Subject: Critical Text vs. Received Text |
Bible Note: Good info Chris! The DTL web site you mentioned is the best place I know of to educate one’s self on this issue. The Received Text and the Majority Text are from the same Byzantine (Antioch) source. The Critical Text is from the Alexandrian (Egypt) source. The RT, in effect, is the same as the MT except for Revelation, as you pointed out. The 1 John 5:7 difference you mentioned is about the only difference you will find between the RT and the MT (except for Rev). The 1 John 5:7 variant is not really a manuscript difference, but came about as pressure from the Roman Clergy toward Erasmus (Texus Receptus originator) to make it agree with the longer Latin Vulgate ending. The small handful of manuscripts Erasmus had to work with speaks well of the MT consistencies. Almost any other small number of MT manuscripts could have been selected, at random, and the results would have been the same. The reason for the Revelation variants in the RT, is because Erasmus only had 1 or 2 manuscripts that contained Revelation at all. The Vulgate to Greek translating was very limited, however. It happened as a result of Erasmus rushing to get the TR published before he could get hold of reliable, complete Revelation manuscripts. The Revelation differences, that I saw, in my NKJV Bible, that demand a decision, are as follows: 1:5 (RT/MT-washed CT-freed), 5:10 (RT-us CT/MT-them), 8:13 (RT-angel CT/MT-eagle), 9:21 (RT-sorceries CT/MT-drugs), 10:11 (RT-he CT/MT-them), 11:8 (RT-our CT/MT-their), 11:12 (RT/CT-they MT-I), 12:8 (RT/CT-them MT-him), 13:1 (RT/MT-I CT-he), 15:3 (RT-saints CT/MT-nations), 16:16 (RT/CT-Armageddon MT-Megiddo), and 22:14 (RT/MT-do His commandments CT-wash their robes). Notice sometimes the RT agrees with the MT and sometimes the RT agrees with the CT, but most of the time the MT/CT agree with other, as you have pointed out. I will look further at the RT/MT differences to see if I want to scratch in the MT translation in my NKJV. I know there are many more Revelation variants than these, but these are the only ones I saw as effecting the meaning. Most are just word order. Thanks for motivating me to investigate! A good MT translation you might want to check into is the WEB (ebible.org). It is only available in the New Testament as hard copy at this time. It is available complete as a free download for the e-Sword bible program. E-sword is excellent and available free at e-sword.net. Check it out. In Christ Jesus! |