How Were the Scribes Who Copied the New Testament in Antiquity, and What Were Their Tools and Materials?

One of the greatest tragedies in the modern-day history of Christianity [1980 - present] is that churchgoers have not been educated about the history of the New Testament text. In fact, they are so misinformed that many do not even realize that the Hebrew text lies behind our English Old Testament, and the Greek text lies behind our English New Testament. Sadly, many seminaries that train the pastors of today’s churches have also required little or no studies in the history of the Old or New Testament texts.

May 10, 2017 4

How Did the Authors and Their Scribes Make the New Testament Books?

As Luke, Paul, Peter, Matthew, James, or Jude handed their authorized text off to be copied by others, i.e., published, what would it have looked like? What is the process that the New Testament writers would have followed to get their book ready to be published, that is copied by others? Once they were ready for publication, how would they be copied throughout the centuries, up until the time of the printing press of 1455 C.E.? Why was it so hard to be a secretary in the first century C.E.? How was such work done? What writing materials were then in use? How were the NT books made?

May 10, 2017 1

Who Were the Goths and Why Is the Gothic Version of Interest to Textual Scholars and Bible Translators?

The Gothic Bible, translated by Ulfilas in the fourth century, preserves key Greek New Testament readings and aids modern textual reconstruction.

April 19, 2017 12

How Do the Coptic Versions Help Textual Scholars?

The Coptic New Testament versions—especially Sahidic and Bohairic—preserve early Greek readings and help scholars restore the original biblical text.

April 18, 2017 15

What Do We Know About the Latin Versions and How Can They Help Us Restore the Greek New Testament?

The Latin Bible preserves key Greek New Testament readings and remains vital to textual criticism, especially through the Old Latin and Vulgate traditions.

April 13, 2017 17

What Are the Syriac Versions and How Have They Helped to Restore the Greek Text of the New Testament?

The Syriac Bible versions—Old Syriac, Peshitta, Philoxenian, and Harklean—have preserved early Greek readings that aid in New Testament textual restoration.

April 5, 2017 16

What Do We Find When We Enter the Period of the Critical Text of the New Testament?

New Testament textual criticism goes back to Origen (185-254), in the third century of our common era. The historical roots of textual scholarship actually go back to the 3rd-century B.C.E. in the Library of Alexandria. We are going to the 18th-19th centuries for the purposes of this article.

March 9, 2017 1

What Do We Know About the Early Christian Copyists?

Today there are about two billion people who call themselves Christians, who own or are aware of the Bible. Most are unaware of just how that book came down to them, yet many if not most would acknowledge that it is inspired by God and free of errors and contradictions.

October 10, 2016 6

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Category: Introduction to New Testament Textual Studies