Jackson Gordon

5 How the New Testament Was Copied

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  1. Introduction
    1. Skeptical Claims:
      1. Misquoting: Skeptics claim Jesus’s words have been misquoted beyond recovery.
      2. Miscopying: Skeptics suggest the New Testament text has been miscopied beyond repair.
    2. Counter Argument:
      1. Abundant Copies: Many copies exist, making it possible to recover original readings.
      2. Insignificant Variations: When original text cannot be perfectly recovered, those differences do not impact core beliefs.
    3. Core Idea: God has sufficiently preserved His word for us to know His will.
  2. The Impact of the Printing Press
    1. Before the Printing Press: Documents copied by hand for centuries.
      1. Method: Using reed pens (early) and quill pens (later), by lamplight & candlelight.
    2. Gutenberg’s Invention: Movable metal type printing press in the 15th century.
      1. Mass production: Made mass duplication of documents possible.
    3. Mass Errors:
      1. Printers errors: Errors in the mass production, that are easily recognized & corrected
        1. Ps 119.161: “Princes have persecuted me” became “printers have persecuted me.”
        2. Exod 20.14: “Thou shalt commit adultery” instead of “Thou shalt not…”
        3. Jer 31.34 : “I will remember their sin on more” instead of “no more.”
    4. Relative Error: Errors rare since the invention the printing press.
      1. Key Question: How accurately was the NT copied by hand before the printing press?
  3. The Accuracy in Copying the New Testament

    1. Early Christians’ Care:

      1. Jewish Influence: Rooted in the tradition of carefully preserving the Old Testament.

      2. Biblical Warning: Revelation 22:18-19 warns against adding to or taking away from scripture.

        Rev 22,18-19 18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book.

      3. Origen’s Frustration: 3rd-century theologian who was frustrated with scribal errors.

    2. Codex Vaticanus: A 4th-century document that shows great attention to textual accuracy.

      1. A copyist who changed the text was corrected, with a note left - “Fool and knave, don’t change it!”

    3. The Sheer Number of Old Copies:

      1. No Original Autographs: Skeptics note that we lack the original manuscripts.
      2. Early Copies: Many copies, made at times that were very close to the originals, still exist.

        1. Papyrus 52: Fragment of John 18, copied in the 2nd century.

          infographic from wesleyhuff.com

        2. Papyrus 104: A 2nd century fragment of Matthew 21.

        3. First-Century Fragment: Recently discovered fragment of Mark discovered from the mask of a Mummy.

        4. Papyrus 66 and 45: Contains large fragments of John and part of Luke, dated around 200 AD.

          infographic from wesleyhuff.com

    4. The Conclusion: Early copies exist near the times the originals were written.

  4. Types of Variations in Copies
    1. Overwhelming Majority are Insignificant:
      1. Nature of Variations: Most variations are minor, not affecting meaning or English translation.
      2. Example at John 3.3:
        1. Codex Sinaiticus: “Answered the Jesus.”
        2. Codex Washingtonianus: “Answered Jesus.”
        3. Missing definite article: The “the” is missing in the second form.
      3. Translation: The absence of a definite article has no effect on meaning or translation.
      4. Common Variations: Definite articles, misspellings, word order, changes that don’t impact the sense of the text.
    2. Large Number with No Variations:
      1. Two-Thirds Unchanged: About two-thirds of verses have no variation in any manuscript.
  5. Textual Criticism and Original Text Recovery
    1. Definition of Textual Criticism : It’s not to tear down, but analyze and piece back together.
      1. Goal: To recover original wording of the New Testament.
    2. Rich Number of Sources:
      1. Greek Manuscripts: More than 5,600 ancient Greek manuscripts exist, in part, or in full.
      2. Compared to other ancient works: Much more detailed records for the NT than other writings from that time (such as the writings of Plato, which have 200 manuscript copies, 1300 years after the originals).
    3. How Scribes Made Errors:
      1. Carelessness: Tiredness or lack of focus would lead to copying errors.
      2. Explanatory Notes Added: Scribes sometimes added notes or details.
        1. Example: John 5.4, explanatory note added about the pool and healing.
        2. Result: No impact on the core message about God.
      3. Scribes’ “Improvements”: In some cases, scribes sought to improve a passage they thought was incomplete.
        1. Example : Acts 8.37 - addition of a phrase about the Ethiopian eunuch believing in Jesus.
    4. Scribal Inclusions of Well-Known Traditions:
      1. Examples: Scribes included well-known stories or passages.

        1. Longer Ending: a longer ending with more appearances of Jesus.

          Mark 16,8-20 8 And they went out and ^[Here "and" is supplied because the previous participle ("went out") has been translated as a finite verb] fled from the tomb, because trembling and amazement had seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. ^[The Gospel of Mark ends at this point in some manuscripts, including two of the most important ones, while other manuscripts supply a shorter ending (sometimes included as part of v. 8), others supply the traditional longer ending (vv. 9–20), and still other manuscripts supply both the shorter ending and vv. 9–20; due to significant questions about the authenticity of these alternative endings, many scholars regard 16:8 as the last verse of the Gospel of Mark]

          Short Ending: [[So they promptly reported all the things they had been commanded to those around Peter. And after these things, Jesus himself also sent out through them from the east even as far as the west the holy and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. Amen.]]

          9 Long Ending: Now early on the first day of the week, after he ^[Here "after" is supplied as a component of the participle ("rose") which is understood as temporal] rose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had expelled seven demons. 10 She went out and ^[Here "and" is supplied because the previous participle ("went out") has been translated as a finite verb] announced it ^[Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation] to those who were with him while they ^[Here "while" is supplied as a component of the participle ("were") which is understood as temporal] were mourning and weeping. 11 And those, when they ^[Here "when" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal] heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, refused to believe it. ^[*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation] 12 And after these things, he appeared in a different form to two of them as they ^[Here "as" is supplied as a component of the participle ("were walking") which is understood as temporal] were walking, while they ^[Here "while" is supplied as a component of the participle ("were going out") which is understood as temporal] were going out into the countryside. 13 And these went and ^[Here "and" is supplied because the previous participle ("went") has been translated as a finite verb] reported it ^[Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation] to the others, and they did not believe them. 14 And later, while ^[Here "while" is supplied as a component of the participle ("were reclining at table") which is understood as temporal] they were reclining at table, he appeared to the eleven. And he reprimanded their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he ^[Here "after" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had been raised") which is understood as temporal] had been raised. 15 And he said to them, "Go ^[As a participle of attendant circumstance this participle carries imperatival force picked up from the main verb ("preach")] into all the world and ^[Here "and" is supplied because the previous participle ("go") has been translated as a finite verb] preach the gospel to all creation. 16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will expel demons, they will speak in new tongues, 18 they will pick up ^[Some manuscripts have "and they will pick up"] snakes. ^[Some manuscripts add "with their hands"] And if they drink any deadly poison it will never hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will get ^[Literally "they will have"] well." 19 Then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and ^[Here "and" is supplied because the previous participle ("went out") has been translated as a finite verb] proclaimed everywhere, while ^[Here "while" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("was working together with")] the Lord was working together with them ^[Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation] and confirming the message through the accompanying signs.]]

        2. Story of Adulteress: John 8:1-11 The woman caught in adultery.

          John 7.53 53 [[And each one went to his own house. ^[John 7:53–8:11 is not found in the earliest and best manuscripts and was almost certainly not an original part of the Gospel of John; one significant group of Greek manuscripts places it after Luke 21:38]

          John 8,1-11 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now early in the morning he came again to the temple courts. ^[*Here "courts" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself] And all the people were coming, ^[Some manuscripts have "were coming to him"] and he sat down and ^[Here "and" is supplied because the previous participle ("sat down") has been translated as a finite verb] began to teach ^[The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to teach")] them. 3 Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought to him a woman ^[Some manuscripts have "brought a woman"] caught in adultery. And standing her in their midst, 4 they said to him, testing him, ^[Some manuscripts omit "testing him"] "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery! 5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" 6 (Now they were saying this to test him, so that they would have an occasion ^[Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation] to bring charges against him.) But Jesus, bending down, began to write ^[The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to write")] with his ^[Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun] finger on the ground, taking no notice. ^[Some manuscripts omit "taking no notice"] 7 And when they persisted in asking him, straightening up he said ^[Some manuscripts have "he straightened up and said"] to them, "The one of you without sin, let him throw the first stone at her!" 8 And bending down again, he wrote on the ground. 9 Now when they ^[Here "when" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal] heard it, ^[*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation] being convicted by their conscience, ^[Some manuscripts omit "being convicted by their conscience"] they began to depart, ^[*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to depart")] one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus ^[Some manuscripts have "he"] was left alone--and the woman who was in their midst. 10 So Jesus, straightening up and seeing no one except the woman, ^[Some manuscripts omit "and seeing no one except the woman"] said to her, "Where are those accusers of yours? ^[Some manuscripts have "said to her, 'Woman, where are they?"] Does no one condemn you?" 11 And she said, "No one, Lord." So Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and ^[Some manuscripts have "and from now on"] sin no more."]] ^[John 7:53–8:11 is not found in the earliest and best manuscripts and was almost certainly not an original part of the Gospel of John; one significant group of Greek manuscripts places it after Luke 21:38]

        3. Important Fact: Scribes included well-known stories or passages.

      2. Core Text Not Changed: None of these variations change core doctrines.
  6. Dealing with Uncertainties
    1. Ability to Correct Errors: The sheer volume of manuscripts makes it possible to identify and correct errors (97-99% accuracy.)
      1. Identifying additions, deletions, or changes; these can be corrected.
    2. Unresolved Variants Do Not Change Core Doctrine:
      1. Example:

        John 1.18 18 No one has seen God at any time; the one and only, God, the one who is in the bosom of the Father--that one has made him ^[Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation] known. - "One and Only Son" vs. "One and Only God"

        1. Different manuscript traditions for the translation of that same verse.
        2. Meaning: Both convey truths supported elsewhere in the Bible.
      2. Principle: The core message of God remains the same regardless of unresolved variants.
  7. Conclusion
    1. God’s Preservation: Using the abundance of manuscripts from the New Testament, along with the work of Textual Criticism
      1. Conclusion: the NT text has been carefully preserved over the centuries.
    2. Absolute Confidence: Readers can have confidence in the accuracy of the New Testament.
    3. Scripture is inerrant in its inspiration, and sufficient in its preservation.
    4. Any remaining uncertainties don’t change the core message delivered by the Bible.

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