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| Is Any Church Okay? By C. E. Chaffin |
Many Christians believe that “Any church is okay as long as one has love at the core of his being.” Others
like to hop from church to church in order to “get a feel“ for what other churches believe and experience
how they conduct their services.
Few take time to examine the reasons why the various churches exist, how they got their start, and where
their basic beliefs came from.
When I was a young man, just starting out in the ministry, I also sampled the churches and “got a feel” for
how they worshipped and how they conducted their services. I was even invited to deliver “guest
sermons” to various congregations.
It was when I began to really dig into the “truth” that I discovered what really mattered in the world of
theology. For example, the Bible tells us that salvation actually depends on our ability to grasp and accept
certain Bible truths. We are told that salvation comes through acceptation and use of the true names of
Yahweh and of Yah-ho-shua (Yahshua). And we are told to literally “study to show ourselves approved.”
Independent Bible study is not really done, especially in America and the rest of the Western world.
Because of that fact, and the fact that congregations are told to blindly accept the teachings of church
pastors and theologians, that the individual Believers know very little about what scripture really says.
If it were not important to preserve what the prophets who wrote the ancient scriptures copied for present
as well as future use by Bible students, so much effort would not have been expended to preserve the
historic texts.
The article to follow addresses the efforts of the earliest copyists to preserve the historic truths.
Research for the following article was done by yours truly and Andrew W. Archibald, Bible scholar, of
Scotland.
Let us base our study on the following text: “The cloak which I left at Troas, bring when thou comest, and
the books, especially the parchments,” (2 Tim. 4: 13).
The vellum, the parchments, mentioned in the texts, which was prepared from skins, was so very costly
that it was frequently cleansed and used again after the manner of a slate. The vegetable ink used for
writing was obliterated as nearly as possible, but in the course of time the old characters have
reappeared, very indistinct yet visible and showing through the top layer of writing. Once in a while the
vellum has been cleaned a second time and a third writing has been placed on its face. In either case
great skill is required to decipher the first characters. Still it has been done, and behold, a long lost work
of Cicero and other classics have been given to the world! Providence has in this way cared for the
ancient writings and holy writ.
In the National Library at Paris an ancient document lay for many years containing sermons and other
compositions of Ephraem of Syria, a “Church Father” of the fourth century. The preservation of his
writings was fortunate, but underneath the surface text was found traces of another text. This was in the
latter half of the seventeenth century. Various attempts were made to decipher the old, obscured
characters, but they were without success until about 75 years ago when the skill to read the covered text
became available. It proved to be a manuscript of the larger portion of the New Testament, dating back to
the fifth century. In the 12th. century some copyist had erased the older text and written in its place the
words of Ephraem. But, when the under-text was finally copied it turned out to be one of the best
manuscript authorities we have in the field of Bible research. Because Paul understood what often
happened to original texts explains why he was so anxious to obtain his parchments and books from
Troas.
Here we might briefly describe one method of determining the age of a manuscript. The Bible has not
appeared as we know it for very long, only a few centuries or so. About 340 AD divisions of a certain
order were introduced (using divisions of text devised by Eusebius), and about 460 AD another division
order (the stichometrical), became popular. Now, of course, if a manuscript contain the Eusebian divisions
of text the date must be somewhere after 340 AD. If the text is divided by the stichometrical method the
text would have been copied after 460AD. If you find an old Bible in a bookstall somewhere and wonder
when it was printed, check the texts. Our present text division became prevalent around the year 1551, so
dating is made easier by checking the way the texts were divided.
Of course we do not possess copies of the original King James text, our present Bible style. But, there are
ancient manuscripts extant which we can use to compare and verify with. In this way, by comparing text
with text, here a little, there a little, we can determine the accuracy of any translation. Many current
doctrines and dogmas that are believed today can be proven or disproven by these methods of
comparison. Our faith in the veracity of the Bible should be strengthened by this knowledge, and our
affections ought to cluster around the parchments as tenaciously as did Paul’s. Bible research is
invaluable when confronted by those who like to charge that the words of the Bible cannot be accepted as
genuine due to translator error, etc. Researchers work daily to verify and prove, or even to disprove the
truths of the Bible … they delve into ancient manuscripts with all the tenacity of a soldier at war to uncover
ancient manuscripts and, from them, glean proveable truths. Three of the manuscripts, because of their
great age, deserve special notice:
1. THE ALEXANDRIAN MANUSCRIPT is assigned to the fifth century. The translators who gave us the
King James Version of the Bible, did not have access to the Alexandrian manuscript, for they finished their
work in 1611, whereas it was 1628 when this manuscript was donated to Charles the First of England by
the Patriarch of Constantinople, who obtained it in Egypt at Alexandria, hence the name. It is now in the
British Museum, so fragile that it is kept under glass and access to it is confined to scholars for textual
comparative purposes only. The vellum is somewhat decayed, there being holes in it, and some of the
letters are worn away along the margin. Whole leaves are missing. More than 24 chapters of the book of
Matthew have disappeared, along with a few other texts. However, it still contains enough of the Old and
the New Testament, along with other writings, including the only genuine Epistle of Clement to the
Corinthians – Clement died at about 100 AD and is supposedly the one mentioned by Paul in Philippians
(4: 3) as a “fellow worker,”
2: THE VATICAN MANUSCRIPT, in the Papal Library at Rome. The first trace we have of the Vatican
Manuscript is in the year 1475, when it appears in a catalogue, the earliest list made of the contents of
the library. When Napoleon was at the zenith of his power it was returned to Paris, but in 1815 came
Waterloo, and the manuscript was returned to Rome, and since then it has been zealously guarded,
especially from Protestant inspection. The English critic Tregelles, with a commendatory letter from a
cardinal, went in 1845 to examine it, but he was closely watched by two prelates, who took the precaution
of searching him and removing from his body any writing materials, pens, ink, paper, etc. Tregelles only
was able to make, unobserved, notes upon his cuffs and fingernails. In 1866, Tischendorf, an eminent
German scholar, was more successful, finally giving to the world a complete copy. While it lacks a large
part of Genesis, thirty of the Psalms, Titus, Timothy, Revelation and a few other parts, it does comprise
the bulk of the old and New Testaments. It belongs to the fourth century, a hundred years earlier than the
Alexandrian manuscript. It may, in fact, be one of the original 50 copies of Greek Scriptures which the
emperor Constantine ordered to be prepared about 331 AD, and which, when finished, were conveyed to
him “in one of the government wagons” for Imperial Inspection. Whether or not it is one of those, it dates
back to a time somewhere between 300 and 350AD.
3: TISCHENDORF’S SINAITIC MANUSCRIPT is a story of the labors of Tischendorf, who spent his life
searching out and translating ancient manuscripts.
Tischendorf began his story on a tour of investigation in the town of Sinai, where the Law was given to
Moses, and where, at that time, a group of ancient buildings called The Convent of St. Catherine stood.
For many years the convent had been the home of a brotherhood of monks. A rich library had grown up
in the distant past, but the “spirit of learning” had long since died out. The convent was now occupied by
20 or 30 ignorant hermits, who practiced their monastic rites and entertained travelers outside the walls
as occasions warranted. It was a peculiar retreat, with walls 40 feet in height. The entrance gate was 30
feet off the ground and visitors had to be lifted to the “door” by means of a rope. Tischendorf first sent his
credentials up the rope and, upon approval, he was hauled up.
The hermit monks gave Tischendorf access to their library, and while examining the volumes on the
shelves, he noticed a basket of waste material on the floor awaiting use as kindling for fires. Picking over
several of the pieces in the basket, Tischendorf came upon the leaves of the Old Testament in Greek. He
was allowed to take 43 pages of the ancient manuscript back with him, and after the hermits discovered
that their fiirestarter kindling had real monetary value, they stopped him from taking any more.
Tischendorf left then, but he cautioned the hermit monks to take good care of what remained. He went
back home and deposited his 43 leaf find in the University Library at Leipzig.
Years passed, but Tischendorf did not forget the manuscript he had left behind at Sinai. He tried twice to
regain entry to the convent on his own and failed. But, finally, after convincing the Czar of Russia and the
head of the Greek Church, he was given credentials and regained entrance to the convent in the year
1859. But the treasure was nowhere to be found. Finally Tischendorf befriended a steward of the convent
and was invited to the steward’s cell for supper. They were talking about ancient books and the steward
fetched from a corner a bulky volume wrapped in red cloth. Tischendorf immediately recognized the
object in the red cloth as part of the ancient text he had rescued from the waste basket some 15 years
earlier.
Tischendorf, concealing his emotions, asked casually if he might be allowed to take the manuscript to his
room for examination. And so, all night long, by the dim light of a single candle, he carefully copied the
ancient text. The Sinaitic manuscript contained most of the Old Testament, all of the New Testament, the
Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas, authors which flourished before 140 AD. Tischendorf
was able to hold on to a complete copy. Later the original was gotten by the Library of St. Petersburg
“under the form of a loan,” and later it was presented to the “autocrat of all the Russias” as a “testimony
of eternal devotion.” Since then, facsimile copies have been made and donated to various great libraries.
These are stories of how the most ancient of manuscripts have continued to establish the Word of
Yahweh. They also serve as a testimonial to the labors and hard work of Bible copyists and translators as
they have labored to prove and verify the veracity of the Bible. The works described, and many more, put
the scriptures on a surer basis than exists for Homer, Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero or any other
ancient author.
I firmly believe that if the ancient copyists had not placed so high a value on reading and studying the
Bible texts they would not have taken the time to devote their lives, sometimes to the sacrifice of their
lives, to copying and preserving the historic texts.
I further believe that any Christian or Believer who does not meticulously verify and rout out the truth of
his beliefs is guilty of falling short of the least desire of the Creator.
A person who has not absolutely verified his personal belief system and the church’s doctrinal statement
that he attends, is guilty of the worst form of “lukewarm” belief. And, according to the Bible, Yahweh
desires us to either be “cold” or “hot” and that He actually “spits” out the lukewarm.
There are many who have written and told me that I am too harsh to be a Gospel minister. That I should
be forgiving, loving and meek to a fault. But, we are supposed to take Yahshua Messiah as our example
in life … and I have never been able to find Him in that forgiving, loving and meek configuration.
Yahshua was forgiving when He died on the stake, but that was because he understood from the
foundation of the world that His lot would be to die as a propitiation for our sins. He appeared loving
because all you can do when confronted by people who do not understand the truth is put forth the image
of a patient teacher. He seemed meek because of His commission. Too strong an image as Yahweh’s
warrior and Judge in His life would have caused His commission to fail.
like to hop from church to church in order to “get a feel“ for what other churches believe and experience
how they conduct their services.
Few take time to examine the reasons why the various churches exist, how they got their start, and where
their basic beliefs came from.
When I was a young man, just starting out in the ministry, I also sampled the churches and “got a feel” for
how they worshipped and how they conducted their services. I was even invited to deliver “guest
sermons” to various congregations.
It was when I began to really dig into the “truth” that I discovered what really mattered in the world of
theology. For example, the Bible tells us that salvation actually depends on our ability to grasp and accept
certain Bible truths. We are told that salvation comes through acceptation and use of the true names of
Yahweh and of Yah-ho-shua (Yahshua). And we are told to literally “study to show ourselves approved.”
Independent Bible study is not really done, especially in America and the rest of the Western world.
Because of that fact, and the fact that congregations are told to blindly accept the teachings of church
pastors and theologians, that the individual Believers know very little about what scripture really says.
If it were not important to preserve what the prophets who wrote the ancient scriptures copied for present
as well as future use by Bible students, so much effort would not have been expended to preserve the
historic texts.
The article to follow addresses the efforts of the earliest copyists to preserve the historic truths.
Research for the following article was done by yours truly and Andrew W. Archibald, Bible scholar, of
Scotland.
Let us base our study on the following text: “The cloak which I left at Troas, bring when thou comest, and
the books, especially the parchments,” (2 Tim. 4: 13).
The vellum, the parchments, mentioned in the texts, which was prepared from skins, was so very costly
that it was frequently cleansed and used again after the manner of a slate. The vegetable ink used for
writing was obliterated as nearly as possible, but in the course of time the old characters have
reappeared, very indistinct yet visible and showing through the top layer of writing. Once in a while the
vellum has been cleaned a second time and a third writing has been placed on its face. In either case
great skill is required to decipher the first characters. Still it has been done, and behold, a long lost work
of Cicero and other classics have been given to the world! Providence has in this way cared for the
ancient writings and holy writ.
In the National Library at Paris an ancient document lay for many years containing sermons and other
compositions of Ephraem of Syria, a “Church Father” of the fourth century. The preservation of his
writings was fortunate, but underneath the surface text was found traces of another text. This was in the
latter half of the seventeenth century. Various attempts were made to decipher the old, obscured
characters, but they were without success until about 75 years ago when the skill to read the covered text
became available. It proved to be a manuscript of the larger portion of the New Testament, dating back to
the fifth century. In the 12th. century some copyist had erased the older text and written in its place the
words of Ephraem. But, when the under-text was finally copied it turned out to be one of the best
manuscript authorities we have in the field of Bible research. Because Paul understood what often
happened to original texts explains why he was so anxious to obtain his parchments and books from
Troas.
Here we might briefly describe one method of determining the age of a manuscript. The Bible has not
appeared as we know it for very long, only a few centuries or so. About 340 AD divisions of a certain
order were introduced (using divisions of text devised by Eusebius), and about 460 AD another division
order (the stichometrical), became popular. Now, of course, if a manuscript contain the Eusebian divisions
of text the date must be somewhere after 340 AD. If the text is divided by the stichometrical method the
text would have been copied after 460AD. If you find an old Bible in a bookstall somewhere and wonder
when it was printed, check the texts. Our present text division became prevalent around the year 1551, so
dating is made easier by checking the way the texts were divided.
Of course we do not possess copies of the original King James text, our present Bible style. But, there are
ancient manuscripts extant which we can use to compare and verify with. In this way, by comparing text
with text, here a little, there a little, we can determine the accuracy of any translation. Many current
doctrines and dogmas that are believed today can be proven or disproven by these methods of
comparison. Our faith in the veracity of the Bible should be strengthened by this knowledge, and our
affections ought to cluster around the parchments as tenaciously as did Paul’s. Bible research is
invaluable when confronted by those who like to charge that the words of the Bible cannot be accepted as
genuine due to translator error, etc. Researchers work daily to verify and prove, or even to disprove the
truths of the Bible … they delve into ancient manuscripts with all the tenacity of a soldier at war to uncover
ancient manuscripts and, from them, glean proveable truths. Three of the manuscripts, because of their
great age, deserve special notice:
1. THE ALEXANDRIAN MANUSCRIPT is assigned to the fifth century. The translators who gave us the
King James Version of the Bible, did not have access to the Alexandrian manuscript, for they finished their
work in 1611, whereas it was 1628 when this manuscript was donated to Charles the First of England by
the Patriarch of Constantinople, who obtained it in Egypt at Alexandria, hence the name. It is now in the
British Museum, so fragile that it is kept under glass and access to it is confined to scholars for textual
comparative purposes only. The vellum is somewhat decayed, there being holes in it, and some of the
letters are worn away along the margin. Whole leaves are missing. More than 24 chapters of the book of
Matthew have disappeared, along with a few other texts. However, it still contains enough of the Old and
the New Testament, along with other writings, including the only genuine Epistle of Clement to the
Corinthians – Clement died at about 100 AD and is supposedly the one mentioned by Paul in Philippians
(4: 3) as a “fellow worker,”
2: THE VATICAN MANUSCRIPT, in the Papal Library at Rome. The first trace we have of the Vatican
Manuscript is in the year 1475, when it appears in a catalogue, the earliest list made of the contents of
the library. When Napoleon was at the zenith of his power it was returned to Paris, but in 1815 came
Waterloo, and the manuscript was returned to Rome, and since then it has been zealously guarded,
especially from Protestant inspection. The English critic Tregelles, with a commendatory letter from a
cardinal, went in 1845 to examine it, but he was closely watched by two prelates, who took the precaution
of searching him and removing from his body any writing materials, pens, ink, paper, etc. Tregelles only
was able to make, unobserved, notes upon his cuffs and fingernails. In 1866, Tischendorf, an eminent
German scholar, was more successful, finally giving to the world a complete copy. While it lacks a large
part of Genesis, thirty of the Psalms, Titus, Timothy, Revelation and a few other parts, it does comprise
the bulk of the old and New Testaments. It belongs to the fourth century, a hundred years earlier than the
Alexandrian manuscript. It may, in fact, be one of the original 50 copies of Greek Scriptures which the
emperor Constantine ordered to be prepared about 331 AD, and which, when finished, were conveyed to
him “in one of the government wagons” for Imperial Inspection. Whether or not it is one of those, it dates
back to a time somewhere between 300 and 350AD.
3: TISCHENDORF’S SINAITIC MANUSCRIPT is a story of the labors of Tischendorf, who spent his life
searching out and translating ancient manuscripts.
Tischendorf began his story on a tour of investigation in the town of Sinai, where the Law was given to
Moses, and where, at that time, a group of ancient buildings called The Convent of St. Catherine stood.
For many years the convent had been the home of a brotherhood of monks. A rich library had grown up
in the distant past, but the “spirit of learning” had long since died out. The convent was now occupied by
20 or 30 ignorant hermits, who practiced their monastic rites and entertained travelers outside the walls
as occasions warranted. It was a peculiar retreat, with walls 40 feet in height. The entrance gate was 30
feet off the ground and visitors had to be lifted to the “door” by means of a rope. Tischendorf first sent his
credentials up the rope and, upon approval, he was hauled up.
The hermit monks gave Tischendorf access to their library, and while examining the volumes on the
shelves, he noticed a basket of waste material on the floor awaiting use as kindling for fires. Picking over
several of the pieces in the basket, Tischendorf came upon the leaves of the Old Testament in Greek. He
was allowed to take 43 pages of the ancient manuscript back with him, and after the hermits discovered
that their fiirestarter kindling had real monetary value, they stopped him from taking any more.
Tischendorf left then, but he cautioned the hermit monks to take good care of what remained. He went
back home and deposited his 43 leaf find in the University Library at Leipzig.
Years passed, but Tischendorf did not forget the manuscript he had left behind at Sinai. He tried twice to
regain entry to the convent on his own and failed. But, finally, after convincing the Czar of Russia and the
head of the Greek Church, he was given credentials and regained entrance to the convent in the year
1859. But the treasure was nowhere to be found. Finally Tischendorf befriended a steward of the convent
and was invited to the steward’s cell for supper. They were talking about ancient books and the steward
fetched from a corner a bulky volume wrapped in red cloth. Tischendorf immediately recognized the
object in the red cloth as part of the ancient text he had rescued from the waste basket some 15 years
earlier.
Tischendorf, concealing his emotions, asked casually if he might be allowed to take the manuscript to his
room for examination. And so, all night long, by the dim light of a single candle, he carefully copied the
ancient text. The Sinaitic manuscript contained most of the Old Testament, all of the New Testament, the
Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas, authors which flourished before 140 AD. Tischendorf
was able to hold on to a complete copy. Later the original was gotten by the Library of St. Petersburg
“under the form of a loan,” and later it was presented to the “autocrat of all the Russias” as a “testimony
of eternal devotion.” Since then, facsimile copies have been made and donated to various great libraries.
These are stories of how the most ancient of manuscripts have continued to establish the Word of
Yahweh. They also serve as a testimonial to the labors and hard work of Bible copyists and translators as
they have labored to prove and verify the veracity of the Bible. The works described, and many more, put
the scriptures on a surer basis than exists for Homer, Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero or any other
ancient author.
I firmly believe that if the ancient copyists had not placed so high a value on reading and studying the
Bible texts they would not have taken the time to devote their lives, sometimes to the sacrifice of their
lives, to copying and preserving the historic texts.
I further believe that any Christian or Believer who does not meticulously verify and rout out the truth of
his beliefs is guilty of falling short of the least desire of the Creator.
A person who has not absolutely verified his personal belief system and the church’s doctrinal statement
that he attends, is guilty of the worst form of “lukewarm” belief. And, according to the Bible, Yahweh
desires us to either be “cold” or “hot” and that He actually “spits” out the lukewarm.
There are many who have written and told me that I am too harsh to be a Gospel minister. That I should
be forgiving, loving and meek to a fault. But, we are supposed to take Yahshua Messiah as our example
in life … and I have never been able to find Him in that forgiving, loving and meek configuration.
Yahshua was forgiving when He died on the stake, but that was because he understood from the
foundation of the world that His lot would be to die as a propitiation for our sins. He appeared loving
because all you can do when confronted by people who do not understand the truth is put forth the image
of a patient teacher. He seemed meek because of His commission. Too strong an image as Yahweh’s
warrior and Judge in His life would have caused His commission to fail.
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