March 1, 1996 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, Michigan 48061, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The Dean Burgon Society of Collingswood, New Jersey, has reprinted John William Burgon's (1813-1888) masterpiece The Last Twelve Verses of Mark Vindicated against Recent Critical Objectors and Established. This 350-page book is subtitled by the publisher as "the fatal blow to manuscripts 'B' and 'Aleph'" because the only manuscripts that omit Mark 16:9-20 are "B" (Vaticanus) and "Aleph" (Sinaiticus). Burgon, one of the most brilliant and thorough textual authorities of the 19th century, amassed overwhelming evidence from manuscripts, lectionaries, ancient versions, and church fathers proving the genuineness of the last twelve verses of Mark. Since "B" and "Aleph" have failed here, they should be distrusted elsewhere in the New Testament. Yet despite this failure, these two manuscripts form the bedrock text of the rash of English versions today, including the New American Standard Version (NASV), New International Version (NIV), Revised Standard Version (RSV), New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), and all the others. Though the evidence for the authenticity of Mark 16:9-20 is overwhelming, it is consistently tossed aside as questionable (at best) by modern textual critics commentators. For example in a recently published Moody Press commentary on Mark, Louis Barbieri, a former professor at Moody and Dallas Theological Seminary, makes this strange observation: "Since these verses are disputed, it certainly seems that one would not be wise to base any matter of doctrine or experience on a verse that was found only in this section" (p. 372). What nonsense. Practically everything in the Bible is disputed. Are we going to give away inspired Scripture simply because it is disputed! The fact is that the disputation of Mark 16:9-20 is not based on sound textual criticism, nor is it based on faith in God's promises of preservation. It is based on the theorizing of unbelieving textual critics who have dominated this field since the end of the 19th century. Praise the Lord for men like Burgon who have refused to be swept along by the unbelieving tide. This is one of the most important books ever written on the subject of textual criticism, yet most students of New Testament today are taught nothing about Burgon or his work..

Burgon's The Last Twelve Verses of Mark is $15.00 + $3 S/H. Order from Bible for Today, 900 Park Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108. (609) 854-4452 (voice), (843-2464 (fax).

There is evidence that Burgon almost single-handedly muted the influence of the Revised Version of 1881 by his mighty pen, and yet he is ignored and slandered by 20th century textual critics. For a detailed overview of John Burgon's life and work order For Love of the Bible: The Battle for the King James Bible and the Received Text from 1800 to Present, David W. Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, Michigan 48061, fbns@wayoflife.org. Hard cover. 461 pages. 33-page bibliography. Index. $29.95 + 4 S/H.