Christian Publishing House Blog
Apologetic Defense of the faith, the Bible, and Christianity
A number of Bible translations are choosing to go with εκλεκτος (“chosen one”) over ὁ υἱός (the Son), such as TNIV NEB REB NJB NLT LEB NET, which the recent publication P106 has strengthened εκλεκτος (“chosen one”) as a choice. However, is this the best choice as the original reading based on the evidence?
Lacuna (pl: Lacunae): an unfortunate loss of text within a manuscript due to accident or wear and tear. Even more unfortunate, lacunae usually are more frequent and more damaging in early manuscripts, especially the papyri. Notable Examples ...
A scribe is far more likely to omit a word or phrase mistakenly, as to intentionally adding. The reading that is deemed immediately at odds with the context is preferred if deemed intentional because a scribe is more likely to have smoothed the reading out. The harmonization of passages is likely an intentional change by a copyist, who is seeking to have a passage agree with a similar passage from another book. Examples: Doctrinal Corrections, Liturgical Corrections, Harmonistic Corrections, Historical Corrections, and Linguistic or Rhetorical Corrections.
The quotation in verses 2 and 3 is composite, the first part being from Mal 3:1 and the second part from Is 40:3. It is easy to see, therefore, why copyists would have altered the words ...
Textual Studies of the Bible The task of reconstructing the original text of the Bible with as great a degree of accuracy as the available materials permit.
Many good Christian biblical apologists spend a lifetime defending the trustworthiness of God’s Word. Many modern-day textual scholars seem to be apologists of another sort. They seem to be apologists for uncertainty and ambiguity as Daniel Wallace in the Foreword of MYTHS AND MISTAKES in New Testament Textual Criticism (2019) writes, “The new generation of evangelical scholars is far more comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty than previous generations.” (Page xii)
Explore the divine mystery behind the preservation of sacred texts despite human flaws.
Theodore Cressy Skeat, British Museum scholar, shaped New Testament textual criticism through work on papyri, codices, and the early Christian codex.
If we look to the longer reading, it says that the prophet spoke “things that have been hidden since the foundation of the world.” This was a quotation from Psalm 78:2: “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old.” “Sayings from of old” is likely speaking about forgotten truths from the nation of Israel's past.
Papyrus 66 (also referred to as P66) is a near-complete codex of the Gospel of John, and part of the collection known as the Bodmer Papyri.
