Monday, April 9, 2018

Starting To Deal with the Attack on the Bible via Text Criticism - aka Lower Criticism

 Tischendorf - the PT Barnum of Biblical studies,
but at least everyone knew Barnum was a showman.


I have to keep this short, so I am relying on a video sent me by our Lutheran Librarian, Alec Satin.

The initial point I want to make is that the attack on the Bible began by making people uncertain about the text, using text criticism, or lower criticism. Once that jelled or fermented, the experts pursued higher criticism, often called the Historical Critical Method, to question the doctrine of the Bible.

Typical of the Historical Critical Method -

  • The Trinitarian ending of Matthew was "put on the lips of Jesus" by the early Church. Smug smile follow.
  • John does teach Jesus as the Son of God. It is clearly Hellenistic and very late, 300 or 400 AD, not written by an apostle.
  • The Bible contains God's Word, but it is not God's Word (Barfians everywhere, especially the Fulleroids.)


From that came Canon Criticism and the following gem in a Lutheran sermon -

  • The Bible you say? The Bible could have 30 books or 100 books in it. It was a decision of men about books written by men.

The above bulleted points are entirely wrong and given as statements commonly used by those influenced by these snake oil salesmen.

A summer outfit for Springdale - another freeze warning.