Jeffrey T. Riddle & Christian M.
McShaffrey, editors. Why I Preach from the Received Text: An Anthology of Essays by Reformed Ministers. Winter
Springs, FL: The Greater Heritage Christian Publishing, 2022. 280 pp. $15.99.
Paperback and Hardcover; also available in eBook, PDF and EPUB formats.
Since I discovered his Word Magazine, I
listen regularly and profitably to Jeffrey Riddle, pastor of Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia. He is a leading spokesman for Confessional Bibliology and often uses Word Magazine to support the traditional original language texts of the Bible against the ravages of the modern critical text.
For that reason, I was excited when he teamed up with Christian McShaffrey (Editor-in-Chief of Text and Translation) to
produce a book – Why I Preach from the
Received Text – promoting some of the very things he promotes on his YouTube
Channel.
This book is available from all the usual
suspects (e.g. Amazon), but I chose to order it from the publisher. The Greater Heritage is a conservative Christian publishing company that issues original
articles, books, Bible studies, and church resources. I purchased it, read it,
and now give you my thoughts.
Why
I Preach from the Received Text expands and extends the
available resources confronting the modern text criticism and its associated
texts and translations. A supporting cast of 22 Reformed ministers and 1 deacon
joins editors McShaffrey and Riddle. The editors build this
work with a simple design around a simple question to the contributors – “Why
do you preach from the Received Text?” The answers furnish the chapters of the
book. The answers have both simple significance and complex contents.
Why
I Preach from the Received Text is a valuable
contribution to the field of Bibliology. The editors launch the book with an
“Editorial Introduction” (pp. 13-19), which demonstrates why this book matters.
There is an attacking foe. “Modern academic textual criticism rejects divine
preservation, and therefore proceeds to pursue reconstruction of the text based
on human reasoning” (p. 15). There is a position to defend. “The primary
purpose of this book is a defense of the traditional original Hebrew and Greek
text of the Bible” (p. 17). The goal of testifying, teaching, and encouraging is
soaked in prayer, “May the Lord use this book as an instrument to stimulate,
revive, confirm, and defend intelligent and effective usage of the traditional text
of the Word of God” (p. 19).
This book is a collection of writings by
various authors. The contributors are “men who were gladly laboring in the
trenches of local church ministry” (p. 16) – connecting to the work of God in the “highways and hedges” of church houses rather than the ivory towers of scholars in academia. These authors exhibit both unity
and diversity – unity on the text of the Bible and Reformed theology, with
diversity of denominational affiliations and geographical locations.
Twenty-four of the chapter authors are preachers. One essay displays a non-pastoral perspective – a Baptist deacon explains why he wants to be preached to from the Received Text! The choice of introducing
the essays in alphabetical order suggests that all these essays are equally
important. The reader can fruitfully follow the established order, or may read
them in any order. The essays not only complement each other, but also are
capable of standing alone. The book’s style (conversational, with short
chapters) and little larger than usual print makes it easy to read.
In his review of this work, Mark Ward “wondered
how [he could] fairly describe a book that has more than two dozen authors,”
writing, “There is, indeed, a spectrum of views represented here. The
contributions do not all perfectly cohere.” I question that he succeeded in describing it fairly (here and elsewhere). A
reader must understand the purpose of the book in order to understand whether
the views expressed do or do not cohere. Yes, these chapters present the various views of 25 different authors. However, they do cohere (hold together, unite)
at the place of the purpose of the book – defending and promoting preaching
from the traditional text of Scripture.
Following the 25 essays, the editors
return with a practical “Appendix” which offers “Steps Toward Change.” The book
testifies and teaches, but also propels and persuades. The approach of “Steps
Toward Change” is not academic, but pastoral, geared to local church ministry.
May these steps be used and be successful.
An “Annotated Bibliography” on pages
261-276 rounds out the work. Rather than give a bare list, the editors chose
brief descriptions and evaluations of each work – providing not only possible
resources, but also guidance in selecting them. The bibliography is
divided into 13 sections, beginning with “Books, Pamphlets, and Tracts” and
concluding with “Websites that Defend the Traditional Text.” Though I consider
myself well informed on this subject, I found two books of which I had never
heard! (Historical Criticism of the Bible,
by Eta Linneman, and Clash of Visions by Robert Yarbrough.) This bibliography will help the reader who will use it.
Why
I Preach from the Received Text balances testimony and
theology. Some authors “from a child” knew the traditional text, and some
“fetched a compass” to get there. The authors are English speakers (residing in
Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Consequently,
they preach from the Received Text (usually) via the Authorized Version, or (sometimes) the New King James
Version. Though expressing consistent support for the Authorized or King James
Bible, the writers are not King James Version Onlyists. They arrive at their common positions
from their confession that original language copies of the Scripture have been
“kept pure in all ages.” Supporters of the traditional original language texts
and/or the King James translation who are not confessional may find the continuing
appeal to the Confessions off-putting. If they will persevere, however, they
will find much agreement with and support for their own viewpoint.
The authors present the positive and
negative – what is right with the received text and what is wrong with the
critical text – through testimonial, theological, and historical approaches. Positively, they believe that they have “scripture, theology, reason, and history on our
side” (p. 259). The angles of approach allow each
individual author to focus on the traditional text in his own way. For example,
Pooyan Mehrshahi notes the value of a definitive text, “The TR-based historic
translations [in various languages] give the church a standard and unifying
text of the Holy Scriptures” (p. 171). Christopher Sheffield relates his
journey, “I did not set out to disprove the claims of the modern Critical Text,
only to understand them; but as time went on, I became increasingly convinced
that the modern Critical Text and the philosophy which undergirded it, was an
affront to the honor of God, the glory of Christ, and the good of the Church” (p.
206). Robert Truelove focuses on the canonical question of the text of the books of the Bible (pp. 225-233).
Due to the number of contributors, the
essays are necessarily short. Some readers may find themselves wishing for more.
Nevertheless, the brevity and autonomy of the chapters have an intrinsic
sufficiency, and well suits the reader with a busy schedule. Due to the
testimonial nature of the essays, there is an inevitable amount of repetition. However,
that repetition can edify rather than annoy the reader. Good variety with
repetition, unified on a central theme, is not inherently a bad thing. It helps us absorb and remember the points and their purpose.
The synopsis of the book is succinctly
summed up in Scott Meadows’s chapter title “Why [do I preach from the Received
Text (TR)]? It’s the Word of God” (p. 160). The theological position promoted
by the contributors to this book sets their view above and apart from
supporters of the modern Critical Text and Bibles translated from it. For the
latter, there must always be some question whether all of it is the word of
God. The contributors to this book do not settle for a gospel that is mostly
good news, spiritual food that is mostly good food, or a spiritual sword that
is mostly sharp. From what do they preach? The Received Text. It’s the word of
God!
I highly recommend this book. This
book can help us find answers to questions raised by
the modern text critics. You will be better informed for having read it. Why I Preach from the Received Text is solid,
accessible, and practical. It emanates from a biblical theology of the
providential preservation of God’s inspired writings. It provides personal,
thoughtful, and reasoned support for the traditional texts. It challenges, with
personal, thoughtful, and reasoned objections, the modern critical texts. “To
those who believe that God has providentially preserved his Word, the question
of the veracity and tenacity of Scripture has been asked and answered. God has
spoken” (p. 252). Those who favor the traditional texts of the Bible will find support,
strength, and encouragement. King James “English Only” Defenders will find the
book extremely respectful and supportive of the King James Bible, but also find that
it does not directly support their position. Those who deny the traditional
texts and favor the modern critical ones will be surprised, confronted, and
challenged – perhaps even halt a
little!
Why
I Preach from the Received Text supports the time-honored traditional texts and offers a new vision for the old paths – a scriptural
and suitable way forward in the original texts and Bible translations debates. Buy it. Read it.
A
more technical theologically driven work would make an excellent sequel to Why I Preach from the Received Text.
Other related resources include:
