WEBVTT 00:00:00.500 --> 00:00:04.480 Well, please take your Bibles and open them up to the book of John. 00:00:07.100 --> 00:00:11.220 We've been preaching through the gospel of John, our passage today. 00:00:11.339 --> 00:00:18.460 We've made our way to chapter 7, verse 53, and we'll read through verse 11 of chapter 8. 00:00:18.539 --> 00:00:21.219 But I'm going to begin by reading the footnote. 00:00:21.339 --> 00:00:26.620 There's a little note above verse 53 because that note is very important 00:00:26.620 --> 00:00:30.039 and it impacts how we're going to read and understand this passage. 00:00:30.200 --> 00:00:38.020 So if you would, I want your Bibles open and look there with me starting in chapter 7, verse 53. 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:39.579 Follow along with me as I read. 00:00:43.179 --> 00:00:43.820 It says, 00:00:43.820 --> 00:00:50.060 The earliest manuscripts do not include 7, 53 through 8, 11. 00:00:51.040 --> 00:00:51.840 Chapter 8. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.840 They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 00:00:57.380 --> 00:00:59.460 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. 00:01:00.220 --> 00:01:03.400 All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:07.740 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, 00:01:08.300 --> 00:01:11.140 and placing her in the midst, they said to him, 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:15.340 Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 00:01:16.080 --> 00:01:19.359 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. 00:01:19.960 --> 00:01:20.800 So what do you say? 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:26.399 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. 00:01:27.399 --> 00:01:30.539 Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:34.299 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 00:01:34.979 --> 00:01:39.759 Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. 00:01:40.700 --> 00:01:42.900 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:48.780 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones. 00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:52.719 And Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 00:01:53.540 --> 00:01:56.540 Jesus stood up and said to her, Woman, where are they? 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:58.079 Has no one condemned you? 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:00.240 She said, No one, Lord. 00:02:01.099 --> 00:02:04.019 And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you. 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:08.120 Go, and from now on, sin no more. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:09.740 Father, if you would, bow with me. 00:02:09.800 --> 00:02:11.000 Let's pray once more. 00:02:13.480 --> 00:02:16.700 Father, we pray now again and ask for your help. 00:02:17.539 --> 00:02:18.719 And ask for your wisdom. 00:02:19.659 --> 00:02:22.900 And ask, Lord, that you would give us a spirit of understanding. 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:25.219 And I pray, God, that a miracle be done. 00:02:25.300 --> 00:02:29.159 That you would take my weak words and empower them for the good of this people. 00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:30.819 I pray in Christ's name. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:31.960 Amen. 00:02:34.340 --> 00:02:40.280 There's a poem by a man named John Clifford that I thought of as I prepared this message. 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:41.280 It goes like this. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:49.000 Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door and heard the anvil ring the vesper chime. 00:02:49.979 --> 00:02:56.439 When looking in I saw upon the floor old hammers worn with beating years of time. 00:02:56.439 --> 00:03:02.120 How many anvils have you had, said I, to wear and batter these hammers so? 00:03:02.900 --> 00:03:04.819 Just one, said he. 00:03:05.460 --> 00:03:10.240 Then with twinkling eye, the anvil wears the hammers out, you know. 00:03:11.419 --> 00:03:15.439 And so, I thought, the anvil of God's word. 00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:19.740 For ages skeptics blows have beat upon. 00:03:19.860 --> 00:03:24.819 Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard, the anvil is unharmed. 00:03:24.819 --> 00:03:27.139 And the hammer's gone. 00:03:29.019 --> 00:03:32.979 We preach God's word at this church. 00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:36.319 It is my commitment to you. 00:03:36.419 --> 00:03:37.359 Every week I study. 00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:40.419 I still can't believe that this is what God has called me to do. 00:03:40.519 --> 00:03:42.439 This is what I get to spend most of my time doing. 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:44.939 Every week I open up this book. 00:03:45.099 --> 00:03:45.620 I pray. 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:46.259 I read. 00:03:46.379 --> 00:03:46.780 I write. 00:03:46.780 --> 00:03:55.780 I study so that I can come here on Sunday morning, open it up for about an hour, and try to say what this book says. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:04.360 And the blessing and the curse of preaching the way that we do here at Seaweed Bay, of just walking straight through passages of the Bible, 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:10.860 straight through books of the Bible, is that I cannot skirt myself around difficult passages. 00:04:10.860 --> 00:04:16.319 I can't avoid hard topics, hard passages. 00:04:16.520 --> 00:04:18.680 That's a blessing and a curse, isn't it? 00:04:19.699 --> 00:04:21.000 I'll be honest with you. 00:04:21.060 --> 00:04:27.639 If I were just flipping through the Bible and thinking through passages to preach, if I were thinking through topics to talk about, 00:04:27.639 --> 00:04:34.959 this would probably not be high on my list of passages that I would naturally choose on my own. 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:36.819 Not because we don't need to hear it. 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:37.639 We do. 00:04:38.719 --> 00:04:47.139 But because I feel so inadequate to rightly explain this to you, and so much hinges on it. 00:04:47.139 --> 00:04:59.360 Our confidence in the Word of God that what we have here is Scripture, is truth, is everything to us as a believer. 00:04:59.479 --> 00:05:04.560 If we can't trust that this Word is true, then everything else falls apart. 00:05:05.539 --> 00:05:10.500 Our entire lives hang in the balance on the trustworthiness of the Word of God. 00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:22.300 So let me say this as clearly as I can to you now, and let the record show that my aim for us this morning is confidence in the Word of God. 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:31.459 That's my prayer, is that this morning we would leave more confident in this book than when we came in. 00:05:31.459 --> 00:05:41.659 Before a minute, this message might feel like a hammer coming against the Word of God. 00:05:41.719 --> 00:05:51.159 But if you hang with me, my prayer and my promise to you with the help of the Spirit is that we will leave here with a deeper, firmer conviction and trust 00:05:51.159 --> 00:05:57.339 that this Word of God is an unbreakable anvil of the truth. 00:05:58.919 --> 00:06:00.959 So here's the issue that we have to deal with. 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:02.399 We'll get right to it. 00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:09.839 I'll just read that inscription, that insertion there, the little note there in your Bibles above chapter 8, 00:06:09.919 --> 00:06:12.180 and then we'll talk about what that means. 00:06:12.299 --> 00:06:13.519 So look there again with me. 00:06:13.719 --> 00:06:17.479 Right above chapter 8, there's a note that says, 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:25.819 The earliest manuscripts do not include 753 through 811. 00:06:25.819 --> 00:06:30.839 The earliest manuscripts do not include our passage this morning. 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:32.060 Again, we have to talk about this. 00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:36.099 Yeah, I can't in good faith just skip right over this. 00:06:36.179 --> 00:06:41.659 I can't in good faith just treat this and preach this like any other passage that we've addressed so far in John, 00:06:41.719 --> 00:06:47.139 because it's not like any other passage that we've addressed so far in John. 00:06:47.139 --> 00:06:52.639 And so, Lord willing, we will talk about the passage itself briefly at the end. 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:59.360 But I think we have to spend the bulk of our time today talking about this textual issue. 00:06:59.579 --> 00:07:01.459 Why is that note there? 00:07:02.259 --> 00:07:03.860 What does that note mean? 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:08.680 And what does it mean for how we can trust our Bibles? 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:14.000 If you're using the ESV, that's the translation that we use here at the church, 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:16.360 you'll see that note is there in brackets. 00:07:16.939 --> 00:07:20.840 And then the entire section, actually, 753 through 811, 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:25.120 is bracketed off all the way until you get to verse 12. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:31.600 Other translations, I believe the NRSV takes this passage and puts it entirely as a footnote. 00:07:32.060 --> 00:07:34.540 It takes it out of the main body of the text all together. 00:07:34.540 --> 00:07:40.960 Other translations, the NIV, the CSB, the NASB, the HCSB, 00:07:41.400 --> 00:07:46.980 basically every modern translation of the Bible, with the exception of the KJV, 00:07:47.540 --> 00:07:56.240 sets this passage off in some way to let you know that the earliest manuscripts do not include this passage. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:05.199 Meaning, they are telling us that it is highly doubtful that John wrote this passage. 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:13.699 It's highly doubtful that this section of Scripture is actually a part of John's original gospel. 00:08:14.780 --> 00:08:17.480 You should know that I love my friends who stick with the KJV. 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:20.379 I have several. I think it's a great translation. 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:25.400 Overall, I have very few issues with it, but I would agree with the others on this one. 00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:29.639 I do not believe this passage belongs in John's gospel. 00:08:30.620 --> 00:08:37.279 And in my opinion, I think it would better serve us if it were probably placed as a footnote, like the NRSV does. 00:08:37.779 --> 00:08:41.139 There's several reasons for this. I'll give you several. 00:08:41.259 --> 00:08:47.500 For one, no Greek manuscript includes this passage before the 5th century. 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:56.840 No Greek manuscript that we have of any quotations of Scripture before the 5th century include this passage. 00:08:56.980 --> 00:08:59.139 That's incredibly significant to me. 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:05.419 And those who argue that it should be included do so because there are several manuscripts that have it. 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:08.559 But all of those manuscripts show up late to the party. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:11.360 They're all after the 5th century. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:21.899 On top of this, not a single one of the earliest church fathers quotes or references or preaches from this passage in any of their sermons or writings. 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:25.899 All of the earliest church fathers, they all quote John. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:28.600 They preach from John just like we're doing, beginning to end. 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:36.620 But all of them, all of the earliest church fathers, skip straight from 752 right to chapter 8, verse 12. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:39.779 As if this passage weren't even there. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:50.360 Which, by the way, if you did the same thing, you would notice that chapter 8, verse 12, it picks up seamlessly from where chapter 7, verse 52 leaves off. 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:51.840 It's a seamless transition. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:10:01.060 If we go to the Eastern Church, we have no record of any Eastern Church father quoting this passage before the 10th century. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:03.620 It was simply not on their radar. 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:11.139 Many of the places where it does show up in these manuscripts, it's marked off with markings, much like it is in our Bible, 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:16.240 to show us that communicates some skepticism as to its authenticity. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:21.820 And in places where it does show up, it's kind of a mixed bag where it might be found. 00:10:21.940 --> 00:10:23.680 Some have it here at the end of chapter 7. 00:10:24.259 --> 00:10:26.940 Others add it after 7, verse 36. 00:10:27.259 --> 00:10:29.220 Others tack it on to the end of John. 00:10:29.299 --> 00:10:36.000 And one very confused scribe put it all the way at the end of the book of Luke, Luke 21, 38. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:47.059 All of this together builds a very strong argument that this passage, as loved as it is, 00:10:47.179 --> 00:10:54.440 and despite the sentimental attachment that many of us may have with it, does not belong in John's gospel. 00:10:55.259 --> 00:10:58.220 It's not original to what he wrote. 00:10:58.220 --> 00:11:06.139 Which means, as beloved as this passage is, it's questionable at best whether it is Scripture. 00:11:07.300 --> 00:11:10.180 That's what this note is here to tell us. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:13.840 That's why it's marked off there in our Bible, is to alert you to this fact. 00:11:13.940 --> 00:11:18.100 Now, that feels a little bit like a hammer, doesn't it? 00:11:18.899 --> 00:11:20.779 Striking against the Word of God. 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:22.000 How do we understand this? 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:30.159 Well, to understand what's happening here, we have to dive into a highly complex, deeply nuanced, 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:37.899 supremely technical field of study called textual criticism, of which I am not an expert. 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:41.200 And so what I'm going to do is I'm going to lean on the experts this morning 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:45.399 because they're going to be a lot more helpful to you than I would be on my own. 00:11:45.539 --> 00:11:49.299 So, a couple of admissions first. 00:11:49.299 --> 00:11:56.059 I want to hand some hammers over into the hands of those who would question the Bible. 00:11:56.699 --> 00:11:58.299 A couple of admissions here. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:04.819 For one, hammer number one, we do not have the original copies of the books of the Bible. 00:12:05.939 --> 00:12:10.699 We do not have the original copy of John's gospel. 00:12:11.299 --> 00:12:16.459 There is no first draft existing anywhere on earth that we know of. 00:12:16.460 --> 00:12:22.200 We don't have a first edition, original copy of John's gospel anywhere on the earth. 00:12:22.280 --> 00:12:23.120 That's hammer number one. 00:12:23.220 --> 00:12:23.920 Hammer number two. 00:12:25.280 --> 00:12:30.480 Amongst the manuscripts that we do have, there are thousands of differences. 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:37.660 Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of differences called variants. 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:40.900 That's places where they say different things. 00:12:40.899 --> 00:12:45.340 And the estimations are all over the map as far as how many variants there might be. 00:12:45.699 --> 00:12:47.799 But it's in the hundreds of thousands. 00:12:48.939 --> 00:12:52.740 To my knowledge, nobody has ever sat down and actually counted the individual differences. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.860 But it's in the hundreds of thousands. 00:12:55.980 --> 00:13:00.539 Hundreds of thousands of differences in these manuscripts of Scripture. 00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:10.000 And here, again, is where opponents of the Bible will take this information and use it as a hammer to strike against the Word of God. 00:13:10.059 --> 00:13:11.779 And say, well, how can you trust this book? 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:16.679 How can you believe anything that this book says? 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:21.360 How do we know whether or not this is actually what John said? 00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:22.899 How do we trust that John even wrote? 00:13:23.019 --> 00:13:28.639 How can you base your life on a book with such unreliable testimony? 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:29.459 Are you kidding me? 00:13:30.539 --> 00:13:33.759 If you haven't heard that yet, you will. 00:13:35.099 --> 00:13:40.379 But I want you to know that the anvil of God's Word has heard those blows before. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:46.740 Years and years and years and years and years of hammer strikes against this Word. 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:50.019 And it has not been moved a single inch. 00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:56.259 So let me tell you how I would respond to someone who said something like that to me. 00:13:56.259 --> 00:14:02.019 How I would respond to a skeptic of the authority of the Bible. 00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:04.639 I want to give you four responses here. 00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:06.220 Track with me. 00:14:06.319 --> 00:14:12.419 First, I would say consider the number of copies we have. 00:14:13.539 --> 00:14:17.679 Consider the number of copies that we have. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:25.879 No, we do not have the originals, but we have an unbelievable number of ancient manuscripts. 00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:35.039 See, the job of a textual critic is to analyze thousands upon thousands upon thousands of ancient texts. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:38.259 Some of them are copies of the original manuscripts. 00:14:38.259 --> 00:14:42.379 Some of them are quotations in sermons from the church fathers. 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:44.099 Some of them are complete. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.139 Some of them are fragments. 00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:52.719 But textual critics, they take all of these documents, thousands of documents, and they analyze them. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:15:00.740 And from those copies, they're able to reconstruct what we believe to be what was originally written. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:05.200 And our Bibles that we have is the fruit of their labor. 00:15:06.160 --> 00:15:14.120 This is the work of textual critics searching through thousands of documents to uncover what was originally written. 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:24.500 And it should make sense, I think, that the more copies we have, the higher our degree of confidence that we can get down to the bottom of what was actually written. 00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:25.659 Do you see that relationship here? 00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:29.659 The more copies we have, the higher our confidence. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:40.120 Because we have a high number of manuscripts, we can be highly confident that we know what John and all of the other authors of the biblical books said. 00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:42.700 Just think about it with me like this. 00:15:42.700 --> 00:15:54.900 If all we had was one copy, one copy, one manuscript existing, well, we would not have a very high degree of confidence whether we could deduce if that was original or not. 00:15:54.940 --> 00:15:59.300 If we had two copies, if they agreed 100%, we might have better confidence. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.640 But if there's even the smallest difference, we'd be left with a 50-50 chance. 00:16:02.800 --> 00:16:04.840 So which one will we go with? 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:10.180 If there's 10 copies existing of the original manuscripts, then we would have a better idea. 00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:14.759 And if only one had a variant, then we'd say, well, we'd probably side with the nine. 00:16:14.839 --> 00:16:15.719 Do you see where I'm going here? 00:16:16.099 --> 00:16:20.759 The more copies we have, the higher our degree of confidence. 00:16:20.939 --> 00:16:22.299 I want to put a slide up here. 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:26.599 Y'all know I don't normally do this, but I want you to actually see it. 00:16:27.239 --> 00:16:28.579 Here, I gave Randy a slide. 00:16:28.699 --> 00:16:29.000 Here we go. 00:16:29.079 --> 00:16:30.539 No, no, we'll go to the first one. 00:16:31.259 --> 00:16:31.779 There we go. 00:16:32.179 --> 00:16:32.919 Can y'all see that? 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:36.919 That's better. 00:16:37.199 --> 00:16:37.439 Okay. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.279 Just an advertisement. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:40.379 Breeze, can you see that? 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:42.659 He's in the first row. 00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:45.339 If y'all screwed up, you'd be able to see it. 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:51.319 After church, if y'all email me, if you want to see these slides, I can get those to you. 00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:59.520 But up here at the top, Homer's Iliad is one of the best preserved ancient works. 00:16:59.640 --> 00:17:03.820 We have over 600 copies of the Iliad, and that's pretty impressive. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.059 Some of Plato's works. 00:17:06.120 --> 00:17:07.880 He's one of the most famous Greek philosophers. 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:12.680 We have less than 10 copies of Plato's works. 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:17.940 But nobody seems to question whether or not Plato wrote any of those copies. 00:17:18.860 --> 00:17:24.160 Nobody seems to have an issue with the content saying, well, yeah, of course Plato wrote this. 00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:25.060 This is what he said. 00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:27.940 They saved that level of criticism for the New Testament. 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:30.400 But look there at the bottom. 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:31.140 Let's go to the next one. 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.440 There at the bottom. 00:17:34.320 --> 00:17:39.660 See, we have over 5,000 ancient copies of the New Testament. 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:44.680 That's just an embarrassment of riches compared to any other ancient text. 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:46.779 And that's only the Greek manuscripts, too. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.440 There's thousands upon thousands of Latin manuscripts. 00:17:49.700 --> 00:17:52.620 Some say over 10,000 Latin manuscripts. 00:17:53.259 --> 00:17:56.360 Not to mention the direct quotations and sermons from the church fathers, 00:17:56.440 --> 00:18:00.040 which adds up to over 1 million scripture references. 00:18:01.120 --> 00:18:06.360 From these copies, thousands upon thousands upon thousands of written documents, 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:12.379 we can have an extremely high degree of confidence that what you have in your Bible 00:18:12.379 --> 00:18:16.699 is exactly what the original text said. 00:18:17.439 --> 00:18:18.379 Here's the point. 00:18:19.399 --> 00:18:24.379 Do not listen to anyone who would say, well, we can't trust the Bible 00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:26.579 because we don't have the original documents. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:29.039 That is ridiculous. 00:18:30.159 --> 00:18:31.839 I'll give you an example. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:37.019 I watched a video this week, and it was a guitar showcase. 00:18:39.059 --> 00:18:44.480 And these two guys were showing off some incredibly rare and valuable guitars. 00:18:44.639 --> 00:18:49.439 And this guy brought out the original Fender Stratocaster. 00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:51.319 Like, the very first one. 00:18:52.139 --> 00:18:56.079 And if you know anything about guitars, you know that the Stratocaster is probably 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:00.480 the most famous, the most iconic guitar ever made. 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:03.579 And this guy comes out with copy number one, the original. 00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:05.980 Made in April 1954. 00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:08.940 And the video told me all about the guitar. 00:19:09.120 --> 00:19:10.240 It told me all the different parts. 00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:13.940 It told me how many pickups it had, what type of strings were on it, 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:15.319 what type of wood it was made of. 00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:20.000 The guy actually plugged in that guitar and played the very first Stratocaster. 00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:23.680 Now, I have no idea where they keep that guitar. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:29.440 And it would be a terrible thing if anything were to ever happen to it. 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:32.660 I hated to see the guy even hold it and touch it and plug it in. 00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:34.420 It was scary for me. 00:19:34.600 --> 00:19:39.140 But imagine if I were to sneak into the museum, 00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:42.740 take that guitar, the original Stratocaster, 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:45.500 and smash it into a thousand pieces. 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.299 Like Jimi Hendrix. 00:19:47.299 --> 00:19:51.700 Take a lighter, light all the pieces on fire, 00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:55.519 take all the ashes and scatter them out into the ocean. 00:19:55.740 --> 00:20:00.119 If the original Stratocaster was nowhere to be found, 00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:03.819 would we have any idea what a Stratocaster was? 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.839 Of course we would. 00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:08.240 Why? 00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:08.940 How? 00:20:09.900 --> 00:20:13.400 Because this is one of the most highly reproduced, 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:16.920 highly copied, highly mass-manufactured guitars in the world. 00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:19.820 If you go into any music shop, any guitar shop, 00:20:19.860 --> 00:20:21.779 you're going to see Stratocasters on the shelf. 00:20:21.860 --> 00:20:22.980 If you go to any concert, 00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:25.539 you'll probably see somebody playing a Stratocaster. 00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:30.299 We have millions of tracks that tell us what a Stratocaster sounds like. 00:20:30.340 --> 00:20:32.059 We have videos like the one that I watched 00:20:32.059 --> 00:20:34.680 that tells us down to the finest details 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:38.700 what that original Stratocaster was like. 00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:40.799 Yes, it would be nice to have the original, sure. 00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:42.259 But here's the point. 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:46.860 We have more than enough evidence from existing copies 00:20:46.860 --> 00:20:50.380 to reconstruct that original guitar 00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:53.200 all the way to the finest details. 00:20:54.340 --> 00:20:56.940 Now the same holds true for the New Testament. 00:20:57.840 --> 00:21:01.360 Consider the number of copies that we have. 00:21:01.360 --> 00:21:03.680 Second, not only this, 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:09.060 I would say consider the age of the manuscripts that we have. 00:21:09.299 --> 00:21:10.580 Let's look at that chart again. 00:21:10.660 --> 00:21:11.640 Can you go back to the first chart? 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:16.279 Not only does the New Testament outpace every other ancient text 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:17.700 in number of copies, 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:20.900 it also outpaces them in the age. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:24.320 There's a much smaller gap between the originals and the copies. 00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:26.039 So go back to the first one. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:28.000 I want to see Homer's Iliad again. 00:21:28.859 --> 00:21:32.380 The gap there between Homer's original text 00:21:32.380 --> 00:21:35.880 and the first existing copy is about 400 years. 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:40.599 And given the way that ancient texts were preserved and circulated, 00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:42.980 honestly, that's really not that bad. 00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:46.420 The others here, Herodotus, Plato, Caesar, 00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:49.019 they're all upwards of 1,000 years. 00:21:49.019 --> 00:21:50.920 Go down to the second slide. 00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:56.339 The oldest manuscripts that we have for the New Testament 00:21:56.339 --> 00:22:01.920 are dated around 100 to 150 A.D. 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:05.900 That's a gap in the smallest estimation 00:22:05.900 --> 00:22:09.519 of about somewhere between 30 to 75 years 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:14.259 between the original and the earliest copies that we have. 00:22:14.379 --> 00:22:16.559 And that is next to nothing. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:19.700 Now you go back to my Stratocaster example. 00:22:20.159 --> 00:22:24.119 Every guitar has a serial number etched into the neck. 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.179 It tells you the model. 00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:26.000 It tells you the number. 00:22:26.159 --> 00:22:27.240 It is in the line. 00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:29.019 If you can track down guitars 00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:33.139 that are only one or two or three model numbers away 00:22:33.139 --> 00:22:33.879 from the original, 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.019 you can have a pretty good idea 00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:39.799 of what the original was like. 00:22:40.639 --> 00:22:42.500 So no, we don't know for sure, 00:22:42.619 --> 00:22:45.379 but it's highly possible, probable, I would say, 00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:48.380 that even some of the earliest manuscripts we have 00:22:48.380 --> 00:22:52.140 may well be direct copies of the original. 00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:56.000 So here's the point from these first two responses. 00:22:57.080 --> 00:23:01.240 If you disregard the Bible because of textual reliability, 00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:03.660 if you disregard the Bible 00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:06.640 because of the age of the manuscripts that we have, 00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:08.660 then by that same logic, 00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:12.680 you have to disregard every single other ancient text 00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:13.800 that we have in existence, 00:23:13.800 --> 00:23:16.120 which nobody does. 00:23:17.620 --> 00:23:20.360 Critics who want to tell you that we have no idea 00:23:20.360 --> 00:23:24.560 what the original substance of the Gospel of John said, 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:26.060 how many changes it's gone through, 00:23:26.140 --> 00:23:27.360 who the real author was, 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:28.540 what it actually says, 00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:30.960 you ask them, well, who wrote the Odyssey? 00:23:31.120 --> 00:23:31.740 What are they going to say? 00:23:32.340 --> 00:23:33.279 Homer, of course. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:38.460 The age and the number of manuscripts that we have 00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:42.119 allow us to know with great confidence 00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:46.279 that what we have is what John actually wrote. 00:23:47.079 --> 00:23:49.279 Now, to go even further, 00:23:49.379 --> 00:23:50.019 I would say third, 00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:53.500 consider the actual variance. 00:23:54.379 --> 00:23:56.740 Consider the actual variance. 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:58.220 So how do we deal with all these differences? 00:23:59.180 --> 00:24:01.799 Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of differences 00:24:01.799 --> 00:24:03.240 in the manuscripts? 00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:04.980 What do we do with that? 00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:09.200 And here's where I love the ESV Study Bible. 00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:10.599 If you don't have one, 00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:12.460 I highly recommend getting one 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:14.180 just for the articles in the back. 00:24:14.299 --> 00:24:15.819 It's worth the purchase. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:17.720 There's an article in the back 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:18.980 that I was able to find 00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:21.599 by somebody named Daniel B. Wallace. 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:25.680 And he gives us four different types of variance 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:26.879 in the manuscripts that we have. 00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:28.559 Let's put this other chart up here. 00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:30.259 I found this chart online, 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:32.160 and you probably can't see the writing, 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:33.079 but you can see the colors, 00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:33.819 and that's good enough. 00:24:35.220 --> 00:24:37.119 Four categories of variance. 00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:38.940 Category number one, 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:40.619 out of all the variance, 00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:42.240 the largest group by far 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:44.359 is differences in spelling 00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:46.480 and nonsense errors. 00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:50.700 That accounts for 70 to 75% 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:52.400 of all the differences 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:53.960 in our manuscripts. 00:24:54.339 --> 00:24:56.420 Technical, textual criticism 00:24:56.420 --> 00:24:57.920 is highly technical, 00:24:58.220 --> 00:25:00.140 but every single one of us 00:25:00.140 --> 00:25:01.380 could spot these out 00:25:01.380 --> 00:25:03.800 and know which is original 00:25:03.800 --> 00:25:04.840 and which is not. 00:25:04.900 --> 00:25:05.640 You don't have to be a genius 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:06.519 to figure these out. 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:07.880 So spelling errors, 00:25:08.120 --> 00:25:09.360 they amount to the difference 00:25:09.360 --> 00:25:11.039 of maybe just one letter. 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:12.920 If I asked every single one of you 00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:14.660 to write down 00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:17.539 Jonathan's Donut Restaurant, 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:20.019 go ahead and write that down. 00:25:20.360 --> 00:25:21.620 If I asked every single one of you 00:25:21.620 --> 00:25:22.820 to write that down, 00:25:23.300 --> 00:25:24.220 and then after the service, 00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:25.660 I collected all the bulletins 00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:27.559 and looked at all the spelling differences. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:29.579 I mean, my name in and of itself, 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:30.640 no Starbucks barista 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:31.680 has ever gotten it right. 00:25:32.100 --> 00:25:34.100 There's about a thousand variations 00:25:34.100 --> 00:25:35.400 of how we might spell 00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:38.000 Jonathan's Donut Restaurant. 00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:39.140 We could take up your notes 00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:40.380 after church, compare them, 00:25:40.900 --> 00:25:42.400 identify the spelling errors, 00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:43.519 and then write them off 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:44.539 as inaccurate 00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:45.880 while still keeping 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:48.620 the message of the text intact. 00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:49.960 That's spelling errors. 00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:52.279 And then there's nonsense errors, 00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:54.200 which these are actually pretty funny. 00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:55.460 when you look into them. 00:25:55.620 --> 00:25:56.640 This is when a scribe 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:58.500 accidentally writes something 00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:59.480 that's close, 00:25:59.620 --> 00:26:00.220 but not quite. 00:26:00.860 --> 00:26:02.160 Maybe he didn't have his coffee yet. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:03.200 I don't know. 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:04.480 Wallace gives one example 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.600 from 1 Thessalonians 2.7, 00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:08.240 which says, 00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:11.360 we were gentle among you. 00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:13.220 The Greek word there is epioi, 00:26:14.100 --> 00:26:15.420 gentle, epioi. 00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:17.220 One manuscript accidentally 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:21.220 replaces epioi with hippioi, 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:22.539 which says, 00:26:22.819 --> 00:26:24.779 we were horses among you. 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:26.880 Now, you don't need 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:27.799 an advanced degree 00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:28.620 in textual criticism 00:26:28.620 --> 00:26:31.740 to know that that is a mistake, 00:26:31.880 --> 00:26:32.920 but it's a variant. 00:26:33.120 --> 00:26:33.660 It exists. 00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:34.259 It happens. 00:26:34.360 --> 00:26:34.799 It's there. 00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:36.279 And so they have to take it 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:37.640 into account, 00:26:37.720 --> 00:26:38.380 but they hold it up 00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:39.240 against the thousands 00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:39.900 and thousands 00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:40.980 and thousands of manuscripts 00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:42.299 that don't think 00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:43.160 that Paul behaved 00:26:43.160 --> 00:26:44.579 like a horse in Thessalonica, 00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:45.360 and they say, 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:47.660 well, that's probably not accurate. 00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:50.200 So that largest category 00:26:50.200 --> 00:26:52.540 is 70 to 75% 00:26:52.540 --> 00:26:54.440 of all variants 00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:55.960 in the manuscripts right there. 00:26:56.060 --> 00:26:56.720 Category two, 00:26:57.580 --> 00:26:58.980 the second largest group 00:26:58.980 --> 00:27:01.960 is minor language changes 00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:03.140 that do not affect 00:27:03.140 --> 00:27:03.840 the meaning at all. 00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:06.880 So synonyms, for example, 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:09.120 or adding an article. 00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:10.540 Greek will often add 00:27:10.540 --> 00:27:11.380 the article the 00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:12.560 before a proper name. 00:27:12.660 --> 00:27:13.440 So it might say 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:16.080 the Jonathan's Donut restaurant. 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:16.679 In the Greek, 00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:17.779 that's totally normal. 00:27:17.879 --> 00:27:18.879 Sounds strange to us, 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:20.480 but that would not affect 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:21.859 the meaning at all, 00:27:21.960 --> 00:27:23.220 but we have to count it 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:24.839 as a variant. 00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:25.720 Word order. 00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:26.679 Now, here's a big one. 00:27:27.399 --> 00:27:28.460 Word order counts 00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:31.220 for a large number of variants. 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:32.699 The Greek is not as strict 00:27:32.699 --> 00:27:33.639 as English is. 00:27:34.139 --> 00:27:36.279 You can rearrange the order 00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:39.059 and the order of the words 00:27:39.059 --> 00:27:39.500 in the sentence, 00:27:39.559 --> 00:27:41.220 and it doesn't really change much. 00:27:41.679 --> 00:27:43.639 So shop Donut Jonathan. 00:27:44.099 --> 00:27:45.399 It would make just as much sense 00:27:45.399 --> 00:27:45.899 in the Greek. 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.460 Donut. 00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:48.579 Shop Jonathan. 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:50.240 Jonathan shop Donut. 00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:50.720 All of those, 00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:51.539 you can rearrange them 00:27:51.539 --> 00:27:51.919 in the Greek, 00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:53.699 and it would be just fine. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:55.379 But they all count as variants 00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:57.599 because they are different 00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:59.079 but not in meaning. 00:28:00.159 --> 00:28:01.159 Wallace gives the example 00:28:01.159 --> 00:28:02.500 of this sentence, 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:04.039 Jesus loves John. 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:05.539 And he says that 00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:07.000 that one simple sentence, 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:08.379 Jesus loves John, 00:28:08.439 --> 00:28:08.980 in the Greek, 00:28:09.399 --> 00:28:10.720 it can be rearranged 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:12.720 in 16 different ways 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:14.460 without affecting the meaning 00:28:14.460 --> 00:28:15.500 at all. 00:28:16.299 --> 00:28:17.119 And when you consider that, 00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:17.779 it's, I think, 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:18.920 surprising that there aren't 00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:20.519 probably more variants 00:28:20.519 --> 00:28:22.119 than what we have. 00:28:22.180 --> 00:28:23.279 So that category there 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:24.700 is about 20% 00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:26.599 of our existing variants. 00:28:26.779 --> 00:28:28.480 So that's 90% 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:29.420 out of the way, 00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:30.319 and we haven't touched 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:31.740 the meaning of the passage 00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.980 at all. 00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:34.900 There are two more categories 00:28:34.900 --> 00:28:35.619 here. 00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:36.539 Category three 00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:38.359 are what they call 00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:38.960 meaningful 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:40.779 but not viable. 00:28:40.779 --> 00:28:43.160 So these are variants 00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:44.480 that would present 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.680 a meaningful change 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:46.559 in our understanding 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:48.519 if they were viable, 00:28:48.940 --> 00:28:50.519 meaning if they had a case, 00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:52.519 but they're so overpowered 00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:53.660 by the sheer volume 00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.359 of evidence 00:28:54.359 --> 00:28:55.399 against them 00:28:55.399 --> 00:28:56.379 that they're not 00:28:56.379 --> 00:28:57.660 considered accurate. 00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.279 So again, 00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.379 Wallace gives the example 00:28:59.379 --> 00:29:01.039 of 1 Thessalonians 2.9, 00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:02.720 where instead of 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.779 the gospel of God, 00:29:03.879 --> 00:29:04.660 one late manuscript 00:29:04.660 --> 00:29:06.079 says the gospel of Christ. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:07.519 Now certainly, 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.039 that would be 00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:09.519 a meaningful change, 00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:11.000 but one manuscript 00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:12.319 late in the game 00:29:12.319 --> 00:29:13.700 stacked up against 00:29:13.700 --> 00:29:14.599 the mountain 00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:15.700 of earlier manuscripts 00:29:15.700 --> 00:29:17.220 that say gospel of God 00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:19.319 and makes it not viable. 00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:19.720 So, 00:29:20.639 --> 00:29:23.619 that is over 99% 00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:26.400 of all variants 00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.299 in all early manuscripts 00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:30.019 that we have, 00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:30.799 which brings us 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:32.559 to the last category here, 00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:33.420 category four, 00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:35.639 which is changes 00:29:35.640 --> 00:29:37.220 that are both meaningful 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:39.100 and viable. 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:40.920 Meaningful, 00:29:41.020 --> 00:29:41.940 meaning it alters 00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:42.780 at least some of our 00:29:42.780 --> 00:29:44.020 understanding of the text 00:29:44.020 --> 00:29:45.280 and viable, 00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:47.200 it has a case. 00:29:47.280 --> 00:29:48.240 Now all of these, 00:29:48.320 --> 00:29:48.520 again, 00:29:48.600 --> 00:29:49.259 should be noted 00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:50.180 in your Bibles. 00:29:50.280 --> 00:29:50.780 They should be. 00:29:50.860 --> 00:29:52.140 If you have a good translation 00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:53.220 of the Bible, 00:29:53.340 --> 00:29:54.320 you'll have footnotes, 00:29:54.380 --> 00:29:55.620 you'll have markings 00:29:55.620 --> 00:29:56.860 that tell you anywhere 00:29:56.860 --> 00:29:57.280 there's even 00:29:57.280 --> 00:29:58.300 the slightest question. 00:29:59.020 --> 00:29:59.980 Now out of these, 00:30:00.080 --> 00:30:01.700 most are small variations, 00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:03.080 but there are two 00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:05.179 large variants 00:30:05.179 --> 00:30:06.099 in the New Testament. 00:30:07.159 --> 00:30:08.079 Mark 16, 00:30:08.179 --> 00:30:08.859 9 through 20 00:30:08.859 --> 00:30:11.179 in our passage today. 00:30:12.199 --> 00:30:13.319 John 7, 00:30:13.399 --> 00:30:13.919 53 00:30:13.919 --> 00:30:15.579 through 8, 00:30:16.179 --> 00:30:16.639 11. 00:30:18.919 --> 00:30:19.839 If the Lord 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:20.559 allows me 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:21.079 one day 00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:21.519 in the future 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:21.899 to preach 00:30:21.899 --> 00:30:22.799 through Mark's gospel, 00:30:23.159 --> 00:30:24.039 when we make it 00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:24.480 all the way 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:25.460 to chapter 16, 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:26.139 you will hear 00:30:26.139 --> 00:30:26.879 this sermon again. 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:29.500 But I'm thankful 00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:31.839 that although 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:33.220 these differences matter, 00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:34.180 although this is 00:30:34.180 --> 00:30:35.480 a hugely important 00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.220 field of study, 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:36.980 I'm grateful 00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:38.259 for those 00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:38.839 who the Lord 00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:39.279 has called 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:39.980 to this work, 00:30:40.059 --> 00:30:40.579 I'm grateful 00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:41.279 that I only have 00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:41.579 to preach 00:30:41.579 --> 00:30:42.460 this sermon twice. 00:30:44.039 --> 00:30:45.059 And I'm grateful 00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:48.019 that no Christian doctrine 00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:49.059 is impacted 00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:50.420 in the slightest 00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:51.799 by any 00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:53.319 of these variants. 00:30:54.279 --> 00:30:54.799 Do you realize 00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:56.140 how unbelievable 00:30:56.140 --> 00:30:56.819 that is? 00:30:56.819 --> 00:31:00.099 that no Christian doctrine 00:31:00.099 --> 00:31:00.859 is impacted 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.519 at all 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:03.460 by any variant. 00:31:03.619 --> 00:31:04.220 So I would say 00:31:04.220 --> 00:31:04.859 fourth, 00:31:05.740 --> 00:31:06.559 consider what 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.419 the book says. 00:31:08.779 --> 00:31:09.579 Consider what 00:31:09.579 --> 00:31:10.200 this book 00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:11.359 says. 00:31:12.539 --> 00:31:13.460 Nothing that 00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.220 we hold dear 00:31:14.220 --> 00:31:14.799 is threatened 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:15.659 in the least 00:31:15.659 --> 00:31:16.960 by any single issue 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:18.000 in textual criticism. 00:31:18.159 --> 00:31:19.099 Not the divinity 00:31:19.099 --> 00:31:19.839 of Christ, 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:21.419 not His perfect 00:31:21.419 --> 00:31:22.059 obedience, 00:31:22.899 --> 00:31:23.740 not His death 00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:24.839 on a cross, 00:31:25.419 --> 00:31:26.460 not His resurrection 00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:27.660 from the dead, 00:31:28.360 --> 00:31:29.519 and not the thousands 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:30.120 and thousands 00:31:30.120 --> 00:31:30.519 of years 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:31.340 of creation 00:31:31.340 --> 00:31:32.180 and providence 00:31:32.180 --> 00:31:33.000 and preparation 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:34.059 through the Old Testament 00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:35.539 that blossomed forth 00:31:35.539 --> 00:31:36.299 into the gospel 00:31:36.299 --> 00:31:37.279 of Jesus Christ. 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.559 Not sin, 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:39.500 not grace, 00:31:39.600 --> 00:31:40.440 not glory, 00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:41.039 not the gift 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:41.620 of faith, 00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:42.660 not the Holy Spirit, 00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:43.500 not the church. 00:31:43.860 --> 00:31:44.620 None of it 00:31:44.620 --> 00:31:45.559 is lost. 00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:47.039 None of it 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:48.019 is in question. 00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:49.000 We don't have to wonder 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.079 what this book 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:50.720 teaches. 00:31:50.920 --> 00:31:51.460 It's clear. 00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.480 So I would say 00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.759 move this to a footnote. 00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:54.420 That's fine. 00:31:54.420 --> 00:31:55.259 What's your response 00:31:55.259 --> 00:31:56.440 to the other 99%? 00:31:57.580 --> 00:31:58.680 What's your response? 00:31:59.060 --> 00:31:59.960 Do you receive it 00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:01.460 as the word of God? 00:32:01.560 --> 00:32:02.380 Do you believe 00:32:02.380 --> 00:32:03.519 what it says? 00:32:03.600 --> 00:32:04.640 Is it your treasure? 00:32:05.700 --> 00:32:06.700 Is it a lamp 00:32:06.700 --> 00:32:07.480 unto your feet 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:08.060 and a light 00:32:08.060 --> 00:32:09.340 unto your path? 00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:10.420 This living 00:32:10.420 --> 00:32:11.420 and active word 00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:12.060 sharper than 00:32:12.060 --> 00:32:12.940 a two-edged sword? 00:32:13.060 --> 00:32:13.900 God breathed 00:32:13.900 --> 00:32:15.039 useful for teaching, 00:32:15.300 --> 00:32:15.779 rebuking, 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:16.340 correcting, 00:32:16.920 --> 00:32:17.900 training in righteousness. 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:19.560 Do you hunger 00:32:19.560 --> 00:32:20.320 and thirst 00:32:20.320 --> 00:32:21.300 for this word 00:32:21.300 --> 00:32:22.259 and for the Christ 00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:23.299 of this word? 00:32:24.339 --> 00:32:24.920 Do you hunger 00:32:24.920 --> 00:32:25.660 for the God 00:32:25.660 --> 00:32:26.460 of this word? 00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:27.660 Will you consider 00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:29.099 what it says 00:32:29.099 --> 00:32:30.359 about your sin 00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.099 and your need 00:32:31.099 --> 00:32:32.099 for a Savior? 00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:34.640 Here's where 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:36.200 we finally come 00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:37.619 to our passage 00:32:37.619 --> 00:32:38.319 and here's where 00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:38.920 we close. 00:32:40.680 --> 00:32:41.720 I don't believe 00:32:41.720 --> 00:32:42.599 our passage today 00:32:42.599 --> 00:32:43.519 was written by John. 00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.980 But I do believe 00:32:45.980 --> 00:32:46.900 that we have good reason 00:32:46.900 --> 00:32:47.980 to think that 00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:48.500 the story 00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:49.759 actually happened. 00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:51.279 Church history 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:52.519 seems to think so. 00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.759 That's why this sermon 00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:54.359 is titled 00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:55.319 Likely Story. 00:32:56.539 --> 00:32:57.240 So don't base 00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:58.220 your life on it. 00:32:59.299 --> 00:32:59.759 Rather, 00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:01.579 let it confirm 00:33:01.579 --> 00:33:02.539 for you 00:33:02.539 --> 00:33:03.579 what we already 00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:05.119 know to be true 00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:06.480 of our Savior 00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:07.420 from the rest 00:33:07.420 --> 00:33:08.460 of Scripture. 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:09.099 Namely, 00:33:10.019 --> 00:33:10.980 that Jesus Christ 00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:11.740 is a friend 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.379 of sinners 00:33:12.379 --> 00:33:14.119 and a defender 00:33:14.119 --> 00:33:15.099 of the accused. 00:33:16.899 --> 00:33:17.619 And we love 00:33:17.619 --> 00:33:18.220 this story 00:33:18.220 --> 00:33:19.319 because it's 00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:20.519 so relatable. 00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:22.319 All of us 00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:22.980 are guilty. 00:33:23.700 --> 00:33:24.680 On all sides, 00:33:24.819 --> 00:33:25.740 we see ourselves 00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:26.980 in the adulterous 00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:27.359 woman, 00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:27.879 guilty, 00:33:28.099 --> 00:33:29.799 caught red-handed, 00:33:29.960 --> 00:33:30.680 face-to-face 00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:31.460 with her accusers, 00:33:31.559 --> 00:33:32.359 wondering what 00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:33.279 Jesus will do 00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:34.039 when he sees 00:33:34.039 --> 00:33:34.660 her sin 00:33:34.660 --> 00:33:35.299 and all of his 00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:35.859 ugliness, 00:33:36.619 --> 00:33:37.539 wondering how 00:33:37.539 --> 00:33:37.960 we could ever 00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:39.099 escape the punishment 00:33:39.099 --> 00:33:39.899 that we've deserved 00:33:39.899 --> 00:33:40.779 for our sin. 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:42.259 We see ourselves 00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:43.259 in the adulterous 00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.519 woman, 00:33:43.579 --> 00:33:43.920 don't we? 00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:46.079 And we see ourselves 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:46.839 in the scribes 00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:47.779 and the Pharisees, 00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:49.539 sinful to the core, 00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:50.659 but blind 00:33:50.659 --> 00:33:52.079 to our own sin. 00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:53.940 Far more concerned 00:33:53.940 --> 00:33:54.599 with the sinfulness 00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:55.440 of others 00:33:55.440 --> 00:33:56.379 than our own sin. 00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:57.920 Blind to our own sin 00:33:57.920 --> 00:33:59.139 but hyper-aware 00:33:59.139 --> 00:34:00.240 and angry 00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:00.879 about the sin 00:34:00.879 --> 00:34:01.279 of others. 00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:01.920 That's us. 00:34:03.339 --> 00:34:04.859 The only hope 00:34:04.859 --> 00:34:06.519 for either party 00:34:06.519 --> 00:34:08.059 is this man, 00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:08.779 Jesus, 00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:11.119 who loves sinners, 00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:12.880 who came 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:14.380 to save sinners 00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:15.860 from their own guilt, 00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:16.500 who came 00:34:16.500 --> 00:34:17.780 to rescue them 00:34:17.780 --> 00:34:18.400 from a punishment 00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:19.780 far worse 00:34:19.780 --> 00:34:20.880 than social shaming, 00:34:21.719 --> 00:34:22.440 to rescue them 00:34:22.440 --> 00:34:23.239 from a punishment 00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:24.039 far worse 00:34:24.039 --> 00:34:24.599 than the pain 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:25.599 of a hundred rocks 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.599 thrown our way. 00:34:26.679 --> 00:34:27.260 He came 00:34:27.260 --> 00:34:28.900 to save sinners 00:34:28.900 --> 00:34:29.639 like us 00:34:29.639 --> 00:34:30.880 from the accusations 00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:32.079 of the devil 00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:32.980 and the wrath 00:34:32.980 --> 00:34:34.000 of God. 00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:36.000 So he died 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:36.619 for us. 00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:38.199 He took 00:34:38.199 --> 00:34:39.619 our punishment 00:34:39.619 --> 00:34:41.179 and he rose 00:34:41.179 --> 00:34:41.980 and he now 00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:43.019 stands in the 00:34:43.019 --> 00:34:43.840 presence of God 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:44.639 to intercede 00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:45.420 for sinners 00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:46.219 like us 00:34:46.219 --> 00:34:47.219 so that if we 00:34:47.219 --> 00:34:48.559 are in him, 00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:49.900 no case 00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:50.940 can be made 00:34:50.940 --> 00:34:52.039 against us. 00:34:53.219 --> 00:34:54.359 No accusation 00:34:54.359 --> 00:34:55.019 can stand. 00:34:56.199 --> 00:34:57.000 We are sinful 00:34:57.000 --> 00:34:57.719 to the core 00:34:57.719 --> 00:34:58.480 but Christ 00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:59.799 has chased away 00:34:59.799 --> 00:35:01.960 every possible accuser. 00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:02.699 There is therefore 00:35:02.699 --> 00:35:04.500 now no condemnation 00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:05.279 for those 00:35:05.279 --> 00:35:06.319 who are in 00:35:06.319 --> 00:35:07.799 Christ Jesus. 00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:08.539 So church, 00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:10.839 let this story 00:35:10.839 --> 00:35:11.699 be a reminder 00:35:11.699 --> 00:35:12.420 for you 00:35:12.420 --> 00:35:13.180 of the glorious 00:35:13.180 --> 00:35:14.400 hope of the 00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:15.300 gospel of Jesus 00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:15.820 Christ 00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:16.320 to which 00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:17.519 all the 00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:18.079 scriptures 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:19.619 bear witness. 00:35:20.840 --> 00:35:22.039 Are you guilty? 00:35:23.340 --> 00:35:24.519 Turn to Jesus. 00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:26.720 Are you 00:35:26.720 --> 00:35:27.740 accused 00:35:27.740 --> 00:35:28.480 by your thoughts, 00:35:28.599 --> 00:35:29.260 by your actions, 00:35:29.380 --> 00:35:30.000 by your enemies? 00:35:30.220 --> 00:35:30.599 Turn 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:31.880 to Jesus. 00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.599 Receive 00:35:33.599 --> 00:35:34.320 his forgiveness 00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:35.920 and his pardon. 00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:37.380 Sin no more 00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:38.559 and rejoice 00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:40.559 when Satan 00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:41.200 tempts me 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:41.980 to despair 00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:42.679 and tells me 00:35:42.679 --> 00:35:43.399 of the guilt 00:35:43.399 --> 00:35:43.859 within. 00:35:44.419 --> 00:35:45.379 Upward I look 00:35:45.379 --> 00:35:46.519 and see him there 00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:48.099 who made an end 00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:49.299 to all my sin. 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:51.299 Because a sinless 00:35:51.299 --> 00:35:52.259 savior died, 00:35:52.359 --> 00:35:53.439 my sinful soul 00:35:53.439 --> 00:35:54.519 is counted free 00:35:54.519 --> 00:35:55.779 for God 00:35:55.779 --> 00:35:56.439 the just 00:35:56.439 --> 00:35:57.259 is satisfied 00:35:57.259 --> 00:35:58.719 to look on him 00:35:58.719 --> 00:36:00.500 and pardon me. 00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:01.980 Let's pray. 00:36:01.980 --> 00:36:07.380 Lord, 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:08.199 we thank you. 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:10.400 Father, 00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:11.019 how firm 00:36:11.019 --> 00:36:11.760 a foundation 00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:13.159 you saints 00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:13.619 of the Lord 00:36:13.619 --> 00:36:14.099 has laid 00:36:14.099 --> 00:36:14.940 for our faith 00:36:14.940 --> 00:36:15.780 in your excellent 00:36:15.780 --> 00:36:16.579 word. 00:36:16.699 --> 00:36:17.360 We thank you 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.039 for your word. 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:19.280 We thank you 00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:20.240 for what this story 00:36:20.240 --> 00:36:21.280 teaches us 00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:21.960 and shows us 00:36:21.960 --> 00:36:22.820 and reminds us 00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:23.320 of the goodness 00:36:23.320 --> 00:36:23.940 of Christ 00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:24.920 and our need 00:36:24.920 --> 00:36:25.440 for him. 00:36:26.240 --> 00:36:26.980 We thank you 00:36:26.980 --> 00:36:27.480 that Jesus 00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:28.740 is a friend 00:36:28.740 --> 00:36:29.240 of sinners 00:36:29.239 --> 00:36:30.039 and a defender 00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:31.099 of the accused. 00:36:31.939 --> 00:36:32.339 We pray 00:36:32.339 --> 00:36:32.879 if there are any 00:36:32.879 --> 00:36:34.119 here this morning 00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:35.259 who need 00:36:35.259 --> 00:36:36.359 the forgiveness 00:36:36.359 --> 00:36:37.119 and the pardon 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:37.679 of Jesus 00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:38.299 that only he 00:36:38.299 --> 00:36:38.899 can provide, 00:36:39.000 --> 00:36:39.719 we pray you would 00:36:39.719 --> 00:36:40.439 turn their hearts 00:36:40.439 --> 00:36:40.939 to him now 00:36:40.939 --> 00:36:41.339 in faith. 00:36:41.459 --> 00:36:42.099 We pray in Jesus' 00:36:42.279 --> 00:36:42.479 name. 00:36:43.399 --> 00:36:43.699 Amen. 00:36:43.699 --> 00:36:43.839 Amen. 00:36:43.839 --> 00:36:43.879 Amen. 00:36:43.879 --> 00:36:43.899 Amen. 00:36:43.899 --> 00:36:43.939 Amen. 00:36:43.939 --> 00:36:43.979 Amen. 00:36:43.979 --> 00:36:44.000 Amen.