Expert: Brenda Martin - 4/13/2005

Question
Is it true that Constantine the great had the bible altered in order for the people to believe that Jesus was more Godly than he was human, so that more people would believe and belong to his religion giving him more power.

Answer
Hi Jesse, you asked--"CONSTANTINE HAD THE BIBLE ALTERED?"

Many things are true of Constantine, ie--

In the fourth century, the Roman emperor Constantine adopted “Christianity” as the official religion of the Roman Empire. But the “Christianity” he knew was very different from the religion preached by Jesus.

It was in Constantine's time that Christendom as we know it today began to take shape. From then on, the degenerate form of Christianity that had taken root was no longer just a religious organization. It was a part of the state, and its leaders played an important role in politics. Eventually, the apostate church used its political power in a way that was completely opposed to Bible Christianity, introducing a dangerous threat to the Bible. How?

When Latin died out as an everyday tongue, new translations of the Bible were needed. But the Catholic Church no longer favoured this.

By the fourth century some churchmen, including the young archdeacon Athanasius, were arguing that Jesus and God were one and the same person. On the other hand, men such as the presbyter Arius held to the position of the Bible, that Jesus was created by God and was subordinate to his Father.

In 325 C.E. a church council, called by Roman Emperor Constantine, met in Nice, Asia Minor, to decide on such issues. At this council pagan Emperor Constantine favored the side of Athanasius. Therefore, the views expressed by Arius, although based solidly on the Bible, were declared heretical.

So no change has been made to the bible, it still says the same truths it has always said, that Jesus is God's son, NOT GOD, but as you can see Constantine favoured a lie rather than the truth. Today this teaching (Trinity) is the central theme of most of the major religions, despite the fact the bible teaches no such thing.

All the best
Brenda