Acclaimed Contradictions in the Bible
Table of Contents
Overview – Criticism of the Bible
There are two primary types of criticisms of the Bible. The Lower and Higher Criticism of the bible.
Lower Criticism
The Lower Criticism of the Bible also known as textual criticism, is the reconstruction of the original texts of the Bible to get the most accurate translation to the original text. This is the philology of comparing all available texts and manuscripts of the Bible to get as close to the original written text as possible.
Textural Criticism
As an example, we have the Textus Receptus which came from Erasmus Novum Instrumentum Omne composed in the late 15th century. Erasmus utilized various older Greek Minuscule and Latin texts to create this work.
Higher Criticism
The Criticism of the Bible is the methodology of employing various tactics in order to invalidate, discredit or reinterpret some/all of the Bible and/or its claims.
There is a barrage of various types of criticism each aimed at a specific topic that points to Biblical accuracy.
Source Criticism
The process of evaluating an information’s source. This is the methodology of defining and identifying any/all credibility to the source of an information’s origin.
Form Criticism
This form of criticism attempts to classify informational patterns in order to trace the time frame or cultural influences of its origin.
Redaction Criticism
This is the critical process of examining the author of the book to identify their objectives behind their literary works.
Tradition Criticism
This is the critical method used to analyze how literature or information was passed from stage to stage into what can be interpreted today. It includes the study of how oral traditions from a specific literary source was passed down and became written documents.
Canonical Criticism
This is a type of literary interpretation that focuses on the final product of the text and how it applies to people of today’s world in contrast to its meaning for the people of the time it was written.
Errors in the Bible
Are there errors in the Bible? Critics will acclaim the Bible has errors and contradictions, however after many years of critical analysis, scholars confirm there are no errors in the texts of the Bible. The Bible has been passed down for Millenia and looking at the most ancient record like the Dead Sea scrolls, we find the Bible has remained unaltered over 99% of the time.
The only accounts we have for inaccuracy is misspelled words or grammatical changes. Scribes of ancient times would take their work more serious as a religious rite than anything else in their life, with multiple other scribes ensuring their copying of the text was accurate. This shows the handiwork of God through humanity for as long as the Bible has existed.
Ancient Jewish scribes would meticulously copy every word and phrase to their new textual copy, if there was ever something they thought was a miss, they would simply write notations in the margins. Notations we have in ancient manuscripts to this day. The Bible is 66 books, written by 40 different authors over a span of 2000 years. Revealing an author that transcends those who were used to write the book, God Himself.
Beneficial Biblical Criticism
Not all critical agendas are malevolently placed with the objective of discrediting or revoking the authority that the Bible has. Many of these methodologies have been used to create a validation proof for many of the Biblical claims and help us to further understand the process in which many of the details of the Bible where created.
Not only does criticism end up proving the Bible against all odds of critical inclination, but many methodologies have proven to enhance the Biblical students understanding of the Bible and the history and cultures surrounding the people it involves.