by Terry Wane Benton<\/p>\n
It is not a problem at all. Unless all the copies and quotes are so contradictory and diverse that we need the original documents to settle the matter, the numerous quotes and copies provide enough certainty that we do not need the original autographs. In comparing what you do have, you see a consistency of the testimony that reduces the need for the originals. Jesus did not find it disturbing at all that Moses’ handwritten copies had worn out and been replaced with copies. Such was very much expected. The importance of the originals being copied, worn out, and copied over and over only demonstrates that no one was seeing a different testimony coming forth as new copies were made. That means there was carefulness in copying with accuracy, lest your new copy be exposed as fraudulent.<\/p>\n
In view of the numerous copies and quotes of the US Constitution, would it matter one iota if someone destroyed the original autograph copy, penned by the original writers and signed by the witnesses? Would the absence of the original matter at all, and cause us to lose all confidence in our remaining copies? I would venture to say that it would not matter at all! The only way it would matter would be if every copy told an entirely different story from the others. Since all copies are the same and tell the same story, there is no alarm at all in not possessing the original autograph.<\/p>\n
But turning the argument around on the Bible skeptic, where is even one original witness that can verify that the apostles of Jesus all colluded in making up a lie about Jesus being a miracle worker that was raised from the dead? I’d venture to say there were never any valid witnesses that would stand the tests of early and later scrutiny. The apostle’s testimony not only survived Jerusalem but also flourished from there into all the world, the narrative of testimony never even slowing down in 2000 years. That is worth taking note of!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Terry Wane Benton It is not a problem at all. Unless all the copies and quotes are so contradictory and diverse that we need the original documents to settle the matter, the numerous quotes and copies provide enough certainty that we do not need the original autographs. In comparing what you do have, you…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[219,130,709],"class_list":["post-94271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-bible","tag-canon","tag-evidence"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":66803,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-not-having-the-original-writings-a-serious-problem\/","url_meta":{"origin":94271,"position":0},"title":"Is Not Having the Original Writings a Serious Problem?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton It is not a problem at all. Unless all the copies and quotes are so contradictory and diverse that we need the original documents to settle the matter, the numerous quotes and copies of the Bible provide enough certainty that we do not require the original\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Torah-Scribe-by-Ephraim-Moshe-Lilien-300x234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":56723,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/has-the-bible-been-changed\/","url_meta":{"origin":94271,"position":1},"title":"Has the Bible Been Changed?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 6, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Greg Gwin We are frequently asked about the reliability of our Bibles. Specifically, how can we be sure that the Bibles we are reading today are true to the original messages delivered so long ago? In particular, can we be sure that the New Testament has not been altered\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/Bible-Reading-3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5364,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-we-trust-the-text-of-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":94271,"position":2},"title":"Can We Trust the Text of the Bible?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:12-21 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I was discussing with a gentleman about the location of a particular city mentioned in the Bible. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He had found an old map that placed Baal Zephon on the Mediterranean Sea instead of on the edge of the Red Sea. Doesn\u2019t\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33351,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-mark-169-20-inspired\/","url_meta":{"origin":94271,"position":3},"title":"Is Mark 16:9-20 Inspired?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 16, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Kyle Pope via\u00a0Biblical Insights, Vol. 9, No. 8, August 2009 Many students of the New Testament have found themselves puzzled by notes encountered at the close of the Gospel of Mark, claiming, \"The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20\"[1]. Should we question\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31029,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-goliath-six-cubits-and-a-span-or-four-cubits-and-a-span\/","url_meta":{"origin":94271,"position":4},"title":"Was Goliath six cubits and a span or four cubits and a span?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 24, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: The King James Bible reports the giant Goliath as \"six cubits and a span\" in height - over nine feet tall, (over 2.75 m) (I Samuel 17:4), but the Septuagint,\u00a0a Greek Bible, also gives Goliath's height as \"four cubits and a span\" (~2.00 m). So by the interpretation which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19395,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-our-bible-text-reliable\/","url_meta":{"origin":94271,"position":5},"title":"Is Our Bible Text Reliable?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 31, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Abraham Smith \u201cThe Judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward\u201d (Psalms 19:9-11).\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/person-holding-blue-ballpoint-pen-writing-in-notebook-210661-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94271\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}