Last month I was looking through the religion section at my local library when this book caught my eye. I think the title alone is what compelled me to check it out and read it. It was one of those books that you read from beginning to end. I finished it within a week and was totally taken aback by the facts presented within. Everything the author wrote had already been confirmed for me in the Quran when I read it almost fifteen years ago during a hot Texas summer weekend.
Just read what is quoted from within the jacket cover:
“When World-Class Biblical Scholar Bart Ehrman first began to study texts of the Bible in their original languages he was startled to discover the multitude of mistakes and intentional alterations that had been made by earlier translators. In Misquoting Jesus, Ehrman tells the story behind the mistakes and changes that ancient scribes made to the New Testament and shows the great impact they had upon the Bible we use today. He frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultraconservative views of the Bible.
Since the advent of the printing press and the accurate reproduction of texts, most people have assumed that when they read the New Testament they are reading an exact copy of Jesus’ words or Saint Paul’s writings. And yet, for almost fifteen hundred years these manuscripts were hand copied by scribes who were deeply influenced by the cultural, theological, and political disputes of their day. Both mistakes and intentional changes abound in the surviving manuscripts, making the original words difficult to reconstruct. For the first time, Ehrman reveals where and why these changes were made and how scholars go about reconstructing the original words of the New Testament as closely as possible.
Ehrman makes the provocative case that many of our cherished biblical stories and widely held beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine origins of the Bible itself stem from both intentional and accidental alterations by scribes – alterations that dramatically affected all subsequent versions of the Bible.”
It seems that as Islam is spreading in the West, Christians are becoming more and more conscious of their beliefs and are asking questions that the Church and Biblical scholars cannot answer. And when they can answer many times the responses are in line with what was revealed to a humble Arab man from the Arabian peninsula named Muhammad (peace be upon him) approximately one thousand years ago. What Mr. Ehrman has written was already stated by Allah in His Noble Book when He said:
{And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues as they read so that you may think that it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: “This is from Allah,” but it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it.}
Soorah Aali ‘Imraan: 78
I remember many years ago there was a Messianic Jew by the name of Zola Levitt (who by the mercy of Allah is now dead) who had a show where he had hosted the infamous Anish Shorosh (may Allah guide him or destroy him). For those of you who do not know this man he is a very evil evangelical Christian Arab devil who has devoted his life to attacking Islam and the Muslims. His antics are well known from his debates with the late Ahmad Deedat (may Allah have mercy upon him) to writing a Quranic version of the Bible called the Furqan. He alleges that he has answered the Quranic challenge to produce a book better than the Quran despite the fact that the majority of this fabricated book draws heavily from the linguistic and rhythmic style of Allah’s Book! (Anyone who is well grounded in the Arabic sciences will attest to this truth). At any rate Anish said on this show back in the mid-nineties that in 2000 the religion of Islam will cease to exist! And here we are in 2007 and Islam is still growing and more and more westerners are leaving Christianity and becoming Muslims. Why? Because people want to know the truth! How truthful are the words of our Lord who said in His Noble Book:
{And who does more wrong than the one who invents a lie against Allah, while he is being invited to Islam? And Allah does not guide a people who oppress. They intend to put out the light of Allah with their mouths. But Allah will bring His Light to perfection even though the disbelievers hate it. He is the One Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it victorious over all other religions even though the polytheists hate it.}
Soorat-us-Saff: 7 - 9
Perhaps the highlight of the book for me was the mention of the Johannine Comma which is used by many evangelical Christians to support the Trinity, in fact it is the only verse contained in the New Testament that mentions the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost theory. Mr. Ehrman goes on to explain how this verse in the New Testament is no where to be found in the original manuscripts of the Bible. I have scanned the pages for review for anyone who wants to read it. How beautiful are the words of our Lord who said in His Noble Book:
{Surely they have disbelieved who say: “Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.” But the Messiah said: “O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden the Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the polytheists there will be no helpers. Surely, the disbelievers are those who said: “Allah is the third of three.” But there is no god worthy of worship except for Allah.}
Soorat-ul-Maa’idah: 72 - 73
I hope and pray that researchers such as Mr. Ehrman will open-mindedly look into the Quran and read the message that was revealed to the last of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
