FABRICATIONS · INTERPOLATIONS
Changing "He" to "God"
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels...
This well-known variant is a clear example of a doctrinally charged alteration. By changing a pronoun to “God,” scribes made an implicit belief explicit, raising doubts about the text’s purity. It suggests key Christological claims may rely on later revisions. Variations like "God appeared in the flesh" (KJV) versus "He appeared in the flesh" (NIV) affect theological interpretation.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The passage discusses Jesus' incarnation, a core Christian belief. Variations in manuscripts don't alter the essential doctrine. Even if some manuscripts say “He who was manifest” instead of “God was manifest,” the Incarnation doctrine remains intact. They believe scribes clarified Jesus’ divine nature without changing the theology.
THE ISLAMIC POSITION
Changing “He” to “God” is significant, as it strengthens the text’s Christology and shows scribes shaping core doctrines. If divine attributes can be enhanced through alterations, it raises doubts about the originality of the biblical depiction of Jesus. Variations in this verse across manuscripts suggest edits to support specific theological views, questioning the text's reliability in conveying the original message.
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Changing "He" to "God"