Verbal plenary preservation refers to the belief that God has perfectly preserved His words through the ages, down to the very letters and words themselves. The word “plenary” means “full” or “complete,” indicating that preservation applies to the entire text, including every word. “Verbal” means that preservation applies to the very words themselves, not just concepts or ideas. This view stands in contrast to those who believe that only the ideas or concepts of Scripture, but not the exact words, have been preserved over time.
Those who hold to verbal plenary preservation base their belief on several key biblical passages:
Matthew 5:18 – “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” This verse indicates that even small marks like dots and strokes of letters will be preserved.
Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Jesus asserts that his actual words will never disappear or be forgotten.
1 Peter 1:23-25 – Peter quotes Isaiah 40:6-8, which states that “the grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” This passage teaches that God’s words remain unchanged forever.
Psalm 12:6-7 – “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever.” This indicates that God’s pure words are guarded and kept by Him forever.
Psalm 119:89 – “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.” God’s word is firmly established forever, without change.
From these and other verses, supporters of verbal plenary preservation conclude that God has acted in history to preserve His words down to the precise details. This view sees Scripture as wholly inspired but also wholly preserved by God’s providence. While there may be variant manuscript copies and translations, there exists an underlying, preserved original that God has protected from corruption. Therefore, Scripture remains authoritative and sufficient for life and godliness today.
Many supporters of verbal plenary preservation hold that the Masoretic Hebrew Old Testament and the Traditional New Testament Text (found in the Textus Receptus and similar manuscripts) are either identical to or extremely close to the original manuscripts themselves. Some also believe that the King James Version in English comes from these most accurate preserved texts.
Critics of verbal plenary preservation argue that such a view improperly exalts one textual tradition or translation while disregarding the meaningful variants that exist between manuscripts. They also claim this view is not realistic, since tangible access to the “original” documents has been lost. Finally, some detractors feel this position claims too much certainty about the specifics of preservation, going beyond what Scripture explicitly teaches.
In summary, verbal plenary preservation is the view that God has exactly and completely protected His word through the centuries, including the very letters and words themselves. This view sees Scripture as wholly inspired by God initially but also wholly preserved by Him subsequently, maintaining its authority and relevance for the church today.
Verbal plenary preservation emphasizes several biblical passages which indicate God’s words are flawless, pure, firmly fixed, and will never pass away. Supporters believe God has preserved the text through the Masoretic and Received texts and translations like the KJV. Critics feel this view claims too much specificity about preservation and improperly exalts particular textual traditions. While some details are debated, all Christians agree that God has preserved His word and message for His people in every generation.
The doctrine of verbal plenary preservation is based on the belief that the Bible is the fully inspired and authoritative Word of God. This view sees Scripture as a sacred trust, entrusted by God to His people, and therefore asserts that He would preserve it flawlessly through the ages. However, there are differing perspectives on the mechanisms and extent of this preservation. The key is to have humility about any particular tradition while having confidence in God’s eternal purposes to make His Word available to all people.
At its core, verbal plenary preservation is rooted in a high view of Scripture coupled with confidence in God’s sovereignty over human history. It provides assurance that people today can read, study, and live by the same Scriptures that God inspired thousands of years ago. Rather than a peripheral issue, for some this doctrine is tied directly to biblical authority and the essential role of God’s Word in Christian faith.
Adherents of verbal plenary preservation challenge believers to consider their view of Scripture. If God invested such care into the original inspiration of the text, would He not also be invested in its preservation? Supporters suggest that ultimately, this doctrine is not just about texts and manuscripts but about trusting the God of the Word to keep His promises to preserve it. They believe maintaining the Bible’s authority requires the highest view of both its inspiration and preservation.
Opponents, however, feel supporters of this doctrine go beyond the evidence and make preservation claims that Scripture itself does not explicitly make. They also argue that errors or meaningful variants between existing manuscripts challenge a view of verbatim preservation. Critics caution against equating preservation with any one textual tradition or translation, as no one of these can definitively claim to carry the perfectly preserved autograph text.
There are some challenges to verbal plenary preservation that supporters must wrestle with:
- There are numerous variants between existing Old Testament Hebrew manuscripts as well as New Testament Greek manuscripts. How can preservation be down to the letter when meaningful differences exist?
- There is uncertainty about the specific texts and recensions that were considered authoritative and standard in the eras before the Masoretic and Received texts rose to prominence. Were those prior texts unpreserved?
- No original biblical manuscripts exist today – only copies. So how can supporters claim certain texts match the original perfectly when there is no way to verify this?
These and other critiques require thoughtful engagement from advocates of verbal plenary preservation. There are complex textual and historical factors at play. In the end, Christians of all persuasions affirm God’s providential protection of Scripture while recognizing the limitations of current knowledge. But verbal plenary preservation aims to strengthen confidence in the reliability of the Bible believers hold in their hands today.
In conclusion, verbal plenary preservation is a doctrine emphasizing God’s precise preservation of the textual content of Scripture through history. It is based on a high view of the Bible’s inspiration and authority, believing God would not allow His sacred Word to be corrupted or lost. Supporters affirm that Scripture in the original languages is faithfully maintained for the church today. Critics argue the position asserts too much certainty about textual details. Aspects of the doctrine remain debated, but all Christians agree on the need to trust in God’s preservation of His Word across centuries so that His people have full access to His truth and message.