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It is plain enough that this passage was unknown anciently to the Greek Churches; and some conjecture that it has been brought from some other place and inserted here. But as it has always been received by the Latin Churches, and is found in many old Greek manuscripts, and contains nothing unworthy of an Apostolic Spirit, there is no reason why we should refuse to apply it to our advantage.
Bruce, the problem with that question you ask is that it is based on man's thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc. that can err. It is a valid question, though shouldn't be the foundational question.
WCF 1:4: "The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God."
WCF 1.5: "...yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts."
WCF 1.10: "...the Holy Spirit speaking through Scripture."
"My sheep hear my voice, and they know me." -- The Good Shepherd
WCF 1.5: We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church... the heavenliness of the matter, ... the many other incomparable excellencies, ... whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion ... is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts."
from a review by Michael Kruger (RTS Charlotte): http://www.reltech.org/TC/v16/Keith2011rev.pdf
the structure and syntax resembles that of Luke quite a bit, and of John very little.
the structure and syntax resembles that of Luke quite a bit, and of John very little.
See the JETS article referenced earlier for a reply.
(from "Introduction to Criticism of the New Testament")When to all these sources of doubt, and to so many hostile authorities, is added the fact that in no portion of the N.T. do the variations of manuscripts (of D beyond all the rest) and of other documents bear any sort of proportion, whether in number or extent, to those in these twelve verses (of which statement full evidence may be seen in any collection of various readings), we cannot help admitting that if this section be indeed the composition of S. John, it has been transmitted to us under circumstances widely different from those connected with any other genuine passage of Scripture whatever.