Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 17, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 45.

2975.— Renderings and Doctrine

If the different English versions, the three different renderings, are accepted, how can we longer sustain points of truth which depend largely upon the exact wording and construction of the text for their support? Paul in Gal. 3:16 rests an important point not only upon a particular word, but upon the particular form of the word.

C. J. C.

Let us take that text for examination. The Common Version reads: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

The Revised Version reads: “Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

The American Standard Version reads: “Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

Can our inquirer tell us any difference in the teaching of these three renderings? We think that he will find it invariably the case that there is no change in the doctrines of the Word. If we have been using some text in the support of a doctrine which does not really belong to it, it is better certainly for us to know it. If the doctrine is not truly sustained by a right translation, then we ought to question the doctrine. There is one great principle in the translation of the Bible, that ought to give comfort and consolation to those who believe it; and that is this: Whatever may be the theology of men, of learned men, that have ambitions to be considered good scholars, we think it is so invariably true that it may be stated as axiomatic, that where their theology and their scholarship are in question, the genuine scholar will sacrifice his theology to his scholarship; because he knows that scholarship will be criticized by thousands of others. It is not these three versions alone which confirm the original, but there are many others.

2976.— Versions and Verbal Inspiration

If the English Revised Version, the American Revised Version, and the so-called Authorized Version are all accepted as reliable, how can the claim of verbal inspiration be reconciled with their different renderings of the same passage?

We know of no one who holds to verbal inspiration of translations. The only claim to verbal inspiration is on behalf of the original, the languages in which the Scriptures were themselves written, the Old Testament in Hebrew and Chaldaic, the New Testament in Greek. These words were the words inspired by the Spirit of God. But no one claims inspiration for the translations, unless it be the translation and adaptation of Old Testament Scriptures by the New Testament writers.

2977.— The Seventh Day

You claim that God rested on our Saturday instead of our Sunday. According to that there were only five days in the first week of the creation of the world, but the Bible gives us six besides God’s rest day. Please explain this.

We do not see why an explanation is in any wise needed. As our querist says, the first chapter of Genesis tells us this: the Lord wrought six days and rested the seventh day, and that seventh day constituted His Sabbath. “Sabbath” means “rest.” The Lord rested upon one day of the seven, consequently that made the Lord’s rest day, or Sabbath. The commandment teaches the same thing. Ex. 20:8-11. Whatever man may conclude, surmise, or imagine, does not affect the truth. He who gave us the inspired Word certainly knew the truth concerning the Sabbath, and He placed that Sabbath in the seventh day. He also made it clear to us as to when that seventh day comes. In Matt. 28:1, in Mark 16:1, 2, in Luke 23:56 and 24:1, He has clearly shown us that that Sabbath day came just before the first day of the week. Therefore there were six days and then the Sabbath, not five days and then the Sabbath. That first day of the week was the day on which Jesus rose from the dead. All are agreed that that was the day we now call Sunday. According to the Bible the day just before the day we now call Sunday was “the Sabbath according to the commandment.” Therefore it is the seventh day of the week which we now have, or the day that is commonly called Saturday. Of course, the Bible day begins at sunset and ends at sunset. The Bible day is not exactly synchronous with the civil day. The civil day begins at midnight and closes at midnight. God’s seventh day began at sunset, what we would call Friday night, ending at sunset, what we would call Saturday night. That is the Lord’s Sabbath, and that came after six days of work; and that day, as before stated, was the day just before the day we now call Sunday.

2978.— Instruction to Women

Should women of our time take heed to Paul’s instruction as given to Timothy in chapter 2:9-15 of the first epistle? F.

We know no reason why they should not. We think that women should give heed to the instruction which God has given them, just as men should give heed to the instruction which God has given them. The Bible deals with great principles, and these principles ought to be living motive powers in our daily life.