How did we get this book, anyway? Tim Harris, Church of the Holy Spirit, Fall 2015

Transcription

1 How did we get this book, anyway?

2 I read it on the Internet I received a chain from a friend It was reported on TV on the channel. Four out of five dentists agree

3 I ate a sausage biscuit for breakfast today Last week, Quigg preached on Matthew 28 Washington crossed the Delaware, had wooden teeth and chopped down a cherry tree Alexander the Great conquered many Jesus claimed to be God and rose from the dead

4 An eye witness account Multiple eye witness accounts Reliability of the witnesses (sources) How long ago did it happen Historical artifacts inscriptions, monuments, art, etc. Writings letters, histories, biographies, etc.

5 When we only have copies (manuscripts) and not the original document. And the manuscripts contain variations of the text (i.e. copying errors). Various methods are used to produce a version of the document that is as close to the original as possible.

6 Plato 7 copies, 1300 year gap

7 Plato 7 copies, 1300 year gap Aristotle 49 copies, 1450 year gap

8 Plato 7 copies, 1300 year gap Aristotle 49 copies, 1450 year gap Homer s Iliad > 2,200 copies, 500 year gap (most manuscripts of any ancient writing)

9 Plato 7 copies, 1300 year gap Aristotle 49 copies, 1450 year gap Homer s Iliad > 2,200 copies, 500 year gap (most manuscripts of any ancient writing) New Testament 5,600+ copies in original language 50 to 150 year gap quoted by the church fathers > 36,000 times all but 11 verses of the NT

10 Oral tradition - Apostles as the authority

11 Oral tradition - Apostles as the authority Most of the NT written

12 Oral tradition - Apostles as the authority Most of the NT written Copies distributed amongst churches

13 Oral tradition - Apostles as the authority Most of the NT written Copies distributed amongst churches Certain books are widely read by the churches

14 Oral tradition - Apostles as the authority Most of the NT written Copies distributed amongst churches Certain books are widely read by the churches Apostles die, churches look to books and bishops for authority

15 Oral tradition - Apostles as the authority Most of the NT written Copies distributed amongst churches Certain books are widely read by the churches Apostles die, churches look to books and bishops for authority Desire to define what books should be accepted as scripture and what is not (the canon)

16 c.95 Clement of Rome quotes from 10 NT books, is aware of Paul s writings 115 Ignatius, bishop of Antioch referred to the four Gospels as authoritative c.180 Muratorian canon oldest canon lists 22 NT books, except Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 3 John c.200 Tertullian lists 23 NT books, quotes NT 7,000 times c.230 Origen of Alexandria included all NT books except James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John. Included Shepherd of Hermas. Quotes NT 18,000 times Eusebius - history of the church most NT books accepted as canon, mentions books as disputed but accepted by many James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Revelation. Mentions books that are rejected: Acts of Paul, Shepherd of Hermas 367 Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria first official list to include all 27 NT books and only those Councils of Hippo and Carthage agree to 27 NT book canon

17 Written on papyrus or vellum Copied painstakingly word-for-word by hand, or written down while someone else read it Not a daisy-chain of copy copy copy But multiple copies from one document Variations in the text creep in - more than one way to spell a word - a word that sounds the same - clarifications or corrections

18 c : John 2 nd century: Revelation c.200: Matt, Luke, 8 Pauline epistles, Hebrews 3 rd century: Mark, Acts, 2 Thes, Philemon, James, 1 John 3 rd /4 th century: 2 Thes, 1&2 Pet, 2 John, Jude 4 th century: 1 & 2 Tim, 3 John

19 Century # 2nd 2 c nd/3rd 8 3rd 38 3rd/4th 48 4th 77 4th/5th 93 5th 132 5th/6th 146 6th 207

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21 200,000 variants affecting 10,000 places

22 200,000 variants affecting 10,000 places 1,444 of significance for translation

23 126 A ratings virtually certain 475 B ratings some degree of doubt 699 C ratings considerable degree of doubt 144 D ratings very high degree of doubt

24 Earlier manuscript over later Shorter version over longer Majority that agree More difficult over easier reading

25 Matt 8:28 When he arrived at the other side of the region of the Gadarenes, two demonpossessed men C 1) Gadarenon, 2) Gergesanon, 3) Gerasanon

26 Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. C 1) there was out of the heavens, 2) out of the heavens ekousthe, 3) out of the heavens

27 John 11:38 even if you do not believe me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father. C 1) there was out of the heavens, 2) out of the heavens ekousthe, 3) out of the heavens

28 1 Cor 14:39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. D 1) the to speak forbid not tongues, 2) to speak forbid not the tongues, 3) the to speak in tongues forbid not, 4) the to speak tongues forbid not

29 400 words in question in 40 verses out of 183,253 words out of 7,947 total verses = 99.5% to 99.78% accuracy

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