The New Testament is the best-documented ancient work in history.
We have thousands of manuscripts, more than any other.
Here’s what that means about faith in Jesus Christ. (thread) x.com
We have thousands of manuscripts, more than any other.
Here’s what that means about faith in Jesus Christ. (thread) x.com
When scholars evaluate ancient documents, they ask two key questions:
1. How many manuscripts survive?
2. How close in time are those manuscripts to the original writings?
The New Testament surpasses every other ancient text in both categories. x.com
1. How many manuscripts survive?
2. How close in time are those manuscripts to the original writings?
The New Testament surpasses every other ancient text in both categories. x.com
For comparison, look at the works of other ancient authors.
Homer’s Iliad – 1,800 manuscripts, the earliest from ~400 BC (400 years after it was written)
Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars – 251 copies, with the earliest over 900 years after the original.
The New Testament blows these out of the water.
Homer’s Iliad – 1,800 manuscripts, the earliest from ~400 BC (400 years after it was written)
Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars – 251 copies, with the earliest over 900 years after the original.
The New Testament blows these out of the water.
We have over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament.
Add Latin, Coptic, and other translations, and the total jumps to over 25,000 copies. x.com
Add Latin, Coptic, and other translations, and the total jumps to over 25,000 copies. x.com
For most ancient works we have copies within a few centuries
For the New Testament, we have manuscripts dated within DECADES of the originals. x.com
For the New Testament, we have manuscripts dated within DECADES of the originals. x.com
For your own research, here are the most significant New Testament manuscripts:
• Rylands Library Papyrus P52: Found in Egypt, this fragment of John’s Gospel dates to ~125 AD—within a generation of the original.
• Codex Sinaiticus: A 4th-century manuscript containing nearly the entire New Testament, discovered at St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai.
• Codex Vaticanus: Also 4th century, one of the most complete Bibles (Old and New Testament) and is preserved in the Vatican Library.
• Rylands Library Papyrus P52: Found in Egypt, this fragment of John’s Gospel dates to ~125 AD—within a generation of the original.
• Codex Sinaiticus: A 4th-century manuscript containing nearly the entire New Testament, discovered at St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai.
• Codex Vaticanus: Also 4th century, one of the most complete Bibles (Old and New Testament) and is preserved in the Vatican Library.
The New Testament’s manuscript tradition is unmatched.
The abundance of evidence shows that what we read today is faithful to what was written nearly 2,000 years ago.
So what does this mean? x.com
The abundance of evidence shows that what we read today is faithful to what was written nearly 2,000 years ago.
So what does this mean? x.com
It means what is written in the New Testament probably happened
Most importantly:
1) Jesus Christ claimed to be God
2) He died and rose from the dead x.com
Most importantly:
1) Jesus Christ claimed to be God
2) He died and rose from the dead x.com
Much historical criticism of the Bible reduces the New Testament to myth or fable
They claim the stories are symbolic, exaggerated over the generations
But the abundance of early texts that match our modern editions prove that CANNOT be true x.com
They claim the stories are symbolic, exaggerated over the generations
But the abundance of early texts that match our modern editions prove that CANNOT be true x.com
The New Testament was written by men who knew Christ, not later hagiographers
And those men claimed Christ's divinity and his Resurrection x.com
And those men claimed Christ's divinity and his Resurrection x.com
Christ’s Life, Death, and Resurrection is the best-attested historical fact in the ancient world
And if a man claimed to be God and God raised him from the dead… then he is probably God x.com
And if a man claimed to be God and God raised him from the dead… then he is probably God x.com
The historicity of the Bible is a key argument for Catholicism being true
If you want to learn the other key arguments, get this guide for free:
convinceyourfriends.com
If you want to learn the other key arguments, get this guide for free:
convinceyourfriends.com
If you like this thread, follow me @catholicpat
Then repost the original post to help other Catholics learn about their faith.
Then repost the original post to help other Catholics learn about their faith.
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