God in his providence has provided for the essentially accurate transmission of the words of the original

Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987)

 

That the Bible is the Word of God pertains only to the original autographs. The versions and translations may fairly be said to be faithful reproductions of the autographs. But they cannot be said to be exact replicas of them . . . The doctrine of Scripture as self-attesting presupposes that whatsoever comes to pass in history materializes by virtue of the plan and counsel of the living God. If everything happens by virtue of the plan of God, then all created reality, every aspect of it, is inherently revelational of God and of his plan . . . Such a view of God and of human history is both presupposed by, and in turn presupposes, the idea of the infallible Bible; and if such a God is presupposed then it is not a matter of great worry if the transmissions are not altogether accurate reproductions of the originals. Then the very idea of “substantial accuracy” or “essential reliability” has its foundation in the complete control of history by God. Then it is proper and meaningful to say that God in his providence has provided for the essentially accurate transmission of the words of the original.

Cornelius Van Til, A Christian Theory of Knowledge (pp. 27-8)