# Bunyan and the scholar



## Gesetveemet (Mar 30, 2012)

As Mr. Bunyan was upon the road near
Cambridge, there overtakes him a scholar that
had observed him a preacher, and said to him,

How dare you preach, seeing you have not the
original, being not a scholar? 

Then said Mr. Bunyan, Have you the
original?
Yes, said the scholar.

Nay, but, said Mr. Bunyan, have you the
very self-same original copies that were written
by the penmen of the scriptures, prophets and
apostles?
No, said the scholar, but we have the true
copies of those originals.

How do you know that? said Mr. Bunyan.

How? said the scholar. Why, we believe
what we have is a true copy of the original.

Then, said Mr. Bunyan, so do I believe our
English Bible is a true copy of the original.

Then away rode the scholar.



From Bunyan's Works Volume III
_57 The Struggler_


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## N. Eshelman (Mar 30, 2012)

Probably a favorite story amongst the KJV only Fundamentalists.


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## Jerusalem Blade (Mar 30, 2012)

Nathan, I'd probably phrase that "KJV _priority_ folks" – at least that's the sort we have around here.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Mar 30, 2012)

N. Eshelman said:


> Probably a favorite story amongst the KJV only Fundamentalists.



I can make strawmen also. 

The quote has some footing whether or not KJV only guys like it or not. 



The Greek Text of the New Testament


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## Jerusalem Blade (Mar 30, 2012)

Here's another Bunyan and the scholar-type anecdote:

Consider this quote from an online article on John Bunyan:

There was one book, however, that he knew as hardly any other man in any age has known it — the Bible. His knowledge of it was not the scholar's knowledge, for he knew nothing of Greek and Hebrew or even of such Biblical criticism as existed in his own day. What he had was a verbal knowledge of the English versions that was never at fault. Many stories are told of the readiness with which he could produce apposite scriptural quotations, often to the confusion of much more learned men than himself. This intimacy with the Bible, combined with one other element, is enough to account for the substance of _The Pilgrim's Progress_. That other element is his profound acquaintance with the rustic and provincial life about him, and with the heart of the average man.​ 
One learned pastor and theologian’s widely reported view of Bunyan was this:

John Owen, generally reckoned to be the most accomplished and learned theologian that England has ever produced, was asked by the King why he was so fond of listening to the Particular Baptist John Bunyan preach, ‘to hear a tinker prate,’ as the King sarcastically expressed it. Owen replied, ‘May it please your Majesty, could I possess the tinker’s abilities for preaching, I would willingly relinquish all my learning.’​


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## N. Eshelman (Mar 30, 2012)

I'm a Byzantine textual tradition guy.


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## baron (Mar 31, 2012)

N. Eshelman said:


> Probably a favorite story amongst the KJV only Fundamentalists.



I thought John Bunyan was a Geneva Bible man?


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