Behind the Bible: A Primer on Textual Criticism

Did the multitude of Biblical scribes who copied the Scriptures by hand throughout the centuries do so with absolute perfection? If not, how can we know that what we now possess is (word for word) what was originally penned by the Biblical authors themselves? 'Behind the Bible' spotlights the divine preservation of Scripture to show that it is not by chance God's Word 'will never pass away.' "Jeff Johnson has provided a helpful and clear discussion of the key issues behind the 'whys' and 'wherefores' of how we got our New Testament text. In light of the frontal assaults upon the integrity of the text of the New Testament pervasive in our day, it is important for believers to have a knowledge of these matters, and Johnson's work is a useful addition to the introductions available on the subject." - James R. White, author of Pulpit Crimes "One of the most difficult areas of Biblical study is the matter of textual criticism. Obviously, this is not something which can be done with perfection, but Jeffrey Johnson has in this book, 'Behind the Bible', shown not only how it is done, but also that it can, when done properly, arrive with a great certainty of the original Biblical text.This book, because of its clarity and helpfulness in the area of textual criticism, is a must read for all pastors and students of the Bible in our day!" - Dr. Richard P. Belcher, Author of Diagramming the Greek New Testament Contents 1. The Need for Textual Criticism 2. Paleography 3. Textual Faithfulness 4. Methods of Textual Criticism 5. History of the Greek New Testament Text Appendix: Answering Bart Ehrman