The video presents a somewhat negative view of Scripture from Business Insider.
However, I was aware of these and other Bible difficulties within my first seven years of Canadian Christian academia and from my own research.
This was before I worked on secular research theses only degrees in England and Wales, for twelve years. Ending with a Doctorate.
Business Insider admits there are related scholarly debates.
In other words, this is not really new news.
More so this type of information works against a fundamentalist dictation theory of Scripture and that God maintains Scripture within a dictation theory model.
But one could observe I did not hold to dictation theory, years ago on my sites.
However, the type of information does not work against a view of the Scripture, the original autographs, as inspired by God and God the Holy Spirit through writers associated with Christ, that were Apostles and Disciples and associated scribes, written without theological error and with inerrancy.
God did not place a supernatural force field of protection around the original Biblical autographs.
God did not place a supernatural force field of protection around copies of the Scripture to maintain accuracy.
Rather the Scripture has been maintained through ancient and modern scholarship with the use of thousands of manuscripts in whole and part, critical thinking and reasoning with God's guidance.
God's has a sovereign and providential role in this theologically.
And God is the first cause in all things, philosophically. He wills and sanctions all things.
I could add to the type of points made in the video that there are various versions of texts in the New Testament Greek and various English Bible versions (for example), but with minor differences. However central, orthodox theology and the Gospel remains consistent in message.
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Satire And Theology October 31, 2006
Cited and edited from my second blog
The divine inspiration of Scripture was noted as important.
The New Testament is not full of mythological stories of clearly fictional characters, but actual people that existed. The same group of people discussed within the New Testament, is also the group that produced the Scripture. Therefore, the New Testament is historically grounded on eyewitness testimony, and associates of eyewitnesses.
Since every manuscript contains scribal errors, we can conclude the copies are not equal to the original inspired letters. This does not mean that we have to abandon the Biblical idea of inspired Scripture. I firmly hold to the concept of 2 Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is inspired by God for teaching, and training. I think we can deduce that scribal errors do not equate with theological errors, and therefore scribal errors do not eradicate or change the New Testament’s essential doctrines.
There are enough New Testament documents extant that scholars would know if certain schools of manuscripts contained serious differences in theology from other schools. This is why as Christians we do not need to take seriously the claims of critics that state that lost or hidden New Testament era documents from the group of eyewitnesses contradict the ones found in the New Testament.
The manuscript evidence supports the fact that there are scribal errors in the documents, but does not support the idea of major theological differences between different groups of manuscripts.
My theory of inspiration would include the idea that God inspired the original New Testament documents written by those within the group of Christ and the Apostles.
Since the documents would eventually physically disintegrate, God would have to use supernatural means to maintain the original documents. The idea of God using some kind of supernatural force field to maintain the documents as good as new does not seem in line with how God works in our world over a long period, and so it is not surprising that God allowed the originals to be destroyed or lost, and instead maintained his Scripture through copying.
The copying mistakes did not affect any major doctrine, but we do have related issues like with the ending of Mark. Mark 16: 9-20 does not appear in Codex Vaticanus (B),or Codex Sinaiticus (Sin), the two oldest groups of manuscripts. Marlowe (2006: 1).
The manuscripts have Mark ending at 16: 8. However, 16: 9-20 does appear in Codex Alexandrinus (A), which is a slightly newer manuscript. Miller (2005: 1).
It is possible a scribe or scribes added 16: 9-20, which became part the majority of New Testament texts, but it does not change the essential message of the Gospel or New Testament. We have copies from the two older groups of manuscripts which allow scholars to speculate that it is possible that Mark 16: 9-20 was not written by Mark, but written by a scribe at a later date.
God has therefore not allowed a corruption of New Testament theology at its core even if he did allow an uninspired scribe to write 16: 9-20 and allowed it to become part of the majority text.
It is also possible that Mark died and God inspired an associate who had known Mark to complete the book which appears in the majority text. This view held to by my Mark Biblical Studies professor, at Seminary, for example.
My essential Christian theology is not changed whether or not Mark ends at 16: 8 or 16: 9-20. If Mark died and the book ended at 16: 8, I do not see any need to place demands upon the Markan text and state that it had to have contained an actual resurrection appearance. The ending of the book does make it clear that Christ was no longer in the tomb and was resurrected. The tomb was empty, and a man, likely of supernatural origin in 16: 6-7 made it clear that Christ had risen.
My hope is that a scribe or scribes did not think that the lack of a resurrection appearance and an abrupt ending meant that another ending had to be created.
My New American Standard Bible has two different additional endings after 16: 8. However, if endings were added by scribes, God has still provided the Church with evidence of this from Codex Vaticanus (B),and Codex Sinaiticus (Sin). The Church could therefore take anything stated in these verses as less than Biblically authoritative, but these verses do not influence major Christian doctrines.
I therefore can view our present New Testament as an essentially accurate copy of the original inspired word of God.
Inspiration and inerrancy of the original autographs can be reasonably held to theologically; as can the view God has accurately maintained his Scripture.
But admittedly, this a moderate conservative position and not a fundamentalist one, but may evidence lead and not pre-set assumptions.
Marlowe, Michael D. (2006) ‘Mark 16: 9-20’, Bible-Researcher.com, Ohio. http://www.bible-researcher.com/endmark.html
Miller, Dave (2005) ‘Is Mark 16: 9-20 Inspired?’, Apologetics Press.org, Montgomery, Alabama. http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2780
Some philosophical thoughts:
ReplyDelete-With my philosophical nature, I need a large pool and a lot of time to meet people I might relate with...
In a romantic context, the North American evangelical church offers a small pool and little time to meet people I might relate with...
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ReplyDelete-Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac
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Frustrating, with the comment bugs!
ReplyDeleteI edit and it does not paste.
Thailand has little credibility...
Note this is not PC, but here is some 'man knowledge', 'guy knowledge'.
My lovely Aunt was clueless...
My Aunt was stating that her single and elderly cousin (that has been known to look for and date younger women) took a trip to Thailand.
A red flag for me.
Now, being a 'guy' having sat in Hockey Drafts with all men and now with mainly male co-workers, without knowing about her cousin per say, to be clear, it is a red flag when a man interested in younger women goes to Thailand. It is known for a prostitution culture with and by younger women.
One colleague told me in detail that most of the younger women there are available for sex, even if not actually prostitutes. I do not know if this is the case, it might be exaggerated, but this is what one co-worker stated. One stated that many of the girls may be of age, but not all, as far as the club girls. However, he opined that regular girls with normal jobs are also often available.
My other colleague figured he was naked in bed with a sixteen year old with a twenty-one year old ID, that he said approached him. He 'bs'd me and stated he did not have sex with her because of the fear of AIDS.
I doubt he was telling the truth in regard to the sex.
My one colleague stated that opposite of China, Thailand purposely desires girls for the sex trade.
I am not trying to be overly controversial, but as Thailand came up with this scam spam and I was surprised by my 80+ year old Aunt's ignorance; any of you women that know men wanting to go to Thailand, consider it a red flag, even while withholding judgement as I am...
Thailand is not on my to visit list.
Further
ReplyDeleteThe NT was spoken (where applicable) in Aramaic and Hebrew, for example. This would have to be translated to Koine Greek, meaning Mark would translate a word or idea one way, Matthew another, Luke another, John another, even if in some cases a common source was used a different translation or version would be reasonable.
Again, this works against dictation theory...
“A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.”
ReplyDelete-George Eliot, Daniel Deronda
“In my opinion, there are two types of perfect. The first is the type that seems so obvious and intuitive to you and everyone else that in a perfect world would simply be considered standard; but, in reality, in our flawed world, what should be considered standard is actually so rare that it has to be elevated to the level of ‘perfect.’ This is the type of perfect that makes you and most other people think, ‘Why isn’t everything like this? Why is it so hard to find…’ a black V-neck cotton sweater, or a casual non-chain restaurant with comfortable booths, etc.-‘that is just exactly the way everyone knows something like this should be?’ ‘Perfect,’ we all say with relief when we finally find something like this that is exactly as it should be. “Perfect. Why was that so hard to find?’
ReplyDelete“The other type of perfect is the type you never could have expected and then could never replicate.”
-B. J. Novak, “Sophia,” in One More Thing
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ReplyDeleteThe new family in the neighborhood overslept and their six-year-old daughter missed her school bus.
The father, though late for work himself, had to drive her.
Since he did not know the way, he said that she would have to direct him to the school. They rode several blocks before she told him to turn the first time, several more before she indicated another turn. This went on for 20 minutes...but when they finally reached the school, it proved to be only a short distance from their home.
The father, much annoyed, asked his daughter why she'd led him around in such a circle.
The child explained, "That's the way the school bus goes, Daddy. It's the only way I know."
…..Doc’s Daily Chuckle (pkaine@roadrunner.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (ChristianVoices@att.net)
Felt a little woozy on my feet as work was ending, yesterday. Safeway chicken (sandwich) in my car too long MAY have been the culprit. I came home and for the sake of stomach sanity and because I was woozy, I stayed on the sofa. Thought there was no way I could take my Mom out today (home care) or get to work, but I figured I would try four acetaminophen (bad for stomach other than moderation) and three Benadryl and an ice pack on head; four hours of sleep later I was fine.
ReplyDelete“Perhaps this sounds very simple, but simple things are always the most difficult. In actual life it requires the greatest discipline to be simple, and the acceptance of oneself is the essence of the moral problem and the epitome of a whole outlook upon life.”
ReplyDelete-C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul
Come visit my website, I tried implementing some kind of search engine optimisation but it didn't go very well
ReplyDeleteBookmarked your website, should help me keep up with regular
posts!
Glad if my site assists one in being regular...
ReplyDeleteWhat makes a turkey laugh?
ReplyDeleteFowl language
ReplyDeleteOne in Jesus
ReplyDelete“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:20-26
John 17 is that prayer of Jesus where he asks his Father to make clear what his life and ministry are all about. His own perfect unity with the Father shall be the model for his followers! They are called to be one just as he and the Father are one! It works this way: the Father’s purpose is being fulfilled by the Son as he goes to the cross, where it will be clear that this is how the Father will be glorified, and so the Son with him. Can we begin to grasp what that all means? That the way of the cross is the way of glory? That the Holy One is to be “despised and rejected by men” on the way toward his glory and worship forever?
It is easier for us to think foolishly this way: that the Father is eager to send to Hell all those who despise him and his law, and that the Son is much more understanding and accepting, so let’s vote for the love of the Son and against the holiness of the Father—but that’s not the gospel path to its glorious unity. Instead, the Beloved Son who wins over Satan for forty days is also the one who cries out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? How can that be? We try very hard to think God’s thoughts after him as we answer that question, but in the end we can only say, we confess that Father and Son are One. That God is holy will always be true, and so will “God is love.” We believe with all our hearts this grand unity of Father and Son, and we reject the world’s judgment that we must choose between them.
ReplyDeleteThat transcendent glory culminating in perfect oneness is to be the way for us too, as we are called to be one as they are—how can that also be possible, what can that mean? But we must learn, as Jesus tells us so clearly the way we are to go.
As a church history teacher I was too long content with describing a past theological conflict and then moving on to the next one. It finally dawned on me that what I needed to be doing was helping my students understand how those hard conflicts could be overcome. Finally I learned, as my direction for student term papers went like this: describe a past controversy, relate it to one in our own day, then plan the path to reconciliation. I am so happy I saw that as my task, and happier in how well my students worked to achieve their goals. They were learning how to live for Jesus.
But we disagree on so much, even inside our denominations. I am still sad that my old OPC voted not to join with the PCA because it needed to protect its “distinctives.” I find it hard that there are some congregations convinced that women may not read the Word in worship. My list is long and getting harder: how could my amazing seminary be now so sure that interest in the cultural setting of the Bible is a threat to its inerrancy?
ReplyDeleteThere at Marburg in the Rittersaal were the Lutherans and the Reformed, and they agreed on 16 things! But then came the discussion on how Jesus is present in the Supper, is it “spiritual,” only the way we talk about it, or is it “Spiritual,” by the work of the Holy Spirit? At the end Luther drew the line across the table and said those terrible words, “you have another spirit.” (I asked once if I could come to the Table in that Lutheran church, and got the right question: do you see Jesus there?)
There is always hope. I will forever marvel at the story of my student Marq and his passion to pray for those stubborn unbelievers who had no interest in the gospel. When he was told, no we don’t pray for them to believe since we believe in free will, then he knew that way of thinking was much too unbalanced, desiring only to be against something called Calvinism.
I could continue to rant, showing off how much smarter I am than all those protagonists from long ago. Then I remember the people in the Second Awakening who were so eager for unity that they gave up on all the existing denominations and began a new one, yet another one. I remember how the desire to make clear that all are called to Jesus could undermine the will of God himself. It is just not enough and not helpful to be vigorously against division. We are called positively, that we be one.
ReplyDeleteWe recently meditated on Philippians 2, that we are to be “with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel!” It is “the faith of the gospel” itself that gives us that one mind, as we learn in John 17 the Father’s delight in hearing the prayer of his Son: Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. We see the glory together!
We also hear together the call of our Lord in 1 Peter 4: 7-11: The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
ReplyDelete“For the sake of your prayers”—that says so much, as we learn then that the gifts the Lord gives us are not there to emphasize how different, and better, we are from each other, but instead so that we may serve each other! Our great differences we can enjoy, yes we can, as we use them to care for each other, as we rejoice in our own strengths that we have for the blessing of others. Again I think of John Leonard’s Get Real—we must listen, listen to each other. We must not dwell on what is missing in what we hear from others, but delight in how we remind each other of the Father’s and Son’s love for us all.
I wish now I could put everything together, at once and comprehensively. I will try, feebly and only as a beginning. Yes, I know of the Presbyterian New School, and how it deliberately minimized the Lord’s sovereign will in order to make room for offering the gospel to everyone. That was tragic. But the more orthodox opponents in the Old School did not have their passion for evangelism, and their desire not to go beyond the Word was the reason they refused to biblically evaluate black slavery, while the New Schoolers did. They did come to hear each other, but it took so long, too long to hold back the liberalism that sought to fill in the gaps of previous Christianity.Yes, we all desire to hold God's truth ever more clearly, but never at the expense of refusing each other’s gifts. Yes, there is the real danger of a preaching that is only about us and not about what the Lord says to us—but there is also the very present danger of disinterest in what we need to hear right now. Yes, there is a real attack today upon the authority of the Bible by relativizing it away—but there is also the real danger of refusing to use all the cultural tools we have for understanding what it says in the first place. I hope my saying that is enough for me and for you?
Today in my own life there are two remarkable testimonies of the Lord’s goodness to us, that he continues to remind us of what we so easily forget. I have just heard from Nessa Parks. Years ago I had this brief conversation with her, as she asked me to recommend a good way to do Bible study. I suggested Paul Miller’s seeJesus, and she took that and ran with it! She just wrote me:
Paul’s book helped me see Jesus more clearly and led me to examine the ways in which I was loving my family members. I knew the insights would help my friends to see the beauty of Jesus and to understand that God’s Word is living and active—relevant for their daily lives and struggles. I received training through seeJesus to help me facilitate the study.
The Lord blesses me also by keeping me in touch with Steve Igo, a student from whom I learned and keep learning so much. He is pastor of the OPC Cedar Church in Hudsonville Michigan. He passes on to me now their mission statement for next year. Shouldn’t we all pray for Cedar, that the Lord will abundantly bless them, as they seek to honor him so personally?
Our Mission for 2016
ReplyDeleteThis year, by God’s grace and fervent prayer, Cedar Church aims
to experience renewal, revival and reformation
through transparent friendship (not loneliness)
authentic fellowship (not isolation)
and deliberate hospitality (not self-absorption)
such that the Holy Spirit radically draws people nearer to Jesus Christ,
through a satisfying and undistracted use of the ordinary means of grace,
producing inexplicable and indiscriminate love
that touches our hearts, our families, our church and our entire community.
Please pray for the Spirit’s unction upon this vital mission and message.
D. Clair Davis