MetaCatholic

Kevin Sam posts with some questions on the pericope adulterae (John 7:53-8:11)and Tim Ricchuiti offers a firm opinion.

While I fully agree on its lack of authenticity as a part of the fourth gospel, I entirely disagree with Tim (and note some evidence of early retellings of this story) on its canonicity, since as far as I’m concerned there is ample evidence of the church having read it as scripture for a very long time. Then again, I’m all for fuzzy edges to the Bible. (Not for nothing are the top two Google hits on fuzzy-edged bible from this blog.)  However, that’s not the point of this post.

No, what I find baffling is the obsession with “originality”. Let’s work with the reasonably common article of faith that our texts of the Old and New Testament are inspired, without enquiring too precisely into the nature of inspiration, or the precise texts to be included in the term “Old Testament”. It must be noted that the ways in which some of those texts use other of those texts pay very little attention to whether it is original. Rather, out of the available options, the most convenient or appropriate text is chosen. Paul, whom we may safely judge to know the texts in both their Hebrew and Greek version, is a serial offender.

The inspired use of texts is thus uncaring of original form. The scriptures that inform, shape and guide our faith rewrite and use rewritten versions and translations of earlier scriptures. Where then, especially among those who are most concerned to put the Bible first, does this insistence on the original text (even assuming we know what it is) as the only inspired text come from?

Come to think of it, when we are discussing the canonicity of a text that has, actually, inspired people, challenged and changed them and been a vehicle for God’s speaking to them words of both forgiveness and rebuke … what do we think “inspired” means when we talking about texts anyway. If (according to one inspired text, which is a heavily revised version of an earlier inspired text ) God could deliver a prophecy to Josiah through Pharaoh Neco (2 Chronicles 35:21) how bothered is he likely to be about which texts he can and can’t use.

… see the extremely helpful blogging by Tim Ricchiuti of the recent forum with Bart Ehrman, Dan Wallace and David Parker inter alia. He gives an index of his rolling posts throughout the forum here. Thanks Tim.