Darbyism and Its New Bible/The new Bible.
THE NEW BIBLE.
But it is time to look at the new Bible. Mr. Darby has made a version and translated the New Testament into English, French, and German, for the benefit of the Christian public in general, and his own party in particular, being assisted by friends like minded with himself, on the continent and elsewhere. This version is used exclusively in their meetings on the continent, and looked on somewhat as Romanists look on the Vulgate, as little short of the divine original. Yet in all these versions, the worship of our Lord is determinedly and carefully excluded; nor were people aware of the ground on which it was excluded, until the last English edition, with a new preface, was published about two years ago. In the preface, Mr. Darby gives his doctrinal reasons, and in a note on Matt. iv. 10, his critical reasons.
We shall look at those, first noting the fifteen cases in which worship is given to Christ in the New Testament, placing at one side the common English and French versions, and at the other side Mr. Darby’s English and French versions, that the reader may be able to compare one with the other.
| THE COMMON VERSION. | MR. DARBY’S VERSION. |
|---|---|
| english and french. | english and french. |
| 1. The wise men from the east “fell down and worshipped him—lequel ils adorent.” (Matt. ii. 11.) | “And falling down, did him homage—Ils lui rendirent hommage.” |
| 2. Herod pretended to do the same. “That I may come and worship him also—et que je l’adore.” (Matt. ii. 8.) | “So that I also may come and do him homage—lui rendre hommage.” |
| 3. “There came a leper and worshipped him—se prosterner devant lui.” (Matt. viii. 2.) | “And behold a leper came and did homage to him—et se prosterna devant lui; ou, lui rendit hommage.” (Marg.) |
| 4. “There came a certain ruler and worshipped him—qui se prosterna devant lui.” (Matt. ix. 18.) | “A ruler came and did homage to him—lui rendit hommage.” |
| 5. The disciples in the ship, when he walked on the sea, “worshipped him—et l’adorerent.” (Matt. xiv. 33.) | “Did him homage—et lui rendirent hommage.” |
| 6. The woman of Canaan “came and worshipped him—et se prosterna.” (Matt. xv. 25.) | “Came and did him homage—et lui rendit hommage.” |
| 7. “The mother of Zebedees’ children came and worshipped him—et se prosterna.” (Matt. xx. 20.) | “Came doing homage—lui rendant hommage.” |
| 8. After resurrection “they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him—ils l’adorerent.” (Matt. xxviii. 9.) | “They did homage to him—et lui rendirent hommage.” |
| 9. The disciples also after his resurrection, “when they saw him they worshipped him—ils lui rendirent hommage.” (Matt. xxviii. 17.) | “They did homage to him—et lui rendirent hommage.” |
| 10. The legion, crying, “Jesus, thou Son of God most high, ran and worshipped him—se prosterna devant lui.” (Mark, v. 6.) | “He ran and did him homage—se prosterna devant lui—traduit ailleur par rendre hommage.” (Marg.) |
| 11. The soldiers mocking the true king, “bowing their knees, worshipped him—ils se prosternaient devant lui.” (Mark, xv. 19.) | “Did him homage—lui rendaient hommage.” |
| 12. When the disciples saw him going into heaven, “they worshipped him—l’ayant adoré.” (Luke, xxiv. 52.) | “And they having done him homage—lui ayant rendu hommage.” |
| 13. When le Lord asked the man blinds from his birth, “Believest thou on the Son of God? he said, Lord, I believe, and worshipped him—se prosterna devant lui.” (John, ix. 38.) | “And he did him homage—lui rendit hommage.” |
| 14. “Let all the angels of God worship him—l’adorent..” (Heb. i. 6.) | “And let all God’s angels worship him—lui rendent hommage.” |
| 15. When the Lamb is in the midst of the throne, “the four-and-twenty elders fell down and worshipped him—et adorent.” (Rev. v. 14.) | “And the elders fell down and did homage—et rendirent hommage.” |
These are the fifteen distinct cases of the worship of Christ recorded in the New Testament; and the reader will note that nine of them occur in the Gospel of St. Matthew. That Gospel, as every one knows, having a special Messianic character.