Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman

Author:Bart D. Ehrman [Ehrman, Bart D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Biblical Studies, Christianity, History & Culture, Religion
ISBN: 9780061977022
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2009-10-06T01:13:48+00:00

5

ORIGINALS THAT MATTER

In this chapter we will examine the methods that scholars have devised to identify the “original” form of the text (or at least the “oldest attainable” form) and the form of the text that represents a later scribal alteration. After laying out these methods, I will illustrate how they can be used by focusing on three textual variants found in our manuscript tradition of the New Testament. I have chosen these three because each of them is critical for interpreting the book it is in; what is more, none of these variant readings is reflected in most of our modern English translations of the New Testament. That is to say, in my judgment the translations available to most English readers are based on the wrong text, and having the wrong text makes a real difference for the interpretation of these books.

First, however, we should consider the methods scholars have developed for making decisions about which textual readings are original and which represent later changes made by scribes. As we will see, establishing the earliest form of the text is not always a simple matter; it can be a demanding exercise.

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