Bible Errors

QUESTION: Bible Errors – Other Scriptures Questioned by Ehrman

ANSWER:

The other four alleged Bible errors highlighted by Ehrman (Mark 1:41; Hebrews 2:9; John 1:18; and Matthew 24:36) have been considered inauthentic by some, but not all, New Testament textual scholars for the last few decades. Even if considered to be Bible errors, these are side issues, at best.

Mark 1:41
In the first chapter of Mark, a man with leprosy comes to Jesus and begs, "If you are willing, you can make me clean" (Mark 1:40). Jesus’ response it recorded in Mark 1:41 as follows:

Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"

The underlined section is an open issue. Based on a comparative study of the Greek fragments, some scholars believe “filled with compassion” should be replaced with “becoming angry.”

Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

The underlined section is an open issue. Based on a comparative study of the Greek fragments, some scholars believe “by the grace of God” should be replaced with “apart from God.”

John 1:18

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

The underlined section is an open issue. Based on textual studies, some scholars maintain that “God the One and Only” should be replaced with “the One and Only Son” or “the Only Begotten Son.”

Matthew 24:36

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

The underlined section is an open issue. “Nor the Son” is not included in many early manuscripts. This fact is now footnoted in most current translations.