomenos is not the reading found in the Majority Text, we are wont to agree with Hills that such minority readings "seem to have been placed in the Greek TR by the direction of God’s special providence and therefore are to be retained."⁵³ It is also admitted that the reading of ho hosios in Stephen’s edition of the TR differs from Beza’s ho esomenos. So what do we do with the rare occasions when the several editions of the TR differ from one another? Hills replied,

The answer to this question is easy. We are guided by the common faith. Hence we favor that form of the Textus Receptus upon which more than any other God, working providentially, has placed the stamp of His approval, namely, the King James Version, or, more precisely the Greek text underlying the King James Version.⁵⁴

The reading of Revelation 16:5 in the Greek Text underlying the KJV is thus not proven as "an indisputable error" as Combs would have us think. There are enough reasons for us to receive it as an authentic reading in the light of God’s special providence as seen in both the internal and external evidences.⁵⁵

...

⁴⁹ Combs, "Errors in the King James Version?," 156.

⁵⁰ As cited in Thomas Holland, "Manuscript Evidence," http://www.purewords.org/kjb1611/html/rev16_5.htm, accessed on 9 March 2009, emphasis mine.

⁵¹ Ibid. See also Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 211, for information on Beatus of Liebana.

⁵² Robert L Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1995), 255-6.

⁵³ Hills, The King James Version Defended, 200.

⁵⁴ Ibid., 223.

⁵⁵ See also Moorman, When the KJV Departs from the "Majority" Text, 102.

*** End of Khoo *** 

A few thoughts:

1) Beza's certainty is not something that moves me, and I'm not sure why it would move anyone else.

2) The assertion, "the ancient manuscript he had in his possession," is unsubstantiated.  Most of Beza's references to manuscripts are references to collations by others (as discussed here, for example), not manuscripts in his possession.  Moreover, no such manuscript was seen before or since.  Perhaps such a manuscript did exist.  Maybe it was Stephanus' manuscript 16.  Even if it did, so what?  Why would we think a reading found in a single manuscript is correct?

3) The claim that "Beza was not a Bible corrector" is somewhat absurd.  All of Beza's editions prior to 1580 (and all of the other editions of the Greek New Testament, whether Protestant or Roman Catholic) had a different reading, which Beza changed in 1580. The only sense in which Beza was not a "Bible corrector" in this instance is that his correction was not correct.

4) The assertion that "There must have been compelling reasons" for Beza to alter the text is only true as it regards Beza.  Beza felt there were compelling reasons.  But are Beza's reasons compelling? Beza's explanation does not even address the best reading of the text here - the reading with the most Greek manuscripts in its favor.    

5) Thomas Holland's mistranslation of Beza's is not really Khoo's fault, but it is erroneous nonetheless.  Furthermore, how could anyone find Holland's version of Beza "compelling"?  It makes little sense as written.  For example, it does not address why not "and is to come" as in Revelation 1:4, 1:8, and 4:8.  It also seems to be an argument not so much from a manuscript itself as from the damaged section of a manuscript.

6) Beatus may point us to a reading of Revelation 16 attested to by Tyconius.  Nevertheless, the best explanation for Beatus/Tyconius' Latin reading of "qui fuisti et futures es" is that it is a paraphrastic translation of "εἶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν" rather than being a witness to an otherwise unwitnessed Greek text with esomenos, because it uses two tenses of the verb "to be" rather than the three proposed by Beza.   Moreover, Beatus/Tyconius is a witness to "holy" being present in Revelation 16:5.  

7) Oddly, Khoo argues that "hosios" is a "harder" reading, a point which ought to be in its favor, but seems to be taken as the opposite by Khoo.  

8) Khoo's claim that "shall be" "functions well as an adjectival participle to describe dikaios—the Righteous One who shall soon come to judge a most wicked world" is opposite of the actual opinion of Beza himself, who argued that coming in judgment has already begun. Furthermore, "shall be" is (per Beza) merely a part of the  explanation of the meaning of YHWH.

9) It is true that Hills, who took this to a be a conjecture, asserted that it "seem to have been placed in the Greek TR by the direction of God’s special providence and therefore are to be retained." But there does not seem to be any basis for this "special providence" claim. The reading is not attested by signs and wonders or anything else miraculous that could be deemed a "special providence."

10) Likewise, even if Hills thinks we should go with the KJV, Hills' authority is very slight. The force of his argument depends on thinking that God has placed his stamp of approval on the King James Version, a fact that does not seem to be so.

2 Peter - An Overview

In this overview, I've mostly just quoted the text, and formed it into paragraphs and sections, with some major headings.

Author:

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, 

Recipients:

to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Blessing:

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as 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: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Reason for the Epistle:

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 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: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 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. 

Warning of the False Prophets:

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 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; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.

Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Reiteration of the Epistle's Purpose:

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 

Warning of Scoffers and Coming Judgment:

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 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. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his 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.

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Doxology

To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Thoughts on 1 John 2:19 and Perseverance of the Saints

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Dan commented (link): "The Greek for the end of 1 John 2:19, which is often cited for perseverance, is less clear than I though.  The difference between  the KJV (that they were not all of us) and ESV (they all are not of us). The KJV leaves open that some, but not all were of us, but the ESV doesn't."

Setting (for the moment) to the side the wording of the KJV, the underlying Greek of 1 John 2:19 is this:

(TR per BLB) ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν

(NA28) ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν, εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ’ ἡμῶν – ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν.

The only difference between the TR and the NA28 is a word order issue (I've added underline to show it)  that I don't think meaningfully affects translation in this discussion, and punctuation, which no one claims is original and has a similar effect in any case.

The flow of the verse is this:

(a) ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθον they went out from us

(b) ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν but they were not of us

(c) εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν (or εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν) for if they had been of us

(d) μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ’ ἡμῶν then they would have continued with us

(e) ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν but that it might be manifested 

(f) ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν that they were not all of us

Notice that John's argument refers to a group of folks who went out from us, but were not of us (a-b).  John argues that if they had been of us, they would have continued with us (c-d).  Finally, John explains that the reason they left was to manifest their disunion with us (e-f).  In context, the group of folks are the "ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ" (1 John 2:18), the "many antichrists."

With that background, the real difference in translation between the KJV "they were not all of us" and the ESV "they all are not of us" is not about whether some of the many antichrists were of us or all of the many antichrists were of us, but rather whether the "they" in (f) should be understood as changing referent to the people prior to the manifestation of the many antichrists or keeping the same referent as the antichrists themselves.

In other words, the KJV is conveying a similar sense to "they are not all Israel" (i.e. some of what appeared to be Israel wasn't really Israel), whereas the ESV is treating "all" as emphatic of the preceding.

The KJV does not say (nor - imho - does it mean) that "not all of them were of us," i.e. that the "many antichrists" were a mixed crowd, with some being of us and others not being of us.  Instead, the KJV says (and imho means) that "they were not all of us," meaning that the "us" was a mixed group of folks who appeared to be of us and folks who actually were of us.

Not only is this a similar construction to Romans 9:6 but also to John 13:10-11 "but not all" and "ye are not all...." 

In short, I don't think that the KJV translation (even if superior to the ESV) should create any confusion or lack of clarity regarding the message of 1 John 2:19, namely that if the "many antichrists" had been of us then they would not have left us.

Limited Atonement - Notes for a Debate on the Subject

Why Limited Atonement?

It’s explicitly taught in Scripture that Christ died for his people:

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1 Thessalonians 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Purpose:

Save his people:

Matthew 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.

Luke 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

What “For” Means 

1. “On Behalf of”

Example:

Genesis 20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

 

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

2. “Because of”

Exodus 22:3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

Ezekiel 18:26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

3. “Instead of”

Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

John 11:49-52 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

Metaphors of Scripture

Sacrificial Metaphor

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Redemption Metaphor

Revelation 5:9-10 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Debt Cancellation Metaphor & Rescue Metaphor

Colossians 2:14-15 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Suretyship Metaphor

Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Ransom Metaphor

1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Commercial Metaphor

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.