Causes of Corruption of the New Testament Text Review

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(More customer reviews)A key work on its subject, this book, is one of the best accessible works on the differences between the Textus Receptus documents that underly the King James vs the Critical Text documents that underly all of the other "modern" English language bibles. Author Dean Burgon did extensive research to compare the varying underlying texts visiting the originals to see for himself. Publisher Jay Green SR. of Lafayette Indiana apparently created this summary excerpt of Dean Burgeon's larger works on the subject.
A slow read for those not knowing Greek but it is accessible enough to allow even those not knowing the languages to learn some key differences of these two sources.
What is great about this book is the intellectual weaving by Burgon showing errors by both orthodox and liberal bible text compilers. He admits to a few errors in Textus Receptus while showing the many in the Critical Text.
Examples: Page 30 shows the subtle changes afforded by the critical text that underly feminism and other modern philosophies. Pages 36 & 54 gives lists of old heretics that are quoted as authorities by modern bible scholars. This knowledge helps a person to understand how modern scholars have disassembled the early biblical church beliefs and then created a politically correct secular humanist cartoon church for today's church goers.
Yes, it is possible to find the best originals and translation. After you read this you will see the stupidity of modern day arguments on the subject. Those inserting error are seen as intellectuals in search of a career as they create alternate views throughout history. After Burgon dissects the subject it is seen as no more than a typical argument between those who really want the truth and the hotheads that would rather argue. It is deeply disappointingly to find out the low quality of the critical text that I've been fed much of my life.
Whether you agree with Burgon or not it is irresponsible to not read this if you are a person wanting to know this subject matter - it is that good and important an explanation.

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The Text of the New Testament: From Manuscript to Modern Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)A great advantage of this book is that it is aimed at the general reader, not the trained New Testament scholar. You don't have to understand any Greek or have a seminary education to pick up this book and find a simple, clear discussion that answers your hard questions relating to the validity of and support for the New Testament text.
The book starts with a discussion of how ancient manuscripts were written, with good diagrams that show how papyrus manuscripts were made. It also explain the difference between scrolls and book format and provides the history of the New Testament--from the ancient writers to the process that has brought it to us today.
Greenlee's book is technically accurate while providing a clear and revealing discussion that shows us that the many discoveries and the studies in textual criticism strengthen the proof of the authenticity of the Scriptures


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The Text of the New Testament is a brief introduction for the lay person into the process whereby the New Testament came to be. It describes the basics of ancient writing tools, manuscripts, the work of scribes, and how to think about differences in what the various manuscripts say. This is a revised and expanded edition with a completely new chapter on how contemporary English translations fit in with our understanding of the New Testament text.Geared to the lay person who is uninformed or confused about textual criticism, Greenlee begins this volume by explaining the production of ancient manuscripts. He then traces the history of the development of the New Testament text. Readers are next introduced to the basic principles of textual criticism, the concept of variant readings, and how to determine which variant has the greatest likelihood of being the original reading. To illustrate the basic principles, several sample New Testament texts are examined. The book concludes by putting textual criticism in perspective as involving only a minute portion of the entire New Testament text, the bulk of which is indisputably attested by the manuscripts.

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What's in the Word: Rethinking the Socio-Rhetorical Character of the New Testament Review

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(More customer reviews)Anyone interested in biblical studies and ancient history would find these essays fascinating reading.
Witherington insists it is time for a "paradigm shift" in NT studies. Various disciplines have shown that "ancient texts are not really texts in the modern sense at all--they are surrogates for oral communication" (p 3). All documents in antiquity were expected to be read aloud. Ambrose famously was regarded as singular in that he actually read without moving his lips.
Witherington also points out forcefully that it is long past time to reassess the social background of the NT writers. Their very literacy argues that they were part of the social elite, not the poor. The documents they left behind "reflect a considerable knowledge of Greek, rhetoric, and general Greco-Roman culture" (p 9). Among the types of rhetoric employed by the NT writers were "rhetorical questions, dramatic hyperbole, personification, amplification, irony, enthymemes, and the like...for example...the chereia" (p 13).
In his essay on 'Canonical Pseudepigrapha' he points out that by the second and third century we see that the early Christians had clear objections to any sort of forging or misnaming documents. "Furthermore, we find evidence that when falsification was discovered, there were moves to correct the problem" (p 19).
I also found Witherington's essay on the Beloved Disciple, whom he identifies with Lazarus, to be well thought out and interesting, even though, ultimately, I find Hengel and Bauchkham's arguments more persuasive.

Witherington is at his best on his essay on porneia. He points out that "neither Mark nor Paul think that Jesus allowed any exceptions to his prohibition of divorce" and if Jesus had meant adultery he would have used the word moixeia. Divorce was allowed for Second Temple Jews, although those following Shammaite teachers allowed divorce only for adultery. Witherington concludes that "the social context strongly favors the idea that porneia in Mattthew 5 and 19, as in 1 Corinthians 5:1, refers to incest and thus...not divinely sanctioned relationship" (p 111).
A rich, thoughtful collection.


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Matthew: A Shorter Commentary (International Critical Commentary) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a fine commentary on Matthew's gospel, so-called "shorter" because, at 549 pages plus an 18 page introduction, it draws on the three-volume International Critical Commentary by its authors. It does not require Greek of its readers, nor does it footnote contemporary scholarship.
Brendan Byrne's "Lifting the Burden" is a nice thematic approach to "reading Matthew's gospel in the church today," as its subtitle notes. Donald Hagner's two-volume Word Biblical Commentary provides more detail and scholarship on Matthew, at a still-affordable level.

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The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts: A Literary Interpretation, Vol. 1: The Gospel According to Luke (Foundations and Facets) (English and Greek Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Robert C. Tannehill's monograph, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts: A Literary Interpretation (Volume 1: The Gospel of Luke) is a commentary on the narrative unity of the Lukan narratives, examining how the text's individual narrative units contribute to accomplish Luke's overarching purpose to demonstrate God's redemptive plan through Christ and his followers. Recent developments in biblical and non-biblical literary narrative criticism have allowed the author to examine the Lukan texts from a new perspective, offering insights into the language, patterns, contrasts, ironies, pathos, and many other features that make up the literary whole. Tannehill's effort to probe the text through the lens of narrative criticism reappraises some of the familiar dominant themes in Luke, further enhancing the understanding of the text and illuminating previously uncharted narrative trajectories and progressions of Lukan thought.
Similar to the other Synoptics, the Gospel of Luke is written in a vivid, episodic style, yet with little apparent linkage to the sequence of the story as a whole. From Luke's second volume, it is clear that the author is proficient at stringing together common themes and producing a coherent story, yet the low contextual nature of the Gospel narrative appears to leave significant gaps in the story, leaving modern readers without a seamless understanding of the unity of the narrative. However, after careful analysis of the plot and major characters, a single controlling purpose emerges- the purpose of God, connecting the individual episodes and creating a rich literary tapestry that enhances the understanding of unity of the text and its interpretation.
To assist in unravelling the complexity of the narrative connections and elucidating an interpretive context for understanding the mission of Jesus and his witnesses, Tannehill explores key literary disclosures that function as signposts, providing direction through the narrative maze and enabling the identification of various thematic routes within the text. Special attention is given to a wide range of individuals and groups encountered in the narrative and Jesus' developing relationships with these groups or individuals. The author examines Jesus' ministry to the oppressed and excluded, his interactions with the crowd, his encounters with authorities, and his relationships with the disciples and followers. Avoiding technical terms of literary theory employed by other commentaries, Tannehill seeks to enliven Luke's literary design to achieve narrative and ideological progression and emphasize how the narrative rhetoric unfolds to effectively communicate how God's purposes are accomplished in the world.


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The Story of the New Testament Text: Movers, Materials, Motives, Methods, and Models (Resources for Biblical Study) Review

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(More customer reviews)Most of us who contemplate the text and apparatus of a Greek NT probably feel much like the person Robert Hull quotes at the beginning of his book: "I look upon the textual critic as I look upon the man who comes to clean the drains. I should not like to do it myself, but I am very glad that someone likes to do it"! With that honest beginning, Hull proceeds to lead us on a highly user-friendly and engaging overview and introduction to this rather daunting and necessarily technical field.
He takes us through the different eras in the history of the field, from premodern, through modern, to postmodern, organizing his discussion under the alliterative heads in his subtitle: Movers, Materials, Motives, Methods, and Models. Professionals and laypersons will recognize in this alliteration the touch of an experienced teacher. Hull indeed strikes the right balance between doing justice to the complexity of the field and explaining it for novices.
Reserving his own judgments, Hull guides us with a deft hand through the perspectives of key players in the field and their approaches to the manuscript evidence, letting us sense complexity and need for careful research, while offering concise explanations and also communicating enthusiasm for the endeavor and appreciation for its fruits.
As someone who deals with postmodern approaches in biblical studies, I found particularly helpful his honest and non-prejudicial discussion of how the very modernist search for "the original text" is tending to give way in the postmodern era to a greater acceptance of variety in the textual witnesses.
I thoroughly recommend this book for those who are looking for a scholarly yet accessible introduction to the field.

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Encountering the Manuscripts: An Introduction to New Testament Paleography & Textual Criticism Review

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(More customer reviews)This momumental work explores the earliest New Testament writings (pre AD 300). The goals of the book are:
. to give an annotated list of all significant Greek manuscripts
. to assign dates for the earliest manuscripts
. to examine the nomina sacra (standardized abbreviations) used in the early manuscripts
. to present the history of textual variation in the early centuries of the church
. to explore various methods of recovering the original wording of the Greek.
All of this is within the main goal of helping students interact with the New testament test by knowing the original wording.
This book gives a rare insight into the work of the scholars putting the Bible together from very fragmentary documents. All in all, it is amazing that so much material exists from almost two thousand years ago.

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"[Encountering the Manuscripts] focuses on the most significant New Testament manuscripts from the perspective of paleography and textual criticism. Paleography pertains to the dating of the manuscripts, as well as to the calligraphic features of the manuscripts themselves. Each manuscript has a story to tell; each manuscript gives us a window into the transmission of the New Testament text in the earliest centuries. Textual criticism pertains to the critical evaluation of the trustworthiness of the text of each manuscript with respect to recovering the original wording of the Greek New Testament. This volume merges the two areas of study by looking at both paleography and textual criticism as we encounter the New Testament manuscripts."

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