Do we have the right Bible?

Question

Look at the following quote from biblical scholars James Bowley and John Reeves: "That is so even though ‘the
Bible’ does not exist, if by that we mean a canonically and textually defined entity held in common by all
interpreters throughout the ages. There are only Bibles, and they all include texts which exhibit a great deal
of diversity in their family history."
http://www.uncc.edu/jcreeves/bowley-reeves.pdf

The "Bible" as we know it is not the only Bible that has ever existed. There are many ancient sacred writings that have been accepted as legitimate that are not in our Bible.
How do we know we have the right collection of writings now?

Answer 1

Protestants claim the Bible is the only rule of faith, meaning that it contains all of the material one needs for theology and that this material is sufficiently clear that one does not need apostolic tradition or the Church’s magisterium (teaching authority) to help one understand it. In the Protestant view, the whole of Christian truth is found within the Bible’s pages. Anything extraneous to the Bible is simply non-authoritative, unnecessary, or wrong—and may well hinder one in coming to God.

Catholics, on the other hand, recognize that the Bible does not endorse this view and that, in fact, it is repudiated in Scripture. The true "rule of faith"—as expressed in the Bible itself—is Scripture plus apostolic tradition, as manifested in the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church, to which were entrusted the oral teachings of Jesus and the apostles, along with the authority to interpret Scripture correctly.

Christ promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church (Matt. 16:18) and the New Testament itself declares the Church to be "the pillar and foundation of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15).

Answer 2

Yes the Bible as we have it today is correct. Every book in the bible has gone through rigorous testings over many years above and beyond what normal ancient texts have to to be validated.

The old testament was put together off of the original designated as being valid.

The new testament was put together of books that were known to be written truth. Certain books like the agnostic gospels were not added because unlike the original four gospels, who were written within a century after Christs death, the agnostics were written as much as 300 hundred years later and the writers just attached names of famous people on them (such as Thomas and Judas).

As for different interpretations of the Bible, all disputes if any are over very minor things, like articles, and do not effect the meaning of the Bible as we know it.

Now as to the other religious texts. What makes the Bible different is it was made by 50 men over 1500 years and all the stuff in it hangs together and says the same thing.

hope this helps.

Answer 3

Good question...and one that I think EVERYONE needs to ask themselves.

I can only hope to provide an equally good answer.

First off, I believe you (and others) are correct in your assumption that there are other 'sacred writings'. I would prefer to use the world "inspired writings"--and do, because the word "sacred" can end up being a limiting factor, as if anything is considered to be "sacred", then it usually is also 'cannonized'--and as such the individual's perception may come under undue influences from those who claim to already 'know what it says'.

Nonetheless, this doesn't mean that "sacred texts" don't have the potential--they do, as most have stood the test of time--and in order to stand the test of time, they must contain what can be referred to as "eternal words".

An "eternal word" are words or phrases that are just that--eternal in nature. A good example comes from The Bible, "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

No one needs to be a Christian or even a "believer in God" to recognize this as an idea that has applicability when it was spoken some 2,000 years ago, as it does today--and far into the future.

While I realize that most in the world would have you believe otherwise, but know that before one can come to "know" whether a or any writing, teaching, saying, etc., is "inspired" or not, one must come to the knowledge that there IS no single source of the truth.

You must also come to the knowledge that "truth" can come from ANY source--and just not the accepted, cannonized--or even what others consider to be "secret, sacred or cannonized".

Truth is truth, and NO ONE owns it. It can be had by ANYONE--including yourself! This is also true of 'inspiration' as well.

Another closely linked desire, is that one must desire to know the truth--no matter what the consequences are or no matter where it will lead you.

Here's a quote from spiritual teacher and author Joseph J. Dewey:

"Socrates gives us the great example of the importance of putting truth high on the list. One time a student came to him and said, "Oh great teacher, I want to know what you know. Tell me how to be as wise as you are." Socrates took him out in a lake and unexpectedly grabbed him and plunged him under the water and held him under for about a minute or two, then he pulled him up. The guy says, "What did you do that for?? I was dying for air! I asked you how to be wise like you." Socrates replied, "When you want knowledge and understanding the way you just wanted air, then you'll be wise as me."

"To make the breakthroughs necessary to be one of the few who independently discover truth the seeker will need to want it as did Socrates. If Socrates were given a choice between a new discovery or a new chariot, which do you think he would choose? Most in that day would have chosen the chariot and today a new car, but the person with the Socrates mindset is he who will put truth first. Energy will soon follow and then discovery."

Even after you think, feel and believe you have found a source of "truth" (a book, a way of life, a teacher, etc.) you still must test that source--but test it with your heart, your mind...AND your soul.

When you do, then that truth will resonate with all three.

Here's a link to a series of articles which may assist you and others in your 'quest for truth'.

I wish you well on your journey.

Regards,

Answer 4

It does not matter. Let us establish a direct tutorship with Christ so that we will be able to truly discern what is in the Bible. Remember Saul. He was a man of letters. He knew the scriptures but he continued persecuting the Christians. The Spirit came and transformed him into Paul. The Sadduces and the Pharisees were not able to recognize the one they had been waiting for because they relied too much on the scriptures without the help of the Spirit.

Answer 5

We should all have the original language scrolls in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, if we want the "right" Bible!

Actually, based upon a comparison of various translations, including KJV, NKJV, American Standard, NAS, RSV, NRSV, NEB, TLB, Phillips, TEV, NIV, Douay, Douay-Rheims, Jerusalem, Interlinear German/KJV, Interlinear Greek/KJV/NEV, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (which includes Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek root words and English translations) and Cruden's Complete Concordance, I have seen that almost all of the various translations are consistent with one another to all be trusted! Oh yes, some English words have changed in meaning, and we no longer use "Thee" and "Thou" and "Thy"; "Charity" in I Corinthians 13 is *actually* agape love, etc., but a careful study shows that there is little difference. I also have a New World Translation, the "Bible" of Jehovah'a Witnesses, where they have distorted certain scriptures to conform to their own version of theology, a book called, "The Lost Books of the Bible" in which it is *quite* obvious why these books were not included in the canonical scriptures, and book called "The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus" from the Jesus Seminar, which includes a fifth, spurious, "Gospel of Thomas"! There were certain criteria and reasons why certain scriptures were or were not included in the canonical Bible and these seem quite reasonable! In the "Book of Mormon", and the "Doctrine & Covenants/Pearl of Great Price" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is also quite obvious that much has been plagiarized from the KJV (for one thing, the language is 17th Century instead of 19th Century)!

Answer 6

There is only 1 The Holy Bible

Answer 7

You don't. Why does everyone think that their spiritual well being has to come from someones writing from 2000 years ago? Remember, back then they thought world was flat and the universe revolved around the Earth.

Your feelings will guide you more accurately than all the bibles ever could. There's good stuff in them, but remember they were written by man, not God.

Answer 8

Writings such as the Koran and the Book of Mormon are based upon what one person allegedly saw and heard. Mohammed, the founder of Islam, supposedly received revelation from Gabriel on various occasions while alone in a cave. Islam is based entirely upon these private “experiences.” Similarly, Mormons claim that Joseph Smith was privately commissioned by God to translate the Book of Mormon from golden plates delivered to him by an angel. On the other hand, the Bible is based in history, not in the subjective experience of one individual. About forty different men from various backgrounds wrote the Bible over a period of 1,600 years. It is backed by objective historical events that thousands of people beheld. And many of its people, places, and events can be verified by history. Archaeology, literature, science, and geography confirm its details and tie it to a reality outside the mind of any single person or any group of people.

Answer 9

"Biblical" scholars???
I don't think so, scholars-maybe-depends on who is measuring them.
Often people go to universities and study certain types of theology , and some may even get a Ph.D. But that does not make them a Bible scholar. Unfortunately these are the uvula clowns that the media pick on to do documentaries about God-something of which they know nothing about.

Answer 10

We know because the Word of God is Jesus Christ, and we have faith in Him. He is the Word, not some bound book of paper with words on it (ref. John 1:1 ff). If you are a Christian, is the Word alive in you? If so, you needn't be concerned whether the Bible you read is the right one, the Word is in you.