Responses to Christians. 1 - IIN
𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐓 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
1. Where is the Original Manuscript (Autograph) of a Single New Testament Book?
Muslims have the Qur’an preserved in the original Arabic, with manuscripts from the time of the companions (Ṣaḥābah).
So, if you cannot produce even one autograph of any Gospel or Pauline letter, on what basis can you claim “preservation”?2. Why Are There Over 400,000 Textual Variants in the Manuscripts?
According to leading NT textual critics (Bart Ehrman, Bruce Metzger), there are more textual variants in the manuscripts than there are words in the New Testament.
If the NT is preserved, how do you explain such massive divergence—especially when many affect meaning and theology (e.g., the ending of Mark, the Johannine Comma)?3. Which New Testament Is Preserved—the Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox Canon?
Protestants have 27 books.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has 81 books, including extra Gospels and texts.
Catholics include the Deuterocanonical books (which Protestants reject as “apocrypha”).
If God preserved the NT, why does no Christian denomination agree on what “the New Testament” even is? Which version is “the preserved one”?4. Why Were Key Doctrinal Passages Inserted Later?
The Johannine Comma (1 John 5:7–8), supporting the Trinity, is absent in the earliest Greek manuscripts.
The long ending of Mark (16:9–20) with resurrection appearances is missing in Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus.
The Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53–8:11) is absent from earliest manuscripts.
If these passages are missing in the earliest and best manuscripts, how can Christians say the NT was preserved without corruption?5. Why Did Scribes Make Theological Edits to the Text?
Examples:
In Luke 22:43–44 (the “sweating blood” verse), some manuscripts omit it—likely to avoid portraying Jesus as weak.
In John 1:18, some manuscripts say “the only begotten God”, others “the only begotten Son”.
If scribes were editing texts to fit their theology, how is this called preservation instead of corruption?6. How Can You Claim Preservation if Early Church Fathers Complained of Corruption?
Church fathers like Origen (3rd century) admitted that “the differences among manuscripts have become great.”
Jerome (4th century), translator of the Latin Vulgate, admitted corruption was widespread.
If Christians closest to the manuscripts admitted rampant corruption, how can modern apologists claim preservation?7. Why Do the Earliest Complete Manuscripts Date Centuries After Jesus?
Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus (the oldest nearly complete NTs) are from the 4th century CE—over 300 years after Jesus.
How can you claim the text was “preserved” when the earliest complete evidence comes 3 centuries later, leaving centuries of corruption untraceable?8. If the Holy Spirit Preserved the Text, Why Didn’t He Prevent Corruption?
Christians claim the Holy Spirit guaranteed preservation.
Why then are there thousands of variants, missing passages, and disputed books? Did the Holy Spirit fail for 300 years until the Church councils “decided” what was Scripture?9. Which Translation Is Preserved—KJV, NIV, ESV, or Catholic Douay-Rheims?
The KJV (1611) is based on late Byzantine manuscripts, with verses that modern Bibles omit as “inauthentic.”
Modern Bibles remove or footnote dozens of verses present in the KJV.
If the NT is preserved, why are Christians forced to constantly revise Bibles and remove verses?10. Why Did Early Christians Accuse Each Other of Forging Scriptures?
2 Thessalonians 2:2 warns about forged letters “as if from us.”
Early heretics (e.g., Marcion) compiled their own versions of NT texts.
If even in Paul’s time forgeries were circulating, how can Christians be sure their NT today is not built on corrupted versions?
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق