Was Spurgeon KJVO?
Iin the “Notices of Books” section in the August, 1885 issue of “The Sword and the Trowel” (p. 431 of the original; p. 154 of this reprint), there is the clearest direct statement I have yet found by Spurgeon with regard to the Greek text of Westcott and Hort. Spurgeon writes:
“The New Testament in the Original Greek. The text revised by Brooke
Foss Westcott, D. D., and Fenton John Anthony Hort, D. D. Macmillan and Co.
This edition of the Greek text of the New Testament is reproduced from a larger edition, published in 1881, with an accompanying volume, containing an Introduction, and an Appendix of Notes on Select Readings, and on Orthography. It is a very important addition to Biblical literature. We are not able to go into the critical question of its accuracy; but granting that matter to be satisfactory, we see the great advantage of having a cheap edition for students and other readers of the Greek text. The more reading of the Scriptures the better; and it is best of all when that reading occupies itself with the original. Every member of our churches, who has a fair English education, should aim to acquire sufficient Greek to read the New Testament; we specially include in this exhortation our sisters in Christ. Every vestry should have its Greek class.”
If Spurgeon were ever going to denounce the text of Westcott and Hort, this would have been a perfect opportunity. And that is what he in fact does not do, but commends it and calls it “a very important addition to Biblical literature,” declaring its appearance in an inexpensive and therefore more widely accessible form “a great advantage.” And as for the question of the reliability of the Westcott and Hort text as a modern representation of the ancient Greek original, note well Spurgeon’s remark: “We are not able to go into the critical question of its accuracy; but granting that matter to be satisfactory…” Because of the technical and detailed nature of the topic of Greek texts, Spurgeon does not weary the reader with an extended analysis. Rather, he simply assures the reader that he may assume that the Westcott-Hort text is satisfactory in this regard, that is, that it is a good representation of the text as originally given by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. Not a word, not a syllable, of denunciation of the Westcott-Hort text by Spurgeon here.
Let those who try to hijack Spurgeon for the KJV-only/ TR-only camp cease their dishonest works of darkness.
(I have written several articles regarding Spurgeon’s views on the text and translation issue, and will gladly send copies to anyone who writes for them at dkutilek@juno.com. And while I’m here, let me plug my anti-KJVO website, named, remarkably, www.kjvonly.org. The site has dozens of aritcles on various aspects of this unprofitable controversy).
“The New Testament in the Original Greek. The text revised by Brooke
Foss Westcott, D. D., and Fenton John Anthony Hort, D. D. Macmillan and Co.
This edition of the Greek text of the New Testament is reproduced from a larger edition, published in 1881, with an accompanying volume, containing an Introduction, and an Appendix of Notes on Select Readings, and on Orthography. It is a very important addition to Biblical literature. We are not able to go into the critical question of its accuracy; but granting that matter to be satisfactory, we see the great advantage of having a cheap edition for students and other readers of the Greek text. The more reading of the Scriptures the better; and it is best of all when that reading occupies itself with the original. Every member of our churches, who has a fair English education, should aim to acquire sufficient Greek to read the New Testament; we specially include in this exhortation our sisters in Christ. Every vestry should have its Greek class.”
If Spurgeon were ever going to denounce the text of Westcott and Hort, this would have been a perfect opportunity. And that is what he in fact does not do, but commends it and calls it “a very important addition to Biblical literature,” declaring its appearance in an inexpensive and therefore more widely accessible form “a great advantage.” And as for the question of the reliability of the Westcott and Hort text as a modern representation of the ancient Greek original, note well Spurgeon’s remark: “We are not able to go into the critical question of its accuracy; but granting that matter to be satisfactory…” Because of the technical and detailed nature of the topic of Greek texts, Spurgeon does not weary the reader with an extended analysis. Rather, he simply assures the reader that he may assume that the Westcott-Hort text is satisfactory in this regard, that is, that it is a good representation of the text as originally given by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. Not a word, not a syllable, of denunciation of the Westcott-Hort text by Spurgeon here.
Let those who try to hijack Spurgeon for the KJV-only/ TR-only camp cease their dishonest works of darkness.
(I have written several articles regarding Spurgeon’s views on the text and translation issue, and will gladly send copies to anyone who writes for them at dkutilek@juno.com. And while I’m here, let me plug my anti-KJVO website, named, remarkably, www.kjvonly.org. The site has dozens of aritcles on various aspects of this unprofitable controversy).
Doug Kutilek
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