King James Bible Debate and D. A. Carson

Theologian, author, and academic D. A. Carson has reproduced a chart by Victor Perry containing eight references to the deity of Christ and compares fifteen bible versions to them to see which version does actually “directly ascribe deity to Jesus” (Carson, 1979, p 64); and which therefore has the strongest witness to Christ’s deity. In this comparison, Carson/Perry claim that the KJV ascribes deity to Jesus in only four of the eight verses, while the NIV does so in seven of the eight verses – the highest number of all the versions compared (Carson, 1979, p 64). However, there are good reasons why this comparison is bogus.

The “Failed” KJV Readings Examined

1. The only begotten Son

For example, the first reading in which the KJV is said to be a “fail” is John 1:18. In the KJV it reads “the only begotten Son” (ho monogenes huios), the reading which is found in the Greek Textus Receptus (TR), and which is found in the large majority of Greek texts; whereas, the NIV has “God the One and Only” (monogenes theos); literally, “an only one, God” (“The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament” publ. Tyndale House Publishers).

Unfortunately, Carson has restricted the comparison to two bible versions – KJV and NIV. He has neglected saying that every bible version differs from every other version in its reading of John 1:18. This is because the Greek manuscripts themselves have different readings. So, bible translators have to choose which reading they deem to be most likely. And, while all the readings are different in wording, they all ascribe deity to Jesus; which means there’s no right or wrong here because we simply don’t know what the original reading was. So, Carson’s first criticism of the KJV/NKJV fails.

Since Carson wrote his book, the NIV has undergone a revision which is a great improvement on the earlier editions. Where the 1984 edition had “God the One and Only”, the 2011 edition reads “the one and only Son, who is himself God”. This reading makes a clear distinction between the Father and the Son while still stating the deity of Jesus, and is more in accord with “and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1).

The writer of Hebrews supports the KJV reading of “only begotten Son”, saying that Isaac was Abraham’s “only begotten son” (Heb 11:17). Scripture tells us that Abraham had other sons besides Isaac. Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn son from Hagar, and he had six other sons born to Keturah (Gen 25:1-2). But Isaac was called “the only begotten son” of Abraham and Sarah due to his uniqueness as being the son of the Promise and a Patriarch of Israel, the holy nation of God. Likewise, Jesus as the only begotten of the Father, states his uniqueness in sharing the same essence as the Father while still being a separate “Person”.

Further, a comment in the Catholic NABRE says: “The only Son, God: while the vast majority of later textual witnesses have another reading, ‘the Son, the only one’ or ‘the only Son’, the translation above follows the best and earliest manuscripts, monogenes theos, but takes the first term to mean not just ‘Only One’ but to include a filial relationship with the Father, as at Lk 9:38 (‘only child’) or Heb 11:17 (‘only son’) and as translated at Jn 1:14. The Logos is thus ‘only Son’ and God but not Father/God”.

2. Only a Marginal Reading

In the second of the references in which the KJV is said to be a “fail”, the KJV reading for 2 Thess 1:12 is: “That the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”.

The 1984 NIV has “We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”.

These 2 readings are almost identical, so Carson presents the NIV translational footnote (“Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ”) as the proof that the NIV ascribes deity to Jesus more fully than the KJV. By so doing, he criticises the NIV text itself and thus undermines his argument. The NIV translators saw fit to use the reading in the NIV text as their preferred reading. And they consigned the translational footnote to the margin; it is only presented as an alternative reading due, most likely, to its being in a smaller number of manuscripts. Thus, it is not the reading in the NIV.

Where is Carson’s scholarship in all this? In these first two criticisms, he seems to be using his theology as the benchmark for judging whether a scripture text is accurate, rather than basing his theology on what the text says. And again, we don’t have the autographs so we don’t know what the true reading is – the textual critics can only make an educated guess as to the quality of the manuscripts, and the translators for the readings they choose for their bible version. So, in all this, we’re really only talking about straw men.

And the KJV and NIV readings do ascribe deity to Jesus anyway because “the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” is worded to show that the identity of the Son is that of God – as if Paul was saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God”.

3. The Father and Jesus are each described as God and Saviour

The third “failed” reference in the KJV (Tit 2:13) likewise identifies God and the Son as being the same: “….the glorious appearing of our great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”. In the Old Testament God refers to himself as God and Saviour repeatedly. One such reference for example is: “and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” (Isa 45:21-23).

Not only does this verse (Isa 45:21-23) show that Titus 2:13 is to be understood as meaning that Jesus and Jehovah are the one God and one Saviour, we also see how the last part of the verse is also applied to Jesus. Paul writes, “…for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account to God” (Rom 14:10-12). And in another letter, Paul writes, “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11).

Why would Paul ascribe a title of deity to Jesus which was made by Jehovah for himself, if Jesus isn’t God? God says of himself, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa 42:8). And yet we’re told, “…when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him….” (Heb 1:6).

The simple and obvious answer is that God is not giving his glory to someone who isn’t God. When it is said of Jesus that every knee will bow to him, he is claiming that which is rightfully his by reason of his being God. Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to Jesus to attribute to Jesus the same glory of worship and submission due to God, and the same rightful authority as God to judge the whole earth.

Even Jesus himself applied statements and claims made by God to himself. For example, in the Old Testament, God calls himself “the first and the last”: “Thus saith the LORD the king of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Isa 44:6 – see also Isa 41:4; 48:12). Yet Jesus says of himself, “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” (Rev 1:8). This statement from Jesus is breathtaking if he isn’t God; and sheer brazen and defiant blasphemy for any being to utter, especially when he speaks it from heaven itself (cf Zech 4:1-3, 12-14). In the same chapter, Jesus again says to John, “Fear not; I am the first and the last” (Rev 1:17). And in Jesus’ closing statements at the very end of this, the last book of the bible, just to make sure we’ve got it, he says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Rev 22:13).

So, with all this background, how does the KJV fail to attribute deity to Jesus in Titus 2:13?

4. Our God and our Saviour

Again, the fourth “failed” KJV reference (2 Pet 1:1) similarly ascribes deity to Jesus by the wording “….through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”. It is exactly the same as saying “our God and Saviour Jesus Christ”, and means exactly the same; but by writing it as Peter and Paul do in these references, the separation of divine Persons is demonstrated while at the same time affirming their Oneness.

So, Carson’s chart is incorrect in its assertion that the KJV doesn’t “directly ascribe deity to Jesus”. Our investigation shows that the KJV, so far from having only four of the eight references which directly ascribe deity to Jesus, actually has all eight ascribing deity directly to him.

References

NABRE: Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from New American Bible, revised edition copyright 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington DC. All rights reserved.