DaVinci Code vs The Process of Copying Scripture

The DaVinci Code, and skeptics galore say that there is no definitive version of the bible, that it has been through numerous translations, additions, and deletions. This is a very inaccurate assessment (does not the Devil mix a little truth in every lie?). Yes, there are many translations of the word of God (no problem with that), but no, never any additions or deletions.

Matter of fact, the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal concretely that the 39 OT books are accurate copies used by the Jews thousands of years ago. They reveal little or no corruption to the OT of today, which is pretty amazing.

Regarding the 27 NT books (get a load of this....), the process that scholars use to evaluate the consistency of a document is to compare the copies, with the earliest as the most reliable. All the great documents of history from the same time period as the NT books, have generally 8 to 20 copies. Demosthenes’s book has 200 copies and Homer’s LLiad has 643. But!....(here we go), we have over 5,300 copies of the New Testament in Greek, we have over 15,000 copies of the NT in Syriac and Latin, all around the time very near to when the actual gospels were written! Scholars can compare all of those copies to the copies on the shelves in Barnes n Noble. They find very small minor alterations (nothing even remotely calling any tenant of faith into question, not one!).

Here is the key regarding the NT, in the early 200’s, Origen (an early church leader) listed all the accepted books of the New Testament, the list matches our list today. The NT was intact then, intact now, will remain intact until Jesus comes back (I’m a poet and I don’t....).

The question is, why the accuracy? Good question. The reason is that the Jewish scribes were amazing intense when producing copies of scripture.

The Process of Copying Scripture
Adapted from Ralph Muncaster: A Skeptic’s Search for God, pg 137-138

1. Scribes were trained until they were 30 years old.
2. Each letter of the scroll was visually confirmed, one by one with the master scroll.
3. A thread was often placed between letters to ensure separation and accuracy.
4. Each letter in each scroll was counted, and the count was compared to the master scroll.
5. Each word in the scroll was counted and compared to the master scroll.
6. The middle letter in each entire copied scroll was located and compared to the master.
7. If a single mistake was found, the scroll was destroyed.

Note: The DaVinci Code is a popular book and movie based on the notion that Jesus Christ was not God, but a man who married Mary Magdalene, with the Church covering it up. Furthermore, the plot includes the general smearing of Christianity from top to bottom. But, what happens when a Christian leader stands up to say they are offended, or tries to combat the smearing? The world chuckles and says, “don’t worry, its just entertainment.” Just entertainment? I will address this matter in a post very soon. Stay tuned.

The greatest people in the world just wouldn't come, So now we'll just have to invite the small.