Mr. Fearing Comforted (part of the sermon) by C. H. Spurgeon

KJV 1John 5:7?

In this blog post I want to briefly look at the King James Bible. First of all, this is not an attack on the KJV Bible, but to give an understanding of the Greek text for which the KJV is based upon, which is the Greek New Testament of Erasmus.

Erasmus produced five editions of his Greek New Testament, translating them in both Greek and Latin. Erasmus had only about half a dozen Greek manuscripts in his possession, and they were around the 10th to the 12th century. Compare that to what is available today, with over 5600 Greek manuscripts, and some even dating back as early as the 2nd century. For the Book of Revelation, the end part was missing, which was Revelation 22:16-21, so Erasmus back translated Revelation 22:16-21 from Latin to the Greek for his Greek New Testament.

In 1519, Erasmus did his 2nd edition of his Greek New Testament, where he made some corrections from the first edition, while having the Roman Catholic Hierarchy on his back, complaining about how he had worded in his Greek New Testament regarding 1John 5:7 to 8, for it did not match with their official translation which was the Latin Vulgate, for In Erasmus' first edition, 1John 5:7-8, read, For there are three that bear witness: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. This was different to the Latin Vulgate, which read,  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

This reading of 1John 5:7 to 8 in the Latin Vulgate was based on late copies- for this reading would not get into the Latin Vulgate until hundreds of years after it was completed. These words found in the Latin Vulgate were not found in any Greek manuscripts until one popped up, a made to order Greek manuscript for Erasmus.

Erasmus said he would not include this reading found in the Latin Vulgate unless he had a Greek manuscript with this reading. A made to order Greek manuscript was produced, with the Latin Vulgate reading included, and eventually found its way to Erasmus, and was included in his third edition. 

Interestingly, the made to order Greek manuscript for Erasmus which added in the Latin Vulgate reading of 1John 5:7, was corrected by Erasmus because the Greek was badly written. These words were not found in any other Greek manuscript until this one materialized.

As a matter of fact, there are only a few Greek only manuscripts which are known, to have this reading found in the KJV for 1John 5:7, and they are late manuscripts.  It is clear that the wording which is found in the KJV for 1John 5:7, which was based on the Erasmus' Greek New Testament, was not the original reading, but clearly a Latin addition.

Also, to add, the Majority Text does not match the Textus Receptus in regards to 1John 5:7-8, but the Majority text says, like many modern translations say, For there are three that bear witness: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. The rendering of 1John 5:7 in the TR is a Latin addition, and the Majority text has the original and correct reading. 

Now, do not get the idea this is an attack on the Trinity, absolutely not, I believe the Bible teaches the Trinity, God is Triune, but as one person said, the Trinity does not live or die on 1John 5:7. We have many places in the Bible where it teaches the Trinity, the Trinity is a Biblical doctrine, but this verse is not one of them, for the verse as written in the KJV has been proven to be a Latin addition and not an original reading.

The Rider in Revelation 19

We are going to look at the second coming of Christ. We are not looking at what is called the rapture,  when believers are taken up to meet the Lord, and we will be made like Him, because we will see Him as He is, which is the time of glorification,  but we are going to study when Christ comes back and places His feet upon this earth, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, when His saints will come back with Him, when He returns to the earth to set up His Millennial Kingdom.

In Revelation 19:11 LITV, the Bible says, And I saw Heaven opened. And, behold! A white horse, and He sitting on it having been called Faithful and True. And He judges and wars in righteousness. 

So let us look at the identity of the rider on the white horse begining in v. 11. 

• First, we see that the rider is called faithful and true. The rider on the white horse is called Faithful and True. Who is called the Faithful and True witness? The Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 3:14, we see Christ said to one of the seven churches, the church at Laodicea, These things says the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God: (LITV). We see here that the faithful and true Witness is the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ is calling Himself, the Faithful and True Witness. So we see here that the rider in 19:11 is called Faithful and True, and Jesus is the Faithful and True witness. 

• Secondly, What is one of the names for our Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible. Jesus is called the Word in John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (LITV). John the apostle is clearly telling us that Jesus is the Word, and the Word has been God from all eternity. He is God. What about in Rev. 19:13? We can clearly see the rider of the white horse is called the Word. Revelation 19:13, says, And His name is called The Word of God. John the apostle is writing this book, God used John, and he is writing The Word, like he did in the Gospel of John. So we see here that the rider is called The Word of God, and Jesus is the Word.

• Thirdly, in Revelation 19:16, it tells us about the rider, And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name having been written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (LITV). Who is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, well, it is the Lord Jesus Christ, and we can see this truth in Revelation 17:14 LITV, These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and the ones with Him are called and elect, and faithful ones. Who is the Lamb, well that is Jesus Christ, He is the Lamb of God. So we see here that the rider is called Kings of kings and Lord of lords and Jesus is called Lord of lords and King of kings in Rev. 17:14.

We see here very clearly, the rider on the white horse here in Revelation 19 is the Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful and True, The Word of God and King of kings and Lord of lords, all which identify the Lord Jesus. The rider on the white horse is the Lord Jesus Christ in Rev. 19.

We see Heaven open, and the divine glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He comes forth through the gates of Heaven, with the armies of Heaven, which are His saints, and He judges and wars in righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ in His second coming is coming to destroy His enemies on the earth, and the anti-christ's reign will come to an end. Amen.