One of the two primary manuscripts claimed by textual critics to be "oldest and best" is the Codex Sinaiticus. Much evidence clearly points to this "ancient" book actually being a modern fraud. But that story is for another time. In this article, we're instead going to look at the textual critics' version of the story.…
People often say that "no major doctrines are affected" by the differences between the received text and the Alexandrian manuscripts. Of course, these are weasel words, since it is impossible to pin down a definition of exactly what "major doctrines" are or what "affecting" them would be. But the fact is that there is one doctrine that is always overlooked: the doctrine…
Textual criticism is based on the underlying assumption that the Bible is corrupted. That it contains errors. That it is not inerrant. That it is not the word of God alone. That it suffers an indelible mark placed upon it by man.
The other day I was reading an article by some people whose work I greatly respect, which was encouraging Christians that we can trust that the Bible is the word of God, due to its remarkable preservation. (I’m not going to give the exact reference, because it isn’t really important.) While this might surprise you, I disagreed with most of what the…
In prior posts, we’ve discussed the fact that there are several different variations in the manuscripts containing the Biblical text. If you’ve ever used one of the modern versions of the Bible, you’ve probably seen a footnote referencing “the oldest and best manuscripts.” We’ve explained that the scholars’ views on this contradict the clear teachings of scripture, and that the readings they…
Are all of the Bibles the same? The answer may surprise you. The fact is, different Bible versions can leave out or add words, verses, or even whole books(!).
Matthew chapter 7 is one of the most familiar passages from the gospels. It contains a portion of Jesus’s sermon on the mount, in which he instructs his disciples on how they should live as they declare the message of his kingdom to Israel. The chapter begins with Jesus’s command to his disciples not to let their position as ministers of the…
In two previous posts, we’ve considered how the church currently seems to be in need of revival, and also outlined the Biblical ministry of admonition from God’s word, which directs us to not receive the grace of God in vain. We have thus demonstrated that the church is experiencing symptoms that indicate a grave problem, and we’ve prescribed the method of applying…
What if there was church in Sodom, that Lot attended every week? And what if that church was actually there before the city, and Sodom and Gomorrah grew up around it. Would you say that maybe that church had a problem?
Well, just such a church exists. In what city, you ask? It’s called America.