A Study in the History of the Biblical Text THE GAVELORD THE WORD A Study in the History of the Biblical Text Malcolm H. Watts Trinitarian Bible Society William Tyndale House, 29 Deer Park Road London SW19 3NN, England i Product Code: A111 ISBN 978 1 86228 011 3 © Trinitarian Bible Society 1998 William Tyndale House, 29 Deer Park Road, London SW19 3NN, England Registered Charity Number: 233082 (England) SC038379 (Scotland) Copyright is held by the Incorporated Trinitarian Bible Society Trust on behalf of the Trinitarian Bible Society Contents The Old Testament 1 The first language 1 Writing materials 2 Revelation 2 Twin doctrine 3 Written 4 The Originals 4 The Temple 4 Significance of the Ark 5 One Book 6 Copies 6 The work of scribes 7 Loss of the originals 7 The Great Synagogue 8 The Famous Massoretes 9 The Massoretic Text 10 Old Testament Summary 11 The New Testament 12 Christian truth written down 13 The Divine Originals 13 Accurate Copying 14 Textual Variants 15 Reproducing the authentic New Testament Text 16 The Surviving Greek manuscripts 17 1. Papyri 17 2. Uncials 18 3. Minuscules 19 4. Lectionaries 19 Classification 20 A. Byzantine Text-type 21 B. The Alexandrian Text-type 24 Critics attack the Byzantine Text 25 The Authorised Version 27 Endnotes 28 A Study in the History of the Biblical Text THE LORD GAVE THE WORD A Study in the History of the Biblical Text Malcolm H. Watts he Bible is the eternal Word of from the old Hebrew spoken by Abra- God. It has been given by God to ham in Ur of the Chaldees (Genesis Tman that it might be the absolute, 14:13) and a number of scholars be- supreme, authoritative, infallible, and un- lieve that this old Hebrew predated changeable standard for faith and practice. Abraham and that it was the “one In this article we shall trace the history language” and “one speech” of pre- of the Bible from its origin in divine self- Babel times (Genesis 11:1). In other revelation, through its embodiment in words, they believe it was the original written form by supernatural inspiration, language of man. to its accurate transmission to this present age by providential preservation. It is our THE FIRST LANGUAGE firm belief that, although the storms of criticism continue to rage against God’s Supporting evidence for this view Word, the humble believer’s confidence in is quite substantial. First of all, in He- it is justifiable and substantiated. This brew the names of animals express sacred volume is – and always will be – the very accurately their nature and Book of God. characteristics – more so, indeed, than in any other ancient language. This would tie in with the fact that Adam, The Old Testament soon after his creation, gave names to the animals by observing the peculiar The greater part of the Old Testament qualities and characteristics of each was written in Hebrew, sometimes species (Genesis 2:19-20). Second, called “the language of Canaan” proper names, like Adam, Eve, and (Isaiah 19:18) or “the Jews’ language” Cain, have significant meanings in (Isaiah 36:11). It probably developed Hebrew, some of which are actually 1 T HE LORD GAVE THE WORD assigned to them in the Old Testa- We know that papyrus was used in ment Scriptures (Genesis 2:23; 3:20; Egypt long ago, certainly in the time 4:1). Third, the names of various of Moses, and it is therefore likely that ancient nations appear to be of He- the first documents of the Old Testa- brew origin, being derived from the ment were written on this material. sons and grandsons of Shem, Ham If not, they would have been written and Japheth: as, for example, the on animal skins which were being Assyrians from Ashur; the Elamites used around 2000 BC. Skins came from Elam; and the Aramaeans from to be preferred because they lasted Aram. longer and proved not to be so brittle: hence, they preserved the text more An argument can therefore be perfectly. made for some form of Hebrew hav- ing been the first language spoken REVELATION and heard in this world; but be that as it may, it is an indisputable fact that We know that God is the greatest practically the whole of the Old Testa- of beings. Scripture says, “Canst thou ment is written in Hebrew. The only by searching find out God? canst thou exceptions are in Aramaic (a close, cog- find out the Almighty unto perfec- nate language to Hebrew) which did, tion?” (Job 11:7). And the answer in fact, supersede Hebrew at the time assumed is, of course, No. We cannot of the captivity. These exceptions are with all our ingenuity discover the two parts of the book of Ezra (4:8-6:18; infinite God. He is far, far above our 7:12-26), accounted for by Aramaic human comprehension. Does this being the official language of the mean, then, that we have no hope of Persian Empire; a verse in Jeremiah knowing Him? Thankfully, it does (10:11), where there is a quotation of not mean that. Although we can- an Aramaic proverb; and quite a large not – even with intense investigation section of the book of Daniel (2:4 to – discover God, He is able to make 7:28), where Aramaic is used, probably Himself known to us. As the source because the entire section deals with of all truth, He can teach us about His the nations of the world. own wonderful Being; and therefore, as the Psalmist says, “In thy light shall WRITING MATERIALS we see light” (Psalm 36:9). This brings us, quite naturally, to the doctrine of Now on what were the ancient revelation. Scriptures written? Originally, the Old Testament Scriptures appear to A concise, but accurate, definition have been written on papyrus. This of revelation comes from the pen of Dr. was made from reeds which grew on James Bannerman. He wrote: “Revela- the banks of the Nile River. The reeds tion, as a divine act, is the presentation were cut into strips and placed line of objective truth to a man in a super- upon line at right angles: then, they natural manner by God. Revelation, were beaten, pressed, and polished as the effect of that act, is the objective to form a kind of primitive paper. truth so presented”.1 2 A Study in the History of the Biblical Text Now revelation is of two kinds. special revelation came to chosen men First of all, there is general revelation. through visions, dreams, and burdens. This comes partly from outside us, As God Himself once said, “If there from the world round about us. In be a prophet among you, I the LORD the works of creation and providence, will make myself known unto him in God shows something of His divin- a vision, and will speak unto him in a ity and perfection. “For the invisible dream” (Numbers 12:6). “Burdens” things of him from the creation of the were heavy messages laid upon the world are clearly seen, being under- mind and heart. Hence, we read: stood by the things that are made, “The burden of the word of the LORD even His eternal power and Godhead” to Israel by Malachi” (Malachi 1:1). (Romans 1:20; cf. Psalm 19:1; Acts Special revelation meets the deepest 14:27). Looking at the various parts of needs of men’s hearts. It answers this visible universe, we are compelled the question which is as old as man’s to think, with reverential awe, of the soul – “How should man be just with divine Architect and Maker. Further God?” (Job 9:2). general revelation comes from inside us. Made in the image of God, we have Through general and special rev- some natural sense of God, immortal- elation (which climaxed, of course, in ity, and the difference between right the Incarnation), God has graciously and wrong. We are, as Paul says, a given to us a divine self-disclosure and law unto ourselves because “the work made known the way of His salvation. of the law” is written in our “hearts”, our “conscience also bearing witness” TWIN DOCTRINE (Romans 2:14,15). There is a twin doctrine which we Such revelation is said to be gen- now need to consider: inspiration, eral: not only because it is generally which Professor Louis Gaussen once made throughout the world, but also defined as “that inexplicable power because it deals only with general which the Divine Spirit put forth of things. It says nothing about specif- old on the authors of holy Scripture, ics, like reconciliation with God, the in order to their guidance even in the forgiveness of sins, or the way to employment of the words they used, heaven. and to preserve them alike from all error and from all omission”.2 However, in His wonderful mercy, God has been pleased to grant special Inspiration, then, is the process revelation. This, too, is both external by which God exerts a supernatural and internal. External special revelation influence upon certain men, enabling came through “theophanies” as God ac- them accurately and infallibly to tually appeared to men and also through record whatever has been revealed. “voices”, as God spoke to them. “The “Holy men of God”, we read, “spake LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, as they were moved by the Holy Unto thy seed will I give this land…” Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). The result of (Genesis 12:7; cf.