How to Count Textual Variants

Dr. Daniel Wallace

The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts

Please Log in to Attend this Lecture

Please log into your free account so you can attend this lecture.

Lesson

Contrary to popular textual critics, the wrong way to record textual variants is to count each unique variant and multiply by the number of existing manuscripts, rendering millions of variants. On the contrary, the correct method is to count the same variant that occurs across all manuscripts as one variant, rendering not millions but hundreds of thousands of predominantly minor variants.

Outline

How to Count Textual Variants

I. HOW NOT TO COUNT VARIANTS

A. Norman Geisler

B. Several errors in his statement

1. Number of manuscripts

2. Number of variants

3. How variants are counted

II. HOW TO COUNT VARIANTS

A. The number of wording differences, regardless of the number of manuscripts

B. What was the motive for the errant view?

C. What was the source for this evangelical miscalculation?

1. Proof of the miscalculation

2. Summary