The answer
There is no other book in the history of mankind that has gained so much attention, respect, scrutiny in translation and printing like the Holy Bible!!!
First... Thousands of Old Manuscripts
If there was any falsification, it would have appeared in the old manuscripts that were found in different parts of the world at different times. Ever since the Second Century onwards, whole chunks of both Testaments were found in different parts of the world. Some of those parts related to the Old Testament dates back to the age before Christ while the oldest for the New Testament dates back to the second century.
As far as the science of manuscripts is concerned, it is enough to have a few dispersed manuscripts to confirm the authenticity of a document. The same applies to the ancient literature manuscripts as ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’. The Bible has more than a thousand authenticated old original manuscripts, more than any other book in the world.
Second... The Old Translations
With translation and transcription (printing in the old times) there can be no alteration/falsification in any of the old documents, for the new translation acts as a watch over the old manuscripts. But in case there are several translations of the same, it becomes next to impossible to change/alter anything I the original since comparing translations will surely reveal this alteration/falsification. So if we learn that tens of translations of the Holy Bible took place since the third century – all of which are in complete agreement, all those translations having accredited manuscripts in museums all over the world, we rest assured of the impossibility of alteration or falsification of any of the parts of the Holy Bible.
Third... The Interpretation of the Fathers
The Early Fathers were not as much preoccupied with anything as much as with the interpretation and confirmation of what is written in the Holy Books of the Bible. Ever since the generation of the Early Disciples – disciples of Apostles – since the end of the first century till the end of the fifth century, there has been thousands of manuscripts that interpret the Holy Bible for many Church Fathers who belong to different countries, ages, cultures and who speak different languages – all agreeing on the same authentic text of the Bible and the unity of the creed that stems from it.
Fourth...The warnings for transcribers and
translators
Throughout history, many warnings have been put to those who were responsible for the transcribing of the Holy Books. The scribes memorized the holy books and transcribed them as they had received them, copying them accurately and teaching others to follow the same level of accuracy. The translations started by the Septuagint (The translation of the Old Testament to Greek during the third century B.C.)
The special rules and regulations that were in place for scribes made it impossible to alter or change even one letter of the bible.
Fifth... God keeping His word unaltered.
Our faith confirms to us that God would not allow His word to be altered, falsified or changed, as He promised.
- “For assuredly, / say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matt 5:18)
- “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Rev 22: 18 - 19)
- “Whatever I command you, he careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” (Deut 12: 32)
- “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one title of the law to fail.” (Luke 16: 17)
Fr. Daoud Lamei