I.
Scriptural Presuppositions
Scriptural Presuppositions
Scripture teaches the verbal,
plenary preservation of the verbally, plenarily inspired autographa (Psalm
12:6-7), the availability of the preserved text to every generation of the
people of God (Isaiah 59:21), who, institutionalized in Israel in the Old
Testament era and in the church during the age of grace, are responsible for
that preservation (Romans 3:2; Matthew 28:18-20).[i] The church of the New Testament (NT) is the
autonomous assembly of immersed saints organized to carry out the Lord’s work.
Her belief and practice would be that of modern Bible-believing and practicing
Baptist churches. Such congregations, in
accord with Christ’s promise (Matthew 16:18), have existed in a continuous
succession from the time Christ originated them during His earthly ministry
(John 1:35),[ii] during
which they have, by God’s grace, fulfilled their responsibility to protect and
propagate accurate apographs of the Textus
Receptus (TR), the modern text-type identical with the originally inspired
manuscripts. These Bibliological and
ecclesiological axioms, established by God in His Word, constitute the first
principles the unbiased[iii]
historian must bring to his evaluation of ecclesiastical and textual-critical
history.
plenary preservation of the verbally, plenarily inspired autographa (Psalm
12:6-7), the availability of the preserved text to every generation of the
people of God (Isaiah 59:21), who, institutionalized in Israel in the Old
Testament era and in the church during the age of grace, are responsible for
that preservation (Romans 3:2; Matthew 28:18-20).[i] The church of the New Testament (NT) is the
autonomous assembly of immersed saints organized to carry out the Lord’s work.
Her belief and practice would be that of modern Bible-believing and practicing
Baptist churches. Such congregations, in
accord with Christ’s promise (Matthew 16:18), have existed in a continuous
succession from the time Christ originated them during His earthly ministry
(John 1:35),[ii] during
which they have, by God’s grace, fulfilled their responsibility to protect and
propagate accurate apographs of the Textus
Receptus (TR), the modern text-type identical with the originally inspired
manuscripts. These Bibliological and
ecclesiological axioms, established by God in His Word, constitute the first
principles the unbiased[iii]
historian must bring to his evaluation of ecclesiastical and textual-critical
history.
II.
NT and Patristic Considerations Concerning the Autographs and the Textus Receptus
NT and Patristic Considerations Concerning the Autographs and the Textus Receptus
As part of the greatest of commands
is to love God with all one’s mind (Matthew 22:37), believers should attempt to
discover the textual history of the preserved text of Scripture. The dominance and universal acceptance of the
TR in the church of the Reformation
era and subsequent centuries has been documented,[iv]
as has its use among the true churches of the Middle Ages[v]
and its towering dominance in the manuscript evidence from that period.[vi] Since God promised to preserve His Word, this
Received Text must of necessity have been available in early Christian history
as well, as copies of the TR
autographs, written under inspiration by the authors of the NT books, were
circulated. However, the early existence
of the TR text-type has been questioned
by advocates of the modern critical NT text (CT).[vii] The promises of Scripture, which verify its
existence, should suffice as proof for believers; however, historical research also evidences
its presence in early Greek textual evidence, translational evidence, and
patristic citations.[viii] A patristic study of evidences for the
longevity of the autographa, as well
as of early copying practices, is also worthy of examination. The years the original manuscripts were
extant reduce the gap between the time of initial inspiration and the era when
even the most extreme CT partisans must acknowledge the existence of the
Traditional Text. Furthermore, in light
of modern neo-evangelical and CT fundamentalist denials of the Biblical
imperative of the availability of every Word of Scripture (Matthew 4:4),[ix]
the longer the autographs existed, the longer the period that all who believe
in inerrancy, regardless of their belief in or opposition to the doctrine of
preservation, must acknowledge the continued existence and availability of
every word of the NT. For at least as
long as the originals were extant, one could examine them and be absolutely
certain of every word of his Greek Bible.
The possibility of such a comparison would also inhibit the ability of
textual aberrations, both unintentional and intentional, to affect the nature
of the general stream of manuscript (MSS) evidence. A patristic analysis on these issues, with a
preliminary consideration of the NT background, is consequently in order.
is to love God with all one’s mind (Matthew 22:37), believers should attempt to
discover the textual history of the preserved text of Scripture. The dominance and universal acceptance of the
TR in the church of the Reformation
era and subsequent centuries has been documented,[iv]
as has its use among the true churches of the Middle Ages[v]
and its towering dominance in the manuscript evidence from that period.[vi] Since God promised to preserve His Word, this
Received Text must of necessity have been available in early Christian history
as well, as copies of the TR
autographs, written under inspiration by the authors of the NT books, were
circulated. However, the early existence
of the TR text-type has been questioned
by advocates of the modern critical NT text (CT).[vii] The promises of Scripture, which verify its
existence, should suffice as proof for believers; however, historical research also evidences
its presence in early Greek textual evidence, translational evidence, and
patristic citations.[viii] A patristic study of evidences for the
longevity of the autographa, as well
as of early copying practices, is also worthy of examination. The years the original manuscripts were
extant reduce the gap between the time of initial inspiration and the era when
even the most extreme CT partisans must acknowledge the existence of the
Traditional Text. Furthermore, in light
of modern neo-evangelical and CT fundamentalist denials of the Biblical
imperative of the availability of every Word of Scripture (Matthew 4:4),[ix]
the longer the autographs existed, the longer the period that all who believe
in inerrancy, regardless of their belief in or opposition to the doctrine of
preservation, must acknowledge the continued existence and availability of
every word of the NT. For at least as
long as the originals were extant, one could examine them and be absolutely
certain of every word of his Greek Bible.
The possibility of such a comparison would also inhibit the ability of
textual aberrations, both unintentional and intentional, to affect the nature
of the general stream of manuscript (MSS) evidence. A patristic analysis on these issues, with a
preliminary consideration of the NT background, is consequently in order.
Note: this entire study is available as an essay here.
[i] See Thou Shalt
Keep Them, ed. Kent Brandenburg (El Sobrante, CA: Pillar and Ground
Publishing, 2003) for a book-length justification of these and the other
Bibliological postulates referenced in this paragraph.
Keep Them, ed. Kent Brandenburg (El Sobrante, CA: Pillar and Ground
Publishing, 2003) for a book-length justification of these and the other
Bibliological postulates referenced in this paragraph.
[ii] For a detailed ecclesiological exposition from a
good systematic theology, see Landmarks
of Baptist Doctrine, vol. 4, Robert J. Sargent, Oak Harbor, WA: Bible Baptist Church Publications, 1990, pgs.
481-596. Biblical ecclesiology has
traditionally been denominated Landmarkism.
good systematic theology, see Landmarks
of Baptist Doctrine, vol. 4, Robert J. Sargent, Oak Harbor, WA: Bible Baptist Church Publications, 1990, pgs.
481-596. Biblical ecclesiology has
traditionally been denominated Landmarkism.
[iii] An impossible “neutrality” concerning the truths of
Scripture that relate to history, ecclesiology, or any other aspect of life, which
leads one to pass over God’s declarations on these matters in one’s evaluation
of historical evidences, is not unbiased;
it is a wicked refusal to fully submit to the reality of the one true
God revealed in the Bible. Atheistic
rejection of such historically relevant truths is also utterly unreasonable and
biased. True objectivity and unbiased
historiography requires that one be in full agreement with the God of truth,
who alone created the world, set up its laws, and orders all things that come
to pass after the counsel of His own will (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10;
15:33; Isaiah 33:6; Ephesians 1:11).
Scripture that relate to history, ecclesiology, or any other aspect of life, which
leads one to pass over God’s declarations on these matters in one’s evaluation
of historical evidences, is not unbiased;
it is a wicked refusal to fully submit to the reality of the one true
God revealed in the Bible. Atheistic
rejection of such historically relevant truths is also utterly unreasonable and
biased. True objectivity and unbiased
historiography requires that one be in full agreement with the God of truth,
who alone created the world, set up its laws, and orders all things that come
to pass after the counsel of His own will (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10;
15:33; Isaiah 33:6; Ephesians 1:11).
[iv] See “The Canonicity of the Received Bible
Established from Reformation and Post-Reformation Baptist Confessions,” Thomas
Ross, for an example.
Established from Reformation and Post-Reformation Baptist Confessions,” Thomas
Ross, for an example.
[v] See Rome and
the Bible: Tracing the History of the
Roman Catholic Church and its Persecution of the Bible and of Bible Believers,
David Cloud, Oak Harbor, WA: Way of Life
Literature, 1997, 2nd ed., pgs. 29-30, Crowned With Glory and Honor, Thomas Holland, chapter 3, “Testimony
Through Time”; Our Authorized Bible Vindicated, Benjamin Wilkinson, chapter 2,
“The Bible Adopted by Constantine and the Pure Bible of the Waldenses,” Answers to Objections to Our Authorized
Bible Vindicated, Benjamin Wilkinson, chapter 3, “The Itala and the Bible
of the Waldenses,” Robert L. Webb, The Waldenses and the Bible, Carthage, IL:
Primitive Baptist Library, n. d. (available at
http://members.aol.com/dwibclc/waldbib.htm).
the Bible: Tracing the History of the
Roman Catholic Church and its Persecution of the Bible and of Bible Believers,
David Cloud, Oak Harbor, WA: Way of Life
Literature, 1997, 2nd ed., pgs. 29-30, Crowned With Glory and Honor, Thomas Holland, chapter 3, “Testimony
Through Time”; Our Authorized Bible Vindicated, Benjamin Wilkinson, chapter 2,
“The Bible Adopted by Constantine and the Pure Bible of the Waldenses,” Answers to Objections to Our Authorized
Bible Vindicated, Benjamin Wilkinson, chapter 3, “The Itala and the Bible
of the Waldenses,” Robert L. Webb, The Waldenses and the Bible, Carthage, IL:
Primitive Baptist Library, n. d. (available at
http://members.aol.com/dwibclc/waldbib.htm).
[vi] See Modern
Bibles: The Dark Secret, Jack
Moorman, chapter 6, “The Theory Behind the Shorter Bibles,” Forever Settled: A Survey of the Documents
and History of the Bible, Jack Moorman, Chapters 15-17 (both electronically
accessed from The Fundamental Baptist
CD-ROM Library, David Cloud; Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port
Huron, MI 48061–0368), among many other sources.
Bibles: The Dark Secret, Jack
Moorman, chapter 6, “The Theory Behind the Shorter Bibles,” Forever Settled: A Survey of the Documents
and History of the Bible, Jack Moorman, Chapters 15-17 (both electronically
accessed from The Fundamental Baptist
CD-ROM Library, David Cloud; Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port
Huron, MI 48061–0368), among many other sources.
[vii] E. g., “All the external evidence suggests that
there is no proof that the Byzantine text was in existence in the first three
centuries.” (Daniel Wallace, “The Majority Text and the Original Text: Are They
Identical?” Bibliotheca Sacra,
148:590 (Apr 91) p. 166). Interestingly, footnote #46 of his own article states
that patristic quotations supported the Byzantine Text against the Alexandrian
in earlier writers such as Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Hippolytus,
Methodius, etc; his qualifications,
“external” evidence, “suggests,” no “proof,” are also of note. Wilbur Pickering demonstrates that the
Majority Text dominated supposed alternative text types centuries earlier and
necessarily existed in the second century (Identity
of the New Testament Text, chapter 6; electronically accessed).
there is no proof that the Byzantine text was in existence in the first three
centuries.” (Daniel Wallace, “The Majority Text and the Original Text: Are They
Identical?” Bibliotheca Sacra,
148:590 (Apr 91) p. 166). Interestingly, footnote #46 of his own article states
that patristic quotations supported the Byzantine Text against the Alexandrian
in earlier writers such as Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Hippolytus,
Methodius, etc; his qualifications,
“external” evidence, “suggests,” no “proof,” are also of note. Wilbur Pickering demonstrates that the
Majority Text dominated supposed alternative text types centuries earlier and
necessarily existed in the second century (Identity
of the New Testament Text, chapter 6; electronically accessed).
[viii]
Forever
Settled, Moorman,
pgs. 65-128.
Forever
Settled, Moorman,
pgs. 65-128.
[ix] “Scripture does not state how God has preserved the
text” (Wallace, “The Majority Text and the Original Text,” pg. 156).
text” (Wallace, “The Majority Text and the Original Text,” pg. 156).
Good work, brother Ross. I'm looking forward to the other installments.
Thanks.
By the way, totally perfect copies could have been maintained, at the very least, for a few generations from the autographs, further reducing the time span between the original manuscripts and the dominance of the Byzantine text.
"As part of the greatest of commands is to love God with all one’s mind (Matthew 22:37), believers should attempt to discover the textual history of the preserved text of Scripture"
So, the context of your statement is that the TR is the "preserved text of the Scripture".
Is the Holy King James Bible also "the preserved text of the scripture" inspired of God and therefore has a textual history as every inspired text?
Do you celebrate Easter?
Do you celebrate Easter?
Dear Jerry,
I'm excited about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus on the first day of the week every week. I can be excited about it even on the day that the Roman Catholic religion invented a festival day, and if people visit church because of the RC festival, I'm happy that they are there.