Question:

SHOULD JOHN 20:28 BE IN THE BIBLE?

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From the original gospel according to john to papyrus 66, the gap maybe 100 years or more.

John 20:28 is NOT in papyrus 52 

But 

John 20:28 is in papyrus 66

But

How do you know that john 20:28 was in the ORIGINAL gospel according to john?  

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ANSWER:

SHOULD JOHN 20:28 BE IN THE BIBLE?

Found in 1920, Papyrus 52 (P52) is a scrap of paper not much bigger than a postage stamp, containing five (5) verses of scripture – John 18:31-33, 37-38, with 118 Greek letters written on it.

Surely it appeals to reason that it would be a complete waste of time to look for John 20:28 in P52?

 You may as well look for a sausage in a dress shop or
Look for the word “Zebra” under “T” in the dictionary.
A complete waste of time! Why? Because it’s not there to start with!
You may as well ask the question
“Should the Book of James, or Revelation or Daniel be in the Bible because P52 makes no reference to it!”


Now, the real question is not why John 20:28 should be in the Bible, but “Why should it not be there?”

The context is this:

The disciples had previously said to Thomas “We have seen the Lord (John 20:25) and Thomas replies with

“…Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. (John 20:25) Jesus appears and stands in their midst and says to Thomas  “…Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” (John 20:27)

Then Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29)

How would Jesus know that Thomas believed? Surely, Thomas must have said something? Or did Jesus just read his mind (and of course that wouldn’t have been a problem for Jesus either)? What would give the indication to everyone there that Thomas had believed?

Surely it appeals to reason that Thomas said something to Jesus and the rest of the disciples to know that Thomas believed; that the person in the room he had just put his fingers into the nail prints, was Jesus the Lord, Jesus the God.

Would this statement of belief be out of character for Thomas? No, not at all. Earlier in John, Thomas
Says “… Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16). Surely, this is not the statement of an unbelieving man. Thomas was ready to die for Jesus because he knew Jesus was God.

There are two other aspects to this whole question.

1.  No Bible critic in the history of man has ever questioned whether John 20:28 should be in the Bible. Look up any version and you’ll find it there.

2.  The real reason for doubt over this verse is just that - Satan loves to raise doubt just for the sake of it. “If you throw enough mud, maybe it will stick!” “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen 3:1). Raise an allegation even though there is absolutely no grounds for it. This a favourite ploy of TV reporters “Is it true (they’ve just made it up on the spot) that such and such ….. ?”

 In this particular case, use a

1.  Scrap of paper

2.  Found in 1920

3.  Of an unknown sources

4.  Of an unknown author

5.  Using the dubious and unreliable method and analysis of Paleography

6.  Considered a fraud by most Bible critics

 And there you have it –

“Anything to discredit the Bible, even if there is no basis for it.”

 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:

for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

(2 Cor 2:11)

Harley Hitchcock

www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com

 



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