MEV Critique

Today, ….well, ok… yesterday… It’s now 12:18AM and it was yesterday that my copy of the Modern English Version Bible arrived in the mail.  Though I am very Pro-King James Version, I do not consider myself KJV-Only.  I am more along the line of Textus Receptus-Only, and the MEV does claim to derive from the TR.

YAY!!!!

So, I paid the money, ordered a copy, and today… well, yesterday it arrived.

Now that it’s nice and peaceful, everyone is tucked in bed, my sisters cockatoo isn’t screaming her head off, I can kick back and relax and read my new addition to the library.  I really do want to be objective, so I go through my routine key check marks (Luke 2:22; Luke 2:33; Malachi 2:16, etc.) and they all check out fine.  I did notice that the MEV does sway from the exact translation of Galatians 3:22, where modern translations translate πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ “faith in Jesus Christ” instead of the more accurate literal translation “faith of Jesus Christ”, but I expected this, and was not surprised.

What did surprise me showed up in a location I did not expect.  In the Introduction to the Book of Genesis, a statement is made:

Genesis was probably written between 1440 and 1400 BC.  Jewish tradition and the New Testament writers attribute this book to Moses.  Since secondary sources and edited comments are included, Moses may be responsible for the core of the writing and may have used other sources for the events that preceded him. ….

Notice the wording in this introduction.  Notice the subtle doubts laid out by the author of these words.

• Moses MAY be responsible for the CORE of the writing of the book?
• Moses MAY have used other sources?
• What other sources other than God Himself would Moses have used?

You see, the devil is a very subtle enemy.  He will slip in quietly and try to get you to question God’s Word.

Genesis 3:1
1 …And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said…

Now, we beg the question here… go ahead… ask it, …  Did Moses write the ENTIRE book of Genesis or did he just write the CORE?  How about we see what the Bible says.

Witness #1 – Moses Claims to Have Been Ordered to Write Down the Books

Exodus 17:14
14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

Numbers 33:2
2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

Witness #2 – Joshua is a Witness that Moses Was the Author

Joshua 8:31
31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.

Joshua 23:6
6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;

Witness #3 – The Old Testament Chroniclers Bear Witness that Moses Was the Author

1 Kings 2:3
3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

2 Kings 14:6
6 But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

1 Chronicles 22:13
13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

Ezra 6:18
18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

Nehemiah 13:1
1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

Witness #4 – The Old Testament Prophets Bear Witness that Moses Was the Author

Daniel 9:11
11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

Malachi 4:4
4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

Witness #5 – Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself Bears Witness that Moses Was the Author

Matthew 8:4
4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Mark 12:26
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

Luke 16:29
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Luke 24:27
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

John 5:46
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

John 7:22
22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

I could include Luke as a sixth witness (Acts 15:1; 28:23) and Paul as a seventh witness (Romans 10:5; 10:19; 1Cor 9:9; 2Cor 3:15), but by now you should be getting the point, which is – WHO WILL YOU BELIEVE?

• Do you believe a scholar who is basing their authority on their intellect? or…
• Are you going to believe the Bible as the literal Word of God?

It’s a simple question that begs a simple answer?  WHO WILL YOU BELIEVE?

When I purchased my copy of the MEV, I expected Satan’s attacks to come from the translations.  I prepared myself for this, and this is where my strengths lie.  I was caught off guard momentarily when I discovered to my sorrow that such an introduction would be used, because I actually thought that Bible scholars who would take the time and effort to use the correct Greek text would naturally lean toward a literal view of Scripture.

Am I wrong?