TRUTH TEST NO. 4

TESTS FOR ANCIENT TEXTS

Do The Texts This Cult Uses for Authority Have Integrity?
Is It Safe to Trust Cultic Revelations?


THREE TESTS TO APPLY TO CULTIC REVELATIONS

1. THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL TEST
Do Copies Agree With Originals?

This is an examination of the way a purportedly ancient document has been transmitted through the ages into our time (textual transmission see chapters 4 and 5). If we have the original documents we would not need this test. The question this test asks is, "How reliable are the copies we have in regard to the number of manuscripts?" Another related question is, "What is the time element between the original and the earliest existing copy?"

The bibliographic test has been used by scholars throughout the world for thousands of years to evaluate ancient texts. This test is limited. It questions whether the text being examined is the same as the original text as recorded by the author. It does not address any issues about the credibility of the content of that text. This test will work equally well with manuscripts of Homer's Iliad as it will with a book from the Bible.

As we look at this test remember how well the New Testament did: It was written between 40 and 100 A.D. Its earliest copy dated from 125 A.D. This leaves a conservative time span of 25 years at the latest (some scholars believe this period was only 10 or 15 years). The number of copies were numbered at over 24,970. When we compare that record with the next most famous case from antiquity we see Homer's Iliad written in 900 B.C. with the earliest copy dating from 400 B.C. which leaves a timespan of 500 years. The number of copies the Iliad had were 643. No serious critic doubts either of these documents. Go back and study the chapters that review the record of many other ancient writings. Also go back and look at the number of Old and New Testament manuscripts. The Bible is a very unique book.


2. THE INTERNAL EVIDENCE TEST
What Does The Text Say About Itself?

This is an internal test we can make on any cultic revelation by simply reading their English version and the claims they are making about the text.

This test examines the actual content of the text. This test is limited to the text itself. Some rules for this process are important:

a. Aristotle's Rule: when an apparent discrepancy or inaccuracy seems to occur within the text, the benefit of the doubt is always given to the text. Don't rush into judgement before studying this discrepancy which needs to be fully proved or disproved. "One must listen to the claims of the document under analysis, and not assume fraud or error unless the author disqualified himself by contradictions or known factual inaccuracies."

b. Is the author or witness credible? Dr. Louis Gottschalk, professor of history at the University of Chicago outlines his historical method as a guide used by people investigating the credibility of ancient texts. "Gottschalk points out that the ability of the writer or the witness to tell the truth is helpful..." to the persons determining credibility.

c. How close was the author or witness to the events recorded both geographically and chronologically? "The New Testament accounts of the life and teaching of Jesus were recorded by men who had been either eyewitnesses themselves or who related the accounts of eyewitnesses of the actual events or teachings of Jesus."


3. THE EXTERNAL EVIDENCE TEST
What Do Other Sources Say About The Cultic Text Being Examined?

This test looks at the text by examining only materials that are external to the text. This means we look at what other historical source materials say about the text. What will these other sources say to substantiate things like "accuracy, reliability, and the authenticity" of the text. Sources we can turn to today to help us understand critical texts are contemporary voices at the time of authoring, ancient histories, archeology, including the way the sciences have improved our ability to judge texts today. A good example is the way DNA can help us judge the goatskin a text was written on . Scientific dating can also help us evealuate the dates texts were written or copied.

Before we move on we need to look at a few more terms.

Accuracy: is in exact conformity to truth, a standard, a rule, or to a model. It is free from all error or defect. It is exact, precise, and correct.

Reliability: this is that confidence that comes when the text has proven satisfactory as to veracity, integrity, and certainty regarding facts or evidence.

Authenticity: means the text is exactly what it purports to be. It is not false or fictitious. It is genuine and valid. When applied to a document it means it can be relied on as narrating real facts.


CULTIC REVELATIONS THAT FAIL THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL TESTS:

1. The Book of Mormon does not have an original text we can even use for comparison. They say the “golden plates” were transmitted back to heaven. The Book of Abraham text from the LDS Pearl of Great Price has an original found in the 1960’s but it does not reflect the English translation at all. Most Mormon apologists say Joseph Smith used magic methods to come up with his English Translation. The original is a very familiar text from the Egyptian Book of the Dead which anyone can translate today. Yet Joseph Smith’s English translation looks like it comes out of Smith’s imagination. If you compare the English translation of the Book of the Dead with Smith’s Abraham text there are no agreements except to conclude they both reflect pagan deities foreign to the Bible.

2. The Quran has many doubts about its origin. They have no authoritative autograph.


CULTIC REVELATIONS THAT FAIL THE INTERNAL EVIDENCE TEST:

1. The Book of Mormon was written to be the most correct book on earth over 9,000 corrections in grammar and spelling (as well as changes distorting the original text) later, that claim can be considered ludicrous. It claims to connect our generation to a modern prophet called because historic Christianity apostatized. As we study the life and ministry of Joseph Smith we see him failing all the Biblical tests that define safe prophets to follow. When we compare Mormon Scriptures with themselves they lack the normal harmony we see in the Bible. For example: text after text in their canon refutes polytheism and polygamy yet both are important realities to modern Mormons.

2. Their Doctrine & Covenants D&C, 20:9 claims the Book of Mormon contains all the foundational teachings of Mormonism yet the Book of Mormon refutes polytheism and polygamy D&C 101:4; Jacob 2:23-24 now being promoted D& C 131; 132.

3. Their Book of Abraham also fails these tests scholars have proven it is forgery, merely a pagan text with an entirely false translation. If the prophet Joseph Smith was capable of such deception why should anyone trust the Book of Mormon which lacks a textual background.

CULTIC REVELATIONS THAT FAIL THE EXTERNAL EVIDENCE TEST:

1. The Book of Mormon was written to be the most correct book on earth over 9,000 corrections in grammar and spelling (as well as changes distorting the original text) later, that claim can be considered ludicrous. It claims to connect our generation to a modern prophet called because historic Christianity apostatized. As we study the life and ministry of Joseph Smith we see him failing all the Biblical tests that define safe prophets to follow. When we compare Mormon Scriptures with themselves they lack the normal harmony we see in the Bible. For example: text after text in their canon refutes polytheism and polygamy yet both are important realities to modern Mormons.

2. Their Doctrine & Covenants D&C, 20:9 claims the Book of Mormon contains all the foundational teachings of Mormonism yet the Book of Mormon refutes polytheism and polygamy D&C 101:4; Jacob 2:23-24 now being promoted D& C 131; 132.

3. Their Book of Abraham also fails these tests scholars have proven it is forgery, merely a pagan text with an entirely false translation. If the prophet Joseph Smith was capable of such deception why should anyone trust the Book of Mormon which lacks a textual background.


TRUTH TEST SUMMARY

Without making reference to them, your study has applied each of the tests to the Bible. They have offered confirming evidence to the absolute truth of both the Old and New Testaments. Because you can evidence their truthfulness why not trust both its message and its author today. Jesus Christ is the same awesome Savior who was interacting with people in the New Testament.

TRUTH STUDY ASSIGNMENT

These are safe tests. Try applying them to any interfaith writings, prophecies or revelations you may have in your library. Are Mormons knocking on your door offering you their Book of Mormon? Apply these Biblical tests to it. Have friends from the Watchtower been offering to have their “Bible Study” with you? Let some truth tests be applied to their tracts and material.

Test for Future Prophets Authoring Revelation

Deut 13:1-5

1. "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
2. and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, "Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,'
3. you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4. "You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.
5. "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you. (NAU)

Q: as we study false claims for revelation how can John the Baptist's motto inform our faith and practice?

A: John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease. (NAU)

Q: why is Jesus such a safe source after over 2,000 years?
A: Luke 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.


Every Jot & Tittle Jesus'Words' Fulfilled

Matt 5:17-19 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others {to do} the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches {them} he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (NAU)


A: Matt 16:18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (NAU)

A: if we are built on top of the correct rock Satan will never have lasting victory over us even though he can persecute us from within and without the church.

A: we do not live in a utopian age daily use of God's armor is necessary

God’s Whole Armor

Eph 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual {forces} of wickedness in the heavenly {places.} 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil {one.} 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and {pray} on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in {proclaiming} it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (NAU)

P52 John 18:31-33


P52 Onw of the oldest texts from the New Testament. This section of John preserves Jesus talking to Pilate at his final trail. Many date it at AD 110 about 25 years after John wrote.

Study Question: why is this oldest text only a fragment?
A: This period of the church was filled with persecution. It was centuries later after Constantine's conversion that we see the entire Roman Empire used to preserve the New Testament. An early text that is in murch better shape is P46.

Papyrus 46 (also referred to as simply P46) is one of the oldest New Testament manuscripts known to exist, with its 'most probable [creation] date' between 175-225[1]. It was part of the Chester Beatty Papyri. According to the website Bible Research, it contains (in order) "the last eight chapters of Romans; all of Hebrews; virtually all of 1–2 Corinthians; all of Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians; and two chapters of 1 Thessalonians. All of the leaves have lost some lines at the bottom through deterioration."[2]

Not Everyone Agrees About These Dates

P46 Date: The manuscript is now dated to about 200 [7]. Young Kyu Kim argued for an earlier date of c. 80.[8] Griffin critiqued and disputed Kim's dating,[9] placing the 'most probable date' between 175-225, with a '95% confidence interval' for a date between 150-250[10]

Similarly Comfort and Barrett[11] show that P46 shares very similar affinities with the following:

P. Oxy. 8 (assigned late first or early second century),
P. Oxy. 841 (the second hand, which cannot be dated later than 125–150),
P. Oxy. 1622 (dated with confidence to pre 148, probably during the reign of Hadrian [117–138], because of the documentary text on the verso),
P. Oxy. 2337 (assigned to the late first century),
P. Oxy. 3721 (assigned to the second half of the second century),
P. Rylands III 550 (assigned to the second century) and
P. Berol. 9810 (early second century).
This, they conclude, points to a date during the middle of the 2nd century for P46.

P46 contains most of the Pauline epistles. Some folios are missing, and the others are currently to be found either in the Chester Beatty Library (CB) or at the University of Michigan (Mich.).