The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Week 4: Part One, Chapter 3 — The Documentary Evidence
Read Part One, Chapter 3 of The Case for Christ. Key interview: Dr. Bruce Metzger, one of the world's leading New Testament textual scholars.
Previewing Week 4 of The Case for Christ
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 15-week guide when you’re ready.
Even if the original Gospel manuscripts were reliable, how do we know that what we read today reflects what was originally written? This week, Strobel goes to one of the greatest textual scholars in history to find out.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Dr. Bruce Metzger spent his career studying the thousands of ancient manuscripts of the New Testament. What was his overall verdict on whether the New Testament we read today accurately reflects the original writings?
2.Metzger acknowledges that there are variants — differences among the ancient manuscripts. How many are there, and what percentage of them are theologically significant? How did his answer surprise or reassure Strobel?
3.Strobel presses Metzger on the most famous textual controversy — the longer ending of Mark (16:9-20) and the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 7:53-8:11). How does Metzger handle these passages, and what does his handling of them tell you about the integrity of textual scholarship?