The recent digitization and availability of the Codex Sinaiticus- described rather breathlessly by some people as the world’s oldest bible- represents a watershed moment in the history of Biblical scholarship. Cynics would no doubt pounce on the fact that the ancient manuscript furnishes further proof of the Bible’s tampering. As Uzi Silber puts it, the Codex Sinaiticus contains layers upon layers and 800 years worth of monastic editing, alterations, corrections, deletions and rewrites…
The faith group that would benefit most from this recent unveiling are Muslims, who have always maintained that the Bible in its present form is the ‘corrupted’ work of man instead of God.
No doubt, Christian apologists have a lot of work cut out for them. Meanwhile, if you are interested in the subject matter, I recommend Isaac Asimov’s Guide to the Bible, which I reviewed several years ago. It is one of the most accessible introductions to the world of the historical bible, as opposed to the revisionist bent that most Christians believe in.
Now, this entire post begs the question: Does the Quran also have a historical narrative? I’d like to know what you think…
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