Tim walks us through the key contributors of getting the Bible into English and why they faced resistance. We also discuss why some early Christian writings are not included in our Bibles. Lastly, we look at the hurdles translators have to work through.  

• Apostolic Fathers: A reference to a specific set of Christian writings composed during the late first to early second centuries CE. Manuscripts of these works, including the Didache, The Shepherd of Hermas, 1 Clement, and Epistle of Barnabas are commonly found alongside canonical NT writings, indicating they were widely read in early christianity, but not necessarily viewed as Scripture.
• Canon: from the Greek word meaning “measure, standard,” in biblical studies this refers to the collection of books regarded as inspired Scripture by Christians. For Protestants, this means the sixty-six books in most Bibles.
• Codex: A collection of manuscripts bound together in a form similar to modern-day books. Evidence indicates early Christians preferred this format over traditionally scrolls.
• Coptic: the language of Egypt prevalent during the first few centuries of the Christian era.
• Dead Sea Scrolls: refers broadly to the collections of texts discovered in the mid-twentieth century around the ancient city of Qumran. These include biblical books, theological treatises, and community rules. The biblical manuscripts represent the oldest existing witnesses of the OT, dated primarily between 200 BCE and 100 CE. 
• New Testament Apocrypha: A broad term referring to several early Christian writings which were not, and rightly so, deemed as canonical Scripture including works such as the Gospel of Peter, Acts of Paul, and the Apocalypse of Thomas. Although not authoritative or inspired, these works provide insight into the multi-faceted developments in early Christian theology.
• Old Testament Apocrypha: A collection of Jewish historical and theological writings composed primarily during the period between the OT and NT. They are not viewed as Scripture by Protestant Christians, but are useful for understanding Judaism during the Second Temple and NT periods.
• Pseudepigrapha: meaning “falsely written,” these apocalyptic, theological, and often messianic, Jewish writings were composed during the Second Temple period and generally ascribe their authorship to long-dead OT persons even though there was no real expectation by the authors for their audiences to accept this authorship. 
• Septuagint: often abbreviated LXX, this is a term used to describe Greek translations of the OT made generally between 250 BE and 100 CE.
• Textus Receptus: Latin for “received text,” this refers to a Greek NT compiled and revised primarily during the sixteenth century. It is the base Greek NT text for the KJV and NKJV.

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In the final episode of our series, Might Be Different, Tim and Bryan elaborate on questions received from you over the past five episodes. Topics of discussion include fellowship, early Christian writings, and church leadership in Acts 15.

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During Christmas and Easter, one might notice a lack of emphasis on these holidays in our worship service, building decor, or general activities. In this episode, we explain why this congregation does not celebrate these as religious observances. This discussion will also consider whether liberties are permissive when the text is silent.

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During his last Passover with his disciples, Jesus instituted a special memorial utilizing bread and fruit of the vine. Today’s study will cover the different titles and purposes of this special meal. We will also discuss two questions: what does the phrase “breaking bread” mean in Acts, and how is the Lord’s Supper connected to the first day of the week?

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A question everyone should ask is, “Am I saved?” In this episode, we will discuss baptism’s connection to salvation. First, we will explore what the word means and how first-century Christians viewed it. Then, we will discuss why baptism is important and a necessary response to God today.

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In the second episode of our first series, we explore congregational singing. We examine some scriptures about the purposes of singing. In addition, we discuss the absence of instruments in our worship service based on the biblical text and evidence from early Christianity.

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On our first official episode, we dive into church leadership. We will examine how the text describes church leaders’ titles, requirements, and responsibilities. Lastly, we will discuss what we do not know and how this should impact what we do today.

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Our new podcast to encourage and equip people to interact with the Bible is called “Text Support.” In this bonus episode, our hosts, Tim Martin and Bryan LeMasters, lay out the purpose and goals of this resource. They also share insight into who they are and what led them to be ministers here at Mt. Juliet Church of Christ.

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