We have, then, the situation that, arguably, the most powerful Bible verse showing Jesus Christ was God in person is lost in the modern Bibles. We should understand that old Bibles like the KJB are translated from the “Traditional Text” which is a family of handwritten manuscripts (MSS), in Greek, handed down through church people, I believe from the original “autographs”. 

Whereas, modern Bibles are translated from what is often called the “Critical Text,” which is a family of significantly older Greek manuscripts.  The backbone of this family is the Vaticanus MSS, supposedly found long lost in the Vatican library and the Sinaiticus MSS, supposedly found at the monastery on Mt Sinai, in the Sinai desert.   

The difference, then between old Bibles like the KJB, and modern bibles, is not only translation, but, as in the case of 1Tim. 3:16, a difference in the underlying texts from which it is translated. 

Many of us call the Bible, “God’s Word.”  So to be careless in the underlying text used, is sin. We have to be diligent to determine the correct text. I would argue that there is a clear philosophical difference involved.  Fans of the Traditional Text are, in effect, saying that God has providentially brought the text down to us through history. 

For the fans of this view, other manuscripts being somewhat older isn’t a problem because of God’s providential superintending in text transmission.   Fans of the Critical text seem to see the Bible like any other old book. 

The very oldest manuscripts are deemed closest to the original “autographs,” as they are called, and viewed as most accurate.  So it’s lucky Sinaiticus and Vaticanus were found.  An argument for the Traditional text is that it is a close knit family; differences between individual manuscripts in this family are minor.  Whereas, the differences between Sinaiticus and Vaticanus are quite major.  This negates any age advantage. 

Sometimes in these investigations the passage context helps us decide.  Such is the case here.  Pronouns must have antecedents.  But, search the passage.  The pronoun “who” has NONE. “God” will have NO antecedent, being a noun.  Traditional Text reading matches this context.

Wilbur N. Pickering wrote an excellent book, The Identity of the New Testament Text, Thomas Nelson, 1980.  Regarding 1Tim 3:16 Pickering says, “Over 300 Greek MSS read “God” while only eleven read something else.  Of those eleven two have private readings; two have a third reading, and seven agree in reading “who.”  So we have to judge between 97% and 2%, “God” versus “who.”  

It is hard to imagine any possible set of circumstances in the transmissional history sufficient to produce the cataclysmic overthrow in statistical probability required by the claim that “who” is the original reading.” (My emphasis)  Pickering is saying that the overwhelming weight of 300 manuscripts (97%) makes it a statistical certainty that “God” is the true, correct, original, text reading. 

We must realize that many people including textual scholars have an enormous dislike for the idea that God has providentially brought the Bible down through history.  As I said before, many folks hate the truth that “God was manifest in flesh.”  Thus, they have adopted the humanistic view that the Bible is just like any other old book and they have chosen to trust a few older manuscripts, which disagree markedly among themselves, over the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Traditional Text. 

In fact the Traditional Text is often referred to as the “Majority text.” 

As Pickering says, “It is hard to imagine any possible set of circumstances in the transmissional history sufficient to produce the cataclysmic overthrow in statistical probability required by the claim that “who” is the original “reading.”  Only the truth that the Traditional text correctly represents the original “autographs” can explain this statistical superiority. The Traditional text got out of the starting blocks first and thus no later, competing texts could catch it in the race.

I immediately take full advantage of God’s great promise in 1 John 5:14-15 any time I have a ANY question:  

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.  

There are several things that must be said here.  First, the “we” means Christians; the promise is only to believers.  Second, the objective prayed for must be according to his will. Thirdly, one must accept God’s answer, IN ADVANCE, to be according to his will.  

One cannot say, “God, show me the answer and then I will decide if I want to accept it or not.  One must accept God’s answer in advance for God to make good on his promise.  This disqualifies many paid religious teachers and ministers because they are locked into doctrinal boundaries by their employments. 

I have used this great promise dozens of times. God has faithfully given me THE answers.  I’m so glad I was able to take a Logic course in college in place of philosophy.  God’s promise is, logically, a basic, “if-then-statement.”  Its right working depends ONLY, on my doing the “if” part, and God doing the “then” part.  It does not depend on my own intelligence, understanding or special skill.  

I am not constrained.  I work a secular job.  I can embrace God’s answer and still get my paycheck.  I do not have to please anyone.  We still have freedom of religion, speech, and the press, so far, here in America.  But, time is short! 

God faithfully answered my question about 1Tim 3:16, and also the general question about the New Testament text.  He brought to me the knowledge I have already mentioned.  But, God clinched the answer, for me, in favor of the Traditional Text, by bringing to my attention, Jesus’ great “High Priestly Prayer” in the Gospel of John chapter 17. 

John 17  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:  

2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.  

3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  

4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.  

5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.  

6I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.  

7Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.  

8For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.  

9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.  

10And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.  

12While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.  

13And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  

14I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  

15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  

16They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  

17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.  

18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  

19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.  

20Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;  

21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  

22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 

24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.  

25O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ prays for the Father to sanctify ALL BELIEVERS, down through history with the truth of his Word. This shows that God providentially protects transmission of the Bible text down through Earth history. Only the Traditional Text matches this scenario. 

The Vaticanus was lost in the Vatican library for perhaps 1000 years.  The Sinaiticus was found, supposedly, in a waste basket at St. Catherine’s monastery on Mt. Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula.  

Only the Traditional Bible Text comes down through history vitally connected with the true Church, the body of Jesus Christ made up of all true believers.  

This is what is demanded by Christ’s prayer in John 17.  God’s true Word would be found hand in hand with his true people, not long lost in some obscure library or monastery.  

The Traditional text IS THE TRADITIONAL text, because that IS WHAT IT IS!  It is the Received Text.

THE TRADITIONAL TEXT IS GOD'S PROVIDENTIALLY TRANSMITTED TEXT TO US!!!