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Sir Isaac Newton & Biblical Prophecy:

A Christian or Blasphemous Heretic?

Sir Isaac Newton Exposed
 

In the last few years, some Christians who are students of Biblical Prophecy have pointed to some previously unpublished writings of the early scientist, Sir Isaac Newton.  Newton had written some unpublished articles on certain aspects of Biblical prophecy including interpretations on the Book of Revelation, the Book of Daniel and suggested that perhaps the end of the world might occur in 2060 or 2034 or a few other possible dates.

Some Christians have taken Newton’s writings to heart and a few have even given them such credence as to be divinely inspired, or nearly so – and certainly, ‘the interpretive truth” about key elements of Biblical Prophecy.

But, who was Sir Isaac Newton?

With this recent rise of interest in Newton and his eschatological and other Biblical studies and writings, it is important to know just what Newton’s theological beliefs were.

Historian Stephen D. Snobelen says of Newton, "Isaac Newton was a heretic. But ... he never made a public declaration of his private faith — which the orthodox would have deemed extremely radical. He hid his faith so well that scholars are still unravelling his personal beliefs."[6] Snobelen concludes that Newton was at least a Socinian sympathiser (he owned and had thoroughly read at least eight Socinian books), possibly an Arian and almost certainly an anti-trinitarian.

Socinian theology, rejected the views of orthodox Christian theology on God's knowledge, on the Trinity and the divinity of Christ, and on soteriology – i.e. the doctrines of salvation.

Some within Freemasonry claim Newton was a Freemason, although other masons say there is no hard evidence that he was a member, yet others dispute it, noting some lodges even bear his name. Some of the speculation about Newton being a Freemason no doubt stems from some of his “other” writings known as “esoteric,” “hermetic,” or ‘occult.” Yes, that’s correct.

Sir Isaac Newton was a huge student of the occult, as in alchemy, witchcraft, divination, and more. It fit with his own particularly theological views, which when carefully examined show at the least – Newton was a blasphemous heretic if not a pagan anti-christ worshiper.

Newton Rejected The Divinity of Jesus Christ

According to Newton’s own, unpublished writings, Newton did not consider Jesus Christ to the Son of God. Jesus was not the second person of a triune Godhead. In fact, Newton wrote treatises rejecting the Doctrine of the Trinity.

He rejected the Apostle John’s statement found in II John verse 7

V.7 -- “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

V. 9 -- Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

V.10 – If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

V. 11 -- For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds

 

John clearly states the divinity of Jesus Christ both here and elsewhere throughout his writings, including the book of Revelation. John also states that anyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ as God has come in the flesh is not only a deceiver but also a type of Antichrist or someone who has the spirit of Antichrist.

Furthermore, John states that anyone who rejects the Divinity of Jesus Christ is not saved. John also extends this to warn us to not fellowship with such a person or even to admit anyone with such views into your home, nor bid such a person, ‘Godspeed.” Such a person is considered to be inherently, evil.

Yet, today, many prophecy watchers and – worse yet, Biblical Prophecy scholars have cited some of Newton’s comments on prophecy as if endorsing Newton as a Christian and an expert to be given credence concerning Newton’s opinions on the Bible and upon Biblical Prophecy.

Sir Isaac Newton didn’t simply reject the Divinity of Jesus Christ – Newton wrote and argued against such assertions in the Biblical texts. Newton wrote a treatise arguing that the Apostle Paul’s claim in his first epistle to Timothy, in chapter 3 and verse 16 concerning Jesus deity was itself a heresy.

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Newton argued that, by a small alteration in the Greek text, the word "God" was substituted to make the phrase read "God was manifest in the flesh." instead of "He was manifest in the flesh." He tried to demonstrate that early Church writers in referring to the verse knew nothing of such an alteration.

Newton then also turned in his treatise to another attempt re-write the Apostle John’s first epistle of chapeter 5 – this key passage: verse 6 through 12, especially verse 7 and 8

6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 

7 For there are three that testify:

8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

9 We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.

10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.

11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Using the writings of the early Church Fathers, the Greek and Latin manuscripts and the testimony of the first versions of the Bible, Newton demonstrated that the words "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one," in support of the Trinity doctrine, did not appear in the original inspired Greek Scriptures. Newton then traced the way in which the purportedly spurious reading crept into the Latin versions, first as a marginal note, and later into the text itself.

Newton noted that "the Æthiopic, Syriac, Arabic, Armenian, and Slavonic versions, still in use in the several Eastern nations, Ethiopia, Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Muscovy, and some others, are strangers to this reading".

He argued that it was first taken into a Greek text in 1515 by Cardinal Ximenes on the strength of a late Greek manuscript corrected from the Latin. Finally, Newton considered the sense and context of the verse, concluding that removing the interpolation makes "the sense plain and natural, and the argument full and strong; but if you insert the testimony of 'the Three in Heaven' you interrupt and spoil it."

Of course, Newton erred in his claims about those other ancient texts. Furthermore, our oldest manuscripts do contain that reading which he objected against. Although Newton's approach to these studies could not be considered a 'scientific' approach, he did write as if his findings were the result of evidentially-based research, however, his writings were themselves nothing but error.

The problem with Newton was his attempt to advance his theology of Deism, which was so prevalent within Freemasonry. In that regard he held fine company with the likes of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, both being famous Deists, among others, of their time. In fact most of America’s founding fathers were Deists, such as Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, Benjamin Rush, to name but a few.

Newton was at least a Deist if not a Satanist

Newton was accused in his day of being a Rosicrucian although such a charge cannot be proven. What we do know is that much of Newton’s non-science writings, which were unpublished during his life, revolved around his research and experiments and practices of the occult, including alchemy and witchcraft.
Newton wrote many works that would now be classified as occult studies.

In 1936, a collection of Isaac Newton's unpublished works were auctioned by Sotheby's on behalf of Gerard Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth, who had inherited them from Newton's great-niece. Known as the "Portsmouth Papers", this material consisted of three hundred twenty-nine lots of Newton's manuscripts, over a third of which were filled with content that appeared to be alchemical in nature. At the time of Newton's death this material was considered "unfit to publish" by Newton's estate, and consequently fell into obscurity until their somewhat sensational reemergence in 1936.

Much of Newton's writing on alchemy may have been lost in a fire in his laboratory, so the true extent of his work in this area may have been larger than is currently known. Newton also suffered a nervous breakdown during his period of alchemical work, which is thought by some due to the psychological transformation that alchemy was originally designed to induce. Newton was also heavily involved in the study of astrology and Tarot cards and using “magick” to predict the future. It seems that Newton had a strong fascination with learning the future by any means possible.

What is most important for those of us who are students of Biblical Prophecy to understand and remember about Sir Isaac Newton is that Newton’s views of  rejected the Divinity of Christ and also of the need for substitutionary atonement and propitiation of sin.

As such, we as Christians should steer clear of Newton’s writings on the Bible and especially his views on Biblical Prophecy and of his prophetic interpretations.

For more on Newton’s theology and life:

Wikipedia  Basic Bio:  LINK 

Wiki’s page on Newton’s Religious Views: LINK

Wiki’s page on Newton’s Occult Studies - LINK

Sir Isaac Newton’s Freemasonry- LINK

See also a 39 page excerpt from a book dealing with Isaac Newton’s religious views.-  --  LINK HERE.

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