How We Got The Bible 12-12-07 8am

How Did We Get Our Bible? Your City or Church Name 2007

The New Testament

What actually happened in the formation of the New Testament? How did the NT become part of the BIBLE?

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The facts we look at will strengthen our faith in seeing the leading of God in the writing of His Word, in its transmission and preservation. Clearly, God does not desert us. Bottom Line: Our Bible MIRACLE

IS A

True for ALL Bibles--in ALL languages and ALL versions within a language!

The First Christian Century •

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Christians’ Bible is the Old 30 - 100 AD: Oral Tradition Testament :

First NT book written 1 Thessalonians 51 AD

61 AD: Mark 51 - 95 AD:

First Gospel written -

Period covering the writing of all 27 NT books

Oral Tradition •

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In the days of Jesus, as well as before and after, in Judaism, the most important information was committed to memory Therefore, all the teachings of Jesus and all of his actions were memorized Memory techniques were used that show up in the written records.

From Oral Tradition to Written Records

The Gentile mission called for written documents because of the rapid expansion of Christianity

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At least one gospel, Matthew, was first written in Aramaic (Hebrew dialect) All of the NT was written in Greek, the language of the Greco-Roman world From Greek: Latin, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, etc.--the languages used in various locations where Christianity spread.

The Bible for the Christians

First

Some Hebrew Manuscripts of the OT Many Greek Manuscripts of the OT A few copies of the Apocrypha

Second Century - 1

New Testament books carry great authority, but are not considered “Bible”

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From a practical perspective, Jesus’ teachings carried as much or more authority as did their Bible (the OT). They just did not consider it to be BIBLE / Canon. Old Testament is still the Christian’s Bible

Second Century - 2

Early in this century the Gospels begin to be quoted in the same way as the OT By the later quarter of this century (around 180 AD), Paul’s letters begin to carry the same authority as the OT Oldest copy of the NT in existence was written -sometime between 175 - 210.

The Bodmer Papyrus

Third Century More and more versions are produced, translated from the Greek. Church faces severe persecution but continues to grow quickly. Church deals with many heretical movements.

Fourth Century

Edict of Milan - 313 AD Christianity becomes the State religion by Constantine’s decree in 313 Consequences were immense regarding the New Testament manuscripts

Results of Edict 1 Christianity is no longer illegal

Christians no longer have to copy their Scriptures in secret Free from persecution, more money available for copying the Bible

Two Famous Uncial Manuscripts Codex Sinaiticus – ca. 350 AD Codex Vaticanus – ca. 350 AD These manuscripts were unknown at the time the KJV was translated [Received their names from where they were discovered]

Codex Sinaiticus

Results of Edict (continued)

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Increased missionary activity calls for more copies of the Bible •

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Scriptoriums sprang up What was a Scriptorium? It was their ancient duplicating system How did it work?

Scriptoriums •

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A Scriptorium was the method used to produce many copies of the Bible as quickly as possible. One scribe would read aloud from a manuscript in front of him to many scribes. The scribes would write what the reader said. Some scribes knew Greek characters but not the Greek language.

New Testament Formation In 367 AD, for the first time, a list of NT books was written, which list contains the 27 books now in our NT.

From AD Greek400 to 1400 manuscripts continued to be written in uncial script (all capitals and no spaces until 835 AD)

From 9th century, most manuscripts were written in cursive (our longhand versus printing) -- this was much faster First complete Bible in 1382

English

Uncial Script

Cursive Text

Wycliff’s Bible This Bible, written in the language of the people, brought a great reformation to England This English Bible was based on the Latin Vulgate (no Greek Bible at the time)

Fifteenth Century Printing Invented Gutenberg Press, 1456 Revolutionized production of Bibles First published work was the Bible

First Bible Printed -1456 The Gutenburg Bible

Sixteenth Century Erasmus publishes the first Greek New Testament in 1516 This Greek Bible was based on six manuscripts Erasmus was able to locate The oldest one dated from the 10th century

Erasmus

(1466?--1536) Dutch, Roman Catholic, intellectual. Gave us the first printed Greek New Testament, 1516. The Erasmus Greek Text (KJV basis) No manuscript available that was complete. Used, therefore, several 12th century (“Byzantine”) manuscripts. No complete copy of Revelation in Greek so he used Latin Vulgate for the last six verses, translating from Latin to Greek—and these verses still remain the Greek text of the “Received Text” (TR) and the basis for the KJV

Erasmus

(1466?--1536) He added some passages from the Vulgate not found in Greek manuscripts.

Reaction to his text was so negative that universities in England, including Cambridge and Oxford, prohibited the reading of anything he wrote. One severe criticism was that he had left out 1 John 5:7-8 [“the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one.”] Erasmus said he had done so because it was not in any Greek manuscript (it was only in the Latin Vulgate).

Erasmus (1466?--1536)

He said he would put the verses in if someone could produce a Greek manuscript which contained them. Not too long afterwards, one was “made to order!” (Ink was still wet.)

Erasmus’ Greek NT

The Textus Receptus

Called the “Received Text”

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This Greek text was put together from six late Greek manuscripts (12th to 15th centuries), edited by a Roman Catholic The foundation for all of the English versions, including the KJV, until 1881 when the English Revised Version was published

Textus Receptus 2The Greek text put together

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Erasmus in 1516 was used by Stephanus who gave us our verse divisions in 1551 The designation “Received Text” did not appear until 1633

By the time the KJV was translated, there were around 25 Greek manuscripts known

Textus Receptus In 1624, the Dutch brothers and 3•printers (Elzevir) used the Erasmus Greek text.

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They mentioned in the preface of the 1633 edition that the reader has “the text which is now received by all, in which we give nothing changed or corrupted.”

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Hence the “Received Text”—TR. Later to be “authorized” by the king.

William Tyndale We owe more to this man than any other for the enduring beauty of the English translation of the Bible He used the Greek NT text of Erasmus, third edition from 1522

Tyndale’s Bible - Romans -

Tyndale’s Letter - 1535

English Bibles (all based on Erasmus’ Greek NT and Tyndale’s English translation)

1535 -- Coverdale’s Bible (Tyndale) 1537 -- Matthew’s Bible (Tyndale) 1539 -- The Great Bible 1560 -- The Geneva Bible 1568 -- The Bishops’ Bible 1582 -- The Rheims Bible

The Great Bible It came out three years 1539 following Tyndale’s martyrdom-It was essentially Tyndale’s translation. It was “authorized” by King Henry It was commended by the clergy, including Bishop Tunstal--who worked so hard to destroy Tyndale’s work The very copy of the Bible Tunstal had tossed into the bond fires, he was now endorising--not knowing he was, of course

The Geneva Bible 1560 “Geneva” because it was Called

produced in Geneva where reformers fled under the fiveyear reign of Queen Mary, a Catholic. Its anti-Catholic notes prevented universal acceptance It was the pilgrims’ Bible and remained the most popular Bible for nearly a 100 years after the KJV was published

The Geneva Bible -

1560

The Bishop’s Bible 1568 Supported by the clergy Second bible to be “authorized”

The King James Version

1611 - The King James Version Based on the Erasmus Greek NT - a few years later to be known as the Textus Receptus Did not replace the Geneva Bible in the church for 100 years

KJV Title Page - 1611 -

King James I

First Bible Printed in America

Nineteenth Century Discovery of Codex Sinaiticus in 1844 Publication of the English Revised Version in 1881 (This version was used immediately and repeatedly by Ellen White)

Modern Speech Versions

In 1897, the Oxyrhnchus papyrii were discovered These papyrii showed that the Greek of the NT was the language of the man on the street Result: translations came out that reflected this characteristic

Modern Speech Translations Weymouth revisions) Moffatt Goodspeed Philips

- 1903 (+ 4 - 1913 - 1923 - 1958

This Afternoon •

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The nature of scribal mistakes and why they do not affect the infallibility of God’s Word the inspiration question How do we choose between variations in the manuscripts

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The King James Debate

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Which version should one use?

he Inspiration of the Bible From Selected Messages •

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The writers of the Bible had to express their ideas in human language. It was written by human men.” - 19 “The Bible was given for practical purposes.” - 20

he Inspiration of the Bible From Selected Messages •

The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God’s mode of thought and expression. It is that of humanity. God, as a writer, is not represented. Men will often say such an expression is not like God. But God has not put Himself in words, in logic, in rhetoric, on trial in the Bible. The writers of the Bible were God’s penmen, not His pen. Look at the different writers. – 21

he Inspiration of the Bible The Bible is not given to us in From Selected Messages grand superhuman language.

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“Some look to us gravely and say, ‘Don’t you think there might have been some mistake in the copyist or in the translators?’ … All the mistakes will not cause trouble to one soul, or cause any feet to stumble, that would not manufacture difficulties from the plainest

he Inspiration of the Bible From Selected Messages It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man’s words or his expressions but on the man himself, who under the influence of the Holy Ghost is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will: thus the utterances of the man are the word of God. - 21

Differences in the Temptation Records Temptation #1

Matthew 4:3: “And the tempter came and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’"

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Luke 4:3:

“And the devil said to Him,

‘If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’"

Differences in the Temptation Records Temptation •

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Matthew 4:6: “...and said to Him, ‘If #2 You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give His angels charge concerning You'; and 'On their hands they will bear You up, Lest You strike Your foot against a stone.’”

Luke 4:6: “And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, ‘I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.’"

Differences in the Temptation Records Temptation •

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Matthew 4:8-9: “Again, the devil took #3 Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, ‘All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.’”

Luke 4:9: “And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.’”

Limited Phil. 2:8-11: “And being found Understanding in fashion as a man, he humbled

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himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Different Methods

Matt. 2:15: “And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Hosea 11:1-2: “When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the farther they went from me, Sacrificing to the Baals and burning incense to idols.”

Baby Boys Killed “Then Herod, when he saw that he

Matt. 2:16-18:

was mocked of the wise men,...and slew all the children...from two years old and under,…Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

In Rama was there a voice heard,

lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”

Jer. 31:15-16:

“Thus says the LORD: In Ramah is

heard the sound of moaning, of bitter weeping! Rachel mourns her children, she refuses to be consoled because her children are no more.

Thus

says the LORD: Cease your cries of mourning, wipe the tears from your eyes. The sorrow you have shown shall have its reward, says the LORD, they shall

The Original Manuscript

Today, there are over 5,700 copies of handwritten manuscripts containing all or parts of the New Testament. None is the original (the one actually written by Matthew, Paul, James, etc.). No two of these manuscripts agree 100 percent.

HOLD ON: How Can This Be? This being the case, how do we know if we have the reading of the original? How do we choose which reading within a manuscript is either the original or closest to it?

This Afternoon... How is the decision made for selecting the best reading when the manuscripts differ? •

We will also look at the strengths and weaknesses of various versions (acknowledging that even the poorest translation is still God’s Word)

The Nature Of Variants In The Text I.

UNINTENTIONAL VARIANTS

Areas covered are the very human aspects of: •

Errors Due to Hearing

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Errors Due to Eyesight

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Errors Due to the Mind

Clearly, such recognized textual variations in the Greek manuscripts have no impact on the meaning of the biblical text, as evidenced in the following examples.

Insignificant Manuscript 22: Please pass me their copy of the book. Readings Manuscript 32: Please pass me there copy of the book. Manuscript 42: of the book. Manuscript 52: of the book.

Please pass me thier copy Please pass me their xyca

Manuscript 32: laboratory in town. Manuscript 22: labouratory in town.

The work is done in the the center of

Manuscript 22: Manuscript 62:

He turned on the light. He turned on the lite.

The work is done in the the centre of

A. Errors Due to Hearing:

(When scribe wrote from dictation)

1. Vowel Sounds [See English examples on the words “there” and “their;” “to,” “too,” and “two”]

2. Typos. Thousands of the so-called “errors” in the NT manuscripts are from this category—and have no significance whatsoever] Example: thier for their

B. Errors due to Eyesight: 1. Confusion of Letters

D/ L LL / M O / Q S / E ( X) 2.

Confusion of Words effect / affect

C. Errors Due to the Mind 1.

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Substitution:

concerning / on behalf of out / from Synonyms:

working / laboring immediately / quickly

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INTENTIONAL CHANGES

[When a thinking scribe could be dangerous— alterations made in good faith, noble motivation] Areas covered: Marginal Notations Explanatory Additions Elimination of Obscurities Doctrinal Conflations/Harmonizations

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Clearing up Historical Difficulties Matt. 27:9: “Then was fulfilled what was written in Jeremiah the prophet…” OTHER MSS have Matthew saying: “Then was fulfilled what was written in Zachariah the prophet…” [or they omit Jeremiah]

Criteria For Selection Of A Reading A. The date of the manuscript - the oldest is preferred.

B. The geographical distribution of the witnesses that agree in supporting a variant.

C. The genealogical relationship of texts and families of witnesses.

The number of

manuscripts is not a factor.

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Usually, the more difficult reading is to be preferred (more difficult from the point of view of the scribe).

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Usually, the shorter reading is to be preferred (except for obvious reasons such as losing ones place).

Unintentional Some Manuscripts Read: Other Manuscripts Read: Mt. 5:44. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

[Lk. 6:27-28. But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.]

Mt. 5:44. But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you.

[The words in Luke are carried over to Matthew]

Unintentional 2-3 Some Manuscripts Read:

Other Manuscripts Read:

Mt. 9:13. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance

Mt. 9:13. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Gal. 6:17. I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

Gal. 6:17. I bear on my body the marks of the: …Lord Jesus. …Lord Jesus Christ. …Our Lord Jesus CHRIST

Intentional 1 Some Manuscripts Read: Other Manuscripts Read: Mk. 1:2. As it is written in the prophets.

Acts. Disciples were in the temple praising God. Acts Disciples were in the temple blessing Lk. God. 1:3. It seemed

good to me and the Holy Spirit to write and orderly account.

Mk 1:2. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet... [followed by quotations from Mal. 3:1 and Isa. 40:3]. Acts. Disciples were in the temple praising and blessing God. Lk. 1:3. It seemed good to me to write an orderly account.

Unintentional 4-5 Some Manuscripts Read: John 7:8. Jesus tells his disciples: I am not going up to the feast. [Two verses later, Jesus goes to the feast.] Mt. 24:36. No one knows the hour, not even the angels in heaven, but the Father only.

Other Manuscripts Read: John 7:8. Jesus tells his disciples: I am not yet going up to the feast.

Mt. 24:36. No one knows the hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Next: Versions

Examples of poor Translations •

RSV 1 Corinthians 5:1:

“It is actually reported

that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father's wife.”

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KJV is better with “fornication” (a word that covers all sexual immorality).

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NRSV made it correct: sexual immorality

Ephesians 2:14 •RSV

Ephesians 2:14-16: “For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.”

•NRSV •KJV

still has it wrong and so does NIV

is correct by “commandments contained in ordinances (also the reading of the NAS)

NIV Mistranslation •

NIV 1 Corinthians 7:1: “Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.”

Conclusion •

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Regardless of the differences we find: • In the original Greek manuscripts or • In the various English translations ALL contain the Word of God, and ALL are infallible in matters of faith and doctrine

Summary Statement Regarding the Value of God’s Word (from Preface to the RSV)

•The Bible is more than a historical document to be preserved.

•And it is more than a classic of English literature to be cherished and admired.

•It is a record of God’s dealing with men, of God’s revelation of Himself and His will.

It records the life and work of Him in whom the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among men.

The Bible carries its full message, not to those who regard it simply as a heritage of the past or praise its literary style, but to those who read it that they may discern and understand God’s Word to men.

That Word must not be disguised in phrases that are no longer

clear, or hidden under

words that have changed or lost their meaning.

It must stand forth in language that is direct and plain and meaningful to people

“It is our hope and our earnest prayer that this Revised Standard Version of the Bible may be used by God to speak to men in these momentous times, and to help them to understand and believe and obey His Word.”

Our prayers are for the same response to

any Bible, in any language of any age!