Midterm Flashcards
What is historiography?
The study of the authenticity, or truthfulness, of an historical documents.
Speak of the Bible’s reliability from the first component of the bibliographic test as discussed in class.
In terms of how close we can get the manuscript to the original autograph, no other work of antiquity compares. The Bible stands alone; nothing is even close to it.
Speak of the Bible’s reliability from the second component of the bibliographical test as discussed in class.
The Bible is number one in terms of manuscripts, nothing else can compare.
How does the Bible compare to other books of antiquity in the two basic components of the biographical test?
It is far better. It has many more manuscripts and a better time from the original.
Was the Word of God preserved and assessable in the OT times?
Yes. It was put in the charge of the priests.
How many times were the priests to read the OT to the people.
every 7 years.
Who were commanded to make correct copies of the OT?
The Priests.
Who had copies on the Law according to the OT before the exile?
Priests, kings, rulers, and all of Israel.
Who took copies into the exile?
Daniel and Ezekiel
How do we know the Law was present in the post-exilic times?
Ezra taught it in Jerusalem
Who preserved the Word until Jesus’ time?
Ezra and his successors collected and preserved it til Jesus earthly ministry
In Romans 3:2, who does Paul say had the Word committed until them, and what underlying claim does that make?
non-gentile jews, these scribes persevered the Hebrew Masoretic Text
Prove how careful the copying and preservation of the OT through the Tannaim, the
Amoraim, and the Masorites was.
They counted letters and marked the middle one. They counted words. If it didn’t match and wasn’t correct then they destroyed it and restarted.
Where is the best preservation of the OT today?
The Hebrew Masoretic Text
Why were the Jews careful to bury or “reverently inter” copies of the Hebrew OT?
So that there were not worn copies used that could cause misreadings or erroneous copying.
What is the LXX or Septuagint?
A poor Greek translation of the Hebrew Masoretic text
- Why was a Greek version of the OT Scripture needed?
Because the Jews in Alexandria were no longer speaking Hebrew
- Is the dating of the LXX to 285-246 BC incontrovertible?
Some people say it is a 2nd century document
- What are the three styles of Greek language in the LXX?
Some good, some bad, some worse
- What does the LXX do with Greek notions of God in the Hebrew OT?
It shifts the textual understanding from the OT hebrew notion toward Greek philosophy
- Can we know what was original in the LXX? Why or why not?
No. It was revised by men with heretical stances: Aquila, Theodotion
- What did the Jews change the feast to celebrate the LXX into?
A fast to mourn that it was ever created
- What always accompanied the LXX?
The Apocrypha
- Who was the most important person that dismissed the Apocrypha as viable and how do we know?
Jesus. Because he commended only the “law, prophets, and writings”
- Do the Apostles and Jesus quote the LXX?
NO
- How many times does the NT quotes of the OT match the Hebrew exactly?
71
- How many times does the NT quotes of the OT match the Hebrew nearly?
69
- How many times does the NT quotes of the OT match the Hebrew in their intended
37
- How many times does the NT quotes of the OT combine Hebrew scriptures?
5
- How many times does the NT quotes of the OT make it difficult to know what OT passage
is being quoted?
5
- Show how Mt. 23:2-3 demonstrates Jesus’ view of the OT Scripture?
He is saying scripture is the Masoretic text because that’s what the scribes copied.
- Show how Rom. 3:1-2 demonstrates Paul’s view of the OT Scripture?
The Jews preserved the masoretic text
- Show how Mt.5:18 demonstrates Jesus’ view of the OT Scripture.
Jot and tittle is in reference to the Hebrew letters of the Alphabet. Jesus preserved the Hebrew Masoretic text
- What do textual critics mean when they say “older & better manuscripts”?
They mean the Greek, not all witnesses
- How is the “older & better manuscripts” claim a limitation of evidence?
It does not consider earlier translations and quotations of the early church fathers.
- What criterion should age have in evaluating a passage of Script?
It should not be all-consuming, it has to be compared to all of the evidence and witnesses
- How many layers of correction are in codex Sinaiticus?
9
- What is Codex Vaticanus missing?
numerous books
- How many times does Codex Vaticans and Codex Sinaiticus disagree in the Gospels?
over 3,000
