QR Covers-576.qxd 16/06/2006 22:30 Page 5

The Word of God Among All Nations

THE MAGAZINE OF THE TRINITARIAN SOCIETY

ISSUE NUMBER : 576 July to September 2006 QR Covers-576.qxd 16/06/2006 22:29 Page 2

Trinitarian Bible Society Founded in 1831 for the circulation of Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God Officers of the Society General Committee: General Secretary: Mr. D. P. Rowland The Rev. M. H. Watts, Chairman Assistant General Secretary: The Rev. B. G. Felce, M.A., Vice-Chairman Mr. D. Larlham The Rev. G. Hamstra, B.A., M.Div., Vice-President Editorial Manager: Mr.G.W.Anderson Mr. D. Oldham, Vice-President Office Manager: Mr.C.A.Wood,Vice-President Mr. J. M. Wilson Pastor R. A. Clarke, B.Sc., F.C.A. Treasurer Warehouse Manager: Mr. G. Bidston Mr.I.A.Docksey Mr.G.R.Burrows,M.A. Production Manager:

Mr. G. D. Buss, B.Ed. Mr.M.D.N.Thomas

Pastor M. J. Harley Quarterly Record Mr.A.K.Jones Production Team General Secretary: D.P.Rowland The Rev. E. T. Kirkland, B.A., Dipl.Th. Assistant General Secretary:D.Larlham Editor: G.W.Anderson The Rev. J. MacLeod, M.A. Production Editor: Dr.D.E.Anderson Assistants to the Editor:M.J.Fenn, C.P.Hallihan, The Rev. D. Silversides R.J.Cooper Graphic Design:Stephen Talas The Rev. J. P. Thackway Circulation: J.M.Wilson TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 1

The Word of God Among All Nations QUARTERLY RECORD THE MAGAZINE OF THE TRINITARIAN BIBLE SOCIETY Issue Number 576 July to September 2006 C ONTENTS 2 18 Annual General Meeting The Gereformeerde 2006 Bijbelstichting 40th Anniversary

3 19 Thy Law is My Delight The Treasury

6 20 Regeneration, the New Birth The Da Vinci Code: Rewriting history

9 23 Dutch Bible: The Road to the The Word of God Among All Statenvertaling Nations

© Trinitarian Bible Society 2006 All rights reserved. The Trinitarian Bible Society permits reprinting of articles found in our printed and online Quarterly Record provided that prior permission is obtained and proper acknowledgement is made. TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 2

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006 175th Annual General Meeting to be held, God willing, at 1.00pm on Saturday, 23rd September 2006 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Elephant and Castle, , SE1 The Rev. Silversides PASTOR OF LOUGHBRICKLAND REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF THE TRINITARIAN BIBLE SOCIETY IS EXPECTED TO PREACH

Please note: Copies of the Minutes of the Society’s Annual General Meeting held on 10th September 2005 have been dispatched to Members. Should any other friends/supporters wish to receive a copy, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. D. Larlham, Assistant General Secretary, Trinitarian Bible Society, Tyndale House, Dorset Road, London, SW19 3NN ([email protected]) TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 3

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society THY LAW IS MY DELIGHT From the Assistant General Secretary

will delight myself in thy ments are my delights. statutes: I will not forget thy Psalm 119.143 Iword. Psalm 119.16 I have longed for thy salvation, O Thy testimonies also are my LORD; and thy law is my delight. delight and my counsellors. Psalm 119.174 Psalm 119.24 Make me to go in the path of thy onsider and enjoy the Scriptures above. I had the commandments; for therein do I opportunity to do so in my delight. Psalm 119.35 devotions recently. In that Cgreat 119th Psalm, devoted to the Word And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have of God, nine times the Psalmist exhibits his delight in God’s law, variously also loved. Psalm 119.47 described by the synonyms (for these Their heart is as fat as grease; but purposes) of commandments, statutes I delight in thy law. and testimonies. Psalm 119.70 Throughout the Old Testament we see Let thy tender mercies come unto similar references to the man (or woman) of God delighting in ‘the me, that I may live: for thy law is Almighty’ Job 22.26, ‘the law of the my delight. Psalm 119.77 LORD’ Psalm 1.2, ‘the LORD’ Psalm Unless thy law had been my 37.4, ‘thy comforts’ Psalm 94.19, ‘his delights, I should then have per- shadow’ (speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ) Song of Solomon 2.3, the ‘fatness’ ished in mine affliction. of God Isaiah 55.2, and ‘the sabbath’ Psalm 119.92 Isaiah 58.13. Trouble and anguish have taken Only in one place in the hold on me: yet thy command- does the Authorised Version use the

3 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 4

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

word ‘delight’ and that, tellingly, in or memorising it… If we were to bolt Romans 7.22—‘For I delight in the law our bodily food thus, we would quickly of God after the inward man’.Nowhere become ill, and that is precisely what else is the Greek verb συνηδομαι used, happens to the soul which is not proper- even translated in a different way. ly fed.

What are we to learn from these obser- As I write this, I am surrounded by vations? Simply, that the Christian in English and dozens of other should have a relationship with the Holy languages. There are many around the Scriptures that goes beyond the func- world who would give anything to be tional, the prosaic, even the merely satis- allowed into this room or building and fying; as Job says in chapter 23 verse 12,‘I to take away with them just one volume have esteemed the words of his mouth in their language. I am sure that they more than my necessary food’.Similarly, would burst into tears of gratitude and David in Psalm 19.9–10, speaking of the joy at such a prospect. When we send judgments of the Lord, says, ‘More to be out the Scriptures far afield, we often desired are they than gold, yea, than receive such fulsome thanks, and we try much fine gold: sweeter also than honey to publish the pick of such letters in the and the honeycomb’—echoed again in Quarterly Record. Our speakers garner Psalm 119.103, where we read ‘How the best of these testimonies and delight sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, to pass these on to congregations and sweeter than honey to my mouth!’ assemblies up and down the land. Such words as ‘overjoyed’,‘thrilled’,‘crying Once we grasp the fulness of these many tears of joy’ and the like are often used vivid testimonies, how can we doubt by the recipients even of calendars or that we should cultivate a relish for the other modest amounts of Scripture. Word of God? Alas, we are usually all guilty of treating it much as our daily It is incumbent upon us to take a step bodily food: basic, necessary, even nour- back and appreciate just how blessed we ishing, but hardly delightful and are to have God’s Word in our own supremely sweet. Indeed, it has to be tongue, preserved through centuries and acknowledged that several of the Biblical translated faithfully and accurately in epithets applied to God’s Word and the the finest English words and phrases yet speech of His people would fall foul of used by man to convey the truths of the the dieticians and food police these days, Lord. As the Bible is more and more dis- as salt, honey and fat are all outlawed. paraged in our day and age, whether it is Yet these are all good, according to the ignored or blasphemed by those trapped Word of God! in the darkness of false religion, or by those chained up by atheism and the lies Much of our lack of delight stems from of evolutionary theory, or, worst of all, familiarity, with the Holy Scriptures as by men and women (!) in pulpits of much as with our earthly diet. Perhaps once sound churches, let us seek to we read the Bible or hear God’s Word redress the balance. Men and women of preached rather superficially, not digest- great faith and courage gave their lives ing it, certainly not meditating upon it so that we could have the Word of God

4 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 5

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

in our hands today. The least we can do 11.20, ‘they that deal truly’ Proverbs is to delight in it, to preach and teach it, 12.22, ‘the prayer of the upright’ Proverbs and to live by it, cherishing it as a great 15.8, ‘lovingkindness, judgment, and treasure bestowed upon us, we know not righteousness, in the earth’ Jeremiah for how long. 9.24, the believer—‘me’—2 Samuel 22.20, and ‘mercy’ Micah 7.18. I am reminded of a little blind girl of nine years of age called Jessica, well Best of all, the Father is said to delight in known to our Deputation Speakers the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘my servant, David Allen and Michael Harley, who whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my has been waiting for a kidney transplant soul delighteth’ Isaiah 42.1, and the Son for at least six years, and has been receiv- returns the compliment, ‘I delight to do ing dialysis each day. However, her soul thy will, O my God’ Psalm 40.8. When is in remarkable health as she rejoices in you contemplate what that will entailed, her sins forgiven and exhibits a wonder- as the epistle to the Hebrews draws ful love for her Saviour. She has learnt out—‘Wherefore when he cometh into much of the Bible off by heart from the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering constant listening to the Scriptures on thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou tape, and will readily recite whole chap- prepared me: in burnt offerings and sac- ters and books when encouraged to do rifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. so. Her little six-year-old brother Joash is Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume in the same hospital now, similarly of the book it is written of me,) to do afflicted. Yet Jessica is radiant for the thy will, O God.’ Hebrews 10.5–7—then Lord, and delights in His Word which you are all the more astonished. See, by she has never seen. How that provides careful comparison of Psalm 40 and an object lesson for you and me! Hebrews 10, how the Saviour’s delight in the former translates into willing obedi- Please pray for this little girl and her ence in the latter. If we rightly delight brother; in early May, she received at last ourselves in the Word of God, we will the kidney transplant she has been wait- delight in Him personally, and love Him ing for all these years, and we long that it and keep His commandments: because might ‘take’ and that she can come we joy to do so, they are not grievous. home. She will probably be sad to leave behind those to whom she has spoken May all of us here in Tyndale House, most recently of her Saviour… those in our Branches and Auxiliaries around the world, and you who read My investigations of the delight of this, our praying and generous support- which the Scriptures teach in relation to ers, all learn afresh how to delight in the the believer’s appreciation and estima- Holy Scriptures, and never take them for tion of God’s Word, revealed something granted! else, too. Such delight is mirrored by God’s delight! What things does the Lord delight in? Such things as ‘obeying the voice of the LORD’ 1 Samuel 15.22, ‘such as are upright in their way’ Proverbs  5 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 6

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006 REGENERATION THE NEW BIRTH by the Rev. G. Hamstra a Vice-President of the Society that glorious kingdom of light and lib- esus answered and said erty.The goodness of the Lord is great, Junto him, Verily, verily, that He has entrusted unto us the pre- cious knowledge of the only effectual I say unto thee, Except a way of entering His kingdom, which is man be born again, he by the way of regeneration or new cannot see the kingdom birth. This truth may be familiar, but few do of God. John 3:3 really understand its meaning and realise the importance of taking it to here are many kingdoms on this heart. Let us now consider this great earth, but there is only one king- truth, while we ask and answer a few dom of God. In our text the king- T basic questions. dom of God is to be understood as the kingdom of God in contrast to the king- dom of Satan.The contrast is impres- The Necessity of the sive.The kingdom of God is the king- New Birth dom of righteousness, joy and peace. The kingdom of Satan is the kingdom First of all, why is such a great and radi- of darkness, sin and despair. cal change necessary to enter into the kingdom of God? This distinction concerns all of us, for we belong either to the kingdom of The necessity of this momentous change God and are in the most blessed rela- points to the awful condition of man by tionship with our Maker, or we belong nature.Many overlook the serious char- to the kingdom of Satan and are alien- acter of this point and take refuge in a ated from our Creator, and on account less radical,man-made change.But,alas, of sin and unbelief His wrath and dis- that will not do! We must have a true and pleasure do still abide on us. realistic view of man’s deep need. In the words of our text, the Lord Jesus In Genesis 1 we are taught that man was Christ speaks about the only way in created in the image of God,so he was which one may become a citizen of endowed with knowledge,righteous-

6 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 7

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

ness and holiness.In Genesis 3 we learn It is to be born from above.This new how man lost what he possessed and birth has its origin in heaven.To be enjoyed in the garden of Eden.He is no born from above is to be born of God. longer in a state of fellowship and com- The figurative language here illustrates munion with his Maker.In the Fall he lost the nature of the new birth.When an this blessed character. infant is born, it is wholly passive in the According to the Word of God,man’s process of birth. So it is in regeneration. heart is now deceitful above all things Not even the smallest part is man’s and desperately wicked.The carnal mind work. It is exclusively and wholly the is enmity towards God.This is true con- work of God. All the glory belongs to cerning every member of Adam’s fallen Him. race,unless by the way of the new birth Christ interprets in the context: it is to he or she has entered the kingdom of be ‘born of water and of the Spirit’. God’s light. Water refers to the great work of Sin is so radical in its character that the cleansing the heart, the washing of entire heart is corrupt and rebels against regeneration.‘And of the Spirit’—this God! Never will man be able to alter that regeneration is of the Holy Spirit. situation.Again,here the witness of This gracious work of God is far more Scripture is:‘Can the Ethiopian change excellent than any human endeavour. It his skin,or the leopard his spots? then is the marvel of the gospel, that God may ye also do good,that are accus- comes down to the lowest depravity of tomed to do evil’(Jeremiah 13:23). man’s iniquities with the grace of purifi- It is impossible for man to correct and to cation. God the Holy Spirit creates a purify his own sinful heart. It is absolute- clean heart and renews a right spirit. ly necessary to realise this humbling The Lord does a radical and total work truth. in the hearts of the objects of His grace. For man to see and to enter into the It is not one part of the human heart kingdom of God,God Himself must that is renewed and cleansed; it is the supernaturally intervene in the human entire heart that is involved in this pur- situation.He alone is able to bring about pose of renewal.There is complete the so much needed change.This is the transformation. If any man is born of great truth that Christ makes in our text: God, he is a new creature.This work of That which is impossible with man,is purification is a work of God’s effica- possible with God. We can never appre- cious grace. ciate this important truth too highly.It is indispensable for salvation. The Author of the New Birth The Nature of the Thirdly, the question must be asked: New Birth Who is this great and blessed Person The second question we must ask and that renews and purifies the heart? seek to answer is:What is the nature of The Author of this work is God Himself, this momentous change? and more specifically,God the Holy

7 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:47 Page 8

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006 Spirit.He alone renews the human heart appropriate then, in conclusion, is the according to His sovereign good pleas- question: Have we experienced this ure.After Christ purchased redemption, regenerating grace of God? the Spirit of grace and of supplications If by grace we have experienced this was poured out.It is this Spirit who blessed cleansing power, we may renews the heart. rejoice with fear and trembling in Him He alone is qualified to do the great who remembered us in our low estate work.There is no heart so hard that the and drew us with the cords of His love Holy Spirit cannot subdue it,none so and translated us from the kingdom of proud that He cannot humble it,none so darkness to the kingdom of His mar- wicked that He cannot make it holy.The vellous light. May we then live to His Holy Spirit displays great beauty in glory and praise! nature,but far greater is the marvel of But if you have never realised the need His wondrous grace when He renews and value of this saving change, how and sanctifies a depraved heart. necessary is it then to reflect seriously May the Lord open the eyes of many to on your eternal destiny, and not to perceive this great truth which testifies delay this all-important matter! For both to man’s need,and to God’s great without this birth from above, there power to meet this need! can be no communion and fellowship with your Maker in this life here below, The Effect of the and what is far worse, no fellowship with Him in eternity.Without the new New Birth birth, an eternity of woe will be your Fourthly:What is the effect or result of portion. the new birth? We are passive in regeneration, but we It is this:a heart renewed by the grace of may not be passive or careless and God is indwelled,controlled and direct- indifferent about this matter that con- ed by the same Spirit Who renews the cerns our eternal well or woe! We may heart.The sinner—by nature dead in sin never rest, till by grace we know, that and trespasses—has been made alive in God has wrought this great work of Christ Jesus.He has become poor in spir- purification within our hearts. it,he mourns because of sin,and This fearful truth will still remain, hungers and thirsts after righteousness. The sinner must be BORN AGAIN Once he belonged to the kingdom of Or sink to endless woe!1 Satan,by grace he has become a citizen of the kingdom of God.He now enjoys God’s pardoning love.His heart cries out for the living God,for His grace in Christ. Endnote He walks in God’s ways and loves His commandments. 1.Quoted by Octavius Winslow in ‘From Grace to Glory’.The Reformed Reader Conclusion http://www.reformedreader.org/rbb/ winslow/gracetoglory/assurance.htm, Entrance into the kingdom of God is 16 May 2006. only by way of the new birth. How

8 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:48 Page 9

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society DUTCH BIBLE: The Road to the STATENVERTALING by C. P. Hallihan windmills in the country one hundred Brief Background years ago, the figure now is less than a o many in the United Kingdom, tenth of that.1 Situated on the complex the Kingdom of The Netherlands delta area of the Scheldt, Meuse (Maas) Tis popularly referred to as and Rhine rivers, The Netherlands has a Holland, a place of only windmills and long trading tradition—Rotterdam is the tulips. North Holland and South world’s largest port. The land is mainly flat, 27% of it below sea level, protected by dunes, dykes and canals. Current pop- ulation is over sixteen million, with two- thirds of that in the Randstad conurba- tion, the triangle of The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Recent religious returns give Roman Catholic at 36%, Protestant 27%, and other (including ‘none’) 37%. Presumably amongst the ‘other’ is included a very large and increasing Muslim community. (The number of people adhering to the Reformed Confessions—the Three

Holland are the names of but two of the twelve provinces of The Netherlands, and whilst there were reputedly 10,000

9 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:48 Page 10

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

Forms of Unity—is estimated at about the concluded the Union 500,000, making The Netherlands a land of Utrecht, breaking with Spain. The of considerable contrasts.) Eighty Years War (which includes the The Reformation left The Netherlands Thirty Years War) was well under way,2 divided, broadly speaking, into the and it was not until 1648 that Spain strongly Protestant and Calvinist North would recognize the independence of the and West, and the remaining Roman United Provinces as a fait accompli. Catholic South and East. We know that Our single concern in this article is the during the crucial years of the English history of the Dutch Bible, for in the Reformation the country was not only in Statenvertaling of 1637 we have the last religious and political upheaval, but fac- great example of the classic Reformation ing the threat of Spanish assault. If we vernacular Bibles, worthy peer of the multiply those factors with the addition- English Authorised Version. In all that we al one of actual Spanish rule and military touch upon you should bear in mind presence in The Netherlands, we may that throughout the Reformation and just get the feel of the crucible in which Puritan eras connections between the Dutch Reformation and pursuit of a English and Dutch churches were strong. vernacular Bible was wrought. Protestant There were various English congrega- pressure for freedom from the Spanish tions in The Netherlands other than the Hapsburg Empire began in 1568, and in well known Ainsworth and Robinson January 1579 the northern provinces of and other Brownist gatherings.

A Protestant service at the Grote Kerk , Haarlem, painted by Gerrit Berckheyde, 1673

10 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:48 Page 11

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

rhyming version of the Historia, which Before Printing: became very popular amongst those who Old Saxon to Johan could read no Latin: it was their only independent door to any kind of Bible Schutken knowledge. As we look at the early Dutch Bibles a The most complete manuscript work of similar pattern to that of English Bible the Middle Ages is the two volume First history is plain to see. The were History Bible, 1360/1. This was done by always the better known part of an unknown Carthusian monk in the Scripture, and manuscript versions of Brussels region, using a plain Dutch, them reflecting the complex linguistic avoiding latinate sentence-style. and early cultural history of the Low However, it was still Vulgate-based, and Countries are known. Around the year showing a strong dependence on the 850 there was a selection of Psalms in an Rijmbijbel and the Historia.4 In the Old Saxon tongue. A hundred years later south, where it was published, this work a Latin text of the Psalms was written by was much opposed by the Roman an unknown monk in the region of Catholic Church, but found ready Venlo. This was significant, because it acceptance in the north, where as many was an interlinear manuscript, with an as forty-five copies have survived. The Old-Dutch3 rendering under the Latin. Second History Bible, now assigned to the In the 16th century this text was in the 15th century, was of similar genre, loose- possession of Arnold Wachtendonck, ly following the Vulgate with various and a copy made. Only the copy now wanderings into legend.5 remains, called the Wachtendonck The last big name before printing in The Psalms. Netherlands is that of Johan Schutken. In 1271 a ‘Bible’ in poetical form, the He was a student of Geert de Groote, Rijmbijbel, appeared. Petrus Comestor founder of the Brethren of the Common had written a Latin work—Historia Life at Deventer,6 and reforming preach- Scolastica—in the er in Utrecht. De Groote communicated late 12th century. to Schutken the need of a thoroughgoing This was a ‘Bible Dutch Bible. The student addressed the History’ using the task and, soon after 1400, the Psalms, Vulgate, Josephus, Old Testament, and then New Testament and the work of were done. It is reputed to be a fluent other Greek and and varied , attempting to Latin authors. It reflect the different styles of the various became a stan- parts of the Bible. This is the first truly dard textbook in Dutch translation, but, as we have seen schools. Jacob van in the English parallel of Wycliffe, was Maerlant then still hampered by having only Latin as a produced the starting point. This was by far the most Rijmbijbel,a used Dutch Bible version of the Middle Ages. Whereas the Wycliffe Bible was A page from the Rijmbijbel never actually printed until the 18th cen-

11 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:49 Page 12

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

tury, and then only as a curiosity, the Schutken Gospels were printed as the basis of a ‘Daily Reader’ in 1477. By 1522 some thirty-two editions had been pub- lished, incorporating readings from the Epistles and Old Testament also: an early Daily Light. Early Printed Bibles The first printed Dutch Scripture, trans- lated from the Latin Vulgate, appeared in 1477. Printed by Jacob Jacobszoon van The Delft Bible de Meer and Mauricius Yemantszoon, it Nevertheless, with the Statenvertaling is the very first printed book in The still almost a century away, the Liesvelt Netherlands—the Delft Bible. This is Bible was the ordinary Bible of the really a misnomer, as it was the Old Dutch Reformation. Testament without Psalms, and still Exploration of the Amsterdam-Antwerp showing strong intake from the History printing and publishing industry and its Bibles. About 250 copies were made, impact on Bible production in many, some fifty known to exist today. A com- many languages, must be passed over, plete Bible in the was but it was another Antwerp printer, produced in Cologne (Keulen) in 1478. Willem Vorsterman, who issued a Bible At that time the Dutch language area with the encouragement of the Roman extended to this ancient Roman Catholic authorities in 1528. Described Rhineland settlement. As the Keulse as a mosaic of Luther, and Bijbel, this appeared in two regional Vulgate texts, for a while it was very pop- dialects, but in both of them the Song of ular. Unfortunately it was recognisably Songs was printed in Latin! Then came derived from the Liesvelt Bible, and after the Liesvelt Bible. Jacob van Liesvelt pro- Liesvelt’s death it was placed on the list duced this in Antwerp, 1526. It was of forbidden books by the very Church based as far as possible on the German authorities who had nurtured it. Nicolas Bible of Luther (Luther had not com- Biestkens, a Baptist publisher in Emden, pleted his task at that point) supple- produced a Dutch reworking of the mented by Liesvelt’s own rendering of Zwingli Bible in 1560. This Biestkens the Vulgate. His later editions were Bible has been reissued at times, and still strongly ‘Protestant’ in the marginal finds favour in some circles (“Baptist 7 notes, and the last edition of 1542 was [Doopsgezinde], Lutheran and other reli- seen as a direct threat to the Roman gious minorities”,I am informed) today. Catholic Church, with such outspoken comment as ‘man’s salvation comes only All the Dutch Bible publications so far by Jesus Christ’.Charged with heresy, are encumbered by being derived in Jacob van Liesvelt was beheaded at greater or lesser proportion from the Antwerp, 6 November 1545. Vulgate and German. To build directly on the rock of Greek and Hebrew had

12 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:49 Page 13

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

not yet been accomplished, but had been When Marnix died the work of Bible tried. In 1556 Jan Utenhove translated a translation from Greek and Hebrew was New Testament from a Greek text, but taken on by Arnoldus Cornelisz and his idiosyncratic approach to the Dutch Wernerus Helmichius. Cornelisz died in language meant that this promising 1605, and in 1607 Helmichius defended attempt found little acceptance. So, it was his work on the book of Genesis at the back to revised editions of the Liesvelt Synod of North-Holland. He was much Bible, still relying on the Luther German distressed by the accusation that he was as a reference point, even to the extent of dragging his heels on the task. It is an sharing the soubriquet Deux aes (Two irreducible problem, which readers of A’s) with German editions of the 1560s.8 the QR have seen in Carey, Martyn and Notwithstanding the rather free nature Judson: when the translator is also pastor of the Luther Old Testament starting and preacher, how does he set his priori- text, and the Brabant form of the under- ties? Helmichius’s work was painstaking- lying Dutch Liesvelt, this Two A’s Bible of ly plain, and where there was no suffi- 1562 was the most used version in the ciently clear Dutch word to represent the Reformed Churches until the Hebrew meaning, explanation was given Statenvertaling. The need to take up the in the margin. This is now the seed of original languages as the ground-text the Statenvertaling, but the work was was becoming pressing. English, French beyond one man, and it was well known and Italian versions, notably those origi- in The Netherlands that at just that time nating in Geneva (though often printed Lord Philip van Marnix in Amsterdam-Antwerp), had already taken this step. Marnix of Saint Aldegonde and Wernerus Helmichius Lord Philip van Marnix of Sainte- Aldegonde, 1538-98, was very active both in the Reformation and in the revolt against Spain. He was a close friend of William I, the Silent,9 his representative at the first States-General Meeting of the United Provinces at Dort in1572, and special envoy to the courts of England and France. More to our purpose, he produced a Metrical Psalter and parts of the Bible in Dutch. His criticism of the Two A’s-Liesvelt Bible was as simple as it was swingeing—it is beyond repair, a whole new work in good Dutch from a good ground-text is needed.10

13 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:49 Page 14

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

fifty-four scholars in England were at work, and that thought be taken for the work on a new Bible translation. More number of translators, their oversight translators were needed, and direction and revision procedures. from the national synod. Helmichius set to, but died in 1608. No single successor The Statenvertaling emerged, and because of other national difficulties it was ten years before the Six translators were appointed to the States-General of the United Netherlands work, three for the Old Testament and called a national synod. three for the New Testament and Apocrypha. There were two Frieslanders, two East Flemings, one Zeelander and The , one Hollander (the province, not the nation). Provision was made for these 1618-19 men in Leiden, with access to the neces- sary scholarly help and a good library. The main business of this bench-mark Their first task was to agree together, synod was the problem facing the Dutch from the various Dutch dialects, on the Reformed Church from those following orthography, grammar, vocabulary and the teaching of Jacobus Arminius, who usage for the language of the new Bible. had died in 1609. It was truly interna- Not only was this States-General Bible tional, with representatives from most of (Statenvertaling) rigorously close to the the Protestant churches and nations in original Greek and Hebrew texts, it .11 Among representatives from became the defining mould for what was England were John Davenant and to be ‘ordinary Dutch’,the ‘everyday lan- Lancelot Andrewes; from Scotland, guage’ of the new-fledged nation. Samuël Ward and William Ames; from Helmichius’s pattern of clarifying anno- Geneva, Giovanni Diodati. The Canons tations in the margin was continued. of the Synod of Dort (sometimes Dordt Indeed, the States-General guidelines or Dordrecht) have passed into the theo- required it, along with references, book logical fabric of in simpli- and chapter contents. The example of fied form as the Five Points of Calvinism. other worthy were to be We dare not linger now to discuss the used as a guide, and especially the most issues, procedures and consequences. recent, the English Authorised Version of Ahead of the full gathering, from 19–27 1611. The need to coin words and phras- November 1618, seven sessions were es to come as close to the original as pos- devoted to Bible translation questions. It sible, so well begun in English by was agreed that there was need of a new Tyndale, was accepted in Dutch, too, Bible translation, that fairly precise such as ter elfder ure (eleventh hour) at guidelines should be laid down Matthew 20.9; een steen des aanstoots (a for the accom- stumblingstone) at Romans 9.32, et al.; plishment op twee gedachten hinken (halt ye of that between two opinions) at 1 Kings 18.21. A special commemorative medal was issued for the Synod of Dort. This particular one belonged to Bishop Hall who attended the proceedings.

14 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:50 Page 15

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

Although the original Text and Tongues, wherein it modern termi- pleased the Lord God Almighty to reveal nology of textu- his Doctrine and Worship, through the al discussion inspiration of the Holy Ghost; to the end was not at all in that the salvation of souls, and everlast- view in 17th- ing happiness, might thereby be fur- century thered and advanced more and more’. Netherlands, the They then assure us that ‘this translation Statenvertaling being, through the Gracious Blessing of can be described Almighty God, wholly furnished by the as unequivocally said eminent and expert men in the ‘formal equiva- Hebrew and Greek Tongues, and yet fur- lence’.Learning ther Revised by some other learned positively from Divines; whose judgements and the English, Approbations being declared unto us, French and that in this same Translation there was Italian labours nothing omitted of what the Truth, the of the previous Propriety of the Words, and the Genuine one hundred sense thereof could require…’.They also years, and nega- refer to ‘The Original Fountains’,and Title page of the Statenvertaling tively from their during the years of preparation both the own varied Elzevir 1624 Greek New Testament and Dutch-German recent history of transla- that of 1633, with its prefatory declara- tion, the Statenvertaling is rigorously tion of a ‘textus…receptus’,became avail- close to the original languages. A princi- able; for Hebrew the Bomberg editions ple seems to have been laid down almost were already well established. unconsciously—the whole Bible careful- ly rendered from Greek and Hebrew is the only worthy transmission of the Theodore Haak and the Word of God. If fidelity to Greek or Hebrew meant new words or awkward English Statenvertaling Dutch in the text of Scripture, so be it— (ESV!) what was the margin for if not to clarify such things! In modern terminology The Statenvertaling with its copious once more, the original language and not annotations was gladly received, not only the receptor language takes ultimate in the Dutch churches but in other precedence, a principle not always easy to nations, too;13 and nowhere more enthu- communicate to those looking for ‘easy- siastically than in the United Kingdom. read’ translations. At last, in 1637, at a English, Irish and Scots divines warmly time of fierce plague in Leiden, the Bible recommended the Dutch (or Belgick) translation commissioned by the States- Bible and wrote notes to each other, General, the Statenvertaling, was pub- expressing the wish that it might appear lished.12 in the English tongue. The text, notes In their preface, the lords of the States- and references of the Statenvertaling General describe the Scriptures as ‘the were seen as such a tightly woven whole

15 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:50 Page 16

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

that to reprint the notes without the text, or imposed upon another text, would lose the greater part of their usefulness. It was seen as a peculiarly blessed and integrated Bible transla- tion, and if it were to be ‘Englished’ it were best to be done as a whole. The , 1643–8, was much enamoured of the Statenvertaling, and, in 1645, thirty- five signatories requested Oliver Cromwell to allow the Statenvertaling with its annotations to be translated into English. The recommendation to Parliament was not only that it be done into English, but specifically that it be so done by the learned gentleman Theodore Haak. And so it was. Theodore Haak, 1605–90, was a German émigré from the Palatinate, and a remarkably busy scholar (he translated Milton’s Paradise Lost into German), diplomat (special envoy to Denmark), and scientist (inextrica- bly bound up in the beginnings of the Royal Society). He first fled to London at the outbreak of the Thirty Years War, and studied in Cambridge and Oxford. Initial progress on translation was slow, and in 1648 Haak was forced to start again using different methods. usage of Dutch words. It was never Diplomatic activities distracted him republished in England, but it is now from the task in the early 1650s, but available again as a facsimile edition from May 1655 he worked solidly at the from the GBS, as a provision for the Annotations. Completion came in 1657, a large numbers of English-speaking reassuringly literal, word-for-word trans- Dutch families in North America. I’m lation of the Dutch original. sure that it would find its way into many So literal is the rendering that our col- English homes as well! In addition, the leagues of the Gereformeerde GBS are now considering producing an Bijbelstichting in Leerdam make occa- edition of the Authorised Version with sional use of the Haak translation to gain the Haak annotations.(For further infor- another insight into the 17th century mation on these please contact the GBS

16 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:50 Page 17

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

at Nijverheidstraat 21, 4143 HN Leerdam.) Relief of Leiden, endless English campaigning in the Low Countries, the death of Sir Philip Sidney at Zutphen (now twin town to In Closing Shrewsbury!), et al., all make for stirring read- ing! The Statenvertaling, or Statenbijbel, first 3. A meld of High-German, Middle-French, published at Leiden in 1637, became the and German. This text is one of the earliest most widely-read book in the Dutch lan- sources of the Oudenederlandse (Old-Dutch) guage. Every Protestant home had one; language. the day began and ended, and mealtimes 4. The Dutch have a penchant for rhyming were marked, with readings from this apothegms. Bible and prayer. Wherever Dutch ships 5. The First was once thought to be the sailed or Dutch emigrants settled— Second, and vice versa. North America, South Africa, East and 6. Perhaps the name Erasmus comes to mind. It’s where he started, though the Brethren, after West Indies—there went the de Groote’s death in 1384, were subsumed into Statenvertaling, the link with home and the Augustinian Order. À Kempis, 1380–1471, native tongue, the Word of God, able to was of the order, and wrote a biography of de make men wise unto salvation and to Groote. lead such into all truth. 7. Did he ever meet Tyndale there in Antwerp? The Synod of Dort had wanted to pro- 8. The name is because of an almost incom- municable wordplay in the Luther margin vide for the Dutch people just such a note at Nehemiah 3.5, which in Dutch became version, translated directly from the Deux aes en heeft niet, six cinque en gheeft niet, Hebrew and Greek originals by the most quarter dry die helpen vrij. In staid English the competent scholars. Their chief exemplar sense is ‘The poor have nothing, the wealthy was that which English had acquired in give nothing, those in the middle are open- handed’. the Authorised (King James) Version of 9. Marnix wrote the patriotic “Wilhelmus’s 1611. Their prayerful expectations were Song”. realised. The new Bible eclipsed all earlier 10. Marnix on Luther raised my eyebrows— versions, and took centre stage in Dutch ‘Nothing is so far from the Hebrew truth as spiritual, ecclesiastical, linguistic and cul- that of Luther, out of whose faulty High tural history. It was, as we have seen, German translation our more faulty Dutch- translated into English. I close as I began: German is come’.(My translation from a most in the Statenvertaling of 1637 (and useful Dutch source, De Statenvertaling 1637- 1937: De Erven F. Bohn NV 1937, Haak’s 1657) we have the last great http://www.statenvertaling.net/vdvlis1.html, example of the classic Reformation ver- 26 May 2006.) Happily, the Luther edition has nacular Bibles, worthy peer of the been improved over the years, and the edition English Authorised Version. of the German Bible published by the Society has been considerably revised. 11. Empty chairs were placed to represent the Endnotes: French Huguenots, who were prevented from attending. 1. However, I must confess that the large lor- ries of Dutch florists do seem to penetrate 12. Four of the six translators appointed in even the hinterland of rural Shropshire, almost 1618 had died. daily! ‘Tulipomania’ was rampant in Holland 13. A parallel Russian-Dutch edition was in the 1630s. sponsored by Tsar Peter after a stay in Holland. 2. William the Silent, the Sea Beggars, the

17 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:50 Page 18

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006 THE GEREFORMEERDE BIJBELSTICHTING 40th Anniversary

aims had extended to Bible spreading in other languages, whereupon the new des- 1961 ignation of the Society became ‘The In The Netherlands ‘The New Reformed Bible Foundation for maintain- Translation’ (Nieuwe Vertaling) appeared ing the Statenvertaling and for the distri- in 1951, anticipating our New English bution of Protestant and uncorrupted Bible by ten years, but of similar charac- Bible publications’: the Gereformeerde ter. The general acceptance of this version Bijbelstichting (GBS).3 As part of their in church, family and school caused dis- objectives they state: ‘The aim of the GBS may and distress to many. Such concern is to preserve and to promote the use of became very sharp to Frieslander H. the Statenvertaling Bible. In cooperation Kooistra at the time of his daughter’s with the Trinitarian Bible Society in 18th birthday in 1961. She had asked for England faithful translations are distrib- a pocket Bible. Not only could the largest uted worldwide’.4 bookshop in Zwolle not supply a Statenvertaling pocket Bible, but tried to dissuade such a quest.1 Something must 1970–2003 be done! The previous two hundred years had seen the accumulation of many faults in the printed editions of the Statenvertaling, and 1963–1969 the Gereformeerde Bijbelstichting was In 1963 a group of five Frieslanders anxious to address this problem. Quite sharing similar concerns were gathered soon it was decided that to have an accu- with H. Kooistra at a farmhouse in rate edition of the Statenvertaling they Broeksterwoude. They formed themselves must publish their own. This was to be into a committee—‘The National com- strictly conformed to the 1657 Van mittee for the upholding of the Ravensteijn edition, that accepted by the Statenvertaling and the exposure of the Synod in its day. In 1973 there appeared Nieuwe Vertaling’.2 They wrote many let- the first GBS Bible, a Family Bible edition, ters to seek support and in 1965 there was and the first copy was presented to the a first wider gathering at De Oude Tram, a widow of Ds. van Haaren. Soon there were restaurant near Amersfoort Station: a many more editions, in all sizes, to suit more formal management was formed, church, family, school and hospital, as and Ds. J. van Haaren was Chairman from Kooistra had yearned for. But what about 1966 until his death in 1983. By 1969 the the margin notes (Kanttekeningen), which,

18 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:50 Page 19

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

as seen in the main article, were such an around the world. integral part of the Statenvertaling? The GBS’s generous financial and prayer Further decisions were made and a work- support has enabled the TBS to pursue group formed. It took fifteen years of projects that otherwise might have been painstaking labour to bring the Van impossible. In the 1990s with their help we Ravensteijn Kanttekeningen into modern published our Hebrew Bible, and they are spelling and page layout. currently working with us on the distribu- tion of the Arabic Bible and a setting of the Dutch/English diglot Bible, combining the 2004 Statenvertaling and the Authorised On November 27 the first Bibles with the Version. In return, in the past ten years we margin notes were distributed to various have been able to provide some 600,000 church representatives by GBS Bibles for their distribution work in Chairman, Ds. P. Blok. Now this too is Eastern Europe. gone out into all the world, as the Society We thank God for the Gereformeerde celebrates its 40th anniversary. Bijbelstichting, and look forward to a long, prosperous association with them as together we seek to send out the Word of Today God among all nations. Endnotes Founded on similar principles, the GBS 1. He did obtain one directly from the publisher and TBS have had a close working rela- Jongbloed in Leeuwarden. tionship for many years. Both stand for the 2. ‘Landelijk comité tot behoud van de Statenvertaling en Divine inspiration and authority of the veroordeling van de Nieuwe Vertaling.’ Holy Scriptures, and we share the desire to 3. ‘Gereformeerde Bijbelstichting tot handhaving van de serve God by producing and circulating Statenvertaling en tot verspreiding van protestantse en onvervalste bijbeluitgeven.’ trustworthy translations of His Holy 4. Translated from Standvastig, 40 (December 2005), 4:2 Word. It is through the GBS that the Information taken from J. de Koning, ‘In Zwolle geen zak- Statenvertaling continues to have wide cir- bijbel in Statenvertaling te koop’, Standvastig, 41 (March culation amongst Dutch-speaking peoples 2006), 1:9. The Treasury e warmly thank the donors of the following anonymous gifts which Whave been received since the previous Quarterly Record went to press: Inverness £10; Sturminster Newton £20; Cheshire £3,000; Lancashire £10; Stornoway £100; Crowborough £100; Edinburgh £100; Kent £50; Brecon £100; Charities Aid Foundation £100.47, £128.21; Give as you Earn two of £100.47; Sharon Trust £200; church donation £50, two of £75; South West Charitable Giving three of £33.69;cash £10.50,£10;direct into the bank £100, £30, six of £25, £15; via Speakers £20; other £20, two of £5. Total £4,786.19.

19 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:50 Page 20

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006 THE DA VINCI CODE Rewriting history by the Rev. T. Kirkland A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE

ome of our readers may enable the Bible-believing be faced with a number Christian robustly to defend the of questions as a truth concerning the Word of consequence of the film God. andS book The Da Vinci Code. It is neither our place nor task to Claim 1. ‘More than eighty gospels were engage in literary reviews. considered for the New However, in this case there are a Testament,and yet only a relative number of factually inaccurate few were chosen for inclusion— claims regarding the Bible Matthew, Mark, Luke and John 1 which have been promoted as a among them.’ result of this book Fact 1. By the time of the Council of and no doubt given Nicea in 325AD the four Gospels popular currency (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were in its film form. long since recognised as the Word of God.They were, after all, written in the To equip our decades immediately following Christ’s death and resurrection.The readers, the earliest Gnostic gospels were written following in the mid-2nd century and at times information will even quote from the four Gospels. be sufficient to Which, then, should one believe as

20 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 21

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

being the most authentic and accu- edited by men who possessed a rate—eyewitnesses or Gnostic specu- political agenda—to promote the lators centuries later? See Fact 3. divinity of the man Jesus Christ…’3 Claim 2. ‘The Bible, as we know it today, Fact 3. Here we note the following: was collated by the pagan Roman Firstly, the Dead Sea Scrolls were not emperor Constantine the Great.’2 found in the 1950s but in 1947.They have nothing to do with the Gospels Fact 2. Constantine had no hand in but are a collection of documents determining the canon of Scripture. relating to a Jewish community called Firstly, the Old Testament canon was Essenes.They include parts of most of already settled by the time of Christ, the books of the Old Testament and who refers to the three sections of the business accounts for the community. Old Testament, i.e., the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. Secondly, Secondly, the Coptic writings called the four Gospels were already recog- the Nag Hammadi library contain just nised as Scripture by the time of the over fifty works of which only four are Council of Nicea in 325AD.Thus Irenaeus (130-200AD) and Origen Leonardo da Vinci- A self portrait. (185-254AD), to mention but two, already referred to the four Gospels as Scripture.When much later the Gnostic gospels appeared they were immediately recognised by Christians as false. Claim 3. ‘…some of the gospels that Constantine attempted to eradi- cate managed to survive. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950s…the Coptic Scrolls in 1945 at Nag Hammadi. In addi- tion to telling the true Grail story, these documents speak of Christ’s ministry in very human terms…. The Scrolls highlight glaring his- torical discrepancies and fabrica- tions, clearly confirming that the modern Bible was compiled and

21 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 22

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

actual gospels (i.e., Gnostic gospels): on his understanding of a word in that the gospels of Philip, Truth,Thomas gospel. However, he fails to tell the and the Egyptians.To claim that there reader two things: firstly, that portions were over eighty gospels is wholly of the original text of the Gospel of untrue. Philip are missing; and secondly, that Brown has inserted his own words into Thirdly, the Gnostic gospels are not the text in order to convey an idea. about the humanity of Christ. Brown ‘Honesty’ over the life of Christ, which has actually reversed the situation. is what Brown claims he is arguing for, Gnosticism despised the flesh and ele- surely must work both ways. A third vated the mind.The body was viewed consideration is that the Gospel of as evil. Rather than focusing on Jesus’ Philip is not written in Aramaic as supposed marriage to Mary Brown claims but in Coptic, a form of Magdalene, marriage was the last Egyptian. Further, no scholar anywhere thing on the mind of the Gnostics. In has ever made the audacious claim fact, the Gnostic gospels have very that Brown makes that ‘companion’ very little to say about the humanity means ‘spouse’. and earthly life of Christ.Their sole emphasis is on the mind and higher What is being denied by Brown is the knowledge. canon of Scripture as we have it: the record of the person of Christ as set Fourthly, to claim that the modern out in our Bible and the record of his- Bible was compiled by men with a tory.We pray that God in His sover- political agenda ignores fact for fic- eignty will use the current controversy tion, particularly in producing the fem- over The Da Vinci Code to affirm the inist hero of The Da Vinci Code. Indeed, faith of believers, to be an opportunity the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas actually to share the truth of the true Gospels states that women must become men with unbelievers and ultimately to in order to enter the Kingdom of heav- bring glory to His Name. en (log. 114).The Gnostics despised the feminine. Endnotes: Claim 4. 1. Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code, The Gnostic gospel of Philip tells Special Illustrated Edition (London, of the marriage of Christ to Mary England:Transworld Publishers, 2004), Magdalene.4 p. 238. 2. Ibid. Fact 4.The Gospel of Philip is the only 3. Ibid., p. 242. supporting evidence by Brown for the 4. Ibid., p. 256. alleged marriage of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, and much of that is based

22 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 23

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

THE FIELD IS THE WORLD THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD THE WORD OF GOD

AMONG ALL NATIONS life of Moses. I am sure the children will Europe benefit from learning how God can work in their lives as He did in Moses’life. From Renfrewshire, Scotland I would appreciate it if I could make use I run both School Bible clubs and of some of your products that you kind- evening clubs with approximately 150 ly offered us free of charge.The children to 200 children, mainly aged between 8 would love some bookmarks and the and 12 years of age, attending each Ten Commandments picture frame text week. As part of the teaching pro- card. I am appreciative of any help you gramme I like to introduce the children can give me. to the Authorised (King James) Version The work is progressing and I am look- as soon as possible.The children were so ing to open more clubs in the very near happy to receive the Bibles you sent, future. The teams of volunteer workers and were delighted to have their own are enthusiastic and keen to help the Bible.For most children this was the very children find a real and meaningful rela- first time they had owned a Bible. As I tionship with our Lord and Saviour.Your teach them Sword Drills, it is a pleasure Bibles have been a blessing and we to see them starting to memorise the thank God for His providence. books of the Bible. Last year I was working through the From Tyne-and-Wear, England book of Genesis.The children were read- Over the past three years you have gen- ing their Bibles at home and coming erously provided Bibles to give our Year back to us each week excited, asking 6 children as they leave our school. questions about the stories that they Would you be so kind as to supply them had learned, and proud of how much once again this year.We would need 36 they had read.This is an encouragement copies of the Royal Ruby Text Bible in to us to know that your Bibles are being blue.This will be my last year here as I am used in homes throughout our area.This taking early retirement in August. I’m session I am teaching on Exodus and the not sure if my successor will want to

23 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 24

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

continue distributing the Scriptures as I 2006. I have received them quite safely. have done. Many thanks for your sup- From time to time people come to my port and assuring you that these are house and ask me for your Bibles and prayerfully distributed, and will end up Calendars.They do value and appreciate in homes where they are probably the your literature.Every now and then I see only Bible in the house. people reading and studying your Bibles and checking the verses on the Calendars. A few have even accepted From Cockfosters, London, England Jesus as Saviour as a result of reading We have taken to visiting schools with the Bibles you sent.Please be assured of the Hebrew Scriptures, and at the same our continuous prayers for Trinitarian time we offer a King James Bible for the Bible Society. school libraries. Many of the schools are delighted to receive them and often say they have wanted to have the KJV, but From Manaus, Brazil have only the modern versions.The Lord Thank you for your email with the offer has enabled us to continue to give of free Bibles and literature. We are many, many New Testaments on the somewhat staggered at the timing of streets and doorsteps as we go out your email as we have just returned among the Jewish people. The other from a boat trip, which made us realise week I offered one to a young man who the importance of distributing literature. was passing.He refused and went off up Christians own the three-decked steam- the street. However, he turned around er we returned on, and they hold meet- and came back after a few minutes and ings every night on the boat, going said, “I have changed my mind, do you round beforehand with tracts and invi- think I could have a Bible?” You can tations.We had the wonderful opportu- imagine our joy and delight, and how nity to preach at one night meeting. we praised the Lord for the way in which Many boats come into Manaus and the Holy Spirit had prompted the young from there travel all over the region. man.I thought you may especially like to Many interior churches lack Bibles and hear about our visit to Milton Keynes resources. We are just investigating the shopping centre at Christmas time. possibility of having some sort of stall Primarily we went because friends had down by the harbour from where we told us of the many Israelis who were could go on the boats before they are selling in the centre. We met with them due to leave and hand out tracts and and many accepted the Scriptures and calendars,and if we come across people we had good talks with many of them. requesting Bibles, to give them. Just as we were wondering whether this was of the Lord, we received your email offer- Latin America ing us free Bibles! So the answer is of course, yes, we would be glad of what- From Essequibo River, Guyana ever stocks you have. The calendars Precious greetings in the great name of would also be great to use, as many folk Jesus. Many thanks for the Bibles and appreciate these. the 3,000 Golden Thoughts Calendars

24 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 25

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

dents at our Centre who are studying for Asia Master degree and PhD of Religious Studies. We invite professor to teach From a Scot visiting China basic Greek NT every year. So your donated books are very welcomed by I am recently retired from the University our teachers and students. And you can of St. Andrews. For a few years before I check the attached photo.Thank you for retired, TBS kindly donated Bibles your kind help.As for the books left,they (Hebrew and Greek) for teaching in the can be used as textbooks in the future of university. Last year, I visited a university in China where I gave a lecture. Within the Department of Philosophy, there is a Centre for Christian Studies. Since the Chinese Government will not fund books on religion,the Centre has virtually nothing in the way of books. So I resolved to col- lect and send some books to the profes- sor there, and have just shipped about 1,200 items. I know the professor did not Chinese Students receive Greek New Testaments want me to send English translations of the University. Thanks again to you and the Bible. I wondered if TBS would be the professor who have spent much prepared to send the professor several time and money to help us to promote copies of both Hebrew and Greek texts. Biblical Studies in Mainland China. [Which we were glad to do!—ed.]

A Reply from the University From Phuentsholing, Bhutan Glad to receive your books from UK,that Greetings in the name of our Lord is, Greek New Testament. In total, 40 Jesus.Thank you very much for the two copies of the Greek New Testament parcels of Bibles received. One of the came to me. But still I cannot get any of parcels reached me safely without the Hebrew OT, which you sent at the being opened but the other one was same time with the Greek NT. I am afraid opened and four copies of the Bibles that some troubles come to these books were taken away, including two copies so that they cannot reach me till now. I of New Pocket Reference Bible.We can- have distributed Greek NT to eight stu- not even ask the postal authority or

25 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 26

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

staff about this thing, because the gov- also for many, it is the only calendar ernment of Bhutan is very strict in the they receive. The calendars are good matter of Christianity. Since evangeli- quality and so precious as they con- sation is strictly prohibited in Bhutan, tain God’s precious Word. How I wish we silently and calmly suffer the loss we could translate them into some for the sake of Gospel work. We are Chadian languages! Some Islamic praying, so that those who have taken leaders welcome the Arabic calen- away those four copies of the Bibles, dars, because the Arabic is authentic. might be saved and become good witnesses of Christ our Saviour. From Jos, Nigeria Very recently two evangelists were Greetings from Jos, Nigeria! I am a arrested by the policemen whilst teacher at the Theological College of preaching the Gospel to the villagers. Northern Nigeria and a Bible They are in prison now and the gov- Translation Consultant. I have a copy ernment of Bhutan seized all their of your publication The Holy Scriptures properties including land and houses. in the Original Languages.I have Please pray for their release and also enjoyed using it very much, and for the protection of their family. would love my students and transla- Though this government is trying to tion teams to benefit from it. Most of stop the spreading of Christianity in our people could never afford to buy this land, God is wonderfully working the Bible Societies’Hebrew and Greek and bringing souls to Christ from dif- Bibles. Even your own price is rather ferent heathen backgrounds. We high for people here, but I have heard need more Bibles for these new con- that you do occasionally give the verts. Please pray for me, my family, publication free to students and and those who are working together translators. Please would you let me with me in the Gospel work. know what you would be prepared to do to help us (even just a reduction in Africa price, maybe)? I could easily use 100 copies for students at our two main From N’Djamena, Chad evangelical seminaries here, and for Greetings from Chad. Thank you very those in our several translation proj- much for the Calendars 2006, which ects who are able to read Hebrew and were received and distributed.We are Greek. grateful for your partnership over the years enabling us to reach people From an English mission to Zambia around us with the Gospel of our Lord I trust that you are well and being Jesus Christ. This year we distributed encouraged in your work and witness calendars in the following countries: for the Lord. Chad, Cameroun, Nigeria, and Senegal. The calendars were greatly I have recently returned from Zambia appreciated because in the villages after a very profitable six-week visit. I they provide rural fellows with an was not permitted to enter Angola opportunity to read God’s Word, but but hope to return in August/Sept

26 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 27

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society

and go in then, D.V.Our truck was also would also appreciate a further sup- unable to go because the road was ply of gospels for my Bible exhibition. too bad so we propose distributing If you can't manage the above please the Portuguese Bibles in September let me know. As always your help is when the road will be dry.The English greatly appreciated. Greetings to all Bibles were appreciated. I have there. attached a picture of the men who helped unload our container gladly receiving one each. The two men on From Brazzaville, Congo the left are believers already so I didn't We request help with Christian litera- give them one at that time. I would ture for free distribution and evangel- ism so everyone may know the Lord as their personal Saviour. We have been extremely pleased to receive your parcel of litera- ture. We will be dis- tributing the litera- ture in churches, hospitals, prisons, in villages and in the countryside. Several people here are awaiting the Bibles that we will be able to give them soon. People have come to know the Lord through the litera- ture you sent. The literature will be dis- tributed wisely and with prayer in view of saving lost souls. Zambian workers receiving Bibles We are going to appreciate a further supply of organise a large evangelism cam- Scriptures for use here as stocks are paign in certain villages and areas of low, if that is possible. I could use the the countryside. For this work we following please: thirty English Bibles, would like to request a further eighty ten in Portuguese, two in Arabic, two Bibles and other literature like ‘Church in Russian (med.), two in Italian, one in of the Living God’. German, six Polish New Testaments, three Armenian New Testaments. I

27 TBS QR576 layout.qxd 17/06/2006 13:51 Page 28

QUARTERLY RECORD - Issue Number 576 - July to September 2006

them the Bibles.The photograph is of one of the ten-year-olds who received a Bible. We also viewed the preschool they had set up in their worship center in order to better minister to their community. Then we spent some time on the roof of the worship center where we hope to build an apartment for the pastor in the near future. We left the building of the Mountainside Church of Bididi to travel to one of the villages surrounding ‘Rock Mountain’. Some of the men joined the crowd as they were returning from their work on the mountain of breaking the boulders into gravel with twenty- pound mauls. For ten hours of hard work,these men receive the equivalent of $1.30 in American money each day. They live in thatched-reed houses and the children all wear worn-out discarded western clothing. They Indian orphan with his new Bible are very poor and very lost. The pastor and his wife minister to these India dozens of villages on a regular basis.

From an American mission to India Thank you for your kind response and [Although certain phrases and expres- wonderful memory. After teaching the pastors on Friday, we headed outside of sions used in these letters may not be Bangalore for the hour and a half drive doctrinally accurate or in correct English, to the city of Bididi. On the way,we went we reproduce the letters essentially as by the "Perfume River" where one of our received, knowing that the Lord is using pastors has planted a church. Finally,we His Word to the glory of His Name and arrived at the apartment of the pastor. the furtherance of His Kingdom as the We heard more of the story of how the Scriptures are distributed among the twelve orphans had become a part of nations of the world.] their ministry. Then we went to see the worship center at Bididi.That Pastor took us to meet twelve orphans and we gave

28 QR Covers-576.qxd 16/06/2006 22:29 Page 3

Trinitarian Bible Society International Headquarters Tyndale House, Dorset Road, London, SW19 3NN, England Telephone: (020) 8543 7857 Facsimile: (020) 8543 6370 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.trinitarianbiblesociety.org Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Registered Charity Number: 233082 V.A.T. Registration Number: GB 215 9219 67

Auditors: Solicitors: Bankers: Jacob Cavenagh & Skeet Bates,Wells & Braithwaite Barclays Bank PLC Acorn House, 2-6 Cannon Street, 7th Floor,United Kingdom House, 2 Greenhill Crescent, London, 180 Oxford Street,London Watford Business Park, EC4M 6YA W1D 1EA Watford,Herts.WD18 8AH Swift Code: BARCGB22 Sort Code: 20-32-29 Sterling Account No.: 70023531 GB34 BARC 2032 2970 0235 31 Euro Account No.: 72732599 IBAN Euro Account No.: GB85 BARC 2032 2972 7325 99

Canadian Branch International Canadian General Secretary: Mr. G. den Boer, B.A. Trinitarian Bible Society Branches 259 - 7610 Evans Road Chilliwack, B.C.,V2R 2Z5, Canada Australian Branch Tel.: (604) 858-2354 Fax: (604) 858-8326 President & National Secretary: Mr.M.F.Stuart e-mail: [email protected] Trinitarian Bible Society (Australia), G.P.O.Box 777 New Zealand Branch Sydney 2001, Australia Secretary: Mr. U. Haringa Tel.: 1300 303 827 Fax: 1300 783 827 Trinitarian Bible Society (New Zealand), e-mail: [email protected] 17 Heatherlea Street, P.O. Box 740, Gisborne, New Zealand Brazilian Branch Tel.& Fax: 06-863-3700 President: The Rev. Dr.T. L. Gilmer Sociedade Bíblica Trinitariana do Brasil, U.S.A. Branch Rua Julio de Castilhos, 108/120 President: Mr. J. Stehouwer Belenzinho, Trinitarian Bible Society (U.S.A.) 03059-000 São Paulo, SP 927 Alpine Commerce Park, Brazil Suite 100, Grand Rapids, Tel.: (011) 6693-5663 Fax: (011) 6695-3635 Michigan 49544, e-mail: [email protected] U.S.A. Tel.: (616) 735-3695 Fax: (616) 785-7237 e-mail: [email protected] QR Covers-576.qxd 16/06/2006 22:30 Page 4

The Aims of the Society

To publish and distribute the Holy Scriptures throughout the world in many languages.

To promote Bible translations which are accurate and trustworthy, conforming to the Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and the Greek Textus Receptus of the New Testament, upon which texts the English Authorised Version is based. THE MAGA Windmills on the Zeider Zee To be instrumental in bringing light The windmills of the Zeider Zee stand guard, a reminder of the vital part they once played in Holland’s defences and life, through the Gospel of Christ, against the sea. The Low Countries have also proved to those who are lost in sin and in the themselves a spiritual bulwark for the great doctrines of darkness of false religion and unbelief. the Reformation and for historical Biblical Protestantism. To uphold the doctrines of reformed Christianity, bearing witness to the equal and eternal deity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, One God in three Persons.

To uphold the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God.

For the Glory of God and the Increase of His Kingdom through the circulation of Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God.

For introductory literature and catalogue please write to the Society at the address given

Trinitarian Bible Society ISSN 0049-4712 Tyndale House, Dorset Road, London, SW19 3NN, England e-mail: [email protected] www.trinitarianbiblesociety.org Ju