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Torah,
New Testament, and the Koran: Preservation of Textual Reliability by Rit Nosotro Comparative Essay |
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The Torah
The Torah is the basis of the Jewish religion. It consists of the first five book of the bible. The Torah is a scroll of parchment containing the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, used in a synagogue during services (3)
Torah meaning "Teaching". The first five books of the Hebrew Scripture
(Bible), also referred to as the Pentateuch or the Five Books of Moses. The
word "Torah" can mean "law" when referring to required practices.(11)
Before writing, the scribe stood and stated, “I’m now copying the
holy Word of God”. Before they wrote down the word they would need to
recite it two times. When writing the name God the scribes would stand up and
say, “I am now writing the holy Name of God” get a new quill, write
“God” and directly afterwards break the quill. They would also need
to count the master copy letter for letter and make sure each scroll had the
same amount of letters. All chapters were translated into Hebrew. They also
believed if a letter on a scroll is written wrong, it can be left for only 30
days before corrected or hidden. Throughout all generations, great care was
taken to preserve the Torah exactly as it was given by Moses. The scribe is
thus given the advice, "Be careful with your task, for it is sacred work
-- if you add or subtract a single letter, you will destroy everything."
(Talmud) (10)
The Torah was kept in perfect order and the scrolls were all preserved and intact, but after the Babylonians were exiled, the correct Torah scrolls could not be located. The scrolls were later put back together but never were as specific and exact as before. It is astonishing how the Torah was still exact as far as Syria or Yemin and England.
The Koran
The Koran is the basis of the Muslim religion and was written by Mohamed. The Koran is the sacred text of Islam, considered by Muslims to contain the revelations of God to Muhammad. (3)
The Koran is believed to be the word of god revealed to Muhammad over a 23 year span. AI-Suyuti (1445-1505) in his classic AI-ltqan, a text on Koranic sciences, reports that when a revelation came, the Mohammad used to call one of his Koranic writers and dictate to him. Upon the Mohhammed's instruction, the Koranic chapters were also arranged and verses were put into a given order.(8) Less then 20 years after Mohammad’s death in 632AD the Koran was complete, as one bounded book. The full Koran was sent out as a master copies to large Islamic learning centers, all other previous copies were to be burnt.
Muslim believe that God has taken the responsibility to preserve the Koran, also the Koran is one of the most memorized book and is imprinted into the minds of many Muslims.
The New Testament
The New Testament is the basis of the Christian religion and was written by
many different writers that were inspired by God. "All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16).
The New Testament is made up of Gospels, Acts, Paul and other Epistles, and the Book of Revelation, together viewed by Christians as forming the record of the new dispensation belonging to the Church. (3) "The books of the New Testament were written in the latter part of the first century; the earliest extant manuscripts (trifling scraps excepted) are of the fourth century --say from 250-300 years later."(Handbook To Textual Criticism Of The New Testament. London: Macmillan and Company, 1901, pg. 4)
According to Sir Frederick G. Kenyon (former director and principle librarian
of the British museum).
There are three major sources from where researchers go to reconstruct the original
documents, as they were written by the Apostles in the first century. The first
is the papyrus manuscripts that are still in existence today, second is that
there are other versions and third quotations from early church leaders.(2)
There are about 5000 manuscripts written just from the New Testament. Although
250-300 years sounds like a long time from the writing of the original to the
date of the first copy we have, the normal time for the Greek classical writers
is 1000 years from the original to our first copy. (2)
There were over 9000 copies of early translations and they were translated into
other languages (Latin and Spanish). (2)
During the 200's and 300's AD, the early church leaders wrote and quoted from
the New Testament. The New Testament could be re-written from their quotations
with the exception of 11 verses. (2)
The Torah, Koran and New Testament all originated in the Middle East. Though fights still go on about which is the “real” holy word of god. The Koran and the Bible are relatively the same length, the major difference is that the Koran is told by one person and the bible is told by many different people. The Torah is extremely accurate and very well preserved. We make a distinction between the Koran and a translation of the Koran. This is normal process in the Muslim view of things, in marked contrast with the Christian view, according to which the Bible is Bible, no matter what language it may be written in. For Muslims, the divine Word assumed a specific, Arabic form, and that form is as essential as the meaning that the words convey. Hence only the Arabic Koran is the Koran, and translations are simply interpretations. Translations into the local language of the Islamic world, particularly Persian, were made at a very early date. However, these were not independent books except rather interlinear commentaries on the meaning of the text and helps to understanding.(14)
"For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth".
(Psalm 33:4)
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of
earth, purified seven times". (Psalm 12:6 6)
"I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren".
(1 Thessalonians 5:27)
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart".
(Hebrews 4:12)
2. Who wrote the Koran?
a. The apostles
b. Paul writers
c. Mohammad’s Koranic writers
d. Moses
3. All scripture is an inspiration from whom?
a. God
b. Man
c. The writers inspired themselves.
d. Their mother
4. The Koran is about the same size as what?
a. Bible
b. Torah
c. Lord of the Rings
d. New Testament
1B 2C 3A 4D
Endnotes:
(1) http://www.carm.org/ and the Bible
(2) http://www.askapastor.org/rely.html
(3) http://dictionary.reference.com
(4) http://www.quran.org.uk/ieb_quran_elmasry.htm
(5) http://www.lightforthelastdays.co.uk/docs/islam/bible_or_koran.html
(6) http://az.essortment.com/islamabout_reyi.htm
(7) http://ny.essortment.com/koranofislam_rxkq.htm
(8) http://www.quran.org.uk/ieb_quran_elmasry.htm
(9) http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08692a.htm
(10) http://www.aish.com/literacy/concepts/Writing_the_Torah.asp
(11) http://www.bluethread.com/glossary.htm#Torah
(12) DiscipleLand Books
(13) World Book Encyclopaedia
(14) http://www.quran.org.uk/ieb_quran_chittick.htm
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