Alexander Thomson (1889-1966)

Alexander Thomson lived from 1889-1966. Thomson is among twelve persons described as having "played a significant role in the work of the Concordant Publishing Concern", publishers of the Concordant Literal Version of the Bible.

The Differentiator

Thomson was an editor and contributor for the periodical The Differentiator, which reviewed and commented upon Bible translation work. The periodical's co-editor, R. B. Withers, wrote of his long-time friend:

   "Alexander Thomson was born on the 19th of December, 1889, at the village of Corstorphine, now a part of Greater Edinburgh, the Capital of Scotland. In his twenty-first year his life [...] began to pursue the systematic study of the Scriptures; and he was unusually able in painstaking research into the amassing of accurate detail, with the endless checking, comparison and cross-references involved. This special talent was in due course applied to the 1930 edition of the Concordant Version, ...to see in the 1930 CV more than half-a-dozen faults... A. T. was completely vindicated by the inclusion of many of his corrections in the 1944 revision of the CV... To him belongs the credit of realizing that even a perfect translation is in practice worthless unless properly used. Perhaps some of his critics realized this. Indeed, a very large proportion of the errors which have been refuted in The Differentiator from time to time could have been perceived to be errors even if the CV had never existed. This startling fact shows how wise A.T. was in maintaining a balanced attitude instead of concentrating on the problems of translation and allowing exposition to be neglected. To this we owe his masterpiece: the splendid series of articles “Who is our God?” He made other very important contributions to our understanding of Scripture."

Concordant Publishing Concern

Commentary by Thomson was also published in the Concordant Publishing Concern's bimonthly magazine Unsearchable Riches. Ernest Oliver Knoch, former editor of Unsearchable Riches magazine and son of CPC founder Adolph Ernest Knoch, wrote of Thomson:

"Thompson's [sic] untiring and unselfish labors were invaluable in the compilation of the Concordant Version, and they have left an undying impression on the accuracy and value of that work. [...Thomson and A. E. Knoch] were singularly alike in their unflinching stand for the truth as they saw it, and in their untiring effort to ferret it out from the Word of God. Both were unselfishly devoted to...the compilation of the Concordant Version"

Thomson was mentioned in the Memoriam for A. E. Knoch as providing invaluable service in the early days of the Concordant Version by helping with various preparation work.

Further information

Print

Among Thomson's writings, his 40 page dissertation "WHENCE ETERNITY?" is still in print.

Online

Some of Thomson's articles are available online at God's Truth For Today!