Actually, no. The oldest manuscripts have not been edited.
Here's the sequence I find sufficient for me:
- I have satisfactory evidence that I know exactly what Jesus followers wrote.
- Their testimony is credible to me for a variety of reasons.
- They tell me that Jesus provided them with "many convincing proofs"
- I believe the proofs they documented... Hence I believe Jesus is God in human form and that his words are therefore absolutely authoritative.
- Jesus told his followers that they would have spiritual help in recording the truth.
- Jesus told them that the Old Testament Scriptures "cannot be broken" and should be believed - validating them as authoritative up to His time. I have the Dead Sea Scrolls proving that the Old Testament accounts did not change over the next 2000 years.
- The disciples testified that "all Scripture is inspired by God"
- Give these facts, I make one assumption. If all that is true, then it's pretty clear that Jesus wants us to rely on the Scriptures and is actively, supernaturally, working to preserve them.
Anyhow, that's what works for me. You may have a different process.
In this thread, all I'm saying is that God is NOT going to give you perfect proof for good and sufficient reasons. You'll just have to get over that if you want the shot of life-giving antibiotics He is offering you. Do you apply your same skepticism when your doctor says you need a shot? Will you refuse that shot because taking it would be an appeal to authority? Do you require the AMA to show up a brief you on all the evidence that the shot is necessary, safe and effective? If not, why not?
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.…
An Appeal to Authority does not mean you should not listen. It simply is NOT logical proof of anything. You cannot say because SO AND SO said this it must be true.
What someone says does not prove anything other than they said words and that they MAY believe what they said. People lie, so it can't even be proven that they meant it.
So an APPEAL TO AUTHORITY by no means is telling you the person is wrong. It simply means that because they said it does not make it TRUE.
You still have to use some common sense, quickly analyze probabilities (instinctively) based upon the knowledge you have an make a decision.
There is older scripture than that by the way. How far back have you gone?
EDIT: And I did up vote you. This is not intended as an attack of any kind. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I've actually had people tell me those exact things in verbal discussions with priests. Yes, I am friends with priests. Lutheran, Presbyterrian, Catholic. I was Director of IT at a Hospice and I'd sit and chat with those three priests daily at lunch. They were some of my closest friends there.
That's good to hear.
My point has been I'm not trying to prove anything.
In fact, God does not intend to offer proof to anyone except a few chosen witnesses.
Because he specifically wants to leave room for people to walk away.
If he wanted there to be proof he would move planets around to different orbits every day or give the Chicago Cubs a World Series or something else that violates the laws of physics like that.