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S i d e b a r
Questions Biblical Criticism Strives to Answer
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This Rock
Volume 16, Number 4
 April 2005 
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What Did the Original Author Mean?
The historical-critical method is a term that comprises many diverse disciplines within biblical studies. Some scholars therefore prefer the term biblical criticism. The primary function of the critical approach to the Bible is to determine, as accurately as possible, what the original author meant. Historical methods of biblical criticism also seek to determine "what actually happened." A particularly influential movement within biblical criticism, for example, is the "quest for the historical Jesus," an effort to determine what Jesus actually did and said.
Which Is the Most Authentic?
Textual criticism is the study of ancient manuscripts to determine the oldest and most authentic reading. Because scribes made mistakes and often added clarifying words or phrases to difficult passages, this requires a careful comparison of different manuscripts and a knowledge of the changes in writing styles over the centuries. For example, when Reformers set out to translate the King James Bible, they assumed that a Greek manuscript they possessed was ancient and therefore adopted the phrase "For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever" into the Lord’s Prayer. Later scholarship demonstrated that the manuscript was actually a late addition based on Eastern liturgical tradition.
What Traditions Influenced the Writer?
Source criticism aims to detect earlier traditions used by biblical authors. Luke 1:1–4 demonstrates that the evangelists, not all of whom were eyewitnesses to the events of Jesus’ life, relied on other sources. The most famous theory of source criticism is the Documentary Hypothesis, which usually holds that there are four different traditions at work in the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch). Pope John Paul II accepts parts of this hypothesis when he begins the "theology of the body" with a comparison of the creation story by the tradition known as "J" (because it refers to God as "YHWH," or "JWHW" in German translation) and the tradition known as "E" (which refers to God as "Elohim"). For more information, see "What Is the Documentary Hypothesis?" on page 14.
How Did They Use Their Sources?
Redaction criticism studies the ways biblical authors used earlier traditions. Most scholars believe, for example, that both Matthew and Luke had copies of the Gospel of Mark as their main source. But they changed certain details, the better to teach their own specific communities and to present their understanding of doctrine. For example, to see how the awareness of the privileged role of Mary begins to develop, read Mark 3:31–35 and then compare it to Matthew 12:46–50 and Luke 8:19–21. How did Matthew and Luke change Mark’s account? Why would they have done this? Luke adds the most material about Mary, presenting her as the ideal disciple for her receptivity toward God’s Son.
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