Misquoting Jesus

Per Fatal Freedoms Recommendation I read Misquoting Jesus. Mako helped me giving his review earlier:


I read it and was quite disappointed with the book since it doesn't deliver what it promises, there is almost no quotes of Jesus at all. :confused:

The second concern that the book is not not correct ignoring previous copies.
Total there are four families of the copies:
a. Alexandria: in Egypt.
b. Western: in Rome.
c. Byzantine: in Asia Minor. This is the text type that is the basis for the King James Version.
d. Caesarean: in Palestine.

Fourth century Codex Sinaiticus is the later Western family copy written on parchment or vellum. Earlier copies Alexandria family that we have are papyri fragments (2nd to 4th century A.D.). They are not complete copies but there are 70 known that gave us a good indication of the Scriptures. The most known is Rylands Library Papyrus P52
wich is considered to be dated from 90 AD to 170 AD, most likely 125-150 AD.

The point is that Ehrman acknowledges that those difference that he writes about matter little, "but some affect religious doctrine."

The differences are so small that only 1 to 2.5% of the entire N.T. uncertain (Josh McDowell's Evidence That Demands a Verdict).
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Some one may ask how's it that there is uncertainty at all. Couple explanations There are unintentional errors of copying:errors of sight, hearing, memory, judgment. There are some intentional errors but those are relatively rare, they are
a. To clarify a vague text.
b. To harmonize the text with a familiar expression.
c. To include all options in order to preserve the text.
d. To strengthen theology (very rare)

Our problem is not having missing some of the Bible, but of having too much and determining which has been added:

• Alexandria Family (2nd to 4th century A.D.) - 70 known.
  
• The Western (4th to 10th century A.D.) - 250 known.
  
• The minuscules, Byzantium + Western (10th century to printing press) - 2600 copies.
  

In reality the percentage of uncertainty relates to minor details, not theological issues (e.g. spelling, etc.).

The Bible is God's inspired book, but it was given through a human channel. But it's still infallible since it's God's given book. And there many references in the Bible where God is taking His Word very serious.

If you are still not convinced if you could be confident in the Bible because of different copies of manuscripts get New Kings James where all those variations are listed. Or you can see it online