Re: KJV vs AV

From: Steven Craig Miller (scmiller@www.plantnet.com)
Date: Sun Dec 19 1999 - 12:20:44 EST


<x-flowed>To: Dave Burris,

<< There is no 1611 AV version today. The KJV that you are holding in your
hand is the 1769 edition. >>

Actually, I have a book which purports to be a reprint of the 1611 edition,
and as far as orthography it is very different from the modern editions of
the KJV. This reprint was published by Thomas Nelson publishers in 1993.

<< There is a movement called the "KJV-Only" movement which boastfully
state; "the KJV is the true word of God in the English language!" >>

I had an interesting dialogue with a KJV-Only advocate on CompuServe who
more or less suggested that the Greek text was only accurate to the degree
that it corroborated the KJV!

<< We "B-Greekers" know that the true word of God is of course in the
original languages ... >>

There is at least one "B-Greeker" (myself) who does not believe that "the
true word of God" can be simply equated with the scriptures, even in the
original languages. IMO the notion that the "word of God" should be equated
with the scriptures is a fallacy. IMO the phrase "word of God" refers to
God's creative activity. In Genesis, God spoke and the world came into
being. Hebrews states: "the word of God is living and active" (Hb 4:12).
Scripture is not a living thing, but it is merely a written text!

I understand that there are those who hold a different opinion from mine
expressed here. I'm not wanting to start a debate on this issue, but merely
I wanted to point out that there are those who hold a different opinion to
the one expressed in the above quotation.

Although I am myself a committed Christian, it is not my understanding
(perhaps I'm mistaken) that one had to be a Christian to participate in
this list. My understanding (and please correct me if I'm wrong) was that
one only needed to have a somewhat academic interest in biblical Greek. It
has been my personal experience (for seven years I was section leader for
the scholarship section on a CompuServe religious issues forum) that there
are many non-Christians who have serious interests in studying Christianity
and her scriptures. After all, Christianity has been the dominate religion
in Western civilization for the last two millennia. That should be reason
enough for outsiders to take some interest in learning about Christianity.

<< ... and any silly person knows that no language can be translated 100%
word for word especially when it comes to an advanced language like Greek
which is set with rules and standards. Verses English which is a living
inferior language that constantly changes with rules and new words being
brought in. >>

IMO it is a linguistic fallacy to assume that one language is any better
than any other language. Each language is different, and no doubt, each has
their strengths and weaknesses. The problem with translations is rarely do
two languages have the same strengths and weaknesses in the same way.

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller@www.plantnet.com
Disclaimer: "I'm just a simple house-husband (with no post-grad degree),
what do I know?"

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