Increasing Learning
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Speaking
  • Free Resources
  • Contact Us

Textual Criticism (part 1)

3/15/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
I recently taught a five part series on textual criticism based on the works of Dean John Burgon and comparing the KJV with the ESV.  In my opinion, Burgon represents the best arguments against the modern critical text, and the ESV represents the best translation of that text into English.  Granted, Burgon's work is a bit dated, but many of his arguments are just as relevant today as they were when he first presented them more than 100 years ago.  This is apparent by the accuracy of Burgon's arguments when compared with the ESV and the most recent editions of the critical text.  So, without any further ado, here is the outline from part 1 of my series on textual criticism.

I.  Foundational Concepts
    A. Textual Criticism Defined
            - "The process of attempting to ascertain the original wording of a text."
            - "The method used to determine what the original manuscripts of the Bible said."
    B.  Divine Inspiration
            - Every word of Scripture was authored by God Himself – II Tim. 3:16, II Peter 1:21.
            - Since God is incapable of error, this means that there is no error in Scripture – I John 1:5,    
               Psalm 145:17, John 10:35.
    C.  Providential Preservation
            - God promised to preserve His word – Psalm 12:6-7, Mark 13:31.

II.  Four Methods of New Testament Preservation
    A.  Manuscript Copies
            - More than 5,000 available today.
    B.  Ancient New Testament Versions
            - Translations of the Greek text into other languages such as Latin or Syriac.
    C.  Quotations from church fathers
            - More than 86,000 have been collected.
    D.  Ancient Lectionaries
            - Collections of verses designed to be read on various holy days.

III.  Two Methods of Textual Criticism
    A.  The Consistently Christian Method
            - Assumes Divine Inspiration
                    - Any text which contains an error cannot be a true copy of the Word of God.
            - Assumes Providential Preservation
                    - The true Word of God always has been and is even now available to the Church.
    B.  The Naturalistic Method
            - Denies Inspiration
                    -
The Bible is either wholly the work of man, or it is a work of man which God then
                       appropriated for His use
.
            - Denies Preservation
                    - We will never be able to recover exactly what was written in the original manuscripts of                        the Bible.
            - Assumes Ancient Reliability
                    - The most ancient manuscripts are the most accurate renditions of the original.

IV.  Two Greek Texts
    A.  The Critical Text
            - Based primarily on four manuscripts: B (Vaticanus), Aleph (Sinaiticus), C, and D (Bezae).
            - These manuscripts disagree with each other in thousands of places.
            - To create this text, critics chose which of these manuscripts to accept as correct at each
               point of disagreement, thus creating a conglomerate of the four.
            - This text is sometimes referred to as the eclectic text as a result of this process.
    B.  The Textus Receptus
            - Based primarily on the reading found in the majority of manuscripts.
            - More than 95% of known manuscripts are in agreement with this text.
            - Supported by the majority of copies of the ancient versions.
            - Supported by the vast majority of the quotes from the church fathers.
            - Supported by the vast majority of the readings found in ancient lectionaries.

V.  A Comparison of the Two Methods (I Timothy 3:16)

KJV - "
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

ESV - "
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."

    A. Evidence for the KJV Reading (God or Theos)
            - Found in 289 Greek manuscripts and lectionaries.
            - Supported by 3 ancient versions.
            - Quoted by 20 church fathers.
    B.  Evidence for the ESV Reading (He or Hos)
            - Found in 7 Greek manuscripts and lectionaries.
            - Supported by 6 ancient versions.
            - Quoted by 0 church fathers.
            - The manuscripts which do contain this reading are some of the oldest available.
    C.  The balance of evidence lies heavily in favor of the KJV reading.

This concludes part 1 of this series.  Parts 2 through 5 will consist almost entirely of comparisons between the evidence for various passages in the critical text and the evidence for the same passages in the Textus Receptus. 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Bill Fortenberry is a Christian philosopher and historian in Birmingham, AL.  Bill's work has been cited in several legal journals, and he has appeared as a guest on shows including The Dr. Gina Show, The Michael Hart Show, and Real Science Radio.

    Contact Us if you would like to schedule Bill to speak to your church, group, or club.

    "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning." (Proverbs 9:9)

    Search


    Topics

    All
    Abortion
    American History
    Apologetics
    Archaeology
    Atonement
    Benjamin Franklin
    Bible
    Bible Contradiction
    Buddhism
    Calvinism
    Children
    Christmas
    Citizenship
    Coaching
    Context
    Covid
    Creation
    Debate
    Doctrine
    Evolution
    Geography
    Government
    Homosexuality
    Immigration
    Islam
    James Wilson
    John Adams
    Marriage
    Masks
    Meditation
    Morality
    Mormonism
    Open Theism
    Parenting
    Politics
    Sacrifice
    Sam Harris
    Science
    Self Defense
    Self-Defense
    Slavery
    Solon
    Soteriology
    Strategy
    Tactical Faith
    Textual Criticism
    The KJV
    Theology
    Vaccines
    Video

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    June 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    April 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Speaking
  • Free Resources
  • Contact Us