The Development of Orthodox Christianity

and the New TestamentBy Ed Hensley

New Testament andOld Testament Canons

My Background• Southern Baptist• Texas• Fundamentalist Churches• Moderate Family• Not fluent in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin• Not a scholar• Send corrections to EdwinHensley@gmail.com

Outline of this Study• Early Versions of Christianity• Development of Orthodox Christianity• Development of Christian Canons

• Editing the Books of the Canons (this lesson)• Books No Longer in the Canon(s) (this lesson)• Selecting Books for the Canons

• Development of Anti-Judaism in Christianity• Non-Canonical Books and Myths referenced in the NT• Important Contradictions in the NT and OT

Books Used In This Study• Lost Christianities, Bart Ehrman• Misquoting Jesus, Bart Ehrman• Jesus Interrupted, Bart Ehrman• http://www.ntcanon.org/table.shtml• http://www.ntcanon.org/authorities.shtml, Richard Carrier• Black and White pictures from Ehrman with permission• Other images from Wikipedia and other public websites• Best image of tree of Christian sects from Concordia

University website.• Map of early Christian sects from University of California.

The Hebrew Bibleaka The Old Testament

Brief History Judaism up to 70 CE• Ancient Hebrews evolved from the ancient Canaanite Religion. El

Elyon was the most high god of many gods.• Ancient Hebrews became monolithic. They believed in many

gods, but Hebrews should only worship their god named Yahweh.• Ancient Hebrews evolved into monotheism around 6th century

BCE, believing Yahweh was the only god.• Jews lived under the subjugation of many foreign rules, including

Babylonians in the 6th Century. Scholars believe that most of the Hebrew Bible was compiled under Babylonian exile. Persians, Greeks, and Romans also ruled Judea.

• Jews rebelled against Rome in 66 – 73 CE. The Jerusalem Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE. Masada fell in 73 CE.

The Tanakh• TaNaKh is an anacronym for the Torah (5 books of Moses), Nevi’im

(Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).• Torah – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy• Nevi’im – Joshua Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and

the 12 minor prophets• Ketuvim – Poems (Psalms, Proverbs, Job); Megillot or Scrolls(Song of

Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther); Other (Daniel, Ezra-Nehemian, Chronicles).

• Hebrew bible counts 22 books. OT counts 39 books (1&2 Chronicles, Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, and each minor prophet considered a single book)

• No consensus as to when this set was fixed.

Septuagint• Septuagint – Greek Translation by legendary 70 Jewish

Scholars in 3rd Century BCE. Abbreviated as LXX.• Considered equal to the Masoretic text by Jews such as Philo of

Alexandria and Josephus.• Jews started abandoning use of LXX in 2nd Century CE due in

part of association with Christianity. Started using Targum Hebrew/Aramaic manuscripts compiled by the Masoretes and other translations.

• Books in LXX but not in MT include Tobit, Judith, 1 Esdras, 1-4 Maccabees, Psalm 151, Prayer of Manasseh, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, additions to Esther & Daniel

• Catholics and Eastern Orthodox claim the Septuagint as authoritative.

Masoretic Text• Authoritative for Jews today, also defining letter text and

pronunciation.• Written in Hebrew.• Copied, edited & distributed by Maroetes in 600 – 1000 CE.• Oldest Masoretic manuscript is only 9th Century CE.• 22 books correspond to 39 books in protestant OT.• Protestants claim the Masoretic Text is authentic for

Christianity and use it for biblical translations.

Dead Sea Scrolls• 972 texts discovered in Qumran in the West Bank 1946-56.• Earliest known manuscripts of Hebrew Bible.• Coins on site date from 135 BCE to 73 CE.• Texts are from the Essenes Jewish group during the 2nd Temple

Period.• 40% from Hebrew Bible, every book except Esther.• 30% from books not canonized in Hebrew Bible.• 30% sectarian.

Dead Sea Scrolls• Protestants claim the DSS support MT and prove the bible is accurate,

often focusing on one (Greater Isaiah) scroll (see http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357)

• Catholics and Eastern Orthodox claim the DSS support LXX (see, http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/02/septuagint-vs-masoretic-which-is-more.html,

• “In their astonishing range of textual variants, the Qumran biblical discoveries have prompted scholars to reconsider the once-accepted theories of the development of the modern biblical text from only three manuscript families: of the Masoretic text, of the Hebrew original of the Septuagint, and of the Samaritan Pentateuch. It is now becoming increasingly clear that the Old Testament scripture was extremely fluid until its canonization around A.D. 100.” – The Oxford Companion To Archaeology.

Example of Jewish Editing• Deuteronomy 32:8 When the Most High gave the nations

their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.[b] 9 For the LORD’s portion is his people,Jacob his allotted inheritance.

• b: Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) sons of God • Many scholars believe this passage in the DSS and LXX form

supports polytheism. The Most High (Elyon) god divided mankind into nations, giving each son of god their allotment. The “Lord’s” (Jewish God’s) share were the children of Jacob.

Hebrew Bible Evolution• The Hebrew Bible has evolved over time. DSS = Dead Sea

Scrolls, LXX = Segtuagint, MT = Masoretic Text

The Old Testament is Much MoreReliable Than The New Testament

Problems With New Testament Texts

NT Manuscripts• Most texts prior to 4th century were Greek.• Latin Vulgate contains 10,000 documents.• Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Old Gregorian, Church Slavonic

texts exists as well. • Most texts are anonymous. Some are attributed to authors

who did not write them.• We do not have any original texts. The earliest texts are

copies of copies of copies of copies.

NT Manuscripts• John Mills documented 30,000 differences in 1707. He was

attacked for casting doubt on the validity of the NT.• Scholars estimate 200,000 to 400,000 variants in the

manuscripts.• There are more variations among NT manuscripts than

there are words in the NT.

Accidental Errors• Line removals. • Errors in translating abbreviations and shorthand.• Words that look or sound alike.• Most (but not all) of these errors resolved by scholars by

using context.• John 5:39 “Search the scriptures… for they bear witness to

me” versus “Search the scriptures… for they are sinning against me”.

• The earliest copies we possess are usually, but not always, considered the most authentic.

Intentional Errors• Scribes correcting factual errors.• Text changed for theological reasons & to counter heretics.• Text changed to harmonize gospels.• Short Lord’s Prayer in Luke made to match Matthew.• Lord’s prayer in early Luke 11:2-4: Father, hallowed be your name.

May your kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation.

• Lord’s prayer in later Luke: Our father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Important or Significant Errors

Woman Caught in Adultery• The famous story of the woman caught in the act of adultery

in the NT is not in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts.• NIV – [The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient

witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

• A woman is caught in adultery. Pharisees bring her to Jesus and state that the law says she should be stoned, and ask what he would do. He asks those without sin to cast the first stone. All turn away, then he tells the woman, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.”

Last Verses of Mark• NIV, Mar 16 - [The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient

witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]• 9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

• 12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

• 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

Last Verses of Mark• 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

• 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Comma Johanneum• I John 5:7-8 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the

water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. - NIV• 1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century) – NIV

• This text was added to 1 John to bolster the doctrine of the Trinity.

• 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. - KJV

Comma Johanneum• Erasmus translated Greek to English in 1515-1516. He omitted the

Comma Johanneum, because it was not present in any Greek text.• Church leaders were angry & accused him of attacking the Trinity.• Erasmus promised he would include the text if a Greek version

with that text were found.• Church leaders “found” [created] a version & presented it to him.• Erasmus included this text in his next edition.• There were other problems, such as using texts for some books

that were 1100 years older than other available texts.• The Erasmus Text became the basis for the Textus Receptus, the

King James bible, and most English bibles for centuries.

Pauline Epistles

Paul Establishes Christian Theology• Pauline Epistles (letters of Paul) written first (authentic ones)

• 7 Considered Authentic: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon

• 6 Considered Pseudepigraphic: Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians and the pastoral letters 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus

• Romans is most important book for establishing Christian theology• Jesus was crucified, rose from the dead, and faith in the resurrection is

necessary for salvation. Return of Jesus is imminent. Bodily resurrection.• Galatians – Confronts Peter - Christians do not follow Jewish

laws/rules other than rules regarding sex.• Paul’s letters did not contain many facts referenced in Gospels.

The Gospels

Gospels Written Long After Jesus’ Death

Luke 1 - Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

a. Luke 1:1 Or been surely believed • Many gospels• Not an eyewitness• Theophilus – “Friend of God” – Not necessarily a real name.

Wikipedia

Gospel of Mark• Written first (of the 4 in NT) around 66 – 70 CE.• All gospels are anonymous.• No birth story or genealogy.• Appears to be adopted by god at baptism.• Mark 1 to 8:26 – Many Miracles• Mark 8:27 – 8:30 Peter confesses Jesus is Messiah• 8:31 – Jesus predicts his death. Rest of gospel is about his

last days and death.• Least miraculous and supernatural of all gospels.

Gospel of Matthew• 70 – 10 CE (most believe 80-90 CE)• Papias claims Matthew was written in Hebrew. However,

most scholars believe it was written in Greek.• Genealogy, birth, & post resurrection stories not in Mark.• Shows more Jewish knowledge than Mark.• Peter calls Jesus “the Messiah, the son of the living God” in

Matt 16:16. Mark 8:29 omits son of god. • “Fulfillment” of OT prophecy 5 times. None in Mark.• Matt 27:25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and

on our children!” – Used to blame and kill Jews for centuries.

Gospel of Luke• Written around 80 – 100 CE.• Luke is known as the gospel for the gentiles.• Claimed to be a companion or assistant of Paul by conservatives.• Author of Luke also wrote Acts. Acts contradicts letters of Paul,

causing many scholars to doubt Luke was a companion of Paul.• Evidence of editing to counter heretics (which is evidence heretics

existed).• (3:22) God says to Jesus at baptism "This day I have begotten you” in early

manuscripts. Changed to “with you I am well pleased” from Mark in later manuscripts, probably to counter adoptionists.

• (22:43-44) An angel helps Jesus sweat drops of blood in Gethsemane. Not present in early manuscripts, possibly inserted to counter doceticism (the belief Jesus did not suffer).

Gospel of John• Author is “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”• Some propose it was written in layers.• Most date the final form to 90 – 100 CE.• Many signs and miracles showing divinity.• Raising Lazarus from the dead is the reason

Jesus is arrested, not for claiming he could destroy and rebuild the temple.

• Most spiritual gospel.• Favorite gospel of the Gnostics.• Independent of the Synoptic Gospels.

The Rylands Papyrus is perhaps the earliest New Testament fragment; dated from its handwriting to about 125.

Gospel Word UsageSon of David

Son of Man

Son of God Rabbi

King Of The Jews

just "the jews"

Matthew 10 30 8 4 4 1

Mark 3 14 3 4 5 1

Luke 4 25 6 0 3 1

John 0 12 5 7 5 25

Some manuscripts do not have “Son of God” in Mark 1.

Acts of the Apostles

Acts• 5th Book of NT, first after the 4 gospels.• Outlines history of early church.• Early chapters discuss Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension

and the day of Pentecost.• Later chapters discuss Paul’s conversion.• Describes missionary trips of Peter and Paul.• Discusses the expansion of Christianity from Jews to Gentiles

throughout the Roman Empire.

And The Rest [of the New Testament]

Other Books in the New Testament• General Epistles – James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude.• Revelation – AKA the Apocalypse of John.• Author of Revelation is a subject of debate (John Who?).• Describes the end of the world.• Multiple generations have believed Revelation is about their

time.• Many church fathers have doubted the sanctity of Revelation.

The Council of Nicea

Christian Apocrypha - Books The Did Not Make ItInto The New Testament

Christian Apocrypha• Gospels• Gnostic Texts• Acts• Epistles• Apocalypses• Fate of Mary• Others• Stories tend to get more miraculous with time.• Many stories fill in the gaps about what seems to be missing

in other NT books, such as the childhood of Jesus.

Christian Apocrypha

Christian Apocrypha

Christian Apocrypha

Gospel of Peter• 9. And in the night in which the Lord's day was drawing on, as the

soldiers kept guard two by two in a watch, there was a great voice in the heaven; and they saw the heavens opened, and two men descend with a great light and approach the tomb. And the stone that was put at the door rolled of itself and made way in part; and the tomb was opened, and both the young men entered in.

• 10. When therefore those soldiers saw it, they awakened the centurion and the elders, for they too were close by keeping guard. And as they declared what things they had seen, again they saw three men come forth from the tomb, and two of them supporting one, and a cross following them. And the heads of the two reached to heaven, but the head of him who was led by them overpassed the heavens. And they heard a voice from the heavens, saying, You have preached to them that sleep. And a response was heard from the cross, Yes.

Gospel of PeterPottery Shard from the 6th or 7th century depicting the “evangelist Peter” and urging readers to revere his Gospel.

Infancy Gospel of James• IX. 1 Now after certain days Jesus was playing in the upper story

of a certain house, and one of the young children that played with him fell down from the house and died. And the other children when they saw it fled, and Jesus remained alone. 2 And the parents of him that was dead came and accused him that he had cast him down. (And Jesus said: I did not cast him down) but they reviled him still. 3 Then Jesus leaped down from the roof and stood by the body of the child and cried with a loud voice and said: Zeno (for so was his name called), arise and tell me, did I cast thee down? And straightway he arose and said: Nay, Lord, thou didst not cast me down, but didst raise me up. And when they saw it they were amazed: and the parents of the child glorified God for the sign which had come to pass, and worshipped Jesus.

Acts of Paul and Thecla• Very popular text among early Christians. • Women are heroes in this text.• Written in 2nd Century CE.• Thecla abandons fiancé to travel with Paul everywhere.• She helps Paul while he is in prison. At her mother's request,

Paul was sentenced to scourging and expulsion (cp. Acts 14:19, 2Tim 3:11), and Thecla to be killed by being burned at the stake, that "all the women who have been taught by this man may be afraid." Stripped naked, Thecla was put on the fire, but she was saved by a miraculous storm which God sent to put out the flames.

Acts of Paul and Thecla• A nobleman named Alexander desired Thecla and offered Paul

money for her. Paul claimed not to know her, and Alexander then attempted to take Thecla by force. Thecla fought him off, assaulting him in the process, to the amusement of the townspeople. Alexander dragged her before the governor for assaulting a nobleman and, despite the protests of the city's women, Thecla was sentenced to be eaten by wild beasts.

• One lioness (female) protected her from all other bests. A series of miracles follow. She jumps into a vat of seals to baptize herself before she would die. God prevents the seals from eating her. She is considered self baptized.

• She later returns to her home town and converts her mother.

Acts of Paul and Thecla• A nobleman named Alexander desired Thecla and offered Paul

money for her. Paul claimed not to know her, and Alexander then attempted to take Thecla by force. Thecla fought him off, assaulting him in the process, to the amusement of the townspeople. Alexander dragged her before the governor for assaulting a nobleman and, despite the protests of the city's women, Thecla was sentenced to be eaten by wild beasts.

• One lioness (female) protected her from all other bests. A series of miracles follow. She jumps into a vat of seals to baptize herself before she would die. God prevents the seals from eating her. She is considered self baptized.

• She later returns to her home town and converts her mother.

Acts of Paul and TheclaThe Cave of St. Paul in Ephesus has been a sacred site for Christians since the 1st or 2nd century. This fresco of Paul and Thecla was painted in the 6th century.

Acts of Paul and Thecla

Acts Of John60 Now on the first day we arrived at a deserted inn... But he when he lay down was troubled by the bugs, and as they continued to become yet more troublesome to him, when it was now about the middle of the night, in the hearing of us all he said to them: I say unto you, O bugs, behave yourselves, one and all, and leave your abode for this night and remain quiet in one place, and keep your distance from the servants of God. And as we laughed… John addressed himself to sleep.61 But when the day was now dawning … we saw at the door of the house which we had taken a great number of bugs standing, and while we wondered at the great sight of them, and all the brethren were roused up because of them, John continued sleeping. And when he was awaked we declared to him what we had seen. And he sat up on the bed and looked at them and said: Since ye have well behaved yourselves in hearkening to my rebuke, come unto your place. And when he had said this, and risen from the bed, the bugs running from the door hasted to the bed and climbed up by the legs thereof and disappeared into the joints. And John said again: This creature hearkened unto the voice of a man, and abode by itself and was quiet and trespassed not; but we which hear the voice and commandments of God disobey and are light-minded: and for how long?

Acts Of John

This is a scene from The Acts Of John, St. John Raising Dusiana From The Dead, that was painted in a chapel around 1300 CE by Giotto. This is an example of the popularity and endurance of Christian Apocrypha.

Apocalypse of Peter• 2nd Century. Talks mostly about the horrors of hell and the

pleasure of heaven.• Listed in the Muratorian Fragment, the oldest list of NT

books.• Almost made it into NT.• In heaven, people have pure milky white skin, curly hair,

and are generally beautiful, the earth blooms with everlasting flowers and spices, people wear shiny clothes made of light, like the angels, and everyone sings in choral prayer

Apocalypse of PeterIn hell, Blasphemers are hanged by the tongue; Women who "adorn" themselves for the purpose of adultery, are hung by the hair over a bubbling mire. The men that had adulterous relationships with them are hung by their feet, with their heads in the mire, next to them. Murderers are set in a pit of creeping things that torment them. Gay men and lesbians, are "driven" up a great cliff by punishing angels, and are "cast off" to the bottom. Then they are forced up it, over and over again. Women who have abortions are set in a lake formed from the blood and gore from all the other punishments, up to their necks. They are also tormented by the spirits of their unborn children, who shoot a "flash of fire" into their eyes. (Those unborn children are "delivered to a care-taking" angel by whom they are educated, and "made to grow up.") Those who lend money and demand "usury upon usury" stand up to their knees in a lake of foul matter and blood.

Outline of this Study• Early Versions of Christianity• Development of Orthodox Christianity• Development of Christian Canons

• Editing the Books of the Canons• Books No Longer in the Canon(s)• Selecting Books for the Canons (next week)

• Development of Anti-Judaism in Christianity (next week)• Non-Canonical Books and Myths referenced in the NT• Important Contradictions in the NT and OT