Historical Bible now online; a rival to modern Bible

[Guo Xiang]

This is very interesting to say...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7651105.stm

What is probably the oldest known Bible is being digitised, reuniting its scattered parts for the first time since its discovery 160 years ago. It is markedly different from its modern equivalent. What's left out?

Firstly, the Codex contains two extra books in the New Testament.

One is the little-known Shepherd of Hermas, written in Rome in the 2nd Century - the other, the Epistle of Barnabas. This goes out of its way to claim that it was the Jews, not the Romans, who killed Jesus, and is full of anti-Semitic kindling ready to be lit. "His blood be upon us," Barnabas has the Jews cry.

The Codex - and other early manuscripts - omit some mentions of ascension of Jesus into heaven, and key references to the Resurrection, which the Archbishop of Canterbury has said is essential for Christian belief.

Other differences concern how Jesus behaved. In one passage of the Codex, Jesus is said to be "angry" as he healed a leper, whereas the modern text records him as healing with "compassion".

Also missing is the story of the woman taken in adultery and about to be stoned - until Jesus rebuked the Pharisees (a Jewish sect), inviting anyone without sin to cast the first stone.

Nor are there words of forgiveness from the cross. Jesus does not say "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".

A supplement update and a link to the uploaded Bible:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8135415.stm

[darkcser]

Now you just need to be able to read ancient Greek.

www.codexsinaiticus.org

Your second link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8135415.stm is especially interesting in that it shows some major discrepancies between the original manuscript and the modern day bible. I especially like the line "When people ask me if the Bible is the word of God I answer 'which Bible?'"

[Ghaleon]

Those additional documents are centuries after the death of Jesus so most Christians don't consider them authentic.

The oldest Christian scriptures are still Paul's letters and the three Synoptic Gospels (which are the core of the New Testament and Christian theology). They are older than any other "Christian" documents.

[kidd]

Interesting article I read about the historical Jesus and the development of the Bible.

http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/...ical_jesus.htm