Can We Trust the Text? In this lesson we explore how we can have confidence in the text of the Bible. How do we know the text we possess accurately represents what was originally written? What major discovery lended strong support to our confidence in the text of the Old Testament? How did the Temple Library contribute to the preservation of the Old Testament text? What do we know about the oral and textual aspects of the early church? How do oral communities preserve their important information, such as their histories? What are some important things about the early church’s scribal structure that indicate a strong preservation of the text of the New Testament? Why was it virtually impossible for someone to intentionally corrupt the New Testament text? How many ancient manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments exist today? What is meant by the phrase “the tenacity of the text?” Why do the variations between our many manuscripts not prevent us from discovering what the original writings said? (64 min)
Lesson 32: Review Questions
Lesson 32: Lesson Notes
Handout: Lesson Charts

Tags: Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, Text, Textual Criticism, Manuscripts