In fact, most of the changes found in early Christian manuscripts have nothing to do with theology or ideology. Far and away the most changes are the result of mistakes pure and simple slips of the pen, accidental omissions, inadvertent additions, misspelled words, blunders of one sort or another.
Bart D. EhrmanDifferent authors have different points of view. You can't just say, 'I believe in the Bible.
Bart D. EhrmanI have such a fantastic life that I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for it. . . . But I don't have anyone to express my gratitude to. This is a void deep inside me, a void of wanting someone to thank, and I don't see any plausible way of filling it.
Bart D. EhrmanIn terms of the historical record, I should also point out that there is no account in any ancient source whatsoever about King Herod slaughtering children in or around Bethlehem, or anyplace else. No other author, biblical or otherwise, mentions this event. Is it, like John's account of Jesus' death, a detail made up by Matthew in order to make some kind of theological point?
Bart D. EhrmanThe problem then with Jesus is that he cannot be removed from his time and transplanted into our own without simply creating him anew
Bart D. EhrmanIn Matthew, Jesus declares, โWhoever is not with me is against me.โ In Mark, he says,โWhoever is not against us is for us.โ Did he say both things? Could he mean both things? How can both be true at once? Or is it possible that one of the Gospel writers got things switched around?
Bart D. Ehrman