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Question #39
QUESTION: Isn't the New Scofield Bible
a King James Bible'?
ANSWER: Not only is the New Scofield
Bible NOT a King James Bible, it is not even a "Scofield"
Bible.
EXPLANATION: The first and most weighty
reason why the New Scofield Bible is not a Scofield Bible at all is
shamefully simple. Dr. C.I. Scofield did not edit it.
Dr. Scofield died in 1921! Barring a very "selective"
resurrection, it is impossible for a man who died in 1921 to edit a
book in 1967.
The publisher's justification for a new "edition"
is that Dr. Scofield, whose reference Bible was first published in 1909
added material and published another edition in 1917. But it is an author's
preogative to alter his own works, but that certainly does not give
others, more than 45 years after his death, a blank check to make alterations
and then sign his name to it!
If we altered the ending of "Macbeth" we would
be less than honest to claim that the change met Shakespeare's approval.
Secondly, the editors exercised great liberty in changing
attributes of Dr. Scofield's reference work that Dr. Scofield himself
felt important enough to include in his work. In the introduction to
their doubly dishonest 1967 publication they admit such changes.
New Scofield: "Among the changes
and improvements in this edition are: important word changes in the
text to help the reader; a modified system of self-pronunciation; revision
of many of the introductions to the books of the Bible, including designation
of the author, theme, and date; more subheadings; clarification of some
footnotes, deletion of others, and the addition of many new notes;:
more marginal references; an entirely new chronology; a new index; a
concordance especially prepared for this edition; new maps; and more
legible type. Some of these features are explained below."
By their own words, they admit to altering Dr. Scofield's
text (the King James Bible), introduction of books of the Bible, notes,
marginal references, chronology and many other features.
Did Dr. Scofield give his approval to these changes? Not
unless one of the nine committee members had the witch of Endor conjure
him up as she had Samuel!
In fact, the publisher even admits that the changes made
were arbitrary choices of the revision committee.
"Each position taken represents the thinking or conviction
of the committee as a group."
What are the results of such shenanigans? One example
will suffice. Let us examine the footnote found in Acts 8:12 of the
New Scofield Bible concerning baptism.
"Baptism has, since the apostolic age, been practiced
by every major group in the Christian church and, in Protestant communions,
is recognized as one of two sacraments - the other being the Lord's
Supper. Since early in the Church's history three different modes of
baptism have been used: aspersion (sprinkling); affusion (pouring);
and immersion (dipping)."
Here we see that the nine revisors (NOT
Dr. Scofield) believe that there is a difference between the true Christian
church and Protestant "communion". Might I ask? When one group
is defined as "Protestant" what is the other group called?
Secondly, the nine apostate revisors (NOT
Dr. Scofield) claim, without scriptural proof that
Christians baptize by pouring and sprinkling as well as immersion.
Remember, the footnote is found in a S-C-O-F-I-E-L-D of
1967. A book which claims on its title page that a dead man (Dr. Scofield)
is one of its editors.
What does the footnote for Acts 8:12 in the REAL Scofield
Bible of 1917 which had a living Dr. Scofield as its editor say?
Nothing. There IS no such footnote!
That's right! The New "Scofield" bible has a
"Scofield" note added after the death of "Scofield"
the editor which the REAL Dr. Scofield never approved
of and never had in a text anytime in his life time!
I ask you, is this honest?
Proof that the New Scofield Bible isn't a King James Bible
is found on almost every page where the margin notes the twin Bible
reading as "KJV". The text of the New Scofield Bible is NOT
a King James Bible and it is NOT a Scofield Bible.
It might be noted that in recent years the size and shape
of the New Scofield Bible has been changed to more resemble the Scofield
Reference Bible. Many Christians who desire a true Scofield Reference
Bible have purchased a New Scofield Bible by mistake.
The "Bible" business is lucrative. Isn't it?
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