How Did We Get the Bible?

Lesson Four: Manuscript Discoveries & Modern Translations How We Got the Bible Lesson Four: Manuscript Discoveries & Modern Translations

Why Does My Bible Say Something Different? “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1, NKJV) “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NASB)

The Nature of Inspiration Plenary “Full” Inspiration. Lat. plenus “full.” All of Scripture is inspired. Verbal Inspiration. Every word of Scripture is inspired. Dynamic Inspiration. Although the the personality and environment of the writer was allowed to show through - the Holy Spirit held absolute control of the outcome.

The Nature of Inspiration Plenary “Full” Inspiration. Lat. plenus “full.” All of Scripture is inspired. Verbal Inspiration. Every word of Scripture is inspired. Dynamic Inspiration. Although the the personality and environment of the writer was allowed to show through - the Holy Spirit held absolute control of the outcome.

The Nature of Inspiration Plenary “Full” Inspiration. Lat. plenus “full.” All of Scripture is inspired. Verbal Inspiration. Every word of Scripture is inspired. Dynamic Inspiration. Although the the personality and environment of the writer was allowed to show through - the Holy Spirit held absolute control of the outcome.

Bible Claims of Inspiration “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)

Bible Claims of Inspiration “...No Prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)

Reasons Versions Differ Style of Translation (Literal, Dynamic or Paraphrase). Changes in Language (Archaic forms replaced with modern wording). Different Textual Basis (OT – Massoretic Text vs. Dead Sea Scrolls; NT – Textus Receptus, Critical Text, Majority Text).

Reasons Versions Differ Style of Translation (Literal, Dynamic or Paraphrase). Changes in Language (Archaic forms replaced with modern wording). Different Textual Basis (OT – Massoretic Text vs. Dead Sea Scrolls; NT – Textus Receptus, Critical Text, Majority Text).

Reasons Versions Differ Style of Translation (Literal, Dynamic or Paraphrase). Changes in Language (Archaic forms replaced with modern wording). Different Textual Basis (OT – Massoretic Text vs. Dead Sea Scrolls; NT – Textus Receptus, Critical Text, Majority Text).

The Textual Basis of Scripture

The Textual Basis of Scripture What Text Was Used in Translation? Old Testament The traditional Hebrew text known as the Massoretic Text. Critical texts making use of modern discoveries.

The Textual Basis of Scripture What Text Was Used in Translation? Old Testament The traditional Hebrew text known as the Massoretic Text. Critical texts making use of modern discoveries.

The Textual Basis of Scripture What Text Was Used in Translation? Old Testament The traditional Hebrew text known as the Massoretic Text. Critical texts making use of modern discoveries.

The Textual Basis of Scripture What Text Was Used in Translation? New Testament The traditional Greek text known as the Textus Receptus. Critical texts making use of modern discoveries.

The Textual Basis of Scripture What Text Was Used in Translation? New Testament The traditional Greek text known as the Textus Receptus. Critical texts making use of modern discoveries.

The Textual Basis of Scripture What Text Was Used in Translation? New Testament The traditional Greek text known as the Textus Receptus. Critical texts making use of modern discoveries.

Texts From Different a Textual Basis “for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth.” (Ephesians 5:9, NKJV) “For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” (Ephesians 5:9, NASB)

The Hebrew Massoretic Text

The Massoretes Jewish scribes (ca. 500-1000) who followed the recognized massorah “tradition” of copying and preserving the Hebrew Old Testament text.

The Massoretes They worked in Tiberias, Babylon & Jerusalem. Developed the system of vowel marking used in Hebrew.

No Vowels Markings – Through 500 AD Vowel Markings – After 500-600 AD Hebrew Script No Vowels Markings – Through 500 AD Vowel Markings – After 500-600 AD

The Massoretes Carefully counted every letter of the text. Made the practice of destroying damaged texts to prevent corruption of the text.

The Massoretes The Hebrew Text transmitted by them is called the Massoretic Text. Most important family - Aaron ben Asher.

Oldest Massoretic Texts Allepo Codex Copied ca. 920 by Shlomo ben Buya’a and verified by Aaron ben Asher. Used by Maimonides. Complete until 1947 when portions were lost in fire and riots.

Oldest Massoretic Texts Leningrad Codex Copied in 1008 from Aaron ben Asher manuscripts. Oldest complete Massoretic Text. Housed in St. Petersberg in the Imperial Library.

Old Testament Time Gaps 400 BC Ano Domini 400 AD 800 AD 1000 AD 1400 AD Last Book Written Allepo Codex 1300 year gap 920 AD

Man Asks… Can We Be Confident That the Text of the Old Testament We Have Today Represents the Old Testament as it was Originally Written?

The Providence of God “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) Sample Point Layout Type 2

God will not allow His word to be lost forever – His providence has played a role in the preservation of Scripture.

Textus Receptus

In 1516 Erasmus published the first critical edition of the Greek NT. Desiderius Erasmus In 1516 Erasmus published the first critical edition of the Greek NT.

Robert Stephanus In 1550 Robert Estienne (Lat. Stephanus) published a revision in Geneva of Erasmus’ text making use of more manuscripts. Stephanus’ work came to be known as the “Text received by all” or Textus Receptus.

It Is Clear That… Erasmus & Stephanus had limited access to Greek manuscripts. Yet, the text which they published represents what is found in the majority of the extant Greek mss. There are 5686 Greek mss of the New Testament - Norman Geisler & Peter Bocchino, Unshakeable Foundations, (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2001) p. 256.

It Is Clear That… Erasmus & Stephanus had limited access to Greek manuscripts. Yet, the text which they published represents what is found in the majority of the extant Greek mss. There are 5686 Greek mss of the New Testament - Norman Geisler & Peter Bocchino, Unshakeable Foundations, (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2001) p. 256.

It Is Clear That… Erasmus & Stephanus had limited access to Greek manuscripts. Yet, the text which they published represents what is found in the majority of the extant Greek mss. There are 5686 Greek mss of the New Testament - Norman Geisler & Peter Bocchino, Unshakeable Foundations, (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2001) p. 256.

New Testament Time Gaps 100 AD 250 AD 500 AD 750 AD 1000 AD 1250 AD 1500 AD Last Book Ca. 95 Textus Receptus 1400 year gap 1516

Man Asks Again… Can We Be Confident That the Text of the New Testament We Have Today Represents the New Testament as it was Originally Written?

The Providence of God (Daniel 2:44) “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44) Sample Point Layout Type 2

God will not allow His word to be lost forever – His providence has played a role in the preservation of Scripture.

Classification of Manuscripts The renewed appreciation for the authority of the Bible led to a zealous interest in preserving and classifying Biblical Manuscripts.

Uncial Manuscripts - Older Uncials – Through 900 AD Minuscules – After 800 AD

Codex Alexandrinus (A) 16 years after the KJV was published Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople presented Charles I with a near complete Greek manuscript of the Bible believed to have come from Alexandria dating to ca. 400.

Codex Vaticanus (B) Since at least 1475, in the earliest catalog of the Vatican library, there is a near complete mss of the Greek Bible believed to date to the ca. 300.

Codex Bezae (D) In 1581 Theodore Beza, friend and successor to John Calvin, gave Cambridge Library a mss of the Gospels and Acts which he acquired from a monastery in Lyons dating to the 5th or 6th century.

The Preservation of God’s Word “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

Codex Sinaiticus

Constantin Tischendorf (1815-1874) At 19 he was already a gifted scholar of classics. At 25 he was a university lecturer. At 26 he deciphered a palimpsest (i.e. “scraped twice”) manuscript, Codex Ephraemi.

Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C) A near complete manuscript of the New Testament from ca. 400 underneath a work of Ephream written over the top of it.

Constantin Tischendorf (1815-1874) At 27 he published his first edition of the Greek New Testament. In 1844 at 29, he discovered the oldest complete NT mss at St. Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai before it was burned for firewood.

Codex Sinaiticus (a) Codex Sinaiticus dates to the ca. 300 AD and was elegantly written in four columns on fine parchment.

Codex Sinaiticus (a) When collated back together it was found to contain all of the NT and much of the LXX. It also had some 12,000 variants from the Textus Receptus.

Codex Sinaiticus (a) One variant was in Romans 8:1. While the majority of extant Greek mss have the longer reading, a stopped with the words… “There is there- fore now no cond- emnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Codex Sinaiticus (a) A notable variant was found in the end of Mark where a omits 16:9-20… …but left a large blank where the passage should have been. Blank Space

Constantin Tischendorf (1815-1874) Codex Sinaiticus served as the basis for Tischendorf’s future editions of the Greek NT. He published a total of eight from 1841-1869.

Constantin Tischendorf (1815-1874) “No single work of ancient Greek classical literature can command three such original witnesses as the Sinaitic, Vatican, and Alexandrine Manuscripts, to the integrity and accuracy of its text.” Introduction to the Authorized Version of the English New Testament Lepzig, Winter 1868

Codex Alexandrinus (A) Three Witnesses Codex Sinaiticus (a) Codex Vaticanus (B) Codex Alexandrinus (A)

Three Witnesses These three uncial mss do provide remarkable witnesses to the NT text.

New Testament Reliability Author Date Written Earliest Copy Approximate Time Span between  original & copy Number of Manuscripts  Plato 427-347 B.C. 900 A.D. 1200 yrs 7  Herodotus 480-425 B.C. 1300 yrs 8  Thucydides 460-400 B.C.  Euripides 480-406 B.C. 1100 A.D. 9  Caesar 100-44 B.C. 1000 10  Tacitus circa 100 A.D. 1000 yrs 20  Aristotle 384-322 B.C. 1400 49  Sophocles 496-406 B.C. 1000 A.D. 1400 yrs 193  Homer (Iliad) 900 B.C. 400 B.C. 500 yrs 643  New  Testament A.D. 50-100 A.D. ca. 150 A.D. less than 100 years 5600 Modified from Manuscript evidence for superior  New Testament reliability, CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS & RESEARCH MINISTRY  www.carm.org

Three Witnesses These three uncial mss do provide remarkable witnesses to the NT text. Yet… Does the age of a manuscript guarantee its accuracy? Does a well preserved mss mean it fell into disuse for some reason? Should accepted readings be rejected on the witness of a few?

Westcott & Hort In 1881 B.F. West-cott & F.J.A. Hort published a critical text of the Greek New Testament using the Uncial mss as their source. This text omitted words or phrases that had been in Textus Receptus, and listed in the back rejected readings. [No critical apparatus].

Modern Critical Texts Since Westcott & Hort the two most popular critical texts which follow the same approach are Nestle-Aland and the United Bible Society Text (NU).

Modern Critical Texts Both include a critical apparatus which allows the reader to see the manuscript evidence for variants.

The “Majority” Text In 1982 Zane Hodges & Arthur Farstad introduced a new approach which considers the weight of evidence for various readings rather than the age alone. The Majority Text is very similar to the Textus Receptus except in a very few passages.

“Test all things; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Sample Point Layout Type 2

The Possibility of Apostasy “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires because they have itching ears…” Sample Point Layout Type 2

The Possibility of Apostasy “…they will heap up for them-selves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.” (1 Timothy 4:3,4) Sample Point Layout Type 2

In the days of Josiah the “Book of the Law” was lost! It is Right To… Make certain that copies of texts are accurate Make certain that translations are accurate This does not reflect a lack of trust in God or the inspiration of Scripture In the days of Josiah the “Book of the Law” was lost!

Modern Translations

Spelling differences (98% of variants). The Nature of Variants Spelling differences (98% of variants). Word or phrase omitted or substituted (e.g. “Jesus” for “Christ”). Section omitted (e.g. Mark 16).

Gr. epignosis (¤pÛgnvsiw) 2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Gr. epignosis (¤pÛgnvsiw)

Spelling differences (98% of variants). The Nature of Variants Spelling differences (98% of variants). Word or phrase omitted or substituted (e.g. “Jesus” for “Christ”). Section omitted (e.g. Mark 16).

Texts From Different a Textual Basis “…thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6, NKJV) “…thus you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6, NASB)

Spelling differences (98% of variants). The Nature of Variants Spelling differences (98% of variants). Word or phrase omitted or substituted (e.g. “Jesus” for “Christ”). Section omitted (e.g. Mark 16).

The Effect On Translation What effect should Sinaiticus have on the textual basis? Footnote variants Use as a primary source

The Effect On Translation What effect should Sinaiticus have on the textual basis? Footnote variants Use as a primary source

The Effect On Translation What effect should Sinaiticus have on the textual basis? Footnote variants Use as a primary source

Since Westcott & Hort… Editors of translations have been forced to choose between the accepting the “critical text” approach and the Textus Receptus. Should age determine accuracy? Should the number and distribution of witnesses determine accuracy?

Since Westcott & Hort… Editors of translations have been forced to choose between the accepting the “critical text” approach and the Textus Receptus. Should age determine accuracy? Should the number and distribution of witnesses determine accuracy?

Since Westcott & Hort… Editors of translations have been forced to choose between the accepting the “critical text” approach and the Textus Receptus. Should age determine accuracy? Should the number and distribution of witnesses determine accuracy?

Modern Translations Critical Text Textus Receptus * Revised Version (British) 1881 * American Standard 1901 * Revised Standard 1946 * New American Standard 1960 * New International Version 1978 Textus Receptus * New King James Version 1979

20th Century Discoveries

Major 20th Century Discoveries Biblical Papyri The Dead Sea Scrolls Silver Scroll Pendant

Major 20th Century Discoveries Biblical Papyri The Dead Sea Scrolls Silver Scroll Pendant

Major 20th Century Discoveries Biblical Papyri The Dead Sea Scrolls Silver Scroll Pendant

Biblical Papyri

The Nash Papyrus Four papyrus fragments of the Hebrew Old Testament acquired by W.L. Nash and published in 1903. Dated to the 2nd century BC. Contains portions of the 10 command-ments.

Codex Washingtonensis (W) Purchased from an Arab dealer near Cairo in 1906 and given to the Freer Gallery in Washington DC. Contains all the Gospels and dates to 350-400 AD. Not papyri – parchment.

The Nag Hammadi Library 50 Gnostic papyri, with 13 complete codices from from the 300s discovered in Egypt in 1945. Many of these gnostic texts provide early witnesses to the NT texts from which they are altered.

The Rylands Papyrus (P52) Acquired by B.P. Grenfell in Egypt in 1920 and published in 1934. It belongs to the Rylands Library. Dated to 150 AD. The oldest undisputed fragment of a NT book. (John 18:31-33)

Chester Beatty Papyrus (P46) Discovered in Egypt and sold to Chester Beatty & Univ. of Michigan in 1930s. Contains almost all of Paul’s epistles. First dated to around 200 AD. Some scholars place it into the first century based upon paleography.

Other Papyri Discoveries The 20th Century produced many other papyri discoveries of NT Greek manuscripts. These were earlier than Sinaiticus and in some cases had readings closer to the Textus Receptus.

New Testament Time Gaps No Gap? 100 AD 150 AD 200 AD 250 AD 300 AD 350 AD Last Book Ca. 95 Beatty p46 Rylands p52 Sinaiticus 50 year gap 150 AD 90-150 AD? 300 year gap 350 AD

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

His Word will Judge Us “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him– the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48)

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Old Testament Time Gaps 400 BC Ano Domini 400 AD 800 AD 1000 AD 1400 AD Last Book Written Allepo Codex 1300 year gap 920 AD

Sir Fredric Kenyon “There is indeed, no probability that we shall ever find manuscripts of the Hebrew text going back to a period before the formation of the text which we know as Masoretic. We can only arrive at an idea of it by a study of the earliest translations made from it.…” Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts, 1948 printing

The Dead Sea Scrolls In 1946 a Bedouin named Muhammad ed-Dib threw a stone into a cave looking for a goat that had wondered off. He heard the sound of something breaking.

The Dead Sea Scrolls Inside was found pottery jars filled with manuscripts. Over the next decades numerous caves with many other manuscripts were also discovered.

The Dead Sea Scrolls The manuscripts were found to be a library of 100s of religious & secular books stored away before the advance of the Romans on Jerusalem in 70 AD. They date from 100 BC – 70 AD.

11QPsalms(a) - The Psalms Scroll The Dead Sea Scrolls Among the scrolls were included Biblical mss of almost the entire the Hebrew Bible. 11QPsalms(a) - The Psalms Scroll

The Dead Sea Scrolls When studied it was found that the text matched the Massoretic Text almost exactly!

1QIsa - The Famous Isaiah Scroll The Dead Sea Scrolls 1QIsa - The Famous Isaiah Scroll

Old Testament Time Gaps 400 BC Ano Domini 400 AD 800 AD 1000 AD 1400 AD 300 year gap Last Book Written Dead Sea Scrolls Allepo Codex 100 BC – 70 AD 1300 year gap 920 AD

“I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for you have magnified Your word above all your name.” (Psalm 138:2)

The Silver Scroll Pendant

The Silver Scroll Pendant In 1979, in a tomb near Old Jerusalem, a tomb cave was excavated and a small silver scroll neck ornament was found with 18 lines of Hebrew dating from 600 BC.

The Silver Scroll Pendant The scroll reads, from Numbers 6:24-26: “The LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make His face to shine upon you and give you peace” This is the oldest Biblical passage ever found!

Old Testament Time Gaps No gap 400 BC Ano Domini 400 AD 800 AD 1000 AD 1400 AD 300 year gap Last Book Written Dead Sea Scrolls Allepo Codex Silver Scroll 600 BC 100 BC – 70 AD 920 AD

Sir Fredric Kenyon “It is reassuring at the end to find that the general result of all these discoveries (of manuscripts) and all this study is to strengthen the proof of the authenticity of the Scriptures and our conviction that we have in our hands the veritable Word of God.” From The Story of the Bible, Quoted in Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict

“Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

The Gospel is the Way to Salvation “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16