SOME QUESTIONS for M.H. CLARK and FOLLOWERS
M.H. Clark, a former professor in the late seventies at Baptist Bible College East, had advertised in the Baptist Bible Tribune; tapes that are critical of the King James Bible, the King James translators, and Peter Ruckman and his followers (so-called Ruckmanites). These tapes contain at least 48 challenging questions for this so-called Ruckman "cult.”
The good professor does not have any strong Scriptural arguments. Therefore, he has compiled 48 extra-scriptural objections of lesser weight (many of them repetitive and probably borrowed from others) to produce a "shotgun effect.” This method of argument, by sheer quantity of charges, may be effective in brainwashing unsuspecting students, but some of us have been around a while.
Actually, Clark’s questions are akin to "Where did Cain get his wife?" and "Did Adam have a belly button?" type questions. Nine of the questions take issue with the A.V. translators notes; 6 object to the sins of James I, Henry the VIII, and the Church of England; 6 deal with other translations; six deal with the revisions of the original AV; 3 deal with the "originals”; 3 take issue with the A.V. italics and preface; 3 deal with R.A. Torrey and other greats who differ with Ruckmanites; 3 take issue with Easter in the A.V. (39 so far); the remaining questions deal with one alleged transliteration, one other alleged mistranslation, and some miscellaneous kindergarten questions.
What is amazing is that while this article was written in the eighties, Bible Correctors have not changed their questions nor their arguments. We do not plan to answer these objections in detail, for that would require a book. We will, however, play Clark’s game and ask him some questions that will expose his Bible Correcting questions.
1. Do Bible believers (You call them Ruckmanites) really say that the translators, their marginal notes, and their prefaces are error free? Or do we say the A.V. Text is free from error? Why don’t you stop misrepresenting the opposition to buttress your weak arguments?
2. Is there a difference between informative and helpful explanatory notes versus marginal notes that pervert the meaning of the passage? Are you not mixing apples and oranges?
3. Do you endorse the "Open Bible’s" Jehovah Witness note on 2 John 5:7? Do you endorse the men from the Church of Christ, Fuller seminary, and Charismatics who are responsible for the notes in the "Open Bible?”
4. Do Ruckmanites really say the translators were inspired? Not even the apostles were inspired. Only the Scriptures are said to be inspired!
5. Do you a1low a difference between the "original tongues" and the "original Autographs," as the translators speak of them? Your own college president, A.V. Henderson says in writing, "We do not have the original writings” (and neither did the translators). Do you think that he is a Ruckmanite?
6. Can you even prove that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and that the New Testament was written in Greek? What language was spoken in the Gospels? Greek? Aramaic? Why do you think that Papias (80-164 A.D.) said that Matthew was written in Hebrew?
7. Do you believe that the Bible, which Timothy had, contained errors? Did Timothy have the "original Autographs?” Copies?
8. Do you believe that God had anything at all to do with the King James Bible translation?
9. Don’t you think that the translators should be commended, rather than be rebuked, for their uncanny foresight in putting something in the Bible that wasn't found for 200 years —even if it was in italics?
10. Do you believe God preserves His Word? If you do, does He preserve His "inspired inerrant" word or does He preserve His "uninspired errant" word? Huh?
11. Are the sins of James I, the translators, Henry the VIII, and the Church of Eng1and more important than the sins of King Saul, King David, King Solomon, Peter, Israel, or the Corinthian church?
12. Who had to flee the Puritans after they fled James the First? Were it Baptists, who were beaten and jailed by those sweet Calvinists for preaching without a license to preach?
13. Which Old Testament writer had more than six wives? Which Old Testament writer committed adultery? Which Old Testament writer was guilty of Idolatry? Which New Testament writer played the hypocrite?
14. You ask, “Was King James the First born again?” How are we supposed to tell? From his writings, he seemed to be. Was John Calvin? Was Martin Luther? Was Augustine?
15. If every "mean" translation is the Word of God, is the "Good News bible and the "Living bible" the word of God? The RSV? The JW bible? Do you really believe the translators would have accepted a translation from a compiled eclectic text (Wescott and Hort)? What did the word “mean” mean? Did it mean perversions?
16. Isn't an apostate someone who has abandoned what he formerly believed? Isn’t your reference, 2 Pet. 2:1-22 talking about "false prophets" and not apostates (note verse 1)?
17. Can’t a person get saved by reading a commentary? Does that justify the errors in the commentary? Couldn’t a person get saved—even under your ministry?
18. Have you read the rest of the preface, in their own words, concerning James rule about the words "baptism" and "church?”—"We have on one side avoided the scrupulousity (demanding exactness or literalness) of Puritans, who leave the old Ecclesiastical words, and betake them to other, as when they put washing for baptism, and congregation instead of church." Could this really be considered a conspiracy against the Baptists? Can we really blame this on James even though the English Bibles that predate the AV use the older, so-called ecclesiastical words?
19. Who says the translators transliterated “BAPTIZO?” You? Does "blaspheme" for "BLASPHEMEO" bother you? How about "deacon" for "DIAKONOS?” Would you like it, if "DIAKONOS" was translated servant everywhere making them the same as Phebe?
20. Is your college called "Baptist Bible College East" or is it called "lmmerser Bible College East?" Does the assembly that you belong to have a sign that says "Church" or "Assembly" or "Congregation?” Why don t you clean up your own backyard first? Or do like the “Assembly of God.”
21. Do you think that this Baptist writer, who has had articles, concerning baptism, the body, the church, and communion printed in the "Baptist Examiner" and other strong Baptist papers have the difficulty that you seem to have in establishing the Baptist position with the English Bible (A.V.).
22. Do you think it fair to call a person a Ruckmanite who has dated, written matter that predates Peter Ruckman’s books and newsletters, which establishes a similar position? Are R.A. Torrey and some of the others you mention Clark-ites because they believe as you do? Some argument!
23. Would you accept “pascha” if it were in the English Bible? That would be a transliteration, you know? That’s what the Catholics did in their English bibles, for there was no word in English for "pascha." All the pre-KJB Bibles, except the Geneva, have Easter all through them as synonymous with Passover. The modern Greeks call the word, believe it or not, “EASTER.” “Easter” is also the man responsible for the invention of the word "Passover." Did you also know that the Bibles that predate the A.V. Bible use the word "Easter” more than the AV? Did you also know that these English Bibles used the word synonymously? Did you also know that Martin Luther s German Bible uses "Oster," Passoffer, and a transliteration of "pascha" synonymously? Same error that you have found!
24. Do you know what John Bunyan said, when asked by a university man, "How dare you preach, not having the original scriptures (sound familiar)?” Bunyan said, "Do you have them . . . ? "NO," replied the scholar, "But I have what I believe to be a true copy of the original,” “and I,” said Bunyan "believe the English Bible (Geneva Bible) to be a true copy, too. The scholar rode away. I wonder how Bunyan could have said that without Peter Ruckman??? (from "John Bunyan the Immortal Dreamer” by W. Burgess McCreary - Gospel Trumpet Co., Anderson, IN —1928, page 38)
25. Do you know that Bill Dowel, president of your sister college - Baptist Bible College; said in the "Baptist Bible Tribune," I would not retain a professor at Baptist Bible College who does not believe that our translation of the Bible is the of God." Do you think he is a Ruckmanite? Would you be fired under that criteria? Aren’t you fortunate?
26. Are you aware that the Public Relations Director of your college, Richard Worsham, said in writing, "All our staff believes the King James Version (1611) is the infallible, inerrant Word of God." Do you have Ruckmanites at your college? Tsk tsk! He wrote this December 6, 1979. Where were you then? Maybe, he missed you? Or maybe, you made him recant?
27. Do you know the president of your college, A.V. Henderson, said in writing that he has been preaching the "infallible Word of God" for 43 years. How do you guys get away with it, and we can t? Incidently, what version do you think he preached for 43 years—the Greek???
28. Why don’t you start your own "The English Bible Has Errors, Immersionist Assembly? You could all yourselves Clark-ites. Why don’t you separate yourselves from those who believe "Thy word is very pure" and "Thy word is true from the beginning.”
29. The most important question of all, “How in the world did you ever become a Bible Professor?
--by Herb Evans (undated – early eighties)