THE BIBLE-A STORY OF SURVIVAL

THE BIBLE SURVIVED ATTEMPTS TO ALTER ITS MESSAGE

THE THREAT:  External threats such as decay and opposition have not destroyed the Bible. Yet, some copyists and translators have attempted to alter the Bible's message.  At times, they have tried to make the Bible conform to their doctrines rather than conform their doctrines to the Bible.  Consider some examples:  

* Place of worship:  Between the fourth and second centuries B.C.e, the writers of the Samaritan Pentateuch inserted after Exodus 20:17 the words "in Aargaareezem. And there you shall build an altar."  The Samaritans thus hoped to make the Scriptures support their construction of a temple on "Aargaareezem," or Mount Gerizim.

* Trinity doctrine:  Less than 300 years after the Bible was completed, a Trinitarian writer added to  1 John 5:7 the words "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." That statement did not appear in the original text.  "From the sixth century onwards," notes Bible scholar Bruce Metzger, those words were "found more and more frequently in manuscripts of the Old Latin and of the [Latin]Vulgate."

* Divine name:  Citing a Jewish superstition as their authority, many Bible translators decided to remove the divine nae from the Scriptures.  They replace that name with titles such as "God" or "Lord," expressions applied in the Bible not only to the Creator but also to men, objects of false worship, and even   the Devil. -John 10:34, 35; 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 4:4.

Next time: THE BIBLE - A STORY FOR SURVIVAL/Conclusion of THE BIBLE SURVIVED ATTEMPTS TO ALTER ITS MESSAGE 

From The Watchtower magazine