Underlying Texts and how they apply to Fundamentalism

[IronWill]

In much of Fundamentalism, there rages a debate between KJV-Onlyism and Non-KJVO. In reality, the issue is much different than KJV vs Non-KJV. The issue stems to the underlying texts and manuscripts and their influence on Translations of Scripture. Many who claim to be KJVO are probably closer to KJVP/TR-Only. Following, we will discuss the texts and their bearing on the matter.

First, we need to identify the text families. There are three basic text families that we need to be aware of.

The Byzantine Text Family
This text family is so called because it is characterized by Byzantine style font. Most of the manuscripts composing this text family were collected and recorded by the Orthodox Church(ie, Greek Orthodox) for many centuries. The Byzantine Text Family makes up around 95% of the manuscripts that we presently have available.

The Alexandrian Text Family
The manuscripts that make up this text family stem from Alexandria, Egypt althought not all are directly from there. They were created with a different font, known as "Unicals." This text family composes less than 5% of all NT manuscripts available.

The Western Text Family
This text family is largely composed of Latin Translations of the New Testament, specifically, "Old Latin." Like the Alexandrian Text Family, it is more abrupt in some readings than the Byzantine Text, and has a tendency to paraphrase. Most textual critics believe this text family to be the most prone to textual corruption.

Now, let's delve more into this. The Byzantine Text Family and Alexandrian Text Family are the two major text families that textual critics look at when studying the Greek manuscripts.

Byzantine Text Family-
--Also called the Majority Text
----Was used to compile the Textus Receptus(TR)

Alexandrian Text Family-
--Also called "Neutral" or "Egyptian"
----Is the primary source used in the "Critical Text" primarily due to the influence of Westcott and Hort.

Now, what Translations are influenced by which text families?
Byzantine-
--Majority Text
----Textus Receptus
------Wycliffe, Bishop's, Geneva, KJV, NKJV*, MKJV, KJV21, Webster's, and some others.
*NKJV contains footnotes referencing the whole of the Majority Text and the Critical Text both.

Alexandrian-
--Neutral, Egyptian
----Critical Text
------NIV, NASB, RSV, ASV, almost every new version to come out in the past 100 years with the exception of those listed under the Byzantine Text Family.

Major Variant Readings in the two text families:
1 John 5:7-
--This passage is known as the Johanine Comma. The Alexandrian Text Family omits the reading: "the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." The Byzantine Text Family is the only Text Family that contains this reading, and in only a small number of manuscripts. However, this eading is testified to by Cyprian in the 4th century(?).

Luke 11:2 The Lord's Prayer-
--The Alexandrian Text begins with "Father," the Byzantine Text begins with "Our Father in heaven."

Mark 16 Longer or Shorter ending?-
--The Alexandrian Text ends on verse 8, while some translations carry the alternate ending, they place it in brackets and note that this ending is not contained in the older manuscripts. However, the Byzantine Text includes this ending, and is in a large number of texts. Following is the text in question:

Mar 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Mar 16:10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
Mar 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
Mar 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
Mar 16:13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Mar 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Here is the text in question in the NASB(note the brackets):

Mar 16:9 [Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.
Mar 16:10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.
Mar 16:11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.
Mar 16:12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country.
Mar 16:13 They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.
Mar 16:14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.
Mar 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Mar 16:16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Mar 16:17 "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Mar 16:19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.] [And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.]

 

[buck]

Mark 16:20
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. KJV

 

[cubanito]

Goddaddy, thank you. I am very ignorant of "lower" textual criticism, event though I agree it is both vitally important to fundamentalists and a valid and useful knowledge.

If indeed those are the major differences in the texts, they seem very minor to me. Other than the extra emphasis on the Trinity by the J.comma, a doctrine easily derived from various other texts, what's the big deal?

I just don't see what the big difference is. Everything in the Mark extention is aducible from other sections, and the difference between "Father"and "Our Father in Heaven" seem very minor to me.

JR