After the death of the apostles, grace teachings fell into disfavor. The vast majority of teachers proclaimed that eternal salvation could be lost if the believer did not do enough good works. This lasted until the Reformation. After the Reformation, many more taught the necessity of good works from another angle. They said that if one did not do enough good works, he was never saved in the first place. Free Grace theology has opposed such works-based systems, even though these systems have had the overwhelming support of most Bible teachers.
This simply shows that the majority can be wrong. We shouldn’t accept something just because most scholars promote it. We should study the Scriptures. If the Word of God differs from the majority, we should not be afraid to challenge the status quo.
If you attend seminary, you will discover that the majority of Biblical scholars agree that the Critical Text of the NT, which is found in the oldest manuscripts, most accurately reflects the original manuscripts. The Majority Text, based upon the majority of manuscripts, is often ridiculed. Few support the Majority Text. This issue is not as important as the distortion of the gospel of eternal life, but it is another example of how we should not fear to swim against the stream if the evidence leads us to do so.
This week, I was looking at a textual problem. In the Critical Text, Romans ends in chapter 16 with verses 25-27. In the Majority Text, those verses are found at the end of chapter 14. Where did Paul put these verses when he wrote Romans?
It can get complicated any time we discuss textual criticism. In this case, the Critical Text also omits 16:24, while the Majority Text includes it. In 16:24, Paul says, “The grace of Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” That is where the book ends in the Majority Text. The Critical Text adds verses 25-27.
There are some very good reasons to accept the Majority Text here, even though most Greek scholars reject it. First, it is found in the majority of Greek manuscripts! Second, those three verses fit perfectly at the end of chapter 14. Paul is talking about how Christians should treat one another in the church. He says that we should be merciful and look out for the well-being of other believers. The words found in 16:25-27 in the Critical Text fit the context of chapter 14 perfectly. Third, the other five times Paul puts the words—“The grace of Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”—those were the very last words of his letter (Gal 6:18; Phil 4:23; I The 5:28; II The 3:18; Phm 4:23).
Fourth, these verses do not fit the ending of the letter. In these verses, Paul says that God can “establish” the believers at Rome. Paul was telling them to do things that are difficult to do. They might not want to do them or think that they can. But God can enable them. He also talks about the mystery of the church and their need to obey Paul’s teachings, which come from God. These verses do not fit the context of chapter 16, where Paul greets various people in the church.
The evidence suggests that an early scribe omitted 16:24 and then moved the words in 14:24-26 to the end of the book.
If you take a class in Greek at any large seminary, you might hesitate to make such an argument. You would definitely be in the minority. You would probably not be seen as a serious scholar. You might be intimidated into not stating your case. You shouldn’t be. It sure seems like the evidence would be on your side.
The majority can be wrong. For centuries, it has been wrong regarding the message of grace. Maybe it is when it comes to Rom 16:25-27 as well.
