The episode is now live.
This episode is in response to listener requests. Mike and Trey interview Rick Brannan, the information specialist for Greek New Testament products and databases at Logos Bible Software, about how we got the New Testament, the KJV-only idea, and conspiratorial views about the history and transmission of the Greek New Testament. We also talk about tools for learning about the Greek New Testament and its vocabulary. Rick is the general editor of the Lexham English Septuagint, translator of The Apostolic Fathers in English, and author of Greek Apocryphal Gospels, Fragments, and Agrapha.
Links:
Summary of how the Byzantine-Majority Text (and the Textus Receptus) gets defended against the Alexandrian. Drawn from D. A Carson, The King James Version Debate, A Plea for Realism, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1986), pp. 39-78
Rick’s personal blog: http://rickbrannan.com
Rick’s Twitter: @RickBrannan
Publisher: http://appianwaypress.com (Appian Way Press)
Lexical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles: First Timothy
- Publisher page: https://appianwaypress.com/lcpe-first-timothy/
Second Timothy: Notes on Grammar, Structure, and Syntax
- Publisher page: https://appianwaypress.com/second-timothy-notes/
That was truly a great interview. Hey I have a question I’m studying Jeremiah right now, but to be clear I’m no scholar just a Bible believing Christian, and I saw something interesting. You mentioned in one of your podcasts that the high places were where the gods dwelt and that it made sense that Eden would be considered a high place of the Elohim or divine counsel. In Jeremiah 32:35 it states that the high places of Baal were in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, a high place in a valley? You probably have covered this and I do have short term memory but I was wondering if you could elaborate please.
“high place” in that terminology = a “holy” place — a place sanctified for, in this case, Baal worship. Altars were elevated stands.
Dr. Heiser, I’ve been looking into this subject for a while, and it’s very frustrating because both sides of the argument choose not to address the main points the other bring up, and instead belittle the opposition and address only the weakest evidence. I heard you on canary cry radio doing exactly that, and was hoping for a more thorough argument from this episode. I was disappointed, though, that you and your guest made it seem like the only differences between the texts are incidental re-phrasing of pronouns and property names. I know this isn’t the case because I have about twenty different English translations with sticky notes all over them where the text meaning is significantly different. Like acts 8 with the Ethiopian eunuch. There are more, but I don’t have them with me. A quick internet search proves the point about the nasty attitudes.
I don’t have a dog in the fight; I’m just trying to get to the bottom of the issue to my own satisfaction. I still have many questions unanswered from the textual critics side, such as, “why should we not be suspicious of Vaticanus and Sisaticus since they appear to be early but were found so late, and apparently have variations that lean towards a more Roman Catholic theology?” Also, what about the questionable way in which tischendorf supposedly found sinaticus in the trash at a Catholic monastery? Also, it seems the most vocal critics of the TR are people who directly derive their livelihood from textual criticism, so it’s kind of like asking a prison guard if he thinks we should stop sentencing non violent offenders to prison.
These seem to be the most compelling arguments against the critical text to me, and you haven’t address them more than to scoff vaguely.
I really appreciate your work, and am not trying to be a pain, but I’m not likely to learn Greek any time soon. I have sent similar emails to kjv proponents as well, so please don’t feel like I’m picKing on you, I’m asking because I really want to hear you address these issues.
Thanks
I recommend reading Carson first. It gives you the lay of the land and answers (in short form) lots of questions. From that point on, I’d read articles by Dan Wallace (I could send them to you). Wallace is a well-known textual critic and thoroughly evangelical. He’s also a well-known Greek grammarian. He entered his training on the Byzantine-Majority side and changed his views. He’s not militant about it, but he’s quite thorough. He’d be a reasoned eclectic which, to my mind, is the most reasonable position (not just assuming priority of one “family” of manuscripts).
“high place” in that terminology = a “holy” place — a place sanctified for, in this case, Baal worship. Altars were elevated stands.
I recommend reading Carson first. It gives you the lay of the land and answers (in short form) lots of questions. From that point on, I’d read articles by Dan Wallace (I could send them to you). Wallace is a well-known textual critic and thoroughly evangelical. He’s also a well-known Greek grammarian. He entered his training on the Byzantine-Majority side and changed his views. He’s not militant about it, but he’s quite thorough. He’d be a reasoned eclectic which, to my mind, is the most reasonable position (not just assuming priority of one “family” of manuscripts).
Thanks! I’m actually reading Carson’s new bible commentary right now, so maybe I’ll get some info from there. In the meantime, my email is garthjeffcoat@gmail.com. I’d definitely appreciate the articles.
Did you email me? did I reply? I don’t do email through my comments.
Did you email me? did I reply? I don’t do email through my comments.