HERESIES OF WESTCOTT AND HORT #8
Chapter VIII
Heresies in Eschatology
In this general division of eschatology, there is usually taken up the teachings on prophecy, judgments, the eternal state, and so on [cf. Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. IV]. In this area, I noted the following items, in various degrees, of heresy and/or error.
Westcott and Hort Held to Various Hereseis Concerning Eternal Life, Heaven, and the Eternal State
1. "Heaven" denied as a "Place," but only spoken of as a "state."
(John 1:18) The "bosom of the Father" (like heaven) is a state and not a place.
—Westcott—John, op. cit, p. 15
This is heresy, and the very opposite of the Lord Jesus Christ's clear teachings in John 14:1-3 where He speaks of going to prepare a "place" for us.
TRUE, IF WESTCOTT BELIEVED WE NEVER WILL BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER, THEN HE WAS IN ERROR.
2. "Heaven" called the "region of absolute and eternal truth."
(John 3:13) hath ascended up (gone up) to heaven . . . No man hath risen into the region of absolute and eternal truth, so as to look upon it face to face, and in the possession of that knowledge declare it to men. . . .
—Westcott—:John, op. cit., p. 53
Again, this is spiritualization of heaven, and is heretical.
WELL HEAVEN, WHERE GOD IS, IS A REGION, A PLACE, OF ETERNAL TRUTH, AND AS JESUS SAID IN THIS VERSE, NO HUMAN HAS EVER GONE THERE YET, ONLY HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM THE PLACE OF ETERNAL TRUTH.
VERY WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT.
3. "Heaven" is made to be devoid of any "local limitation," but only symbolical of that which is "spiritual." Westcott wrote:
(John 14:2) (In my Father's house) ... so it is to be conceived of the heavenly, as far as earthly figures can symbolize that which is spiritual. . . . But it is impossible to define further what is thus shadowed out. Heaven is where God is seen as our Father. We dare not add any local limitation, even in thought, to this final conception.
—Westcott—John, op. cit., p. 200
Again, this is heresy. Heaven is a prepared "place" as John 14:1-3 clearly states.
I DO NOT SEE WHERE "LOCAL LIMITATIONS" USED BY WESTCOTT, MEANS HE DID NOT BELIEVE HEAVEN WAS NOT A PLACE WHERE GOD LIVES.
WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT.
4. "Heaven" seen as the "hope" of "Assimilation of the believer to his Lord." Westcott wrote:
(1 John 3:3) And every one that hath this hope in Him. The practical conclusion from the great Christian hope of the assimilation of the believer to his Lord is given as a coordinate thought. . . .
—Westcott—1-3 John';op. cit., p. 100
This is more heresy. The Christian will never be "assimilated ... to his Lord" in the sense of becoming "God" or even part of God. The Christian who is saved, on the other hand, will be made "like Christ" and be "conformed to the image of His Son." The "assimilation" concept is like Nirvana or something else/ and is not biblical.
IT IS THE SEMANTICS OF WORDS HERE THAT IS UNDER QUESTION. I'M NOT SURE WHAT WESTCOTT TAUGHT THE CHRISTIAN WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME. WAIT OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT BELIEVE THE CHILD OF GOD CAN ONE DAY BE A FULL PART OF THE VERY GODHEAD. HE, IS VERY WRONG. YOU NEED TO SEE MY STUDY CALLED "A CHRISTIAN'S DESTINY" AND FIND OUT WHAT THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD TEACHES ON THE VERY DESTINY OF A CHRISTIAN.
5. "Heaven" again seen as "figurative only" regarding any "local language." Hort wrote:
(1 Peter 1:5) (reserved in heaven) It is hardly necessary to say that this whole local language is figurative only.. . .
—Hort—/ Peter, op. cit., p. 37
More Hortian heresy.
I DO NOT SEE THIS AS PROOF THAT HORT DID NOT BELIEVE IN A LITERAL HEAVEN. IF HE DID NOT THEN YES IT WOULD BE HERESY.
Westcott Holds a False View of "Eternal Life," Seeing It as Present Only, and Not Going on Into the Future Eternity
(John 5:24) (hath eternal life) He who knows the Gospel and knows that the Gospel is true cannot but have life; eternal life is not future, but present. . . .
—Westcott-—John, op cit., p. 87
The truth is that eternal life is both present for the believer and future as well.
IT COULD BE WESTCOTT WAS MEANING ETERNAL LIFE IS NOT FUTURE ONLY
BUT ALSO PRESENT, WITHIN US NOW AS GOD'S CHILD.
WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT.
(1 John 3:14) "to enter into Life" ... in this largest sense "life"... is the fulfillment of the highest idea of being: perfect truth in perfect action.
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit, p. 112
This also is heresy.
I DO NOT SEE ANY HERESY HERE. TO ENTER INTO LIFE NOW, IS TO BE A PART OF PERFECT TRUTH IN PERFECT ACTION; GOD IN US IS PERFECT TRUTH AND PERFECT ACTION. NOT THAT WE ARE PERFECT IN TRUTH AND ACTION ALL THE TIME. WE STILL SIN AS ROMANS 7 AND 1 JOHN 1 SHOW US, BUT THAT IS OUR DOING, OUR WEAKNESS OF THE FLESH; GOD'S PART IN US IS STILL PERFECT TRUTH AND PERFECT ACTION.
(1 John 5:20) Eternal life is the never-ending effort after this knowledge of God.
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 196
(1 John 5:20) The "life eternal" is essentially present, so far as it is the potential fulfillment of the idea of humanity.
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 217
More heresy. Eternal life is the never-ending bliss of those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior which begins upon that faith, and never ends throughout all eternity future.
I DO NOT SEE ANY HERESY HERE BY WESTCOTT. ETERNAL LIFE IN US NOW MEANS WE CONTINUE TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST/GOD AS PETER WAS INSPIRED TO TELL US; AND ETERNAL LIFE NOW MEANS FULFILLMENT IN THE FUTURE.
WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT.
Hort Spiritualizes the "Second Death" or "Hell" into a Combination of the Deluge and Sodom"
(Revelation 2:11) (the second death) Then as to the order of promises, the second death stands between the Garden of Eden and the Manna. It might thus be either the deluge, as Bishop Temple implies, well called the second death in contrast to the expulsion from the Garden. It probably is a combination of the deluge and Sodom, the Waterflood and the Fire-Flood.
—Hort—Revelation, op. cit., p. 27
This is false in the extreme, and constitutes a spiritualization of hell and the lake of fire which is the "second death " in Scripture.
IF HORT WAS MEANING THERE IS NO LITERAL SECOND DEATH, THEN YES HE WOULD BE WRONG.
Westcott Taught the Heresy of the Post-Millennial Return of Jesus Christ
(Hebrews 10: 13) The return of Christ appears to be placed after the conquestion of His enemies. Compare 1 Corinthians 15:22 ff.
—Westcott—Hebrews, op. cit., p. 315
WESTCOTT MAY HAVE HAD A POST-MILLENNIUM TEACHING. I DO NOT SEE IT HERE PER SE, UNLESS OTHER WRITINGS OF WESTCOTT MAKE IT PLAIN THAT HE DID HOLD THIS VIEW. CERTAINLY IF WESTCOTT DID HOLD A POST-MILLENNIUM VIEW HE WAS IN ERROR.
How about the "Rapture" of the living believers before the Tribulation? The Bible teaches clearly a pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and not a post-millennial return.
WAIT IS WRONG ON THE TEACHING OF A "RAPTURE" BEFORE THE END TIME GREAT TRIBULATION; BUT ALL FUNDAMENTAL PROTESTANT TEACHERS ARE WRONG ON THIS; THOUGH THEY ARE CORRECT THAT JESUS WILL RETURN BEFORE THE 1,000 YEAR AGE BEGINS.
Hort Denies the Literal Second Coming or "Revelation" of the Lord Jesus Christ
(1 Peter 1:7) (at the revelation of Jesus Christ) There is nothing in either this passage or others on the same subject, apart from the figurative language of Thess., to show that the Revelation here spoken of is to be limited to a sudden preternatural theophany. It may be a long and varying process, though ending in a climax. —Hort—1 Peter, pp. 44-45
Thessalonians does not have "figurative language" when speaking of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The "revelation" or "unveiling" of Christ will be sudden, and not a "process." This is heretical.
TRUE..... MANY CHURCH OF ENGLAND MINISTERS LIKE WESCOTT AND HORT, DID NOT, DO NOT, BELIEVE IN THE LITERAL SUDDEN COMING OF CHRIST. SO INDEED TO SO NOT BELIEVE IS ERROR, AND HENCE HERESY. THE NEW TESTAMENT TEACHES VERY CLEARLY JESUS WILL LITERALLY, BODILY, RETURN TO EARTH IN ONE LITERAL DAY, WHEN THE SAINTS WILL BE RESURRECTED OR CHANGED [THOSE ALIVE] INTO IMMORTALITY, AND MEET THE LORD IN THE CLOUDS OF THIS EARTH. ALL THAT TRUTH IS FOUND IN MANY STUDIES ON THIS WEBSITE.