The Blind Leading the Blind
There was a presentation posted on YouTube by “SDA Burgas” on 10/24/19 titled “Doug Batchelor – The Continuous Life (Bible Answers Live) [Audio only]” which had been originally presented somewhere else on 10/20/19. “Bible Answers Live” is allegedly a “dynamic” radio broadcast where people call in to get “accurate, biblical answers to difficult Bible questions.” It is hosted by two Seventh-day Adventist ministers; Doug Batchelor and Jean Ross (a girl’s name at least in the U.S.A. but he’s not a girl).
The first caller at around 8:53 into the program had a question on bible translations. He wanted to know which bible translation was the best; the King James Bible of 1611 or the Douay Rheims Bible. Doug Batchelor fielded the question and told the caller that of the two he would recommend the King James Bible because the Douay Rheims Bible has “Apocryphal books” in it and it’s “the Catholic bible.” He also said he would recommend the King James Bible and the New King James Version (NKJV) because “they come from the Textus Receptus.” The King James Bible comes from the Textus Receptus but the New King James Version has serious deviations from the Textus Receptus; they are NOT equivalent.
Doug apparently doesn’t understand that the Douay Rheims Bible isn’t “the” Catholic Bible but is “a” Catholic Bible. There are many different Roman Catholic Bibles that you can buy complete with the imprimatur, imprimi potest and/or nihil obstat of the Roman Catholic Church that are printed, in some editions, with the Apocryphal books. The only difference between them (excluding footnotes and marginal readings) and the ones marketed to Protestants is the presence of the Apocryphal books.
He also is apparently unaware that early editions of the King James Bible also contained the Apocrypha because that’s the way King James wanted it. The difference is that in the Roman Catholic bibles, the apocryphal books are scattered among the canonical books and are meant to teach doctrine. In King James Bibles containing the Apocrypha, those books are in a section by themselves between the Old and New Testaments and are there for historical interest only. They are not considered canonical by Protestants because in places they contradict themselves and Protestant doctrine.
Doug Batchelor offered to send the caller a free book on Bible translations. A generous offer but truly the blind attempting to lead the blind. This was followed by an ad for the “Amazing Facts Prophecy Study Bible.” It was called “the best ever Bible.” Guess what version the Amazing Facts Prophecy Study Bible would be in. The NKJV.
Around 45:15 a man called and mentioned things being taken out of bibles and gave an example from the "CEV bible" (Contemporary English Version). He mentioned a particular verse; "Samuel One 21:19" where the "kings killed Goliath." The man was a bit mixed up which, for a new Christian who “got saved” in 2013, is understandable. Doug told him that the CEV isn't a good translation which is true. What is not understandable is how two experienced Seventh-day Adventist ministers could be so mixed up about bible translations. If you listen through the conversation, you will hear the questioner being told the King James Bible and the New King James Version are equivalent. But wait, it gets better; they say the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the “New English Version” are also good bibles. There is no such thing as the “New English Version” so Doug Batchelor probably meant the New English Bible (NEB). Let's take a look at the verse the caller was referring to which was really 2 Samuel 21:19.
2 Samuel 21:19 from the King James Bible - "And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare–oregim, a Beth–lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam."
2 Samuel 21:19 from the CEV - "There was still another battle with the Philistines at Gob. A soldier named Elhanan killed Goliath from Gath, whose spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam. Elhanan’s father was Jari from Bethlehem."
2 Samuel 21:19 from the NASB - "There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam."
2 Samuel 21:19 from the NEB - "In another war with the Philistines in Gob, Elhanan son of Jair of Bethlehem killed Goliath of Gath, whose spear had a shaft like a weavers beam."
The CEV, the NASB and the NEB all say Elhanan killed Goliath. I don't know how to put it much more delicately than this; these two Seventh-day Adventist ministers don't know much about what has been done to the new bible versions. The NKJV is OK in this verse but wrong in a lot of others. Remember where earlier in the program negative things were said about the Douay Rheims Bible because of the Apocryphal books in it? Well, you can also get a NEB with the Apocryphal books because it is an honest-to-goodness fully approved Roman Catholic bible.
The caller talked about things being taken out of bibles whereupon Doug Batchelor said, “they’re all the same” and “there’s no missing verses.” Really? Here is how it really is in bibles I have on my shelf. The verses removed from my NEB are Matthew 17:21, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 23:14, Mark 7:16, Mark 9:44, Mark 15:28 and Luke 23:17. In my NASB the verses removed are Mark 7:16, Mark 9:44, Mark 15:28 and Luke 23:17. The NASB may look a little better until you know that the other verses the NEB omitted that the NASB didn’t omit, are in brackets meaning they are undependable and probably shouldn’t be in the text. The NASB, NEB and CEV all replace Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12 with the name for Jesus Christ recorded in Revelation 22:16. All three also have omitted 1 John 5:7 and replaced it with part of 1 John 5:8 to make you think the seventh verse is there. These things are bad enough but don’t come close to disclosing what else has been corrupted in those bibles.
The caller referred to Deuteronomy 4:2 where it says, “ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it” and Doug agrees that “it’s serious business” to alter the Word of God in that way. What is the best descriptive word? Is it oblivious or is it clueless?
So you don’t think any harm was done? The guy was from Virginia, one of the bastions of the Baptist Church. He used the phrase “got saved” which is typical of Baptists who believe the once saved always saved doctrine. He has been studying his bible and cares about what it says unlike the two hosts of this program. It won’t take much discussion with a Baptist pastor who knows the difference between real and fake bibles, unlike this dynamic duo, to see brother Batchelor was very wrong. That will cause a loss of confidence in all the other things brother Batchelor says.
What they don’t know CAN hurt you.
What I presumed would happen has happened. I had posted similar commentary on the YouTube site on which the above discussion occurred. I have been banned from posting on certain sites including the above mentioned site. What is ironic is that other users who post various perverse things seem to post at will while my posts, supported by the real Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, are declined. Then there is the individual who complains that YouTube bans some of his videos and yet he bans anything that is contrary to what he is saying.
I have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, I believe the acceptance of the plethora of corrupt bibles as the Word of God by the ministers and laity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church can only do serious damage and people need to know that. On the other hand, I know my message has gotten through to some of the guilty parties. Other sites on which my commentary is declined include Hope Through Prophecy hosted by Dustin Pestlin, HopeLives365, where Mark Finley among others speaks, and 3ABN. And no, I have seen no evidence that any of them have changed how they handle the Word of God. Considering how these men handle the Word of God, I consider their rejection of my comments an honor.
In 2018 I sent a copy of my first book, My Bible Says Satan is Dead!, to Doug Batchelor and I know he received it. Whether or not he read it I don’t know. If he did read it he must have forgotten what he read because the problem with 2 Samuel 21:19 is spelled out in it. I can no longer think the aforementioned parties are using the NKJV and other corrupt bibles innocently. The introduction to the above video goes, “Welcome to Bible Answers Live where you’ll get honest answers to your Bible questions.” In a word, they are liars. They do not believe there is any infallible Bible on this earth and yet they persist in saying “the Bible says” and gloss over even obvious corruptions in their favored bible or bibles (that is if they even notice their bible’s errors). When they come to a verse they don’t like, they insert their own words or use a verse or part of a verse from a different bible. When they comprehend a real difficulty in teaching Seventh-day Adventist doctrine from their favored bible, guess where they go? To the King James Bible. Sadly, most of the sheep that respect these men have no idea what these men are doing because they themselves are ignorant as to what the real Bible says. The sheep have an excuse; these shepherds don’t.
You will hear it said that there are “problems” with the King James Bible. Rarely will you hear it said what the “problems” are. I have read the whole King James Bible more than once and have been able to debunk all the alleged “problems” persons have said are in it. There are glaring errors in the multitude of other bibles commonly used in Seventh-day Adventist churches and publications that are incontrovertible.
Since my commentary is declined on some YouTube sites, commentary on some good videos and on some of the most egregious ones will be posted here.
The first page of reviews was getting a bit long and cumbersome so I’ve started a new page. If you wish to see it go here.
There is yet another page of reviews. If you wish to see it go here.
There is yet another page of reviews. When I started doing sermon reviews, I didn’t anticipate having more than a page or two. Page three has grown so much that I thought another page was needed. Doug Batchelor and Stephen Bohr have had enough attention so this page will probably direct attention elsewhere. If you wish to see it go here.
I didn’t think there would be another page of reviews but I couldn’t resist. If you wish to see it go here.
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© Martin J. Lohne 2019.