Posts by Doug Mason

9

[PDF] The New Testament in the Original Greek (1882), by Westcott and Hort

by possible-san in

[pdf] the new testament in the original greek (1882), by westcott and hort.

pdf, 51mb.

in john 14:14, the greek word "me" is enclosed in the "bracket" in fact.. http://www.archive.org/stream/newtestamentino00west#page/448/mode/2up.

Doug Mason

While I am not defending the practice, the idea of amending the text of Scripture and even inserting comments directly into the text has been going on ever since the words were first written.

Hence, for example, the term "Septuagint" (LXX) refers to a group of texts, with each carrying differences.

Not only does the expression "Masoretic Text" (MT) also refer to a group of Hebrew texts, but the LXX is based on a Hebrew version that is different to that which underlies the MT. Just compare, for examples, the LXX and MT of Jeremiah and of Daniel 9.

The early Christian Church preferred the Theodotion version over the LXX, which was likely based on a pre-Christian Greek version known as ur-Theodotionic. The Church then created its own versions, such as the Vulgate.

Even today, the Scriptures accepted by the major elements of the Christian Church (such as the Roman and Orthodox) have versions quite different to those accepted by most Protestant persuasions. Then there are arguments whether the Protestants should accept the "Textus Receptus" or the Westcott and Hort or whether a translation should pick and choose among the various sources, as they commonly do, employing disciplines such as Textual (Lower) Criticism.

So, while it is correct to point fingers at the NWT translators for the blatantly biased manipulation of the Jews' written records, take a step back and see this as a common practice.

Doug

1

My picture of the article by Hermann Hunger

by Doug Mason in

an english translation of the article about the dating of the neo-assyrian eponym list by hermann hunger had been made available at http://goto.glocalnet.net/kf4/dating.htm and also at wikipedia.. to help me better comprehend his reasoning, i drew a picture to show my understanding of hermann hungers article, and he has given me permission to make it publicly available.. my picture is available at:.

http://www.jwstudies.com/dating_eponym_list_hermann_hunger.pdf .

this does not mean that i either agree or disagree with his article, simply that i am providing my visual analysis of it.. doug.

Doug Mason

An English translation of the article About the Dating of the Neo-Assyrian Eponym List by Hermann Hunger had been made available at http://goto.glocalnet.net/kf4/dating.htm and also at Wikipedia.

To help me better comprehend his reasoning, I drew a picture to show my understanding of Hermann Hunger’s article, and he has given me permission to make it publicly available.

My picture is available at:

http://www.jwstudies.com/Dating_Eponym_List_Hermann_Hunger.pdf

This does not mean that I either agree or disagree with his article, simply that I am providing my visual analysis of it.

Doug

9

The fate of the witnesses of Yahweh

by Doug Mason in

you are my witnesses, declares the lord,.

and my servant whom i have chosen,.

and understand that i am he.. "before me no god was formed,.

Doug Mason

Who are the Witnesses at Isaiah 43:10-12?

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.

"Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior.

"I have revealed and saved and proclaimed
—I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God."
(Isaiah 43:10-12, NIV)

According to this, the purpose of being a witness of YHWH is to know, believe and understand that he is God. When a person is witnessing YHWH, they are seeing him, and they perceive that he is unique, and their only saviour. They have witnessed for themselves that he is indeed God.

These verses are from a poem that commences at Isaiah 40:1. It was composed at the time of Judah’s subjection to the might of the neo-Babylonian empire. In all probably it was written by scribes living in exile, since Nebuchadnezzar focused on removing Judah’s elite, the power brokers.

As the context from the beginning of the poem shows, these words were part of YHWH’s repeated plea to the peoples he had formed:

“But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’ ” (Isaiah 43:1, NIV)

At Isaiah 43:14-20, YHWH reminds them of his mercy towards them, of the manner in which he cared for them. He had done this so that his people would praise him. Yet these people who had witnessed for themselves that he is God, turned their backs on him, and for that reason they were suffering at the hands of the Babylonians. Despite witnessing YHWH, they offended him. For this reason he will destroy his witnesses, Jacob and Israel, as the direct context shows.

“Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob,
you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel.
You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,
nor honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with grain offerings
nor wearied you with demands for incense.

“You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me,
or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied me with your offenses.

“I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.

Review the past for me,
let us argue the matter together;
state the case for your innocence.

“Your first father sinned;
your spokesmen rebelled against me.
So I will disgrace the dignitaries of your temple,
and I will consign Jacob to destruction
and Israel to scorn.”
(Isaiah 43:22-28, NIV)

119

Most ignored scriptures by CHURCHianity...

by theMadJW in

just about all of them; far too many to post!.

Doug Mason

MadJW,

Maybe you and I should compare our libraries (soft and hard copy) to see whether your accusation is hot air that "most" scriptures are being ignored.

Doug

119

Most ignored scriptures by CHURCHianity...

by theMadJW in

just about all of them; far too many to post!.

Doug Mason

Actually, the WTS focuses on a very few "proof" texts. They touch on an infinitesimally small number of passages, and then never in depth. Usually the WTS writes a paragraph of its own ideas and then it pokes a verse reference at the end. More often than not, the reference is irrelevant. With this process, rather than providing a contextual exegesis, they start with a conclusion and then "provide" a support.

I have several books that do discuss every verse of Scripture, with each book providing hundreds of pages of indepth discussion and exposition.

The WTS books have a very narrow focus and they cover only very few subjects -- just those that are misinterpreted to keep the ruling autocrats in power.

Doug

3

Firefox gives eternal pain to Eternal Life. Apologies!

by Doug Mason in

i seem to have been causing some grief with my posts and threads.

humble apologies!.

i think it is mostly because i was using firefox and at times i was pasting from word.

Doug Mason

transhuman68,

The simple answer is "no". These views are generally held by those known as Arminian, as against those who are Calvinist. I suggest a search of the www under those terms.

These Arminianist views are well promoted in the book, "Life in the Son", by Robert Shank.

Doug

4

Who promotes the earlier date for the composition of Daniel?

by Doug Mason in

i have been researching the "70 sevens" prophecy at daniel 9:24ff.. one topic relates to determining the date when daniel was written.

the www provides unnumerable hits on the subject.. i wondered if everyone who promotes the earlier 6th century bce date of composition interpret chapter 9 as referring to jesus christ.. i likewise i wondered whether everyone who promotes the later 164 bce date says chapter 9 refers to antiochus epiphanes.. is it possible that anyone who believes in the earlier date of the composition of daniel also believes that the writer was predicting the activities of antiochus epiphanes?.

doug.

Doug Mason

I have been researching the "70 sevens" prophecy at Daniel 9:24ff.

One topic relates to determining the date when Daniel was written. The www provides unnumerable hits on the subject.

I wondered if everyone who promotes the earlier 6th Century BCE date of composition interpret Chapter 9 as referring to Jesus Christ.

I likewise I wondered whether everyone who promotes the later 164 BCE date says Chapter 9 refers to Antiochus Epiphanes.

Is it possible that anyone who believes in the earlier date of the composition of Daniel also believes that the writer was predicting the activities of Antiochus Epiphanes?

Doug

3

Firefox gives eternal pain to Eternal Life. Apologies!

by Doug Mason in

i seem to have been causing some grief with my posts and threads.

humble apologies!.

i think it is mostly because i was using firefox and at times i was pasting from word.

Doug Mason

(Referring to the subject of "Eternal Life").

The passage you need, and it is my favourite, is 1 John 5:11-12:

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (NIV)

Notice that it is written in the present tense. When you read the context, including the first chapter, you see that Eternal Life resides innately within Jesus, and that a believer shares in that Life -- here and now. When a person stops believing in Jesus (ceases being a believer), they no longer share in that Life.

Eternal Life speaks of its qualities, not its length.

How do we know that we already have Eternal Life? Because God says so (see 1 John 5:10). It is not proven by emotion, or by feelings.

A most helpful reference is "Life in the Son", by Robert Shank, pages 301 to 305. Do you have accessto that book?

Doug

3

Firefox gives eternal pain to Eternal Life. Apologies!

by Doug Mason in

i seem to have been causing some grief with my posts and threads.

humble apologies!.

i think it is mostly because i was using firefox and at times i was pasting from word.

Doug Mason

Hi,

I seem to have been causing some grief with my posts and threads. Humble apologies!

I think it is mostly because I was using Firefox and at times I was pasting from Word. Although, when I think about it, in this particular instance I did a copy and paste from a Pradis software accessing the NIV.

In particular, in the following Post (if all goes according to Plan A), I repeat the post that I made to the Thread on "Eternal Life", for which I am probably responsible giving it eternal death (using IE this time and typing directly).

Doug

33

Bible Contradictions

by brotherdan in

i will go out on a limb and say that this has probably been discussed alot.

but for my own personal benefit i'd like to hear everyones "favorite" bible contradiction.

i'd also like to hear any refutes that anyone has to any of these contradictions.

Doug Mason

It all relies on one's understanding of the Bible. It is a collection of books written over about 900 years by many people from divergent communities and edited by many during the ages. Each writer and editor had their eye focused on directly influencing their own immediate community.

When recording history, for example, their purpose was to use their interpretation of history to influence their community, rather than being concerned with literal accuracy. Their records were theological history.

The NT Gospels are not intended to be a literal documentary record. They were shaped by the objectives of the original authors, employing their own local cultural understandings, idioms, language, etc.

Since each group of writers had a different background and outlook, their records differ. Each group invented the birth and crucifixion stories in a way that suited the purpose of each community. None of them was there to provide an eyewitness account of either event. Similarly with the Temptation and with Christ's baptism.

Consider the arguments that Paul's philosophising had with with the Jewish Christians' legalistic requirements. Contrast Paul's view on the Law with "no joy or tittle will be removed from the Law".

There were several disconnected NT Christian groups, often at odds with one another. For several centuries, each held on to its preferred written records until the 4th century, when the state church accepted the list prepared by Athanasius. Given his preference for Paul's philosophising over James' and Peter's Jewish legalism, this influenced the dominating list of NT books. Learn the history.

The "generations" of Jesus as given are different because they are theological lists. Look at their structure.

Regarding a "virgin" mother, I suggest that when you read the second chapter that I have provided, that you remember the chronological sequence (Paul, then Mark, then Matthew, etc).

http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=92180179253f98a4785829a3dc302e1b

Wait 25 seconds for the "Download" button to appear.

The reapplication of Isaiah's "maiden" of his own time into the "virgin" of the NT writers shows how they handled the Hebraic material.

We must not read the Bible through Western eyes of the 21st century. The words must be read through the eyes and ears of the culture that composed the text. It is not a technical, scientific, document but a record produced by many people. After all this, we should be amazed there is as much agreement between the books.

An interesting book might be: "The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible", by Robin Lane Fox.

Doug