That Codex B (Vaticanus), the adopted authority of all biblical scripture of Rome, was mysteriously ‘discovered’ in 1475 within the Vatican Archives, opens the door to the rational speculation of the truth and authoritative integrity of said codex. The Roman Church makes claim the Codex Vaticanus was first published in 300-305 A.D. There is no historical foundation which can be directed towards the origin of Codex B. There are no historical records or documents which can support the Church of Rome’s claims that this is the oldest scriptural text known to man. It is important to note there are significant differences between Codex B, the Codex Sinaticus and the Textus Receptus (Latin for “Received Text”) which is a Greek New Testament which provided the textual base for the vernacular translations of the Reformation Period. It was a printed text, not a hand-copied manuscript, created in the 15th century to fill the need for a textually accurate Greek New Testament.

 

With the rediscovery of Greek and its inception as the language of the people, the Latin Vulgate translation was subjected to a critical examination in comparison with the Greek original. Scholars discovered numerous mistranslations or outright errors in the Vulgate.  The study of biblical manuscripts is important as handwritten copies of books may easily contain errors. Textual criticism is the theological realm of study which attempts to reconstruct the original text of books, especially those published prior to the invention of the printing press. The Church of Rome for centuries has claimed to be the total authority on the Word of Elohim and their authority was long unchallenged as only nobles and scholars were literate and as in the Hebrew Tradition, the word of Elohim was delivered orally before the masses, leading to further distancing from the true written text in the ‘authority’ and foundations of the Church of Rome. Interestingly enough, there are few if any variations in the texts of Pentateuch or the Torah, foundation of the Tanakh, the complete Hebrew Bible. However, there are significant mistranslations of the Hebrew Text even among the Septuagint, Vulgate and Textus Recptus (‘received text’). These mistranslations have lead to a wide and varied understanding of scripture, a great deal of which is in error through mistranslations.

 

In the gathering of Antioch and at the gathering of the counsel of Florence, as well as Counsel at Nicaea,  the approved or finally canonized were books altered and chosen by the Church of Rome believing themselves to be the end all authority. If their claims held any validity at all, their authority may be rightly challenged in their veneration of Miriam (Mary) as co-intercessor with Ben Elohim (the Son of G-d), a clearly heretical and blasphemous exaltation of Miriam who in Latin and English translations note Miriam as a ‘virgin.  The truth is in the Original text of Isaiah employs the Hebrew word alamah, meaning young woman and not virgin. “Almah” occurs seven times in the Hebrew Scriptures (Genesis 24:43; Exodus 2:8; Psalm 68:25; Proverbs 30:19; Song of Solomon 1:3; 6:8; Isaiah 7:14). None of these instances demands the meaning “virgin,” but neither do they deny the possible meaning of “virgin.” There is no conclusive argument for “almah” in Isaiah 7:14 being either “young woman” or “virgin.”

 

It is conferred then, that the Greek Text (Septuagint) therefore employs the mistranslation ‘virgin’ rather than ‘young woman’ and the mistranslation has been accepted by those who do not know the Hebrew Scriptures in the native writings nor have knowledge of Hebrew tradition. Thusly, in Christianity, the continuing belief of a venerated intercessor by the name of The Virgin Mary who may intercede in the events of man and the holiness of Elohim, can fully be illustrated as ‘an adaptive mechanism’ of the Roman Church in their ignorance. This is but one of many examples which confound the meaning of scripture by method of mistranslation which continues to this day.

 

“For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” – {Matthew 18:11}