Dr. Ehrman, about 1 John 5:7 in King James Version “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
In the New Revised Standard Version, it is omitted. How do Christians see this? Do you think they see that the verse has been omitted as an addition, as a forgery or do they just stick to the version they have?
Fundamentalists think it’s original and most other Christians think there’s a later edition.
I remember reading Professor Bruce Metzger who said that the most ancient manuscript that had this verse as I mean dates back to the 16th century and it was considered as a textual errata. So my question is: How do Christians still justify believing in the Trinity?
Because the doctrine of the Trinity isn’t based on a single verse.
It’s not?
No, the doctrine of the Trinity isn’t based on a single verse. There aren’t any Christian doctrines that are just based on a verse. Christian doctrines are based on looking at the wide range of authorities. So the doctrine of the Trinity is because there are places where you have the Father, the Son and Spirit that are mentioned like in Matthew 19:28. And there are passages that show that Christ is God, and there are passages to show that the Spirit is God. And so if you’ve got Father, Son and Spirit and they’re all God…
So they just mix them up together?
They justify a monotheistic religion and develop a theology based on a wide range of biblical texts and not just on one verse.