Today, we're diving back into the whacky world of biblical alterations. If you thought my last two videos on this topic were eye-opening, buckle up, because we're about to explore six more mind-blowing changes that have been made to the Bible over the centuries!
And these aren't just minor scribal errors or inconsequential edits - they're significant alterations that have managed to stick around in our modern Bibles, despite being later additions to or subtractions from the original text.
But why tackle this topic at all?
Well, for those who believe the Bible is the unchanged, perfect word of God, these alterations pose a significant challenge. They raise important questions about the reliability and preservation of religious texts that shape the beliefs and actions of billions of people around the world.
The changes I cover in this video reveal the very human process behind the Bible's transmission through the ages. We'll explore everything from hilarious marginal notes left by angry scribes to entire passages added to make a story more satisfying. Even some of the more minor changes have massive theological implications. Like, did God have a father and brothers? And does the Bible actually disprove of abortion?
Here's where it gets really interesting:
By understanding how the Bible has changed over time, we’ll get a better idea of how religious thought itself has evolved. For instance, did you know that there’s significant evidence of polytheism in the Old Testament that was later edited out to fit a monotheistic worldview?
This exploration isn't just about picking apart an ancient text. It's about understanding how ideas evolve, how human error and intention can shape our most sacred documents, and ultimately, can affect how we run our countries and live our lives. When we realize that the Bible wasn’t divinely inspired (or at least not divinely preserved), we’re able to make more rational decisions – not chained to dogma – not bound to religious literalism.
I've prepared a deep dive into these six fascinating changes, but I don't want to give everything away here. To get the full scoop, including the specific verses affected and the implications of these alterations, you'll need to check out the full video. Trust me, it's worth it!
As always, thank you for your ongoing support. Your curiosity and engagement with these topics fuel my passion for this stuff and makes it all worthwhile.
Dare to be curious, but don't drink the Koolaid!
Sources Cited:
Stavrakopoulou, Francesca. God: An Anatomy. Knopf, 2022:
https://amzn.to/3MuJuG8
Metzger, Bruce Manning. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament: A Companion Volume to the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (3d Ed.). Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1971:
https://amzn.to/4c1Z46c (Note: all Amazon book links are affiliate links)
Smith, Mark S. The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts. Oxford University Press, 2001:
https://amzn.to/4e0KTjT
The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel (Biblical Resource Series)
https://amzn.to/3z1Vewu
Handy, Lowell K. Among the Host of Heaven: The Syro-Palestinian Pantheon as Bureaucracy. Eisenbrauns, 1994:
https://amzn.to/3z4VKdd
Ehrman, Bart D. Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. HarperOne, 2007:
https://amzn.to/3LOZgeq
Ehrman, Bart D. Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. HarperOne, 2007:
https://amzn.to/3LOZgeq
Dever, William. Who were the Early Israelites and Where did they come from? William B. Eerdmans, 2003:
https://amzn.to/3T7poFx
Fool and Knave note:
https://www.thetextofthegospels.com/2017/06/fool-and-knave-hebrews-1-in-codex.html
Long ending of Mark:
https://manuscripts.csntm.org/manuscript/Group/GA_02 (CSNTM Image Id: 143487)
Is the divine council mentioned in the Bible? (Dan McClellan PhD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwogSOxj-l4
4Q44 Deuteronomyq
https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q44-1?locale=en_US
Translation of 4Q44 Deuteronomyq
https://dssenglishbible.com/scroll4Q44.htm
4Q37 Deuteronomyj
https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/image/B-371240
Translation of 4Q37 Deuteronomyj
https://dssenglishbible.com/scroll4Q37.htm
Dr. Michael Heiser on the Divine Council:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5dQb8M2fKU
A gender-neutral NIV:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gender-neutral-bible-accused-of-altering-message/#:~:text=The%202011%20translation%20of%20the,of%20the%20largest%20Protestant%20faiths
1984 version of Matthew 25:
https://www.christunite.com/NIV1984Bible/NT1Matthew.pdf
Jewish stance on abortion:
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-fetus-in-jewish-law/
https://www.ncjw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Judaism-and-Abortion-FINAL.pdf
The Mishnah: “If a woman is having difficulty in giving birth [and her life is in danger], one cuts up the fetus within her womb and extracts it limb by limb, because her life takes precedence over that of the fetus. But if the greater part was already born, one may not touch it, for one may not set aside one person’s life for that of another.”
The Mishnah: “If a pregnant woman is taken out to be executed, one does not wait for her to give birth; but if her pains of parturition have already begun [lit. she has already sat on the birth stool], one waits for her until she gives birth.”
Exodus 21:22-25 (1977 NASB):
https://biblehub.com/nasb77/exodus/21.htm
Exodus 21:22-25 (1995 NASB):
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+21&version=NASB
Friedman, Richard Elliott. Who Wrote the Bible?. Simon & Schuster, 2019:
https://amzn.to/4dJyl05
Pritchard, James B. Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. Princeton University Press, 1969.
https://amzn.to/3ZeKAgq
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