Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Another Protestant Critic Admitting Revelation 22:18-19 is not a Valid Prooftext For Sola Scriptura



I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. (Rev 22:18-19 NIV)

Latter-day Saints have answered this passage so thoroughly that even many hardcore critics of the Church are forced to admit that it is not an exegetically sound “prooftext” (1) in favour of sola scriptura and (2) against the Book of Mormon and other uniquely LDS Scriptures. For a discussion of this text, see:


Notwithstanding how thorough the LDS responses have been, it is always refreshing to see anti-Mormon authors admit that their fellow critics rely upon eisegesis. As one example, take the following from a former Latter-day Saint who reverted back to Protestantism:

The phrase, “the words of the prophecy of this book,” was obviously referring to the book of Revelation which John was at that moment in the process of writing. But in complete disregard of the author’s intended meaning, most Bible teachings made it include the entire sixty-six books of the Bible.

The Apostle John, who wrote the book of Revelation, had been exiled to the Isle of Patmos. And at this period of his life he was writing down the prophetic visions the Lord has given him. He concludes the account with a stern warning against tampering with this revelation—that is, adding or deleting words to suit one’s doctrinal fancy.

It seemed to me these theologians were conveniently overlooking the fact that the Bible in the form it appears today, was unknown in John’s day. In fact, it wasn’t until centuries later that it finally took on the form so familiar to us now; one volume embracing sixty-six books.

As a matter of record, it’s no secret to students of the Bible that the books it contains were not always placed in chronological order. The fact that John’s book of Revelation is the last one in the Bible is because the early church was slow in recognizing it as “inspired” Scripture.

In the Peshitta, the Bible version most commonly accepted during the first 500 years after Christ, John’s Book of Revelation was excluded. It wasn’t until a much later date that it was finally admitted to the canon. (Dan Carlson, The Ins and Outs of Mormonism [Chino Valley, Ariz.: Don Carlson Publishing, 1999], 24)