Were Zionist Jews Responsible for the Scofield Bible?
In recent years, a narrative has gained traction suggesting that Zionist Jews were instrumental in funding the creation and distribution of the Scofield Reference Bible as part of the Zionist plan to gain legitimacy as a nation state. This claim posits that the Zionist agenda significantly influenced the rise of dispensationalism—a theological framework emphasizing a literal interpretation of biblical prophecies, particularly those concerning Israel. Such assertions often appeal to conspiracy theorists or individuals eager to uncover hidden influences shaping religious thought. But how much truth is there to these claims?
Does It Really Matter?
Even if we were to entertain the notion that Zionist Jews funded the Scofield Bible, it’s essential to ask: does this undermine dispensationalism’s theological validity? In other words, even if (and as we will see, it is a big if) it could be proven that Zionists had a major role to play in the promotion of the Scofield Bible—which had a significant impact in how many Christians interpreted prophecy and the nation of Israel in particular—would that discredit the study notes in the Scofield Bible?
Biblically, God has a history of using unexpected channels and individuals outside the faith to accomplish His purposes. For instance, Cyrus the Great, a Persian king and a non-believer, was instrumental in allowing the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). His motivations were political, yet he played a pivotal role in fulfilling God’s plans. Additionally, we are told in multiple places that God was using the Assyrians and the Babylonians to accomplish His purposes (cf. Isa 10:5-6, 15; Hab 1:6ff). Similarly, if non-Christian entities supported the dissemination of the Scofield Bible, it wouldn’t necessarily negate its theological contributions or insights. The reason people bring up this point is to try to discredit the theology through guilt by association.
Looking for Evidence of the Jewish Zionist Connection with Scofield
Although the above point is true, I still think it necessary to do due diligence and investigate such claims. I’ve done my best to research the documents from the time of Darby and Scofield, and I’ve even talked to a few friends of mine who are much more knowledgeable in these areas. Despite my perusing of the historical records and consulting various professors in the field, I could find no concrete evidence supporting the assertion that there was Zionist involvement with the Scofield Bible. The lack of receipts, documented transactions, or credible historical sources suggests that these claims are more speculative than factual.
Notably, in my research I did find four individuals who are prominently associated with the funding of the Scofield Reference Bible:
- Alwyn Ball, Jr. of New York
- John T. Pirie of Chicago
- John Buss of St. Louis
- Francis E. Fitch of New York
These men were lay businessmen, with Fitch, Pirie, and Ball being associated with the Plymouth Brethren—a Christian movement connected with Darby and known for its emphasis on the authority of Scripture. Arno C. Gaebelein, a close associate of C. I. Scofield, noted that Pirie and Ball were the primary financial sponsors of Scofield Study Bible. I was able to find a piece written by Michael D. Stallard, a scholar on dispensationalism, who corroborates this in his writings.
Addressing Modern Claims
The modern popularity of these unfounded claims can be seen in multiple venues. One might note the viral interview between country singer John Rich and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. In the interview, Rich suggested that the Rothschild family was connected to the printing and distribution of the Scofield Bible. In an attempt to ascertain where Rich was getting his information, I turned to the work of someone who has spent considerable time researching the Rothschild family, investigative journalist Mike Rothschild. He said the following about the Carlson and Rich interview:
“Carlson and Rich’s claim that the Rothschilds helped create or fund ‘Christian Zionism’ also don’t carry any kind of evidentiary weight. Many Rothschilds were Zionists, of course. Many also were not. The family is extremely large and varied in its beliefs and priorities, and so simply ascribing ‘the Rothschilds’ as having done something is a meaningless statement that only serves to fuel antisemitic conspiracy theories… The sources connecting all of this together are impossibly thin, mostly consisting of blogs and a few podcasts that throw the accusation out without evidence.”
— Mike Rothschild
Mike Rothschild further points out that much of the supposed “evidence” traces back to dubious sources, such as publications by Lyndon LaRouche—a figure known for promoting conspiracy theories with antisemitic undertones.
To be absolutely clear, I am completely open to the idea that Zionist Jews helped fund the Scofield Bible. It would impact me very little. But as of yet, I have not found any evidence to support such a claim. In fact, the search has caused me to have great concerns about people who would repeat such assertions without having evidence that supports such claims.
Final Thoughts
The claim that Zionist Jews or the Rothschild family funded the Scofield Reference Bible lacks credible evidence. The documented history points to dedicated Christian businessmen who supported Scofield’s work out of a shared commitment to disseminating biblical teachings. While it’s crucial to approach historical narratives with a critical eye, it’s equally important to distinguish between substantiated facts and unfounded speculation. As Christians we have a very high burden of proof and we must think through things analytically and carefully.
Ultimately, the theological impact of the Scofield Bible remains significant regardless of its financial backers. However, this controversy serves as a microcosm of a broader challenge facing Christians today. In an era where trust in institutions can be strained, there is a temptation to embrace conspiracy theories and believe we are being misled. This makes the pursuit of wisdom and discernment more crucial than ever. As believers, it’s imperative to ground our understanding in thorough research and factual evidence, ensuring that our faith is informed by truth rather than speculation. By doing so, we honor our Lord through a commitment to truth that lies at the very heart of what it means to be a Christian.
Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash
Peter Goeman
Peter serves at Shepherd's Theological Seminary in Cary, NC as the professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages. He loves studying the Bible and helping others understand it. He also runs The Bible Sojourner podcast and Youtube channel.
6 Comments
Anon
Peter,
I think this was a good article. I would not necessarily agree with all of Scofield’s commentary (I do consider the Song of Solomon more speaking of Israel than of the Body of Christ).
The level of negative comments spoken here certainly demonstrates how people have been warped by conspriracy “hypotheses” rather than any level of proven fact. It is well documented on the Plymouth Brethren position in ths matter regarding Scofield.
The argument regarding Scofield is strong proof of the bad doctrine that people embrace regarding anti-semistism, which in the end demonstrates the lack of the Gospel message of grace to not just to the Jewish people, but all people. It leads to division, where conspriacy takes precedent over logic, reason, and knowledge.
Peter Goeman
Appreciate you reading! I think you’re right… there is an embrace of anti semitism that is going on in different parts of the Christian community. Appreciate you reading the blog.
Seth Denney
Peter,
Thank you for the article. I always appreciate your careful and balanced thinking in these areas. I’m a Dispensationalist who is used to the misunderstandings (some I think willful and some probably ignorant) of the system. My parents gave me a Scofield Bible in high school and it sits on my shelf today. I would not agree with everything in it (including the Gap Theory) but overall I have a great appreciation for the many valuable notes that are in the Scofield Bible. It gave great emphasis to Christians personally studying the Bible on their own. Keep up the good work brother.
Seth
J.P. Kerber, Esq.
With your emphasis on dispensationism, per se, you are avoiding the real issue. The details of the atrocities commited by Israel in Gaza arrive in my news feed every single day – with details, from credible sources, nonstop. The same spirit underlies what Israel is doing in the West Bank. And then the pagers – planned with great care by Israel, used primarily by civilians in Lebanon, you bring the pager up to your face to look at the message and it explodes – or it explodes in the face of a child. Courtesy of the Zionists. And, also part of my news feed, every single day, is the support for all of this by Evangelicals. I also read the justified condemnation by those who still have a moral compass who are not, or are no longer, Evangelicals. God’s work? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Christian Zionism is destroying the Christian witness in our nation.
Where in the Bible do we find instructions for Israel to do, in the flesh, what God will accomplish ONLY when Christ returns? Where do we find God blessing a nation that has turned from him – a nation that is now celebrated as one of the centers for committing the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? Where does God promise to bless Israel while they stand in open defiance of His commandments, in a state of utter rejection of their God? Why do you dance around dispensationalism while this error is being propagated and Evangelicals need to wake up? When Israel’s atheists quote from the Bible as their authority, it is duplicity.
To say that dispensationalism is the good that resulted from the Scoffield Bible is absurd. God might use our enemies for political purposes, but we do not learn how to interpret the word of God except by the Holy Spirit who gives understanding to those who seek Him in humility. Period. We do not look to outsiders to explain the word of God to us, as believers. To the extent that dispensationalism embodies correct theology, it has been hijacked. That is how fraud works – you use a partial truth as the vehicle for a lie.
The real poison of the whole matter, theologically speaking, is the absurd notion of a pretribulation rapture. It has blinded Evangelicals to the point of becoming a theological addiction, with everyone parroting the same lies. When confronted with a genuine, detailed analysis, I hear nothing but silence, or an appeal to their own “authority.” Dispensationism is the foundation for the pre-trib rapture lie, which causes Christians to race toward Armageddon, not realizing that they might very well be the saints that will overcome by the antichrist, as foretold in Daniel. They are drunk with the notion of thinking they will fly off into heaven before things get bad. It’s not going to happen that way, and they are not prepared for tribuation.
James Perloff and others have written solid pieces on the history of the Scoffield Bible. Especially troubling is the fact that it was the first to presume to make commentary look like it was part of the Word of God itself. Commentary should be written in a separate document. But even without tracing the history of Darby and Scoffied, the fruit is poison. And we know that the fruit does not fall far from the tree. Peter, wake up.
Alex Krause
The best note that Scofield had was the “Gap Theory” after Genesis 1. At least he tried to address one of the greatest cognitive conflicts of the bible with observation.
As for Dispensationalism, it’s heretical. Here’s why: If the task of a person is to find out what are the requirements for salvation the their respective era, then the system has devolved to works salvation. God is absent from the system where man is supreme. In my mind, Dispensationalism is sort of Arminian. One couldn’t be a 5 pointer easily among the “D” group which I knew.
Peter Goeman
It is interesting that Scofield gets a lot of bad press for his gap theory note. I totally disagree with his perspective, but I do think those kinds of discussions ought to be addressed in study Bibles.
As far as dispensationalists trying to find out what requirements for salvation are in different areas, I’m not sure what group you were a part of, but it sounds terrible. It also sounds completely unlike any of the dispensationalists I know. But there are crazies that claim to be in every group.