Textual Corruptions Favoring the Trinitarian Position
Trinitarians have a habit of appealing to certain verses as evidence for their doctrine, even though these verses are known to have variant readings that indicate the manuscripts have been corrupted.
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Zechariah 12:10
Trinitarians read this verse as though Jesus is Yahweh who said, “They shall look upon me whom they pierced.” However, some Hebrew manuscripts have “look upon him” not “look upon Me.” Indeed, the quotation used by the Apostle John in John 19:37 points to the authenticity of the former reading rather than the latter. Not only so, the “look upon Me” variant doesn’t make any sense in context since it says They look upon “ME” who was pierced but mourn for someone else, “HIM.”
John 1:18
Some manuscripts read “monogenes Son” while others read “monogenes God.” Early Christian writings predominantly quote the “Son” reading and not the “God” reading. The “God” reading is based on our earliest manuscript of this verse, found in the same vicinity as Nag Hammadi, Egypt. However, it is a well-known fact that the earliest does not mean best, since corruption began at a very early date. The historical evidence indicates the “God” reading was mainly an Egyptian tradition, since this reading is also first attested among Egyptians such as Origen and Clement of Alexandria. The “God” reading could be a Gnostic corruption, since the “monogenes God” was an important feature of their beliefs.
Acts 7:59
The King James translation inserted the word “God” into this verse which makes it appear that Jesus was being identified as God.
Acts 20:28
Important early manuscripts such as Codex Alexandrinus, Codex Bezae, and Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus read “church of the Lord” rather than “church of God.” Irenaeus also quotes “church of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:9
Some manuscripts have “Christ” while other ancient manuscripts read “Lord.”
Ephesians 3:9
Some manuscripts have “through Jesus Christ” will other manuscripts do not.
1 Timothy 3:16
The overwhelming weight of the manuscript evidence has forced scholars to acknowledge that the “God was manifested in the flesh” version of this verse is a corruption. It is also nonsensical since it would result in God being seen by angels (why state the obvious?) and that God was justified in the Spirit.
2 Peter 1:1
Trinitarians often appeal to the Granville Sharp Rule concerning this verse to argue that Jesus is being identified as God. However, Codex Sinaiticus, a very early manuscript, does not read “God and Savior” but “Lord and Savior.”
1 John 3:16
The King James translation inserted the word “God” into this verse, which makes it appear that John was identifying Jesus as “God.”
1 John 5:7
The overwhelming weight of the manuscript evidence has forced scholars to acknowledge that this verse is a certain corruption that had been inserted into the Scriptures.
For more examples of textural corruption, see the article on BiblicalUnitarian.com:
https://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/textual-corruptions-favoring-the-trinitarian-position
The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture: The Effect of Early Christological Controversies on the Text of the New Testament
Download: https://www.academia.edu/15883758/Orthodox_Corruption_of_Scripture
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Victors not only write history: but they also reproduce the texts. This work explores the close relationship between the social history of early Christianity and the textual tradition of the emerging New Testament, examining how early struggles between Christian “heresy” and “orthodoxy” affected the transmission of the documents over which many of the debates were waged.
* Bart Ehrman should only be considered for his early work in textural criticism – not his more recent work (over 20 years) on biblical interpretation.
The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration (4th Edition)
This thoroughly revised edition of Bruce M. Metzger’s classic work is the most up-to-date manual available for the textual criticism of the New Testament. The Text of the New Testament, Fourth Edition. This revision brings the discussion of such important matters as the early Greek manuscripts and methods of textual criticism up to date, integrating recent research findings and approaches into the body of the text (as opposed to previous revisions, which compiled new material and notes into appendices). The standard text for courses in biblical studies and the history of Christianity since its first publication in 1964.
* Bart Ehrman should only be considered for his early work in textural criticism – not his more recent work (over 20 years) on biblical interpretation.
The Comprehensive New Testament
Created especially for Bible studies. One of the key features is that footnotes are provided at the bottom of each page in reference to variants of the Greek texts generally classified into two groups: The “Alexandrian” group represents the oldest surviving manuscripts. The “Byzantine” group represents the majority of manuscripts. It also shows minor variants as well. Also at the bottom of each page is a parallel textual apparatus that presents the textual choices of 20 Bible versions for each verse of the New Testament. Although translated from a Trinitarian perspective, this translation uses the Critical Text (NA-27) as the source text 100% of the time and is also highly readable.
