- To test the reliability of historical documents, historians examine the textual transmissions by which the documents reach us. They look at the number of manuscripts (copies), the consistency among manuscripts, and the time interval between the composition of the original work and the date of the earliest extant manuscripts. They can then determine the accuracy of the transmission.
- A vast number of biblical manuscripts have been discovered over time. Besides the great number of manuscripts, the fact that these biblical manuscripts agree with each other assures us that the Bible has not been altered over time.
- It is important to keep in mind that the ancient Hebrews regarded the Scripture as sacred text. Copyists, therefore, took extreme care in copying and storing the manuscripts. As a result, the manuscripts we have today are not casual copies, but faithful transmissions of the divine Word.
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