HOW WE GOT the Bible A class on Bible origin, transmission and reliability - PowerPoint Presentation

1. HOW WE GOT the BibleA class on Bible origin, transmission and reliabilityJanuary 2018                                                                                                              Lesson 7Old Testament Manuscripts & Modern Evidence

2. Class ObjectivesShow the importance of the Bible to our faith & that it is reliable.Demonstrate that we can be confident that we have God’s inspired word today.Understand the difference in modern versions of English BibleBe able to answer questions about the origin of the Bible

3. Course Content

4. What the Canon Is and Is NotCanon is not…Determined by the churchBuilt on the churchRegulated by the churchJudged by the churchCanon is…Discovered by the churchThe foundation of the churchRecognized by the churchWitnessed by the churchA book is not the Word of God because it is accepted by the church. It is accepted by the church because it is the Word of God.

5. FORM CRITICISMand its problemsDenies the evidence of eyewitnesses, stating that the historical accounts of Jesus were the product of the early Christian church.Overlooks the biographical interest the early Christians would have in knowing the truth about Jesus’ deeds and His sayings.Ignores the problems that a “creative community” would have obtaining consensus, cooperation and coordination of the facts and oral traditions.Advocates the events in the gospels as non-historical, unreliable, artificial and fictional.This theory has many problems – mainly the failure to recognize the Divine Source – 2 Pet. 1:20-21..

6. FORM CRITICISMThe “JEDP” Article (Baruch J. Swartz)Swartz says that the Sinai - Law of Moses story is “so inconsistent and discontinuous” - that this has “plagued readers for thousands of years” and “traditional commentators have done their best to suggest harmonizing answers to them.”BR – October 1997

7. FORM CRITICISM for the OTThe “JEDP” TheoryProposition: Different writings have different forms – thus, in the analysis of a literary work, something as diverse as the Law of Moses must be a composite of several writings from four different sources – J – Jehovistic (Yahwistic) – dates to about the 9th century B.C.E – Elohistic – dates to about the 8th century B.C.D – Deuteronomic – from about King Josiah’s time (640-609 B.C.)P – Priestly – possibly from the 5th century B.C.

8. FORM CRITICISMThe “JEDP” ArticleJ is called “The Appearances of YHWH on Mount Sinai.” This theophany takes place all at once.E is called “The Making, Breaking and Remaking of the Covenant.” This is the Covenant document.D is a recollection of the events and laws given before entrance into the promised land.P is called “The Laws Given by God in His Earthly Abode.” This includes the tabernacle and wilderness wanderings.

9. JEPDJ – YHWH on Mt SinaiE – Covenant documentD – Law at promised landP – tabernacle/wilderness wanderings

10. Problems with the Documentary Hypothesis Presuppositions – presupposes that miracles cannot happenMagnitude of Claims – Pentateuch written centuries ago, in a different culture & different land – Critics claiming they are able to decide what a writer could or could not saySame Writer can have different writing stylesMethod tends to chop passages up into bite-size bitsJesus Attributes the First 5 books to Moses

11. God’s Word stand’s foreverIsaiah 40:7 - 8 (ESV) 7    The grass withers, the flower fades      when the breath of the Lord blows on it;      surely the people are grass. 8    The grass withers, the flower fades,      but the word of our God will stand forever. Psalms 33:4 (ESV) 4    For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. Psalms 33:11 (ESV) 11    The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

12. Old Testament Manuscripts The originals were probably written over the period 1400-400 BCE.The earliest fragments discovered to date are among the Dead Sea Scrolls: parts of Exodus and Samuel from c250 BCE.The earliest complete book (Isaiah) comes from the same find, dating to c125 BCE.The earliest complete copy of the whole OT, surprisingly, is a Greek translation, from c350 CE.The earliest complete Hebrew manuscript only goes back to c950 CE.

13. History of Old Testament Manuscript Transmission.The Old Testament or Hebrew Bible was produced from 1450 BC to 425 BCAfter the conquest of Persia, by Alexander the Great 330 BC, Alexandria Egypt, became a major center for Biblical manuscript transmission.  From Alexandria, the Septuagint would be created for Greek speaking Jews.  The inter-testamental transmission involved individual scrolls. They were made of leather or papyrus. The standard size was 10 inches by 30 feet. Long enough to accommodate the text of Isaiah

14. Ketef Hinnom AmuletsTwo tiny silver amulets scrolls discovered at a burial cave at Ketef Hinnom overlooking Mt. Zion. Written in ancient Hebrew script date to 7th century BC.Scrolls comprise the earliest-known fragments of a biblical text and pre-date the earliest scrolls from Qumran by more than 300 years. Form of Priestly blessing Num 6:24,25"The Lord bless you and protect you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance to you and give you peace."

15. Who Were the Masoretes?The Masoretes were groups of Jewish scribes who set up a system to ensure that the text of the Hebrew Bible was transmitted accurately. They lived in communities—the most famous one in Tiberias, Israel—during the sixth through tenth centuries C.E. While the original Hebrew text contained only consonants, the Masoretes added vowel pointings and cantillation marks to the consonantal text to indicate how particular words were pronounced. They also added notes (masorah) to explain textual issues and to prevent alterations. The Hebrew text we use today relies on their meticulous work.

16. O.T. ManuscriptsDead Sea Scrolls - 250 BC è 68AD

17. Qumran aerial from westQumran aerial from westNorthern cemeteryMain cemeteryAqueductCave 4Wadi QumranCommunal center

18. Qumran from westQumran from west

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20. History of Old Testament Manuscript Transmission.The Dead Sea scrolls revealed the extent of manuscript transmission. The scrolls discovered showed the formation of 4 distinct versions of the Hebrew manuscripts. Many of the fragments and scrolls closely parallel the Masoretic text while others parallel the Septuagint (The Greek translation, LXX). The Alexandrian Recension.    These Hebrew manuscripts were the basis of the Septuagint in Alexandria Egypt. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible.The Palestine/Babylonian Recension       These Hebrew manuscripts were the basis of the Masoretic text. The basis of most Old Testament translations today. This could be traced to Ezra and Nehemiah period of activity. The two variations in text type were replaced with a single standard. This would later form into the Masoretic texta version that agrees with the Samaritan Pentateuch fourth, independent version

21. The Isaiah ScrollThe individual strips and the pages on them: Strip 1.---- 3 pages: 1 - 3 Strip 2 ---- 4 pages: 4 - 7 Strip 3 ---- 4 pages: 8 -11 Strip 4 ---- 4 pages: 12 - 15 Strip 5 ---- 4 pages: 16 - 19 Strip 6 ---- 3 pages: 20 - 22 Strip 7 ---- 3 pages: 23 - 25 Strip 8 ---- 2 pages: 26 - 27 Strip 9 ---- 3 pages: 28 - 30 Strip 10 --- 3 pages: 31 - 33 Strip 11 --- 3 pages: 34 - 36 Strip 12 --- 4 pages: 37 - 40 Strip 13 --- 3 pages: 41 - 43 Strip 14 --- 3 pages: 44 - 46 Strip 15 --- 3 pages: 47 - 49 Strip 16 --- 3 pages: 50 - 52 Strip 17 --- 2 pages: 53 - 54 The Isaiah Scroll is made up of 17 strips of leather that were sewn together to make the scroll. Some of the seams that join the 17 sections are in very good condition and some have been repaired and some have places where the sewing has unraveled and has not been repaired. Some have almost completely lost the sewing material. The material between the 16 and 17th strip (the last joint) is completely gone

22. Isaiah Dead Sea Scroll vs MasoreticTABLE 1. QUMRAN VS. THE MASORETES______________________________________Of the 166 Hebrew words in Isaiah 53, onlyseventeen letters in Dead Sea Scroll 1QIsbdiffer from the Masoretic Text (Geisler andNix, 1986, p. 382).10 letters = spelling differences4 letters = stylistic changes3 letters = added word for “light” (vs. 11)______________________________________17 letters = no affect on biblical teachingIsaiah 53:11(ESV) 11    Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see(light) and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

23. A very clear fingerprint of the scribe can be seen on scroll page 44 between lines 10 and 13 at Isaiah 53:5-7 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

24. Column V The Great Isaiah Scroll 5:14 to 6:76:56:1The first word in line 19 is obliterated. It is unreadable. The editor has put dots under and over this word to indicate a mistake of some kindFor example in Isaiah 6 there are 37 variants readings and almost all are differences in spellings. Only 3 are significant enough to be reflected in an English translation;

25. Column I The Great Qumran Isaiah ScrollSome letters which were missed by the first copyist or scribe were written in above the line of words The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

26. Column II The Great Isaiah Scroll 1:26-2:21There are some slight differences in this page and one radical omission of the last part of verse 9 and all of verse 10 and 3 words are missing from verse 2:2 in line 10 ("el har YHWH" to the mountain of YHWH) when the Q text is compared to the Masoretic or received text.Notice that the chapter division is marked by space being left to the end of the line after 1:31. Chapter 2 with the first word 9 People bow down, And each man humbles himself; Therefore do not forgive them. 10 Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty.

27. Column III The Great Isaiah Scroll 2:21 to 3:24Notice the sewing on the splice at the left. This is the first splice of many. To make the scroll: sheets of leather were sewn together. Each sheet held approximately 3 to 4 pages of manuscript writing. Thus the Great Isaiah Scroll is made of 17 strips with as many sewn seams to be found at the end of every third or fourth page.

28. Apocrypha of the Dead Sea Scrolls200-175 BC300-200 BC300 BC?200 BC?155 BC?100-200 BC?

29. Non-traditional Apocrypha

30. O.T. ManuscriptsDead Sea Scrolls - 250 B.C.èA.D. 68Nash Papyrus - late 1st century B.C.

31. Nash PapyrusFrom late 1st century B.C.Consists of Deuteronomy 5:6-21 – including the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) followed by:“The statutes and the judgments which Moses commanded in the wilderness when they came out of the land of Egypt.”And Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”Jesus referred to this as the great and foremost commandment of the law, recorded in Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:29-30 and Luke 10:27..

32. Nash Papyrus‘I am the Lord your God …’ This precious fragment of history is the Nash Papyrus. Dated to the 2nd or 1st century BC, it contains portions of the Ten Commandments—the oldest surviving statement of the Law.6,000 YEARS OF THE BIBLE – G. S. Wegener

33. O.T. ManuscriptsDead Sea Scrolls - 250 B.C.èA.D. 68Nash Papyrus - late 1st century B.C.Septuagint (LXX) - 285 B.C.

34. Septuagint (LXX)Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Egypt) summoned Jews from Palestine in 285 B.C. to translate the five books of Moses (Pentateuch) into Greek - (Letter by Aristeas)The remaining Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek later.It was the Bible of the early church,Quoted by the apostles and early inspired writers,Represents the entire Old Testament.Seven papyri codices (Chester Beatty) from the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. include various sections of the LXX (incl. Ezekiel, Daniel and Esther)..

35. O.T. ManuscriptsDead Sea Scrolls - 250 B.C.èA.D. 68Nash Papyrus - late 1st century B.C.Septuagint (LXX) - 285 B.C.Chester Beatty Papyri - early 3rd century A.D.

36. Chester Beatty PapyriConsists of 12 papyrus codices taken from an Egyptian graveyard.9 contain most of the Old Testament writings (Genesis, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Esther, Ezekiel and Daniel).3 contain the Gospels, Acts, Paul’s letters to the churches, Hebrews and Revelation.From the late 2nd, early 3rd centuries A.D..

37. Chester Beatty Papyri (250 AD)                                                This important papyri consists of three codices and contains most of the New Testament. (P.45, P.46, P.47). The first codex(P.45) has 30 leaves (pages) of papyrus codex. 2 from Matthew, 2 from John, 6 from Mark, 7 from Luke and 13 from Acts. Originally there were 220 pages measuring 8x10 inches each. (P.46)The second codex has 86 leaves 11x6.5 inches. 104 pages of Paul’s epistles. P.47 is made of 10 leaves from Revelation measuring 9.5 by 5.5 inches.

38. O.T. ManuscriptsDead Sea Scrolls - 250 B.C.èA.D. 68Nash Papyrus - late 1st century B.C.Septuagint (LXX) - 285 B.C.Chester Beatty Papyri - early 3rd century A.D.Codex Vaticanus (B) – 4th century A.D.

39. Codex Vaticanus (B)Contains nearly all of the O.T.in Greek except: Gen. 1:1-46:28 & Psalms 106-138759 leaves of the finest vellumDates to about A.D. 370Remained in the Vatican library from 1481 to 1890..

40. O.T. ManuscriptsDead Sea Scrolls - 250 B.C.èA.D. 68Nash Papyrus - late 1st century B.C.Septuagint (LXX) - 285 B.C.Chester Beatty Papyri - early 3rd century A.D.Codex Vaticanus (B) – 4th century A.D.Codex Sinaiticus (a) - middle 4th century A.D.

41. Codex Sinaiticus (a)Discovered by Tischendorf at St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai in 1844.Purchased for the Czar of Russia c. 1859.In the British Museum, purchased from the Soviet Union for 100,000£ from by the British on Dec. 25, 1933.Dates to about A.D. 340.

42. Codex Sinaiticus (a)Discovered at Mt. Sinai in 1844.The British Museum, purchased for 100,000£ from Soviet Union in 1933.Large vellum pages of outstanding quality, 4 columns per page.Dates to A.D. 340..

43. O.T. ManuscriptsDead Sea Scrolls - 250 B.C.èA.D. 68Nash Papyrus - late 1st century B.C.Septuagint (LXX) - 285 B.C.Chester Beatty Papyri - early 3rd century A.D.Codex Vaticanus (B) – 4th century A.D.Codex Sinaiticus (a) - middle 4th century A.D.Latin Vulgate - A.D. 405

44. The Latin VulgateIn A.D. 382, Damasus, who was the bishop of Rome, enlisted Jerome to translate the scriptures into contemporary Latin from the best available Hebrew and Greek texts of his time.Not long after completion in A.D. 405, this translation became the standard authority in the West.However, in the East, scribes worked conscientiously to transmit the scriptures in Greek.For 1,000 years the Latin Vulgate was the standard in Western Europe (see article).The English Catholic Bible is translated from this Latin Vulgate..

45. Codex (B) Vaticanus - 4th century A.D. Housed in the Vatican Library (founded by Pope Nicholas V in 1448)Greek is written continuously with small neat writing in 3 columns

46. O.T. ManuscriptsCodex Alexandrinus (A) – 5th century A.D.

47. Codex Alexandrinus (A)Only 10 leaves are missing from the Old Testament.The 1st of the 3 great uncials to be revealed.Ushered in a new era of textual investigation.Presented to King Charles I in 1627 and now resides in the British Museum.From the 5th century A.D., the quality being inferior to the Vatican and Sinai codices..

48. Codex Alexandrinus (A) -- (5th century A.D.) Offer to King James of England in 1627 AD by Cyril Lucar and he might have got it between 1602 to 1621.Vellum 2 columns per page written on large lettersThe British Museum

49. O.T. ManuscriptsCodex Alexandrinus (A) – 5th century A.D.Peshitta – 5th century A.D.

50. Peshitta (A.D. 464)Exodus 13:14-16Syriac version translated from Greek - translator unknown.Heavily influenced by the LXX.About 250 MSS exist.Closely agrees with the Masoretic Text.

51. Genizah FragmentA genizah or geniza (Hebrew: גניזה "storage"; plural: genizot) is the store-room or depository in a synagogue, usually specifically for worn-out Hebrew-language books and papers on religious topics that were stored there before they could receive a proper cemetery burial, it being forbidden to throw away writings containing the name of God (even personal letters and legal contracts could open with an invocation of God).

52. The Cairo GenizahThe Cairo Geniza is an accumulation of almost 200,000 Jewish manuscripts that were found in the genizah of the Ben Ezra synagogue (built 882) of Fustat, Egypt (now Old Cairo), the Basatin cemetery east of Old Cairo, and a number of old documents that were bought in Cairo in the later 19th century.

53. The Cairo Genizah Interior

54. Solomon Schechter studying documents from the Cairo Geniza, c. 1895The significance of the Cairo genizah was first recognized by the Jewish traveler and researcher Jacob Saphir in the mid 1800s, but it was chiefly through the work of Solomon Schechter at the end of the 19th century that the contents of the genizah were brought to scholarly and popular attention.

55. O.T. ManuscriptsCodex Alexandrinus (A) – 5th century A.D.Peshitta – 5th century A.D. Codices of Leningrad - A.D. 916 & 1008.

56. Leningrad Codex (L) 1008 ADcontains all the Old Testament. Copied in Old Cairo by Samuel ben Jacob in 1008 AD, it represents one of the oldest manuscripts of the complete Hebrew Bible.                                                                                                                                                                            Leningrad Codex (L) 1008 AD contains all the Old Testament. Copied in Old Cairo by Samuel ben Jacob in 1008 AD, it represents one of the oldest manuscripts of the complete Hebrew Bible.

57. Codex of Leningrad of the Prophets(A.D. 916)Prior the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, this was the earliest Hebrew copy of the latter prophets.

58. Codex of Leningrad of the Old TestamentThe oldest Hebrew manuscript of the complete Old Testament (A.D. 1008).Bible Review - August 1997

59. The Codex of Leningrad of the Old Testament is the Masoretic Text from which our English Old Testaments were translated.