Satan and errors in scripture

The books of the Old Testament were written from approximately 1400 B.C. to 400 B.C. The books of the New Testament were written from approximately A.D. 40 to A.D. 90. So, anywhere between 3400 to 1900 years have passed since a book of the Bible was written. In this time, the original manuscripts have been lost. They very likely no longer exist. Also during this time, the books of the Bible have been copied again and again. Copies of copies of copies have been made. In view of this, can we still trust the Bible?

When God originally inspired men to write His Word, it was God-breathed and inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16-17; John 17:17). The Bible nowhere applies this to copies of the original manuscripts. As meticulous as scribes were with the replication of the Scriptures, no one is perfect. As a result, minor differences arose in the various copies of the Scriptures. Of all of the thousands of Greek and Hebrew manuscripts that are in existence, no two were identical until the printing press was invented in the A.D. 1500s.

However, any unbiased document scholar will agree that the Bible has been remarkably well-preserved over the centuries. Copies of the Bible dating to the 14th century A.D. are nearly identical in content to copies from the 3rd century A.D. When the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, scholars were shocked to see how similar they were to other ancient copies of the Old Testament, even though the Dead Sea Scrolls were hundreds of years older than anything previously discovered. Even many hardened skeptics and critics of the Bible admit that the Bible has been transmitted over the centuries far more accurately than any other ancient document.

There is absolutely no evidence that the Bible has been revised, edited, or tampered with in any systematic manner. The sheer volume of biblical manuscripts makes it simple to recognize any attempts to distort God’s Word. There is no major doctrine of the Bible that is put in doubt as a result of the minor differences that exist between manuscripts.

Again, the question, can we trust the Bible? Absolutely! God has preserved His Word despite the unintentional failings and intentional attacks of human beings. We can have utmost confidence that the Bible we have today is the same Bible that was originally written. The Bible is God’s Word, and we can trust it (2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 5:18).

@jason_delisle , I have also read that the variations in surviving manuscripts are mostly typos as opposed to intentional modifications (with the exception of the few items listed in the footnotes of Bibles).

However, the oldest surviving manuscripts are incomplete - sometimes only part of a page. Also the forgeries and addendums that many scholars suspect from examining the text probably happened before the oldest surviving manuscripts were copied.

So hypothetical forgeries and edits shortly after the original composition of these works would probably not be revealed by looking for differences in surviving manuscripts.

EDIT: In other words the evidence for the edits and forgeries comes from meticulous analysis of the text for signs that portions were composed by authors from different times, different cultures, etc. Looking for variations in the text in surviving manuscripts is only scratching the surface.

Nihilist Virus said:

1. Men accidentally corrupted the Bible despite trying not to (example: compare the list in Ezra 2 with the list in Nehemiah 7)
2. Satan is more intelligent and more powerful than any man
3. Satan is motivated to corrupt the Bible
4. ???
5. Satan cannot even corrupt the Bible to the same degree that man has

If you admit that Satan actually has corrupted the Bible, then boy are you in trouble. So premise 4 must be, "God manually prevents Satan from corrupting the Bible."

Click to expand...

Pray tell:

How is it that God manually prevented Satan from corrupting the Bible, but did nothing when men accidentally corrupted the Bible?

And if men were accidentally corrupting the Bible, why would Satan bother to corrupt the Bible?

Nihilist Virus said:

Psalms 12:6-7 says,

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

If the original manuscripts don't exist then I have already shown you in the OP where the Bible applies this to the copies.

Click to expand...

Here's my take on that: I'll respond in a manner similar to jason_delisle, in that no essential doctrines of the scriptures appear to have been lost in the 3,000 years since those words were penned. That is, 3,000 years later we're still reading them, so they have been "preserved".

I don't interpret that song as claiming every letter will be preserved in every copy (it's just a song, anyway). It claims that God's words will be preserved, and in those days that would've meant the Torah, which is still here with us and shows no signs of vanishing.

So imo that verse is still true.

Nihilist Virus said:

...Next time when you copy and paste from gotquestions.org, at least make an effort...

Click to expand...

I have a suggestion. If you want people to continue to engage with you, try to refrain from responding to them in a manner that they might interpret as dismissive or condescending. I think you'll get further.

Nihilist Virus said:

That's what I am asking you.

Click to expand...

You're asking the wrong person.

I'm a KJVO.

Nihilist Virus said:

Maybe to add the idea that you are saved by grace through faith, discouraging works which perhaps are actually required. This is consistent with Satan's goal of dragging souls into hell.

Click to expand...

Well if works are actually required -- and they aren't -- Satan miscalculated somewhere.

We have:

1. time divided into BC/AD
2. churches and other edifices erected in the name of Jesus
3. crosses on flags, Christian symbols, bumper stickers, and slogans
4. Christian hymns, songs, carols, and holidays
5. Christian organizations
6. Christian books, pamphlets, and tracts
7. Scripture engraved on our government buildings and on our colleges and universities

Sounds to me like he made a boo-boo somewhere ... wouldn't you think?

ChetSinger said:

I don't interpret that song as claiming every letter will be preserved in every copy (it's just a song, anyway). It claims that God's words will be preserved, and in those days that would've meant the Torah, which is still here with us and shows no signs of vanishing.

Click to expand...

Of course there is the Samaritan Torah that some scholars believe may contain the authentic ten commandments. Essentially the mainstream Torah appears to be nine commandments that are counted as ten, and text makes more sense in the Samaritan version. So some scholars believe the mainstream Torah deleted the tenth commandment, because they planned to worship in Jerusalem. The reason some scholars think the Samaritans have the authentic version is that the verses following the ten commandments specify how an altar should be constructed of uncut stones. The Samaritan text flows from the last commandment about making an altar on Mt. Gerizim to specifications on how to construct that altar. The mainstream version seems to jump as though part of the text was deleted (i.e. the original tenth commandment)
(Sorry I am going partly from memory on those facts. Anybody interested should google and read for themselves, because I might have some details wrong.)

The Samaritan Pentateuch varies in the Ten Commandments passages, both in that the Samaritan Deuteronomical version of the passage is much closer to that in Exodus, and in that Samaritans count as nine commandments what others count as ten. The Samaritan tenth commandment is on the sanctity of Mount Gerizim.

The text of the Samaritan tenth commandment follows:

And it shall come to pass when the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land of the Canaanites whither thou goest to take possession of it, thou shalt erect unto thee large stones, and thou shalt cover them with lime, and thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this Law, and it shall come to pass when ye cross the Jordan, ye shall erect these stones which I command thee upon Mount Gerizim, and thou shalt build there an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones, and thou shalt not lift upon them iron, of perfect stones shalt thou build thine altar, and thou shalt bring upon it burnt offerings to the Lord thy God, and thou shalt sacrifice peace offerings, and thou shalt eat there and rejoice before the Lord thy God. That mountain is on the other side of the Jordan at the end of the road towards the going down of the sun in the land of the Canaanites who dwell in the Arabah facing Gilgal close by Elon Moreh facing Shechem.[57]

Click to expand...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments#Samaritan

Nihilist Virus said:

I already requested that you cease conversation with me because you are obscenely dishonest and you choose not to honor that wish.

Click to expand...

Coming from a nihilist, I suppose I should consider that a compliment.

I have never seen anyone so offended with having their question answered.

Nihilist Virus said:

Matthew 5:18 says,

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Meanwhile there are no two copies that are alike.

Click to expand...

I've been taught that prophecy has already been fulfilled. Jesus fulfilled the law and ended it (Romans 10:4).

Nihilist Virus said:

Next time when you copy and paste from gotquestions.org, at least make an effort to respond to the core idea of the OP and/or look up the claims in the OP to see if there is a problem with the article you're quoting.

Click to expand...

The article explains that although there may be some minor grammatical errors as a result of translation and copying, overall the bible has not been corrupted because the overall message has not changed. Thus making the list of questions as stated in the OP unnecessary to answer. The bible is the most accurately preserved text in history and has been better preserved than other classical texts such as the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Nihilist Virus said:

Men accidentally corrupted the Bible despite trying not to (example: compare the list in Ezra 2 with the list in Nehemiah 7)

Click to expand...

I suppose this question is best aimed at those who believe the Bible is the infallible word of God and that every word in the Bible is written under divine intervention. I believe that it is inspired by God and written by those whom God inspired to write it in their own words.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

I cannot fathom how an error in a list of people who Nebuchadnezzar carried away to Babylon would corrupt the message of how God wants us to live our lives.

Nihilist Virus said:

And how does this reconcile with Psalms 12:6-7?

Click to expand...

The topic of Psalms 12 is the spoken word. Read in the context of the song, that verses 6 and 7 appear in, then the “words of the LORD” would be the spoken words and not scripture.

Nihilist Virus said:

Matthew 5:18 says,

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Click to expand...

This verse is not saying that every copy of the law will be letter perfect. The phrase “one jot or one tittle” is just an expression saying that the tiniest detail of God’s law would not pass until it is fulfilled.

I suppose the contention is in the word ‘corrupt’. Are you using it to mean that it is less valuable or that is it simply a change from the original?

Nihilist Virus said:

And if a clever entity was manipulating the copying process, how do you know that the overall message has not changed? You are refusing to even touch my argument. I see why I stopped bothering with you in the first place.

Click to expand...

What would this clever entity gain from grammatical errors while leaving the overall message untouched?

Btw...my post directly answered your argument by showing how it had no basis to argue.