After I sent my lesson questioning the motives of the translators of various modern versions of the Holy Bible, I was treated to a documentary video entitled Tares Among the Wheat, by Christian Pinto. The video traces some of the obstacles that were overcome in order for us to have the Received Text (Textus Receptus) and the King James Bible which is based upon it.

Among the more interesting details was the story of Konstantin von Tischendorf and his discovery of the Codex Sinaiticus. Von Tischendorf appears to have had an agenda of his own. In his book, When Were Our Gospels Written, he wrote, “But we have at last hit upon a better plan even than this, which is to set aside this textus receptus altogether, and to construct a fresh text . . .” (Page 21, 1866 English translation)

A peculiar fact is that von Tischendorf stopped to see the Pope on his way to the Middle East. Von Tischendorf, a Protestant, was granted an audience with the Pope and was entertained by one or more cardinals.

According to the Council of Trent, which met in 1545, anybody who believes even one Protestant doctrine is “anathema” (officially and ritually cursed in an attempt to condemn them to hell). The Council of Trent has never been rescinded, and was in fact confirmed at the Second Vatican Council of 1965. And yet the “Protestant heretic,” von Tischendorf was granted an audience with the Pope.

Now, for another fact that I had never heard before. Another Constantine, this one a Greek, Constantine Simonides, came forth and claimed that he had written the Codex Sinaiticus! He claimed that he had made the copy of the Bible for the King of Russia, and it was stolen. Simonides was a well-known dealer of antique documents and was known as a forger without equal. He claimed that he had prepared an accurate copy of the Bible. This implies that, if he indeed prepared the Codex Sinaiticus, the many changes were made later by another person or persons.

Simonides challenged von Tischendorf to bring the text to England, where he lived, and he (Simonides) would show von Tischendorf that it was his work. The challenge was never accepted. The defenders of the Codex Sinaiticus proclaimed that Simonides was a fraud and the text was authentic. But they admitted that they had no way of determining that the document was really old, other than their perception of it based upon personal experience. So, if Simonides was a good forger, he could have fooled them.

What is interesting is that the very defenders of the Codex Sinaiticus were invited to be on the committee to revise the King James Bible. Also invited was a Catholic Cardinal. The revision began in 1879. Is it any surprise that the basis for the revision was not the Textus Receptus, but rather the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus, also recently discovered? And remember, nearly every translation since has been based upon the Greek text derived from these two books.

There is much more information in Tares Among the Wheat. I recommend you try to see it.

For more information, go to: www.AdullamFilms.Com