Many people believe it is more reverential to use the old forms of address such
as "thee," "thou," "thy," and "thine," than it is to use modern forms such as "you,"
"your," and "your's" in prayer and song. Why? The main reason seems to be due to
the long use of the King James Version of the Bible. Tradition, even when wrong,
is like the talons of an eagle holding onto a fish. The grip of tradition is hard to break.
Is there a biblical way to demonstrate that such language has nothing to do with
reverence or sacredness? Yes. Note the examples in the King James Version where
those pronouns were used with reference to evil people or evil beings. Think
through the text and allow God's word to be its own interpreter!
When Jesus was tested by Satan, he told the devil, "Get thee hence Satan..."
(Matthew 4:10, KJV) Was the Lord showing reverence toward Satan? Was he
using a sacred pronoun with reference to the archenemy of righteousness?
The answer has to be yes according to those who believe and teach that such
pronouns are sacred.
Jesus came into the region of the Gerasenes, and "immediately there met him out
of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit." Jesus said to him, "Come out of the man
thou unclean spirit...what is thy name?" (Mark 5:8,9, KJV) Was Jesus showing
reverence to an unclean spirit? The answer is yes according to those who believe
and teach that those pronouns are sacred.
Paul, the Lord's apostle, was on the island of Paphos "and they found a certain
sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus...Saul, (who is also
called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all
subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness,
wilt thou pervert the right ways of the Lord...?" (Acts 13:6-10, KJV) Was Paul
using sacred, reverential pronouns with reference to a sorcerer, a false prophet, a
man full of subtilty and all mischief, a child of the devil, and an enemy of all
righteousness? The answer is yes according to those who believe and teach
those are "sacred" pronouns that indicate reverence and respect!
But someone might respond, "They are sacred, reverential pronouns when used
with reference to deity." The problem is: they are used in the KJV with reference to
both deity and evil men and beings. So, we conclude, the old English forms of
address have nothing to do with reverence or sacredness. It's just the way people
talked in 1611.
R. Daly
Copyright 2013
as "thee," "thou," "thy," and "thine," than it is to use modern forms such as "you,"
"your," and "your's" in prayer and song. Why? The main reason seems to be due to
the long use of the King James Version of the Bible. Tradition, even when wrong,
is like the talons of an eagle holding onto a fish. The grip of tradition is hard to break.
Is there a biblical way to demonstrate that such language has nothing to do with
reverence or sacredness? Yes. Note the examples in the King James Version where
those pronouns were used with reference to evil people or evil beings. Think
through the text and allow God's word to be its own interpreter!
When Jesus was tested by Satan, he told the devil, "Get thee hence Satan..."
(Matthew 4:10, KJV) Was the Lord showing reverence toward Satan? Was he
using a sacred pronoun with reference to the archenemy of righteousness?
The answer has to be yes according to those who believe and teach that such
pronouns are sacred.
Jesus came into the region of the Gerasenes, and "immediately there met him out
of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit." Jesus said to him, "Come out of the man
thou unclean spirit...what is thy name?" (Mark 5:8,9, KJV) Was Jesus showing
reverence to an unclean spirit? The answer is yes according to those who believe
and teach that those pronouns are sacred.
Paul, the Lord's apostle, was on the island of Paphos "and they found a certain
sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus...Saul, (who is also
called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all
subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness,
wilt thou pervert the right ways of the Lord...?" (Acts 13:6-10, KJV) Was Paul
using sacred, reverential pronouns with reference to a sorcerer, a false prophet, a
man full of subtilty and all mischief, a child of the devil, and an enemy of all
righteousness? The answer is yes according to those who believe and teach
those are "sacred" pronouns that indicate reverence and respect!
But someone might respond, "They are sacred, reverential pronouns when used
with reference to deity." The problem is: they are used in the KJV with reference to
both deity and evil men and beings. So, we conclude, the old English forms of
address have nothing to do with reverence or sacredness. It's just the way people
talked in 1611.
R. Daly
Copyright 2013
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