Textual Criticism: Unraveling Biblical Manuscripts' Accuracy

The study of textual criticism is important when talking about any historical manuscript or text. In particular, when talking about something with as much impact and influence as the bible, textual criticism is a necessary part of scholarship. Brad Ehrman does an excellent job in explaining the basics of textual criticism and how it can be used to determine the accuracy of biblical texts and manuscripts. His book, Misquoting Jesus, serves as a primer to the study of historical biblical manuscripts. As Ehrman states in his introduction, the thesis explained in the text is that biblical manuscripts have been changed throughout history, both intentionally and non-intentionally, and that those changes were affected by the attitudes and beliefs of the scribes. The first point that

He provides both internal and external evidence to support his claims that the biblical manuscripts were changed, but some of the reasoning he uses for textual changes based on cultural views seems to be somewhat of a reach at times. This could be a sign of bias; him interpreting his findings to fit his theory. However, as someone new to the world of textual criticism and ancient manuscripts, I cannot honestly comment too deeply on the accuracy of his claims. The book is a good introduction to the field, and it is obviously written for people with no prior knowledge of the subject. It serves as a good primer, and Ehrman’s arguments clearly support his thesis. He uses a good mixture of quotes from biblical texts and quotes from other critics of the texts, both modern and ancient. Ehrman provided an introduction in the book that explained his personal history, and his reasoning for choosing to study this specific subject. This provided a personal touch that helped the book from being too academic, which worked well for his intended audience of