Untitled article by J. M. A.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 26, 1867

Infidel Objections to the Bible Answered. No. 21.

By J. M. A.

The companions of Saul on the occasion of his miraculous conversion HEARD the voice of Christ. “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.” Acts ix, 7.

The companions of Saul, on said occasion, DID NOT HEAR the voice of Christ. “And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me,” Acts xxii, 9.

In the common version there is a seeming contradiction of the sacred historian in the foregoing texts, but rather than admit the objector’s claim that the inspired writer has really and plainly contradicted himself, in saying, first, that the men did hear the voice, and then making Saul say that they did not hear it, we prefer to adopt a rendering warranted by the original text, which produces a perfect harmony in the two statements, and doubtless expresses the fact in the case.

The word “hearing,” in the one text, and “heard,” in the other, are both from the Greek akouo, which is sometimes rendered understand or understood, as in 1 Cor. xiv, 2. “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth him.” (Margin, heareth.) This text is an exact parallel to Acts xxii, 9, which should read, And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they understood not the voice of him that spake to me. J. M. A.