What Today's Christian Needs to Know About the Greek New Testament

What today’s Christian needs to know about The Greek New Testament What today’s Christian needs to know about The Greek New Testament ISBN 978 1 86228 028 1

In recent years there has been text is not important because most much confusion concerning modern people cannot read the Greek of translations and editions of the the New Testament era. However, Greek New Testament. Some the Greek text upon which a people make claims regarding the translation is based will have an Greek New Testament without impact both upon a Christian’s having information and facts to reading of Scripture devotionally support their claims. Many people and the proclaiming of the Word of claim that their translations are God in bearing witness to the accurate because those saving grace of Jesus Christ. It is translations are based upon the necessary that today’s Christian best available Greek texts. Some understands the importance of the claim that their translations are traditional Greek text in his better than the Authorised Version Christian life. because the Authorised Version and its underlying Greek Textus The Traditional Text Receptus add variants and extra readings to the text. Others, First of all it is necessary to however, claim that the Greek text understand what is meant by the of the New Testament is not term ‘traditional text’. During the important because their favourite 1st century following the translation is better that any Greek resurrection of Christ, God moved text. Still others say that the Greek men to pen His Word (2 Peter 1.21). 1 What today’s Christian needs to know about…

The result was a group of letters slightly from one another but still and books, written in Koiné Greek are regarded as the same basic (called the ‘original autographs’). text. Certain editions were popular These letters and books were in different countries and provided copied and recopied throughout the the basis for New Testament centuries and distributed translations. The Textus Receptus throughout the world. These copies (as it later became known) was the comprise the manuscripts of the text used by Tyndale and in turn by New Testament. Over 5,000 of the translators of the English these Greek manuscripts have Authorised (King James) Version of survived to this day. The great 1611 and other Reformation era number of these Greek translations. manuscripts supports what is called the Byzantine textual The Critical Text tradition, Byzantine because it came from all over the Greek- During the 19th and 20th speaking world at that time. These centuries, however, another form of Byzantine manuscripts make up Greek New Testament has come what is called the Traditional Text into the forefront and is used for of the New Testament. The best most modern New Testament printed representation of this translations. This Critical Text, as it Byzantine text-type is the Textus is called, differs widely from the Receptus (or Received Text). In Traditional Text in that it omits addition to the manuscripts, we many words, verses and also have available many works in passages which are found in the which numerous Church Fathers Received Text and translations quoted from the manuscripts. The based upon it. work of John Burgon has established that the basic text The modern versions are based used by numerous Church Fathers mainly upon a Greek New is the same as the text now known Testament which was derived from as the Byzantine Text. a small handful of Greek manuscripts from the 4th century The Textus Receptus was onwards. Two of these manuscripts, compiled from a number of which many modern scholars claim Byzantine manuscripts by to be superior to the Byzantine, are numerous editors from the early the Sinai manuscript and the 1500s. There were editions from Vatican manuscript (c. 4th century). textual editors such as Erasmus, These are derived from a text type Stephens, Beza, the Elzevirs, Mill known as the Alexandrian text and Scrivener. These editions differ (because of its origin in Egypt); this 2 …The Greek New Testament text type was referred to by the are many words, verses and textual critics Westcott and Hort as passages which are omitted from the ‘Neutral text’. These two the modern versions but which are manuscripts form the basis of the found in the Traditional or Greek New Testament, referred to Byzantine Text of the New as the Critical Text, which has Testament, and thus in the Textus been in widespread use since the Receptus. The Critical Text differs late 19th century. In recent years from the Textus Receptus text there has been an attempt to 5,337 times, according to one improve this text by calling it an calculation. The Vatican manuscript ‘eclectic’ text (meaning that many omits 2,877 words in the Gospels; other manuscripts were consulted the Sinai manuscript 3,455 words in its editing and evolution), but it in the Gospels. These problems is still a text which has as its between the Textus Receptus and central foundation these two the Critical Text are very important manuscripts. to the correct translation and interpretation of the New Problems in the Critical Text Testament. Contrary to the contention of supporters of the There are many problems of Critical Text, these omissions do omission which characterise this affect doctrine and faith in the Greek New Testament. Verses and Christian life. passages which are found in the writings of Church Fathers from Several examples of doctrinal around AD 200 to 300 are missing problems caused by the omissions in the Alexandrian Text manuscripts of the Critical Text follow. This is by which date from around AD 300 to no means an exhaustive list. The 400. In addition, these early modern reconstructed Critical Text readings are found in manuscripts in existence from AD 500 onwards. I omits reference to the Virgin An example of this is Mark 16.9–20: Birth in Luke 2.33 this passage is found in the writings I omits reference to the deity of of Irenaeus and Hippolytus in the Christ in 1 Timothy 3.16 2nd century, and is in almost every I omits reference to the deity of manuscript of Mark’s Gospel from Christ in Romans 14.10 and 12 AD 500 onwards. It is missing in I omits reference to the blood of two Alexandrian manuscripts, the Christ in Colossians 1.14 Sinai and the Vatican. In addition, an error is created in This is but one of many the Bible in Mark 1.2; in this examples of this problem. There passage in the Critical Text Isaiah 3 What today’s Christian needs to know about… is made the author of the book of copies removed from the original it Malachi. In numerous places in the is. A manuscript which is dated as New Testament the name of Jesus having been copied during the is omitted from the Critical Text; 10th century could have been the seventy times ‘Jesus’ is omitted fifth in a line of copies originating and twenty-nine times ‘Christ’ is with the original autograph, whilst a omitted.1 manuscript dated as having been copied during the 3rd century could Another problem with the modern have been the one hundredth in Critical Text is that the two main the line of copies. Since it is manuscripts upon which this text difficult to tell the genealogy—the is constructed, the Sinai and the family—of any given manuscript, it Vatican, disagree between is important to note that age is themselves over 3,000 times in relative in the sense that you could the Gospels alone. Thus, the have a corrupt 3rd century Alexandrian text presents itself as manuscript or a faithful a text type which is characterised 10th century manuscript. in many places by readings which are not common to the A good illustration would be to manuscripts of their own tradition. suppose that, in the year 3000, a The Critical Text is characterised copy of the English Bible was found by wording which in the original which dated from the 1970s. language is difficult, abrupt or Suppose this Bible happened to be even impossible. It appears that the oldest existing Bible available, no matter how peculiar or aberrant and this Bible happened to differ in the variant reading is, it must have hundreds of places from the Bible been in the original autographs that was in use by Christians in the because (as is sometimes year 3000. One could well imagine claimed) a scribe would never the scientific critics, with their make a change which disagrees methodology, extolling the virtues with other manuscripts; he would, of the ancient age of this Bible, the instead, make a change which page design showing quality, would make a passage read more careful care in the layout and the smoothly. paper of this particular volume, the binding and so on. But their Much is said about the arguments would tend to fall apart Alexandrian manuscripts being very when, after beginning to translate old. This is true, but the emphasis Bibles into modern languages on in the study of textual criticism the basis of this ancient book, should not be upon how old the Christians discovered that this manuscript is but upon how many version of the Scriptures was the 4 …The Greek New Testament

New World Translation of the ages have faithfully copied and Jehovah’s Witnesses. recopied copies of the original autographs. The church all over the Providential Preservation world has used the Traditional Text in all of its various forms, and God The Traditional Text of the New has seen fit to multiply multitudes Testament is understood by of copies and has brought conservative Bible-believing salvation to many generations Christians to have been through this preservation process. providentially preserved by God. This doctrine of providential God has promised in His Word that preservation is succinctly stated in He would not only preserve His the Westminster Confession of Word for generations to come, but Faith, chapter 1, paragraph VIII: that His Word was permanent and would be kept free from corruption. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native I Matthew 5.18 states ‘For verily language of the people of God I say unto you, Till heaven and of old), and the New earth pass, one jot or one tittle Testament in Greek (which, at shall in no wise pass from the the time of the writing of it, law, till all be fulfilled’. was most generally known to the nations), being I Isaiah 59.21 says ‘As for me, immediately inspired by God, this is my covenant with them, and, by His singular care and saith the LORD; My spirit that is providence, kept pure in all upon thee, and my words which ages, are therefore I have put in thy mouth, shall authentical; so as, in all not depart out of thy mouth, nor controversies of religion, the out of the mouth of thy seed, Church is finally to appeal nor out of the mouth of thy unto them. seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever’. This precious doctrine of the providential preservation of the I John 10.35 says ‘and the Scriptures has been all but scripture cannot be broken’. forgotten by modern textual scholars. Many of them treat the These verses demonstrate that Word of God as just another book God has not left His church for that can be submitted to the centuries without an authoritative whims and changing norms of copy of the Word of God, but that modern scientific methods. Many God’s people down through the of the destructive forms of higher 5 What today’s Christian needs to know about… criticism of the 19th century have never been proven that these few come from a lack of belief that the Alexandrian manuscripts ever Bible is a supernatural book. The existed outside of Alexandria, Bible has the marks of inspiration Egypt. Many of God’s people which clearly can be seen by around the world reject the Critical believing eyes, but which can be Text in all of its forms. The trampled under the feet of men practical application of providential rushing headlong toward preservation is that the believer destruction. But, in spite of this, today must choose between a God has raised up His people who modern reconstructed text based love and cherish His Word and essentially upon two manuscripts recognise the marks of inspiration from the 4th century, which omits that the early believers recognised, the deity of Christ in many places and that these copies which have and is estimated by some to leave been handed down through the out approximately 200 verses (the ages represent well what God has equivalent of 1 and 2 Peter), or intended to be used. This does not that he must choose as a text one mean that any particular printed which God has used through the edition of the Greek New centuries. Do we use the text Testament today is perfect, but which God has blessed, and which what it does mean is that the New best honours and glorifies the Lord Testament that we have today is Jesus, or do we not? essentially the same as that passed down through the ages The printed editions of the Greek through various groups of believers New Testament which were who have loved and kept His Word. published during the 1500s and 1600s were produced by men who The strength of this preservation understood what the glory of God in the Old Testament comes in the meant and the importance of quality of scribe that copied the having accurate copies of the Old Testament Hebrew. In the New Bible. From the work known as the Testament this is seen in the Complutensian Polyglot to the abundance of manuscripts which various editions of Erasmus, to the we possess today. This has been four editions of Robert Stephens God’s method for keeping His Word (the best known of which is the pure. This preservation provides 1550 text and which is the basis that no one local text, such as the for what is called the Berry one from Alexandria, Egypt, would Interlinear or the Englishman’s become the dominant text. It took Greek New Testament), to the work liberalism and unbelief to challenge of the great critic Theodore Beza in this preservation process. It has his five editions, to the editions of 6 …The Greek New Testament the Elzevirs in 1624 and 1633, will be made, consciously or and ultimately to the work of unconsciously, by every single F. H. A. Scrivener in the 1870s and believer. This decision is made ’80s, we have scholarship in when the believer decides which textual criticism and the most edition of the Bible he will use to faithful and careful attitude toward read and study; and if he chooses the manuscripts that one can a translation based upon corrupted imagine. The Traditional Text of the manuscripts which reflect views New Testament was the text of the which omit the deity of Christ, His Reformation period, so that blood atonement, His virgin birth, whether it was the work of then the decision has been made Erasmus or of Stephens, Luther’s to extend this error to the next own translation or that of the heirs generation. If, however, today’s of the Reformation such as the Christian chooses a translation of Westminster Divines and the the Word of God which is translators of the Authorised translated from the Traditional Text Version in English, this text has of the New Testament, the decision been widely used and has been made to continue to see tremendously blessed by God. God working through His providence in providing His Word in The Responsibility of its complete form, for not only this Believers Today generation but for those to come. The textual critic J. Harold Greenlee has said, ‘New Testament textual criticism is, therefore, the basic Biblical study, a prerequisite to all other Biblical and theological Endnotes work’.2 This is not an overstatement of the importance of this issue. As believers we have 1. See ‘The Great Omission’, the responsibility in our day and The Quarterly Record (London, age of proclaiming the Gospel, the England: The Trinitarian Bible pure Gospel, the undiluted Gospel. Society, no. 524, July-September We also have the right and 1993). privilege of being the next in the line of protecting God’s Word and 2. J. Harold Greenlee, Introduction proclaiming it. Each individual to New Testament Textual Criticism Christian will make a decision on (Grand Rapids, MI, USA: William this matter, of which text is B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., correct. Unmistakably, this decision 1964), p. 17. 7 What today’s Christian needs to know about…

A Bibliography In Support of ______. The Revision Revised. The Traditional Text of the Fort Worth, TX, USA: A. G. Hobbs New Testament Publications, 1983. ______. The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels. London, England: ‘The Ancient Manuscripts of the George Bell and Sons, 1896. New Testament’, Quarterly Record. London, England: The Trinitarian Clark, Gordon H. Logical Criticisms Bible Society, No. 510, January- of Textual Criticism. Jefferson, MD, March 1990. USA: The Trinity Foundation, 1986.

A Textual Key to the New Dabney, Robert L. ‘The Doctrinal Testament, Article No. 100. Various Readings of the New London, England: The Trinitarian Testament Greek’, Discussions of Bible Society, 1992. Robert Lewis Dabney, vol. 1. Carlisle, PA, USA: The Banner of The Authenticity of the Last Twelve Truth Trust, 1967. Verses of the Gospel according to Mark demonstrated by the evidence ______. ‘The Revised Version of of the ancient manuscripts, Article the New Testament’, Discussions of No. 106. London, England: The Robert Lewis Dabney, vol. 1. Trinitarian Bible Society, n.d. Carlisle, PA, USA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1967. The Authorised Version: What today’s Christian needs to know The English Bible: Its Origin, about the AV, Article no. 75. Preservation and Blessing, Article London, England: The Trinitarian No. 101. London, England: The Bible Society, n.d. Trinitarian Bible Society, 2000.

Burgon, John William. The Causes Fuller, David Otis. Counterfeit or of Corruption of the Traditional Text Genuine. Grand Rapids, MI, USA: of the Holy Gospels. London, Grand Rapids International England: George Bell and Sons, Publications, 1978. 1896. ______. True or False. Grand ______. The Last Twelve Verses Rapids, MI, USA: Grand Rapids of the Gospel According to S. Mark. International Publications, 1983. Oxford, England: J. Parker and Co., 1871. ______. Which Bible? Grand Rapids, MI, USA: Grand Rapids International Publications, 1970. 8 …The Greek New Testament

God was Manifest in the Flesh, Criticism. Nashville, TN, USA: Article No. 103. London, England: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984. The Trinitarian Bible Society, n.d. van Bruggen, Jakob. The Ancient Hills, Edward Freer. The King James Text of the New Testament. Version Defended. DesMoines, Winnipeg, Ont., Canada: Premier, IO, USA: The Christian Research 1976. Press, 1984. ______. The Future of the Bible. The New International Version: What Nashville, TN, USA: Thomas Nelson today’s Christian needs to know Publishers, 1978. about the NIV, Article No. 114. London, England: The Trinitarian Why 1 John 5 vs. 7–8 is in the Bible Society, 1998. Bible, Article No. 102. London, England: The Trinitarian Bible The New Testament: The Greek Text Society, 1993. Underlying the English Authorised Version of 1611 (Textus Receptus). Wisse, Frederik, The Profile Method London, England: The Trinitarian for Classifying and Evaluating Bible Society, n.d. Manuscript Evidence. Grand Rapids, MI, USA: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pickering, Wilbur N. The Identity of Publishing Co., 1982. the New Testament Text. Nashville, TN, USA: Thomas Nelson The Word of God Among All Nations: Publishers, 1977. An Introduction to the Society’s Principles. London, England: The Scrivener, F. H. A. The Authorised Trinitarian Bible Society, 1997. Edition of the English Bible (1611): Its Subsequent Reprints and Modern Representatives. Cambridge, England: The University Press, 1884.

______. A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament for the Use of Biblical Students, third edition. Cambridge, England: Deighton, Bell and Co., 1883.

Sturz, Harry A. The Byzantine Text- Type and New Testament Textual 9 The aims of the Society

G To publish and distribute the Holy Scriptures throughout the world in many languages.

G To promote Bible translations which are accurate and trustworthy, conforming to the Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and the Greek Textus Receptus of the New Testament, upon which texts the English Authorised Version is based.

G To be instrumental in bringing light and life, through the Gospel of Christ, to those who are lost in sin and in the darkness of false religion and unbelief.

G To uphold the doctrines of reformed Christianity, bearing witness to the equal and eternal deity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, One God in three Persons.

G To uphold the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God.

G For the Glory of God and the increase of His Kingdom through the circulation of Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God.

For introductory literature and catalogue please write to the Society at the address below.

Product Code: A104 Trinitarian Bible Society ISBN 978 1 86228 028 1

William Tyndale House, 29 Deer Park Road London SW19 3NN, England email: [email protected] www.tbsbibles.org 9 781862 280281