1001 Errors in the Christian Bible

John -- Errors 486-491

#486

John 1: (KJV)

18 “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

Regarding “the only” part of “the only begotten Son” above, the underlying Greek word means “unique” as to kin or kind. Therefore, “the only” is an acceptable translation which can indicate an only son but could also indicate “unique” as in a son with a unique quality. This would fit the Gnostic understanding of Jesus where God was thought to have a large family and Jesus was special because he had a unique purpose. “Orthodox” Christianity chose the “kin” meaning and the rest is history. “Begotten” though, which a majority of modern Christian translations have, is not in the underlying Greek, and is therefore a mistranslation. Obviously Christian translators are trying to emphasize a literal father/son relationship as opposed to a figurative one.

# 487

John 1: (KJV)

18 “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

Regarding “the only begotten Son” above the earliest extant manuscripts indicate it should be “the unique god” rather than “son”. A majority of modern Christian translations here use “son”. Another example of Christian translators trying to impose a literal family relationship on the text. Keeping in mind that the original “John” has probably been heavily edited, if we go back in time to the beginning of John in its current form we still have trouble finding support for a literal family relationship between The God and Jesus. The only use of “son” in the Prologue is in 1:14 but as we saw Christians have mistranslated with the definite article, and with the proper indefinite article, “as of an only begotten of a Father”, this becomes a figurative adjective rather than a literal description. We are then left with no literal use of “son” in the entire prologue which strengthens the position that the author intended the “unique” word to refer to kind (quality) and not kin (quantity). “John” has many elements of Gnosticism in it, extreme contrasts between supposed opposing forces such as good/evil, flesh/spirit and Jesus/non-Jesus, so a Gnostic author would have a problem presenting Jesus in the flesh and therefore would not want to show Jesus as having a human type family relationship with The God. So “John” has no virgin birth, Jesus is only God’s figurative son. You Gnosty Goy.

# 488

John 1: (KJV)

21 “And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.”

Compare to Matthew 11: (KJV)

13 “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.”

“John’s” John, who came to testify about “John’s” Jesus testifies that he is not Elijah. “Matthew’s” Jesus, who came to testify about “Matthew’s” John testifies that he is Elijah. I’m tempted not to call this a contradiction as a possible harmonization is that John was Elijah but didn’t know it but I’ve never seen an Apologist suggest this.

# 489

John 1: (KJV)

19 “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.”

1:19 sez “priests and Levites” were sent while 1:24 sez the Pharisees sent them. The problem is that the priests and Levites were Sadducees, not Pharisees, so they wouldn’t be sent by the Pharisees. Also, it was the Sadducees who were in control at the time who likely would have sent a scouting party. Predictably there is some textual variation here and some modern translations try to hide the error by introducing the Pharisee party as a new group sent to question John. In any case, what we have here is an unknown author whose story was written in a language Jesus never spoke and edited by unknown authors who make a point that the other Gospels were wrong about the star witness John the Baptist being Elijah and want us to believe in all things Jesus but don’t know the difference between Pharisees and Sadducees.

# 490

John 1: (KJV)

28 “These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

The manuscript evidence indicates the city was Bethany which a majority of Christian translations have. The problem is that Bethany was a suburb of Jerusalem and would not be on the other side of the Jordan from Jerusalem. Relatively early Christians such as Origen testify that there was not and never had been a Bethany on the “other” side. Subsequent manuscripts altered the name of the city to try and fix this problem. Apparently John the Baptist not only didn’t know who he was, he also did not know where he was.

# 491

John 1: (KJV)

29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”

Compare to Luke 1: (KJV)

36 “And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,”

John the Baptist, who didn’t know who he was or where he was states twice that he didn’t know who Jesus was either even though according to “Luke” Mary was his aunt and John’s mother knew that John would be messenger for Mary’s son Jesus. Perhaps John’s mother had Alzheimer’s and forgot to tell John about Jesus and John also inherited this condition from his mother.

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