The Preservation of Scripture

The Preservation of Scripture According to the Westminster Confession of Faith: In the Original Languages, Not in Translation

Introduction

The Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), completed in 1646, remains one of the most respected theological standards in Reformed Christianity. Its view on the preservation of Scripture is often misunderstood or misrepresented—particularly in contemporary debates about textual variants, manuscript traditions, and Bible translations.

This article aims to clarify what the WCF teaches about the preservation of Scripture. It contends that the WCF asserts that God has preserved His Word in the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), not in any one translation. It further suggests that this preservation is providential across the wide array of extant manuscripts, including both Alexandrian and Byzantine text-types. This thesis will be supported with reference to the original wording of the WCF, historical-theological context, and modern scientific evidence from the field of textual criticism.

1. The Westminster Confession on the Original Languages

WCF Chapter 1, Paragraph 8 states:

“The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical...”

This statement affirms three key ideas:

1. The original Hebrew and Greek texts were inspired by God.

2. These original texts—not translations—have been kept pure through God’s providence.

3. They alone are authoritative for doctrine and translation.

Critically, the WCF does not say any particular manuscript or translation (such as the KJV) is perfect or inspired. It places the focus of preservation on the languages and textual tradition as a whole, not on any specific textual line.

2. Preservation Does Not Mean Perfect Copies

The phrase "kept pure in all ages" has often been taken to mean that God maintained a perfect manuscript with zero scribal errors at all times. But the divines who wrote the WCF lived in a time when many manuscript variants were already known.

For example, Francis Turretin (1623–1687), a leading Reformed theologian contemporary with the Westminster Assembly, acknowledged textual variants yet affirmed the essential purity of the text:

"Although the original text of Scripture has come down to us with some minor variants, it has not lost its authority or integrity, because those variants do not affect doctrine." (Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Vol. 1)

Thus, "kept pure" is understood as preserved from corruption in essential content, not from every copyist’s error.

3. Preservation Across Text Types: Alexandrian, Byzantine, and Others

In the past two centuries, thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament have been discovered and cataloged. These manuscripts fall into broad textual "families," primarily:

• Alexandrian text-type (e.g., Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus)

• Byzantine text-type (majority of later manuscripts)

• Western and Caesarean types (less common)

All these text-types are witnesses to the original Greek New Testament. While they contain variant readings, over 85–90% of the NT text is agreed upon across all traditions. The differences are mostly minor (e.g., word order, spelling, synonyms), and none of them affect any core doctrine of the Christian faith.

This remarkable consistency is scientific proof of what the WCF claims: by God’s providence, the Word of God has been “kept pure” in the original languages, even though we no longer possess the original autographs.

Textual criticism, the science of comparing manuscripts to reconstruct the original text, has confirmed that:

• Earlier manuscripts (like those in the Alexandrian family) tend to be shorter and less harmonized.

• Later manuscripts (especially Byzantine) sometimes contain additions for clarity or devotion, but rarely introduce false doctrine.

• All major textual traditions affirm core doctrines: the deity of Christ, the Trinity, salvation by grace, etc.

This data refutes any claim that one textual family (such as Byzantine or Alexandrian) alone contains the true text. God’s Word is preserved across the manuscript tradition—not isolated in a single stream.

4. Translations Are Useful, But Not Infallible

The WCF continues:

“...so as, in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them [the Hebrew and Greek texts]. But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God... they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation...”

This clarifies that:

• Translations are important for edification and teaching.

• However, translations do not carry the same authority as the original texts.

• In doctrinal matters, the final appeal must be to the original Hebrew and Greek, not to any one translation like the KJV or Luther Bible.

This directly refutes modern teachings such as Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) or KJV-Onlyism, which argue that one translation (usually the KJV) is “perfect” and divinely preserved. Such views contradict the WCF’s insistence that only the original language texts were “kept pure in all ages.”

5. Scientific and Historical Support for the Confession’s View

A. Manuscript Abundance

• Over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament survive today.

• Over 10,000 Latin manuscripts, plus thousands in Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, and other languages.

• This vast wealth of textual evidence allows us to compare and reconstruct the original wording with over 99% accuracy.

B. Early Church Fathers

The patristic writings from the 2nd to 5th centuries quote the Bible so extensively that one could reconstruct almost the entire New Testament from their citations alone. These citations reflect both Alexandrian and Byzantine readings.

C. Modern Textual Criticism

Critical editions like the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament and the Tyndale House Greek New Testament represent the best efforts of scholars to sift through the evidence and recover the most original readings. Their method reflects the very providential preservation the WCF describes.

Conclusion

The Westminster Confession’s assertion that the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures were "kept pure in all ages" does not mean every copy was perfect, but that God preserved His Word through the multiplicity of manuscripts. The Alexandrian, Byzantine, and other traditions collectively ensure that the true text is accessible.

Thus, the Westminster divines’ position aligns with both Reformed theology and modern textual scholarship, affirming that God has providentially preserved His Word in the original languages across all ages.

The Westminster Confession of Faith affirms that God has preserved His Word in the original languages—not in any one translation or manuscript. This preservation has taken place providentially, through the faithful transmission of Scripture across centuries and languages.

While manuscripts differ in minor details, the essential content of the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament has been preserved. The Alexandrian, Byzantine, and other manuscript traditions all contribute to our understanding of the original text. This is not a weakness but a testimony to the sovereign care of God over His Word.

Thus, rather than idolizing one textual family or translation, we should thank God for the rich manuscript tradition we possess and the ongoing scholarly efforts that allow us to read the Bible with confidence today—just as the Westminster divines intended.

Recommended Reading:

• Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1

• Bruce Metzger, The Text of the New Testament

• Michael Kruger, Canon Revisited

• Peter Gurry & Elijah Hixson, Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism