Blunders Quote by Bart D. Ehrman
“In fact, most of the changes found in early Christian manuscripts have nothing to do with theology or ideology. Far and away the most changes are the result of mistakes pure and simple slips of the pen, accidental omissions, inadvertent additions, misspelled words, blunders of one sort or another.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman, 2005
Early Christian manuscripts differ mainly due to human error, not theological intent.
In simple terms: Most changes are simple copying mistakes.
Key Takeaway
Check original sources for accuracy.
Themes
textual criticism
history
manuscript studies
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
academic
informative
When to use this quote
- scholarly research
- biblical studies
- academic editing
- critical editions
Key Concepts
Scribal error
copyist habits
textual transmission
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we assess reliability of ancient texts?
- What safeguards exist against copying errors?
A Different Perspective
Even with many errors, core doctrines remain stable.
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