The Egyptian Corruption Argument
Doug Stauffer: I sent this article to Mr. Hudson prior to posting it on the internet. His response was very simple:
Gary Hudson: “No, I'm not going to comment on the article you emailed me, and I'm under no obligation to comment on it or anything else you send.”
Doug Stauffer: This is true; I can’t force him to answer me, but take note of his comments to me when I did not quickly answer him concerning an email he sent me:
Gary Hudson: “I have always been able to discover that Ruckmanites never bite like they bark, and when the heat is on them they run for cover, duck and dodge the issue.”
Doug Stauffer: Eventually (within one week), I answered his subject email, but to date, he has “run for cover, ducked, and dodged” the following issue.
Gary Hudson
A friend recently asked me about one of the common objections raised by the KJV-Only movement to the use of "any manuscripts that come from Egypt." One particular preacher he sat under was very fond of launching into a tirade against "those evil modern bibles" because "they're based on manuscripts out of Egypt" and "the Bible says Egypt is a type of the WORLD!" This is obviously typical of Peter Ruckman, Chick Publications, Gail Riplinger, J. J. Ray, and other KJV "defenders" who recklessly throw every device they can concoct against the early manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. They reason as thus: "The Bible says Egypt is a type of the world; the world is associated with sin; therefore, it must logically follow that Alexandrian manuscripts are evil." This is certainly a "case study" in one of the best examples of "guilt by association" ever imagined.
Doug Stauffer
Talk about guilt by association…almost without fail the modern version supporters attempt to liken everyone that believes the Bible to Ruckman and Ruckmanism. The motive for this attempt at “guilt by association” is Dr. Ruckman’s sometimes unpleasant demeanor toward those that overtly attack the Bible and his damaged marriage record.
For the record, my faith and trust in the word of God, and that of innumerable other men and women, has nothing to do with Ruckman or Ruckmanism. Yet every Bible critic tries to associate the King James Bible believing position with this one man. His school-- let alone, Pensacola, Florida-- is not large enough to accommodate all those of us who are not alumni, yet believe the Bible no less. Mr. Hudson continues:
Gary Hudson
Actually, the Bible’s making "Egypt a type of the world" (which, by the way, is not explicitly stated in the Bible, only implied), does not mean it teaches that all other regions of the planet are untainted by sin. In fact, it implies the very opposite! If the Bible teaches that "Egypt is a type of the WORLD," then it DOES "logically follow" that "the whole WORLD is typified by Egypt" — which, in the case of KJV-Onlys, would make no region of the entire planet safe for preserving Bible manuscripts! (Read 1John 5:19And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
See All...).
Doug Stauffer
Bible Believers are not talking about any place being “untainted by sin.” The “whole world lieth in wickedness (1John 5:19And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
See All...),” but if you had a choice between the Vatican and your favorite church, which would YOU believe had a greater likelihood of preserving Bible truths? If you had a choice between the known infidels and true Christianity, which would you choose? What if the choice were between the hotbed of Islam (Egypt) and the area where believers were first called Christians? “…And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
See All...). With this in mind, we will consider the biblical evidence associated with Egypt and with Antioch!
Mr. Hudson’s analogy is extreme. Paul clarifies Mr. Hudson’s type of extremism in judging these types of issues in his first letter to the Corinthian church. Evidently, the Apostle Paul had written to the Corinthians not to keep company with fornicators, but like most Christians, they took this wise counsel to a reckless extreme. Paul says: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat” (1Corinthians 5:9-11 [9] I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
[10] Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
[11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
See All...).
Because of their extremism, Paul had to clarify the point. He told them that they would have to leave the world in order to avoid being around someone (or some place) untainted by sin. Nevertheless, if a person was a known fornicator, etc. the believers were to disassociate themselves from this individual. Application: since Egypt has been directly and indirectly condemned by the scriptures concerning the subject at-hand, it is ill-advised to ignore the biblical admonition by trying to carry the application to an extreme and look absurd.
Historical Background
The modern translations are based on the work of two nineteenth century Greek intellectuals from England. B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort hated the Textus Receptus Greek Text (the foundation for the King James Bible) and consequently created their own Greek text. Their text was based primarily on a text type known as the Alexandrian text, so named because of its origin in Egypt. The Codex Vaticanus (discovered in the Pope's library in 1481) and Sinaiticus (discovered in 1859 in a trash can at St. Catherine's monastery on Mt. Sinai) were the two texts that influenced the Alexandrian text type the most.
It is important to understand that the attacks on the word of God found in these manuscripts originated in one location - Alexandria, Egypt. Such pagan Greek “scholars” as Origen and Clement of Alexandria were the men that had the greatest adverse affect on these texts. In AD 313, the Roman emperor Constantine ordered fifty copies of the “word of God” from Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesarea. Eusebius, who was a devout student of Origen's work, chose to send him manuscripts filled with Alexandrian corruption, rather than sending him the true word of God found in the Syrian text from Antioch, Syria. The corrupt Alexandrian text (also called the "Egyptian") found its way into the Vatican manuscript, then into the Westcott and Hort Greek Text, and eventually into the new bible versions found in almost every local Christian bookstore.
Scriptural Support for Rejection of Alexandrian (Egyptian) Texts"
From the scripture that follows, one can easily see that the LORD dispels any notion that Egypt should be treated as any other country. This is the very land from which the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts originated. One can be certain that He did not send His Levitical scribes to Egypt and bless them there with the task of preserving His holy word. Instead, the LORD says He is going to consume (kill) them all. He wants His people OUT of Egypt.
Jeremiah 44:26Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.
See All... Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.
His name will not be named by those Israelites dwelling in the land of Egypt. The Egyptians, of course, are Arabs. Most of the Arab countries are determined to eradicate the nation of Israel at any cost. Some might point to Anwar Sadat of Egypt as a leader of an Arab nation willing to consider peace with Israel. Consider this politician.
The first year he became premier of Egypt, he led Egypt into war with Israel! The encyclopedia calls him a pragmatist…(that is, he could not wipe out Israel so he tried to negotiate). “A pragmatist, Sadat indicated his willingness to consider a negotiated settlement with Israel and shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize with Menachim Begin as a result of the Camp David Accords. He was assassinated by Muslim extremists, who were opposed to his peace initiative with Israel.”
Now consider the background: Sadat signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979 and was assassinated two years later. He was assassinated because of the peace treaty, and the assassination occurred while he was reviewing a military parade that marked the eighth anniversary of the crossing of the Suez Canal. In other words, he won the Nobel Peace Prize, but continued to celebrate his country’s attack on Israel! Is he a good example of Egypt’s acceptance of Israel? He was a politician who did things that were politically expedient. Muslims hate Israel, America and anything non-Muslim. The scripture continues its condemnation of the Jews in Egypt.
Jeremiah 44:27Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.
See All... Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.
God allows us to find the truth through a search of the scriptures. The LORD wanted His people out of Egypt. He consumed any of them that remained there. The modern critic wants us to believe that God then used this same region to preserve His word through the Roman Catholic Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts. God emphatically differentiates between His words and those of the Jewish Egyptians!
Jeremiah 44:28Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or their's.
See All... Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs.
It sounds as if God insured that the remnant of Judah would be able to differentiate between His words and theirs. It is unfortunate that man does not seem to possess the same capacity to discern truth from error today. Consider some of the other biblical passages which cast a definite negative light on Egypt.
- Genesis 12:10-13 [10] And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
[11] And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
[12] Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
[13] Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
See All... – Because of the Egyptians, Abraham is concerned for his life and the safety of his wife. Also note that this concerns the genealogical line of Christ (Matthew 1:1-2 [1] The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. [2] Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
See All...). - Genesis 37:36And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
See All... – Joseph is sold into Egypt as a slave. Did Egypt bring upon itself the curse of God pronounced against all those that curse Israel (Genesis 12:3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
See All...)? - Genesis 50:25-26 [25] And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
[26] So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
See All... – The first book of the Bible ends with Joseph’s being placed into a coffin in Egypt. - Exodus 1:11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
See All... – Israel is persecuted in Egypt (Genesis 12:3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
See All...). - Exodus 12:12For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
See All... – God passed through the land and killed all the firstborn of Egypt, judging all their gods. - Exodus 20:2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
See All... – Egypt is called the “house of bondage.” - Deuteronomy 4:20But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
See All... – Egypt is called the “iron furnace.” - Deuteronomy 17:16But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
See All... – The LORD ends the warning by stating, “Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.” - Jeremiah 42:13-19 [13] But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
[14] Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
[15] And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
[16] Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
[17] So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
[18] For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
[19] The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
See All... – God warns Judah pointedly, “Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.” - Jeremiah 46:25The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him:
See All... – God promises punishment on Egypt. - Ezekiel 20:7Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
See All... – God commands Israel not to be associated with Egypt’s idolatry. - Hosea 11:1When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
See All... – God called His Son out of Egypt. - Revelation 11:8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
See All... – God compares Jerusalem in apostasy to Sodom and Egypt.
In spite of all of the scriptural evidence against the possibility of God’s using Egypt to preserve His word, the Bible critics continue to hold to this unscriptural position. The following comments plainly reveal their position. According to the same article written by Gary Hudson, Bob Ross theorizes as follows concerning Egypt:
Gary Hudson
We should also remember the wonderful Providence of the Lord in regard to Moses, Joseph and the Israelites in Egypt, as well as how the infant Jesus was taken to Egypt as a means of escaping death in Israel during the time of Herod’s campaign of infanticide. The Lord is Sovereign in Egypt as well as in Antioch, Jerusalem, and Rome! He works His wonders all over! In fact, if you had to have the “right place” in which the Lord could do His work, it would have to be a “wrong place,” as the whole world is defiled by sin.
Doug Stauffer
In other words, the right place would have to be the wrong place. This position ignores God’s specific condemnation. Read Jeremiah chapter 44 again. This theory makes as much sense as attributing all the variations between the Textus Receptus and the modern versions to God’s people. According to the critics, the modern versions are necessary because God chose Egypt (and the Catholic Church) to preserve His word which had been corrupted by well-meaning, over-zealous scribes. Sounds like some of the logic displayed in the Garden of Eden!
God’s promise of supernatural preservation has not failed during the last century. Man needs to believe the book God has provided, rather than trying to correct that which needs no correction. God used Antioch (Acts 11:26And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
See All...), not Alexandria, Egypt (Acts 27:6And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
See All..., 28:11
See All...) to preserve His word.
There are many beautiful pictures and types within the word of God. One of the tremendous pictures found in the last two chapters of Acts reveals a great illustration of the two lines of Greek texts. The true text has come from Antioch, and the false texts have originated in Alexandria, Egypt. Like many other places within the word of God, a clear spiritual application exists in Acts chapters 27 and 28.