Emily Ann's review of Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why
Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why (Plus) by Bart D. Ehrman
Emily Ann's review
rating:
bookshelves:
2007,
history,
religion
recommended for:
objective scholars of religion
status:
Read in June, 2007
I wish there were a 1/2 star method, because I didn't quite like this up to 4 stars, but I liked it more than 3.
The book was not quite what I expected, inasmuch as it focused a lot more on the individual motivations of scribes and/or transcription errors rather than the major political and theological debates that also contributed to changes in the text.
There is much of this that I already knew - changes are made and mistakes happen. What was new to me, and what really made me sit up and take notice, was the major impact in interpretation some of these changes had.
That, for example, the entire story that concludes with the adage "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone," was a later addition. Or that no where in the New Testament (barring later changes) is Jesus' divinity explicitly called out. Or, and the one that gave me goosebumps considering how much it was emphasized in my own confirmation classes - that the entire idea of the trinity hangs on t...more
The book was not quite what I expected, inasmuch as it focused a lot more on the individual motivations of scribes and/or transcription errors rather than the major political and theological debates that also contributed to changes in the text.
There is much of this that I already knew - changes are made and mistakes happen. What was new to me, and what really made me sit up and take notice, was the major impact in interpretation some of these changes had.
That, for example, the entire story that concludes with the adage "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone," was a later addition. Or that no where in the New Testament (barring later changes) is Jesus' divinity explicitly called out. Or, and the one that gave me goosebumps considering how much it was emphasized in my own confirmation classes - that the entire idea of the trinity hangs on t...more
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If you're ever looking for a good reading list around this topic, let me know. Ehrmann's one of the really well-known scholars, and I haven't read this particular one yet but I have read his others, and he sometimes tapdances over the tops of stuff. Ever try some John Dominic Crossan?
I'd love a reading list, yes! May take a while to hit everything, but this is a subject I've missed since my wayward days as a religious studies minor.
Just ran Crossan through Amazon, and it looks like I've read his book on the historical Jesus, but not the others. Any recommendations?
"Or that no where in the New Testament (barring later changes) is Jesus' divinity explicitly called out."
That's not true, nor do I think the author claims it so absolutely. He merely notes one or two places where mention of Christ's divinity appears to be a later insertion, but there are other places that are not in dispute where Christ's divinity is also at least as firmly asserted.
