The Punctuation of the Bible.
By B. A. STEPHENS
The Bible was originally written without punctuation marks of any kind. Only so many letters were allowed to a line, and so many lines to a page; and these were all very carefully counted, and the number recorded. “The modern system of punctuation was invented by Manutius, a learned printer, who flourished in Venice at the commencement of the sixteenth century.”—Quackenbos’ Rhetoric, p. 81. When applied to the Bible there were occasionally passages that, differently pointed, would present very different meanings. Their proper sense had to be determined by the context, or by other passages bearing upon the same subject; and, as succeeding generations have enjoyed increased light from the word of God, it has been necessary to have the punctuation of the Bible changed since it was first printed. “Punctuation is not inspiration; and, therefore, the Bible is by no means responsible for the manner in which man has punctuated it.”—Bible Triumphant, p. 116. But it must not be so punctuated as to cause contradictions, for the “Word is truth,” and truth cannot be contradictory. An instance of the change in punctuation since the Bible was first printed is found in Heb. 10: 12. This passage now reads thus: “But this man [Christ], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Previous to 1860–4, all editions of the Bible had the comma before, instead of after, the word “forever,” totally changing the meaning of the sentence. Thus the Douay Bible, edition 1853, reads: “But this man [Christ] offering one sacrifice for sins, forever sitteth on the right hand of God.” The word “forever” here taken in its unrestricted sense, as it is by many, would show that Christ would never return! But Heb. 9: 28 plainly says that “unto them that look for him [Christ] shall he appear the second time.” The Lord himself had said, “I will come again.” John 14: 3. While the angels had said, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1: 11. Undoubtedly the agitation of the doctrine of the second advent of our Lord had something to do towards influencing the removal of that comma to its proper place, and the taking away of an objection from the infidel. The comma has also been taken away from after the word “regeneration” in Matt. 19: 28 since 1860–4. According to the present reading of 2 Cor. 5: 1, “We have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” On all sides this is admitted to be the “spiritual body” that will be given to the righteous, when they shall be “clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life,” verse 4, which will be at the resurrection of the dead. 1 Cor. 15: 51–56. And as it will be “eternal in the heavens,” it is claimed it will never return to this earth. But many scriptures testify that the “meek shall inherit the earth,” “and dwell therein forever.” Ps. 37: 9, 11, 22, 29; Prov. 2: 21; Matt. 5: 5. And in the new song of the redeemed, is heard, “We shall reign on the earth,” Rev. 5: 10. If the saints were not finally to have the earth as their home, then God’s plan would be frustrated, for he has said that he “formed the earth and made it; he hath established it; he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited.” Isa. 45: 18. If it read, “an house not made with hands [which is] eternally in the heavens,” then the adverb “eternally” in its strictest sense, qualifying the verb “is,” supplied, would convey the meaning that the “house which is from heaven” would eternally remain there, and man would doubtless inherit heaven instead of the earth. But it does not so read. “Eternal” is an adjective qualifying the noun “house.” It is the “house, not made with hands,” that is “eternal,” immortal, incorruptible. 1 Cor. 15. To harmonize this passage with the scriptures above referred to, there should be a comma after “eternal.” Many suppose from a careless reading of 2 Pet. 3: 10, that “the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” The word of the Lord never speaks of “The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds,” of which the poet sings, but that “the earth abideth forever.” Eccl. 1: 4; Ps. 104: 5; 119: 90. The meek are to inherit this same earth, which is to be the territory of the kingdom of God, which shall never pass away, nor be destroyed, of which they will be the subjects, as they now are the heirs. Jas. 2: 5; Dan. 7: 14, 27. This change will be brought about by Christ. “The works that are therein shall be burned up.” “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3: 8. These are death, sin, and sinners. These will all be cast into the lake of fire, the second death, and burned up root and branch. Rev. 20: 14; Mal. 4: 1. The word “also,” in 2 Pet. 3: 10, shows that reference is made to something preceding, viz., “The elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also [shall melt with fervent heat], and the works [of the devil] that are therein shall be burned up.” Thus harmony is again restored. A comma inserted after the word “also” obviates the difficulty. The earth, being melted with fervent heat, and cleansed by its baptism in fire, will, then, by the power of God, be renewed. “Nevertheless we according to promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Verse 13. “The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein forever.” Ps. 37: 29. So the earth will never be annihilated. Some think that the punctuation of Rev. 5: 1 should be changed. “Bloomfield says, ‘The long rolls of parchment used by the ancients, which we call books, were seldom written but on one side; namely, that which was, in rolling, turned inward.’ So doubtless this book was not written within and on the backside, as the punctuation of our common version makes it read. ‘Grotius, Lowman, Fuller, etc.,’ says the Cottage Bible, ‘remove the comma thus: “Written within, and on the back (or outside) sealed,” etc.’”—Thoughts on the Revelation, ed. 1875, p. 91. The most serious misplacement of the comma is found in Luke 23: 43. It should be after instead of before the word “to-day.” Christ said it to the thief that “day” that he should (future time) be with him in paradise. This form of expression gives emphasis. For an example see Zech. 9: 12. The thief did not ask to go to paradise that day with the Saviour, but to be remembered when he came into his kingdom. Verse 42. Christ will not receive his kingdom until after the investigative judgment. Dan. 7: 9–14. This will be before he returns. Luke 19: 15. At his second appearing, and the appearing of his kingdom, he will remember all the righteous, who are hidden in the grave (hades); and, as he shall call them forth, they will awake and be raised out of their sleep of death, and with the living be caught up in the air to meet the Lord, to be the immortal subjects of his kingdom. 2 Tim. 4: 1; Job 14: 13; Ps. 13: 3; 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17; Dan. 7: 27. Then the Saviour’s promise to the thief will be fulfilled; he with all the saints will be taken to paradise. This is the third heaven. 2 Cor. 12: 2, 4. The tree of life is in its midst, on either side of the river of life, which flows softly, down through the midst of the golden street, as its “streams make glad the city of God.” Rev. 2: 7; 22: 1, 2; Ps. 46: 4. Besides this when the Saviour died he did not go that day to paradise, taking the thief with him, but went body and soul into the grave (hades), where by his resurrection his soul was not left, neither did his flesh see corruption. Acts 2: 31. The thief also went there when he died, for after man lives he goes to the dead. They are in hades, where there is no work, device, knowledge, nor wisdom. Eccl. 9: 3, 10. But Jesus says he holds the keys of death and hades, and at his glorious appearing the blessed hope of the dying thief will be realized when Jesus will unlock the doors of his prison-house, call him forth, and give him a crown of righteousness at that day. Rev. 1: 18; Titus 2: 13; 2 Tim. 4: 8. “And death and hell (HADES) delivered up the DEAD which were in them.” Rev. 20: 13. So by correctly punctuating this much disputed passage there is no quibbling, nor corrupting the word of God, but only “rightly dividing the word of truth,” at the same time sweeping away the defenses of infidelity, and causing the light of truth to shine with greater brilliancy than ever. If we purify our souls in obeying the truth, it will be effective as “a shield and buckler” to preserve us amid the perils of the last days until we shall raise the song of Moses and the Lamb upon the sea of glass before the throne of God in heaven. “And when the last loud trumpet
Shall rend the vaulted skies,
And bid the entombed millions
From their cold beds arise,
Our ransomed dust revived
Bright beauties shall put on,
And soar to the blest mansions
Where our Redeemer’s gone.
“Our eyes shall then with rapture
The Saviour’s face behold;
Our feet no more diverted
Shall walk the streets of gold;
Our ears shall hear with transport
The hosts celestial sing,
Our tongues shall chant the glory
Of our immortal King.”