Misquoting Jesus

This was really fascinating, just had some repetitive moments.

The book describes the field of textual analysis, where biblical researchers go back through manuscripts to try and ascertain which sources for the New Testament are oldest and/or best based on variations in words and phrases.

It's incredibly cool. The entire chapter on the gospel of Mark was so intriguing. I read the first half of this book with Wikipedia open on my laptop so I could research all the apologists and heretics who are referenced.

I went to Catholic school and let me tell you, we never did anything like this. Every bit of the Bible we read was parceled out in isolation. I don't remember reading any part of the the NT in context to another, despite the fact that MMLJ share so much in common. In fact, I don't really remember understanding the context of why Paul and Timothy wrote all the letters they did.

It would have been a gripping history/historiography class.