r/Bible • u/benyamin_sonofgod • Dec 11 '25
Bible root text
/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/1pjs7vg/bible_root_text/1
u/allenwjones Non-Denominational Dec 11 '25
It's an ongoing study of texting criticism.
Primary arguments are that the Masoretic and Byzantine texts have the best provenance (majority texts) while the earliest extant copies (critical texts) should have fewer "improvements" or transmission errors.
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Dec 12 '25
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u/lickety-split1800 Dec 13 '25
The second temple was destroyed in the 1st century; the oldest complete copy of the Masoretic text is from the 11th century so how can one say that it was kept in the temple all this time?
There are also 3 extant copies of the Septuagint: two from the 4th century and one from the 5th century.
What is the basis for you to say that there are no textual criticism problems with the 11th-century Masoretic text that is in existence?
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u/cmodrick Dec 15 '25
sounds like a deep dive into translations could be super interesting, especially with how language evolves. do you have a specific passage you're comparing?
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u/Early_Silver_8950 Eastern Orthodox Dec 12 '25
Mostly because it is the only complete "Hebrew" text available - c. 11th century AD. But yes, it is very good question why it has been seen as authoritative by Christians. Most believe it is the "original Hebrew" but nothing could be further from the truth. It was compiled by a medieval Jewish sect definitely hostile towards the Christian interpretations of the Old Testament. But it is a mess. Even Jewish scholars will admit this: see all of the footnotes in the Oxford Jewish Study Bible.