What is the Textus Receptus?
The Textus Receptus (Latin for “Received Text”) is a Greek New Testament that provided the textual base for the vernacular translations of the Reformation Period. It was a printed text, not a hand-copied manuscript, created in the 15th century to fill the need for a textually accurate Greek New Testament. As the Christian message was…
How much of the Bible was transmitted by oral tradition?
First, we have to distinguish between oral “tradition” and oral “transmission.” The term tradition implies a long-held belief or practice that is not necessarily connected to any explicit facts or evidence. Transmission is a method of conveying information. The content of the Bible was, in some cases, first relayed through oral “transmission,” but not as…
Is the original Bible still in existence?
The answer to this question is both “no” and “yes.” In the strictest sense, no, the original documents that comprise the 66 books of the Bible—sometimes called the “autographs”—are not in the possession of any organization. However, in a very real way, yes, humankind does have the actual words and books that make up the…
What was the process of deciding on the Old Testament canon?
In his commentary on Galatians, Martin Luther denounced the Pope for claiming to have authority over the Bible. The Roman Catholic Church argued that, as it was the papacy who determined the canon of Scripture, Scripture must bow in submission to the Pope’s superior authority. Martin Luther pointed to the folly of such faulty reasoning,…
Who divided the Bible into chapters and verses?
When the books of the Bible were originally written, they did not contain chapter or verse references. The Bible was divided into chapters and verses to help us find Scriptures more quickly and easily. It is much easier to find “John chapter 3, verse 16” than it is to find “for God so loved the…
What are the books of the Bible?
The Holy Bible is an anthology of writings that includes 66 books in English editions. The Bible consists of two parts, the Old Testament and New Testament. The Old Testament includes 39 books, and the New Testament includes 27 books. In the Old Testament, there are four major divisions of books. The first division is…
What are the Garima Gospels?
The Garima Gospels are among the oldest biblical manuscripts in existence. Housed in the remote Abba Garima Monastery in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, these manuscripts provide insight into Ethiopian Christianity, art, and culture. The preservation of the Garima Gospels is therefore a part of Ethiopia’s religious and cultural heritage. The Garima Gospels contain the…
The closed canon—what are the implications?
The canon of Scripture refers to all the books in the Christian Bible and Hebrew Scriptures that together constitute the complete and divinely inspired Word of God. Only the books of the canon are considered authoritative in matters of faith and practice. The idea of a closed canon is that the Bible is complete; no…
What is the Comma Johanneum (1 John 5:7-8)?
The Comma Johanneum, also known as the Comma Johannine, is a textual variant in regards to 1 John 5:7-8. The word comma simply means “short clause,” and Johanneum means “pertaining to John.” Without the “comma,” 1 John 5:7-8 reads, “For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three…
Who were Westcott and Hort, and what did they have to do with the text of the Bible?
Brooke Westcott and Fenton Hort were 19th-century theologians and Bible scholars. Together, they produced The New Testament in the Original Greek, one of the earliest examples of modern textual criticism. Since its publication in 1881, Westcott and Hort’s work has proved to be impressively accurate, though far from perfect. Their approach not only advanced the…