The fact of the matter is there are no "original" manuscripts of the N.T. left. The way we can know that the Lord has "preserved" His word is because there are over 5,000 hand written copies and copies of copies that say the exact same thing in various languages of the world. The Bible was very meticulously copied and preserved by various groups all over the world. The Catholic church only "canonized" the N.T. to make the books the "official" N.T. They did NOT control all of the loose copies that were everywhere in the world. They only controlled a small portion of them and "modified" them before and during the reformation. These are know as the "Latin Vulgate". They are not used as part of the "received text"(5000 plus copies) that was used to give us our KJV of the bible in 1611. The KJV was simple the 1st "legal" English language version to emerge from the reformation.
What I am saying is that the Lord has "preserved" his word to nearly all languages in the world with over 5000 "witnesses" (before the printing press). You and I can trust this "cloud" of witnesses with our very lives.
The fact of the matter is there are no "original" manuscripts of the N.T. left. The way we can know that the Lord has "preserved" His word is because there are over 5,000 hand written copies and copies of copies that say the exact same thing in various languages of the world. The Bible was very meticulously copied and preserved by various groups all over the world. The Catholic church only "canonized" the N.T. to make the books the "official" N.T. They did NOT control all of the loose copies that were everywhere in the world. They only controlled a small portion of them and "modified" them before and during the reformation. These are know as the "Latin Vulgate". They are not used as part of the "received text"(5000 plus copies) that was used to give us our KJV of the bible in 1611. The KJV was simple the 1st "legal" English language version to emerge from the reformation.
What I am saying is that the Lord has "preserved" his word to nearly all languages in the world with over 5000 "witnesses" (before the printing press). You and I can trust this "cloud" of witnesses with our very lives.
Yes there are over 5,000 manuscripts, but every single one of them has human errors of transmission, and that is the beauty of it, for by looking at the overall text, we can pretty much figure out where the scribes fell asleep and made mistakes.
If one text says
Zechariah son of Barachiah
and another says
Zechariah son of Jehoiada
which text are we going to believe?
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**Original Matthew 28:19 Restored**
Yes there are over 5,000 manuscripts, but every single one of them has human errors of transmission, and that is the beauty of it, for by looking at the overall text, we can pretty much figure out where the scribes fell asleep and made mistakes.
If one text says
Zechariah son of Barachiah
and another says
Zechariah son of Jehoiada
which text are we going to believe?
There are people that have dealt with that issue. The thing to do when you find a "questionable" passage is GOOGLE it. Im serious.....there is an explanation that people I call "specialists" that deal with this issue. I called Daniel Seagraves once and Paul Dugas once when I struggled with so called "contradictions"....When I got a computer finally, I found a wealth of info that can save me alot of homework. I dont need to call these poor men anymore!
There are people that have dealt with that issue. The thing to do when you find a "questionable" passage is GOOGLE it. Im serious.....there is an explanation that people I call "specialists" that deal with this issue. I called Daniel Seagraves once and Paul Dugas once when I struggled with so called "contradictions"....When I got a computer finally, I found a wealth of info that can save me alot of homework. I dont need to call these poor men anymore!
This raises an interesting point. There are many people over the years that have spent a great deal of time digging through and studying scriptures, manuscripts, greek, etc. However, in some of our circles we are essentially taught to ignore what the smart people have said and to rely on a revelation. Some Apostolics/Pentecostals take pride in finding some truth that the educated have missed. I find that a dangerous place when people will ignore scholarly studies and eat up a catch phrase that some fly by night preacher came up with.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that you need to be something in the world for God to show you something. God will reveal himself to anyone seeking. What I'm saying is that it's a shame that we're so paranoid of being mislead that we'll easily discard what people have spent years studying. That seems to be a proud stance... proud of ignorance?
Truth will stand and we have to be more open to true professionals who devote their life to studying scripture. We don't have to reinvent the wheel everytime we get up to teach or preach.
This raises an interesting point. There are many people over the years that have spent a great deal of time digging through and studying scriptures, manuscripts, greek, etc. However, in some of our circles we are essentially taught to ignore what the smart people have said and to rely on a revelation. Some Apostolics/Pentecostals take pride in finding some truth that the educated have missed. I find that a dangerous place when people will ignore scholarly studies and eat up a catch phrase that some fly by night preacher came up with.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that you need to be something in the world for God to show you something. God will reveal himself to anyone seeking. What I'm saying is that it's a shame that we're so paranoid of being mislead that we'll easily discard what people have spent years studying. That seems to be a proud stance... proud of ignorance?
Truth will stand and we have to be more open to true professionals who devote their life to studying scripture. We don't have to reinvent the wheel everytime we get up to teach or preach.
I think it's so important that we learn not to be afraid of what we might find when we dig into things.
I once told my Atheist husband that if they came up with conclusive proof that the Bible was a fakery and all the historical info about Jesus was faulty, it wouldn't destroy my faith in Jesus, because my faith is not found (solely) in those things.
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“There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn't be half so interesting.”
I think it's so important that we learn not to be afraid of what we might find when we dig into things.
I once told my Atheist husband that if they came up with conclusive proof that the Bible was a fakery and all the historical info about Jesus was faulty, it wouldn't destroy my faith in Jesus, because my faith is not found (solely) in those things.
Have you really considered the implications of this? In particular, if you no longer have any idea what Jesus did or said (in this hypothetical, as you put it forth, "all the historical info about Jesus was faulty"), then how in the world can you put faith in him? And who exactly would that object of your faith be? Someone you merely imagine? Or at least, someone whose characteristics are what you imagine they are, or what you think they should be?
Just wondering.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Have you really considered the implications of this? In particular, if you no longer have any idea what Jesus did or said (in this hypothetical, as you put it forth, "all the historical info about Jesus was faulty"), then how in the world can you put faith in him? And who exactly would that object of your faith be? Someone you merely imagine? Or at least, someone whose characteristics are what you imagine they are, or what you think they should be?
Just wondering.
Speaking for myself, my faith is in the One who saved me. I'll let Mich answer the rest....
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
Have you really considered the implications of this? In particular, if you no longer have any idea what Jesus did or said (in this hypothetical, as you put it forth, "all the historical info about Jesus was faulty"), then how in the world can you put faith in him? And who exactly would that object of your faith be? Someone you merely imagine? Or at least, someone whose characteristics are what you imagine they are, or what you think they should be?
Just wondering.
I believe that the purpose of the historical background on Jesus and the wisdom, etc. found in the Bible is to lead one into a relationship with Jesus (in particular the indwelling of the Holy Spirit).
And that is what my faith is based on now. So I would think Whoever/Whatever it is that fills me with this peace, joy, love, comfort, that is where I place my faith
That probably sounds crazy (I know my husband would think so!)
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“There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn't be half so interesting.”
The fact of the matter is there are no "original" manuscripts of the N.T. left. The way we can know that the Lord has "preserved" His word is because there are over 5,000 hand written copies and copies of copies that say the exact same thing in various languages of the world. The Bible was very meticulously copied and preserved by various groups all over the world. The Catholic church only "canonized" the N.T. to make the books the "official" N.T. They did NOT control all of the loose copies that were everywhere in the world. They only controlled a small portion of them and "modified" them before and during the reformation. These are know as the "Latin Vulgate". They are not used as part of the "received text"(5000 plus copies) that was used to give us our KJV of the bible in 1611. The KJV was simple the 1st "legal" English language version to emerge from the reformation.
What I am saying is that the Lord has "preserved" his word to nearly all languages in the world with over 5000 "witnesses" (before the printing press). You and I can trust this "cloud" of witnesses with our very lives.
For the most part, I agree. However, "translations" have been errant. For example:
Genesis 49:6 (KJV)
O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
Most don't realize what is really being said here because it was translated incorrectly by the translators of the King James Bible. It actually reads:
Genesis 49:6 (ESV)
6 Let my soul come not into their council;
O my glory, be not joined to their company.
For in their anger they killed men,
and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
There are passages that are even more difficult to translate.
Hybrid Mode
