QUESTION: Isn't the New Scofield Bible a King James Bible?
ANSWER: Not only is the New Scofield Bible NOT a King James Bible, it
is not even a "Scofield" Bible.
EXPLANATION: The first and most weighty reason why the New Scofield
Bible is not a Scofield Bible at all is shamefully simple. Dr. C.I.
Scofield did not edit it. Dr. Scofield died in 1921! Barring a very
"selective" resurrection, it is impossible for a man who died in 1921
to edit a book in 1967.
The publisher's justification for a new "edition" is that Dr.
Scofield, whose reference Bible was first published in 1909, added
material and published another edition in 1917. But it is an author's
prerogative to alter his own works, but that certainly does not give
others, more than 45 years after his death, a blank check to make
alterations and then sign his name to it!
If we altered the ending of "Macbeth" we would be less than honest to
claim that the change met Shakespeare's approval.
Secondly, the editors exercised great liberty in changing attributes
of Dr. Scofield's reference work that Dr. Scofield himself felt
important enough to include in his work.
In the introduction to their doubly dishonest 1967 publication they
admit such changes.
New Scofield: "Among the changes and improvements in this edition are:
important word changes in the text to help the reader; a modified
system of self-pronunciation; revision of many of the introductions to
the books of the Bible, including designation of the author, theme,
and date; more subheadings; clarification of some footnotes, deletion
of others, and the addition of many new notes; more marginal
references; an entirely new chronology; a new index; a concordance
especially prepared for this edition; new maps; and more legible type.
Some of these features are explained below."
By their own words, they admit to altering Dr. Scofield's text (the
King James Bible), introduction of books of the Bible, notes, marginal
references, chronology and many other features.
Did Dr. Scofield give his approval to these changes? Not unless one of
the nine committee members had the witch of Endor conjure him up as
she had Samuel!
In fact, the publisher even admits that the changes made were
arbitrary choices of the revision committee:
"Each position taken represents the thinking or conviction of the
committee as a group."
What are the results of such shenanigans? One example will suffice.
Let us examine the footnote found in Acts 8:12 of the New Scofield
Bible concerning baptism.
"Baptism has, since the apostolic age, been practiced by every major
group in the Christian church and, in Protestant communions, is
recognized as one of two sacraments--the other being the Lord's
Supper. Since early in the Church's history three different modes of
baptism have been used: aspersion (sprinkling); affusion (pouring);
and immersion (dipping)."
Here we see that the nine revisors (NOT Dr. Scofield) believe that
there is a difference between the true Christian church and Protestant
"communion". Might I ask? When one group is defined as "Protestant"
what is the other group called?
Secondly, the nine apostate revisors (NOT Dr. Scofield) claim, without
scriptural proof, that Christians baptize by pouring and sprinkling as
well as immersion.
Remember, the footnote is found in a S-C-O-F-I-E-L-D of 1967Äa book
which claims on its title page that a dead man (Dr. Scofield) is one
of its editors.
What does the footnote for Acts 8:12 say in the REAL Scofield Bible of
1917 which had a living Dr. Scofield as its editor?
Nothing. There IS no such footnote!
That's right! The New "Scofield" bible has a "Scofield" note added
after the death of "Scofield" the editor which the REAL Dr. Scofield
never approved of and never had in a text any time in his lifetime!
I ask you, is this honest?
Proof that the New Scofield Bible isn't a King James Bible is found on
almost every page where the margin notes the twin Bible reading as
"KJV". The text of the New Scofield Bible is NOT a King James Bible
and it is NOT a Scofield Bible.
It might be noted that in recent years the size and shape of the New
Scofield Bible has been changed to more resemble the Scofield
Reference Bible. Many Christians who desire a true Scofield Reference
Bible have purchased a New Scofield Bible by mistake.
The "Bible" business is lucrative. Isn't it?
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