Bible Seminar | Hortensius F. C. Mandaru

Introduction to the Biblical Text

When reading the Bible from different versions or translations, significant differences are often found. This raises the question, Why is the Bible text different? This fact needs to be explained transparently so that the reader can avoid the extremes of thinking or solutions that are often applied, i.e. harmonizing all texts to make them uniform and selectively choosing certain texts and ignoring others.

Rather, readers of the text need an approach that recognizes textual facts, understands their background, and retains confidence in the authority of Scripture. The main focus of the discussion is on three areas of difference: source text, interpretation, and translation.

Facts about Original Texts and Copies

Facts about Original Texts and Copies

One of the basic points emphasized is that there are no autographs of the Bible itself. Only thousands of copies (manuscripts) and translations of early texts. Textual scholars reconstruct the assumed original text by comparing and analyzing the various copies.

Despite this, data shows that 90% of the words in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament have no textual problems. This is because those who copied the text were the Masoretes because they were quite meticulous. Then in the New Testament 1-2% of the variants in the Greek text have a significant impact on the meaning or theological message. This point is crucial, because it confirms that despite the variants, the core message of the Bible remains intact and reliable.

Development and Biblical Source Texts

Historically, the process of writing the Bible took a  long time to preserve the authenticity of the content and meaning of the writing. The Old Testament was written in stages in Hebrew and Aramaic, starting around the 10th century BC. Meanwhile, the New Testament was written in Koine Greek, beginning around 50 AD, when eyewitnesses to the events of Jesus' life began to dwindle.

The process of writing the Old Testament using the primary source text used was the Masoretic Text (TM). However, modern critical editions also consider other ancient texts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls (found at Qumran) and the Septuagint (LXX), an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. These texts often show variations that help scholars understand how the biblical text evolved over time.

Then the process of writing the New Testament using its primary source texts were thousands of ancient Greek manuscripts including the papyrus, the oldest manuscripts in the papyrus such as the fragment of John 18 from 125-170 AD and the manuscripts of Romans, Hebrews, 1-2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians and 1-2 Thessalonians, estimated to be found in 200 AD. In addition, some famous manuscripts include the Codices of Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandria and Beza. A comparison of these manuscripts resulted in the modern critical edition text that is used as the basis for most Bible translations today.

Examples of Textual and Translational Discrepancies

Here are some specific examples to illustrate how differences arise. These examples are helpful in making abstract concepts more tangible:

• Differences in Jesus' Commands:
  Differences between the Gospels of Matthew and Mark regarding Jesus' instructions to his disciples regarding carrying a staff. Matthew 10:10 forbids carrying sticks, while Mark 6:8 allows them to carry them. IThis could be a deliberate editorial or viewpoint difference of the respective gospel writers.
• Lexical Differences:
  In Isaiah 21:8, the Masoretic text uses the word “אַרְיֵה (aryeh, lion) ”, thus reading “ and cried out a lion.However, the Septuagint translates it as “ὡς λέων (hōs leōn, like a lion), so that it is not the lion that speaks, but the guard who calls out with a lion-like voice. Meanwhile, the Qumran text contains the word "ha-ro" (ha-ro’eh, the watcher)”. This difference shows that there are variations in the source text that influenced the translation.
• The "Three Witnesses" passage in 1 John 5:7-8 is one of the most famous examples of textual variants. The passage often known as "Comma Johanneum" is not found in the earliest and most reliable ancient Greek manuscripts, and is considered a later addition. This example shows how textual scholars can identify non-original additions.

Translation Principles as a Cause of Discrepancies

In addition to source text variations, differences also arise due to different approaches to Bible translation. These point to two main translation philosophies:

• Formal (Literal) Translation:
  This approach seeks to preserve as closely as possible the structure, words and expressions of the source language. The advantage is lexical accuracy, but the disadvantage is that sometimes the translation can sound stilted or difficult to understand in the target language.
• Dynamic (Functional) Translation:This approach focuses on communicating the meaning or message from the source language to the target language, even if it means changing the form of sentences or expressions. The advantage is ease of comprehension for modern readers, but the disadvantage is that it can lose the nuance or beauty of the original expression.

As an example, comparing the translations of Proverbs 10:2, one of the formal translations uses the word "wealth" while the dynamic translation uses "treasure", which is more common. This word choice shows how the translator makes decisions that affect the final outcome. Another example is the different translations of Job 19:26, where the KJV (King James Version) interprets the text differently from the modern version, showing the evolution of understanding and translation decisions.

Final Clarification and Theological Relevance.

Overall, the assertion of differences in the biblical text is natural and can be explained historically and theologically. These differences do not diminish the authority of the Bible, but rather provide deeper insight into how God's word was preserved and copied from generation to generation.

The main message is for Christians not to panic or become skeptical because of these differences. Encourages Christians to adopt a mature attitude, where they acknowledge textual realities while maintaining faith. existing variations are generally minor and do not alter central Christian doctrines, such as the deity of Jesus, his resurrection, and salvation through faith.

 

In the end, this material is not only to provide technical information, but also to strengthen faith. By understanding the process behind the biblical text including human imperfections in copying. Most people can better appreciate the miracle of preserving this text for thousands of years. LAI, as an institution that translates and disseminates the Bible, demonstrates its commitment to transparency and education, helping congregations to better understand the foundation of their faith.