This is a theological subject that requires patience in learning or else, it could be misconstrued as trying to "rewrite" the bible whereas it is not.
Before we proceed, I'll like that we read with an open mind. For those whose attitude has always been, " Let me just take what the bible says at face value" or those who believe in maintaining silence where bible is silent may not learn much from this teaching. Look away, this subject is not for you. It is going to be a long read.
Anytime you hear a teacher of scriptures buttressing a text of scriptures using Greek or Hebrew, what do you think he is doing? For some, it may be showmanship but for genuine and sound teachers of the word, what they are doing is the application of their knowledge of textual criticism to buttress their point.
WHAT IS TEXTUAL CRITICISM?
Textual criticism is a method used by bible scholars to determine or ascertain what is in the original manuscripts of the Bible.
Every bible translations we have today is not 100% accurate in terms of rendition. They are accurate in doctrine but not in rendition. Certain words are not properly rendered while there are a few omissions here and there due to several linguistic limitations while copying from Greek/Hebrew into other languages such as English, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, French, etc.
The aforementioned reasons gave rise to a field of study in theology known as Textual Criticism. The essence of textual criticism is to find what was written originally to have full/complete meaning and understanding of the bible.
This is a no-brainer. If I speak or write a long document in Yoruba, my native language and someone is given the task of interpreting from Yoruba to English or other languages, it is impossible for that person to capture fully the meaning of what I said or wrote in Yoruba. Also, If another person pick the first translation of my speech or writing, there is a tendency to deviate or distort what the first interpreter wrote. The distortion will continue from one person to the other. In order to ascertain what was said/written, it will be good to go back to the source. That is just the idea behind textual criticism of the bible. We are looking for the exact truth that was taught/written in the orginal.
You need to understand that the original material (autograph) the prophets and early apostles used in documenting what we have today in our bibles is all lost or destroyed. There is no where on earth you'll find the original scrolls of Moses, Paul, Peter and the prophets. What we have are manuscripts.
Bible Manuscripts are copied either from the autographs or from other manuscripts.
TYPES OF MANUSCRIPTS
1- Early Manuscripts:- These manuscripts were copied directly from the autographs (original writings of the bible writers) of those who received inspiration to write the bible. Early manuscripts are very reliable and with less copyist errors.
2- Later Manuscripts:- These are manuscripts copied from the early manuscripts and copied from copies of copies. That is, a translator picks what another translator copied and the cycle continues like that. Here is where errors, misrepresentations and omissions came into the bible. At the time bible translation project started, the new testament alone had over 5000 variants. This caused a great deal of confusion in ascertaining what is right or accurate.
Ever since, Bibliologists and textual critics have been researching several manuscripts to ascertain the correctness of a text.
Have you ever asked why there are several translations of the bible?
One reason behind that is the attempt to have a translation that is closer to what is in the original manuscripts. For instance, KJV was prepared from the Latin vulgate bible and a manuscript known as textua receptus in 1611. It was discovered that these manuscripts were later manuscripts most of which were fraught with errors and misrepresentations.
Later, when older manuscripts belonging to the Early Manuscript family were discovered, bible scholars(textual critics) worked on another translation that gave rise to NIV, and NLT. Bible scholars believe that these translations and others like ESV, LXB, are closer in meaning and rendition to what we have in the early manuscripts of the bible.
HOW TEXTUAL CRITICS ASCERTAINED THE CORRECTNESS OF A BIBLE TEXT
1#- MAJORITY READING/TEXT
In this method, textual critics will pick several manuscripts, read it to check for manuscripts with similar texts to determine which one is correct
For example, if 748 manuscripts read "he said" and 1,429 manuscripts read "they said" the Majority Text will go with "they said" as the most likely original reading. However, the weakness of this method is that majority can be wrong. Yes, it is possible for majority text to be wrong.
2#- CRITICAL OR ECLECTIC METHOD
The eclectic method involves considering external and internal evidences for determining the most likely original text.
External evidence makes us ask these questions: in how many manuscripts does the reading occur? what are the dates for these manuscripts? in what region of the world were these manuscripts found?
Internal evidence prompts these questions: what could have caused these varying readings? which reading can possibly explain the origin of the other readings? The New International Version, New American Standard, New Living Translation, and most other Bible translations use the Eclectic Text. For most scholars, this seems to be a better approach than the previous.
Let's consider the following texts:
Psalm 8:4-5 KJV
[4] WHAT IS MAN, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? [5] FOR THOU HAST MADE HIM A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, And hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Look at this text critically. KJV rendition of the text implies man is lower than angels. That is, in divine ranking, we come after angels so angelic beings are higher than man. This raises several questions begging for answer:
a- Is this rendition when compared with what is in the Hebrew Tanakh or manuscript?
b- If angels are higher than humans in divine ranking, what is the theological implication of this?
We shall criticize that text of scriptures by comparing it with what obtains in other translations that were prepared critically.
Psalms 8:4, 4-5 NIV
[4] WHAT IS MANKIND that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
[5] YET YOU MADE THEM ONLY A LITTLE LOWER THAN GOD and crowned them with glory and honor
Psalms 8:4-5 NLT
[4] what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? [5] YET YOU MADE THEM ONLY A LITTLE LOWER THAN GOD and crowned them with glory and honor.
Psalms 8:4-5 TPT
[4] Why would you bother with puny, mortal man or care about human beings? [5] Yet what honor you have given to men, CREATED ONLY A LITTLE LOWER THAN ELOHIM, crowned with glory and magnificence
From these translations, what KJV rendered as "Lower than the angels", other translations rendered it as "Lower than God". Why is this so?
Textual criticism of that text made us realize that early manuscripts used the Hebrew "Elohim" meaning God. If early manuscripts had used "Ma'lak", then the rendition as angels could have been correct.
Based on the Hebrew reading, it implies that man was made by God as next to him in rank not after angels. In divine order, after God, man is next not angels. So, we are superior to angels. NIV NLT, TPT translations are correct based on what the early Hebrew manuscript says.
THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATION OF THAT TEXT
When we exercise scholarly judgement on texts of scriptures, the purpose is not showmanship but edification. One may ask, where is the edification in what you just taught/explained?
1- Some churches still worship angels because according to their understanding of Psalms 8:4-5, angels are superior to man and should be worshiped.
2- However, now that we have engaged our knowledge of textual criticism, we can see clearly that we are superior to angels and no superior worships his subject. This knowledge keeps you from wrong practices of worshipping or venerating angels.
Let's consider what the bible says about this issue.
1- Angels are messengers sent to serve you and me
Hebrews 1:14 TPT
[14] What role then, do the angels have? The angels are spirit-messengers sent by God to serve those who are going to be saved.
2- You and I will judge angels
1 Corinthians 6:3 TPT
[3] For surely you know that we will one day judge angels, let alone these everyday matters.
If you and I will judge angels as revealed by Paul, why should we worship them?
3- Angel refused human worship because he is not superior to mankind
Revelation 19:10 TPT
[10] At this I fell facedown at the angel’s feet to worship him, but he stopped me and said, “Don’t do this! For I am only a fellow servant with you and one of your brothers who clings to what Jesus testifies. Worship God. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”