#Textual criticism of the bible full#

Often quips: “Every Tom, Dick, and Harry was named Jesus….” 🙂 It’sĮssentially the Hebrew name “Joshua.” Many others at that time had the sameġ1.298 War 6.300 inter alia). Granted, inįirst-century Palestine, the Jewish name “Jesus” was a *very* common name. “Jesus” should be associated with the name of a convicted criminal. He thought it rather unthinkable that a name as sacred as

And Origen himself actually did not like theĬompounded name. In the thirdĬentury, Origen was aware of Greek manuscripts of Matthew that included such Just because that reading was early does not make it original. Reading was significant enough that we find the compounded name “Jesusīarabbas” appearing occasionally in other early versions of Matthew… in Syriac,Īrmenian, Georgian, and Arabic manuscripts. This reading… which no longer exist for our consideration today. Manuscripts-at least from the third century, or possibly before-that included Include the name “Jesus Barabbas” ( GCS 38, p. Significant exegete in the third century… and the subject of an amazing dissertation written by aĬertain CBU professor (spoiler alert-it is the author of this post!)! OrigenĬopies of these verses had been inked! And Origen describes manuscripts that Who discussed these very words in his commentary! Origen was the church’s most Unfortunately, our earliest copies of these verses come from theįourth and fifth centuries, roughly 300 years after it was written. Lean heavily on the earliest manuscripts, those closest to the time of the There are differences in wording between manuscripts, usually textual scholars Textual issue unique to the Gospel of Matthew… not Mark, Luke, or John. Matthew do some manuscripts include the extra name “Jesus” for him. Though the story of Barabbas is mentioned in all four Gospels, only here in Them, ‘Which of the two do you wish that I should release to you, Jesusīarabbas or Jesus the so-called Christ?’” Therefore when they had gathered, Pilate said to

#Textual criticism of the bible full#

The name “Jesus” to Barabbas as if his full name was “Jesus Barabbas.”Įssentially, the text in these copies reads:Ĭalled Jesus Barabbas. Scholars debate the wording of these verses. You read technical commentaries on this passage, you will find that textual

Story in which the Roman governor Pilate offers freedom to either Jesus or It’s Matthew’s version of the Barabbas episode-the famous This is one of the many reasons that we teach our students to engage But sometimes the results of such detailed analysis yields fascinating Manuscripts to determine the wording of a text of which we have no originalĬopy. It involves painstakingly comparing ancient It’s technical, demanding, and tedious… and sounds likeĪnything but fun or necessary. Testament Textual Criticism is a science that can make the eyes of even NT Textual Criticism: An Example from the Gospel of Matthew Comments Off on Textual Criticism: An Example from the Gospel of Matthew.