Which Version Most Glorifies Jesus Christ, Part 2

We continue with the comparison between the versions of the Bible listed in the first installment in order to determine which version most glorifies Jesus Christ.  Before we do so let’s be reminded that the Scriptures are the testimony of Jesus Christ given by the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit’s ministry to testify of Jesus Christ and to glorify Him.  Therefore, we conclude that the version that most glorifies Jesus Christ, is the version given and preserved by the Holy Spirit of God.

Our first verse for today is Revelation 1:8 in which Almighty God declares Himself to be “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.” 

Revelation 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Then on down we have Jesus Christ speaking and saying of Himself what the Almighty said of Himself.

Revelation 1:11  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Jesus Christ clearly equates Himself with the Almighty!  Here is another clear witness in the AV to the deity of Christ.  Yet these words, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last,” are missing from verse 11 in the text of the RSV, NASV, NIV, DCV, and ESV.  Which version most glorifies Christ’s Person in this passage?  Unquestionably, the AV bears the mark of the Holy Spirit here.  The LB confirms the AV reading in this case. That pitiful excuse of a Bible version ought to get it right once in a while.

The deity of Christ also receives testimony in the AV in John 3:13:

John 3:13  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

The Son of Man, Christ Jesus, was on earth when He spoke these words. Yet He spoke of Himself as being in heaven.  This clearly shows that Christ is more than a man.  He is God in heaven. The AV clearly ascribes to Jesus Christ the supreme glory of being God. On the other hand, the RSV, NASV, NIV, LB, and ESV all leave out the words “which is in heaven” thus robbing the verse of its testimony to Christ’s deity.  Which version sounds like the Holy Spirit’s testimony to you?  The Roman Catholic DCV gets it right on this verse. Good! It needs all the help it can get.

The Scriptures teach that God is a trinity of Persons.  There is one God in three Persons. Each Person is the one eternal God; they are all equally God.  A text that well supports this is 1John 5:7.

1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Here Jesus Christ, the Word, is declared to be one with the other Persons of the Trinity. He could not be ascribed a greater glory.  Yet this testimony of the Holy Spirit found in the AV is missing in the RSV, NASV, NIV, LB, and ESV. While this verse is found in the text of the DCV and NSRB, there are footnotes in both versions casting doubt on its rightful place in the text. They thus hold in question this clear testimony to Christ’s place in the Trinity. This is by no means the work of the Holy Spirit Who is sent to glorify Jesus Christ!  In this case, the AV plainly outstrips these other versions in glorifying Jesus Christ. By the way, the original Scofield Reference Bible of 1909, which utilized the AV text, had a note in the margin stating of 1John 5:7 that “it is generally agreed that v. 7 has no real authority, and has been inserted.”  Let this apprize the reader to be wary of Scofield’s notes.  The NKJV also has a footnote stating: “Only four or five very late manuscripts contain these words in Greek.”  Of course, this casts doubt on the authenticity of the text.  In the examples I am giving in this series of blogs, check the footnotes of the NSRB and NKJV. You may find other examples of calling the authenticity of the AV text in question.

The Holy Spirit further glorifies Jesus Christ in presenting Him as the Creator of all things.

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2  The same was in the beginning with God.

3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Colossians 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him….

The AV further confirms this testimony in Ephesians 3:9.

Ephesians 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ….

Here the AV gives additional witness to Christ’s glory as the Creator of all things.  The is the Holy Spirit at work glorying Jesus Christ.  However, those words “by Jesus Christ” are missing in the RSV, NASV, NIV, LB, DCV, and the more recent ESV.  Now which version most glorifies Jesus Christ in this verse? The one with the prepositional phrase “by Jesus Christ” that ascribes creation to Him or the versions that leave out that prepositional phrase?  Which verse sounds like the prophecy of the Holy Ghost?

In glorifying Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit very carefully guards His character against a charge of sin in Matthew 5:22.

Matthew 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment….

Observe that it is not mere anger than is censured in this verse.  Were that the case, then Christ would have been guilty of sin because we read in Mark 3:5 of an occasion when Jesus was angry.

Mark 3:5  And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Considering the context of Mark 3:5, we see that Jesus clearly had cause for anger. Not all anger is sin. As the AV states it, it is anger “without a cause” that is the problem.  However, these essential words “without a cause” are not found in this verse as it is rendered in the RSV, NASV, NIV, LB, DCV, and, as you have likely come to expect, neither is it found in the ESV.  These versions all join together in making a sinner out of Jesus Christ for simply being angry with his brother. This most definitely runs counter to the Holy Spirit’s testimony which ever glorifies Jesus Christ.  In the case of Matthew 5:22, the AV unquestionably most glorifies Jesus Christ.  The others flatly detract from His glory opening to the door to a charge of sin upon His character!

God willing, in the next installment we will show which version most glorifies Jesus Christ as Lord.