What is the Codex Sinaiticus?

It's a story that every serious God fearing believer must know if he desires to know the authenticity of our present Bible. There has been Tares sowed among the Wheat (Mat. 13:25), it's up to us to know truth from the lies!

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. - John 10:27, 28

Discovery of Codex Sinaiticus

Codex Sinaiticus is Bible Manuscript supposedly discovered in 1844 by a 'bible scholar' Constantin Tishendorf when he went on a journey to Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula. Codex Sinaiticus is written in Greek - both the Old and New Testament, the Old Testament was taken from the Septuagint.

Tishendorf wrote about his discovery in his book Reise in den Orient published in 1846, he said that he saw some old parchments of Bible texts in a big basket about to be burned in the Monastery's oven. He asked the Monks if he could have them - and they allowed him to take one third of the parchments only, he took it and immediately to the King of Saxony (now called Leipzig in Germany) in 1844. This first piece of material was named as Codex Frederico-Augustanus.

St. Catherine's Monastery has denied Constantin Tischendorf's claim of the discovery of parchments in the basket destined for fire. Tischendorf years later went to the Monastery and brought more of it.

In my extensive study about the origin and background of the Codex Sinaiticus several claims of Constantin Tischendorf fail and he is found to be a not so trust worthy person. We cover this aspect in our Theology course (starting in couple of months), and possibly conduct a separate course on this subject. But for now, let us know a little more about the Sinaiticus.

How old is it?

Well no body knows! Yes, because Sinaiticus parchments have never been scientifically tested or dated like any other ancient text! No one was allowed to even view it. There was a dating scheduled in 2015 but it was 'canceled.' Thank God at least recently every page is photographed and published online so we can look at the pictures.

All the 'experts' set the date to be around 350 AD, but how? They say because of the way the pages were designed - four columns continuous texts. Nothing more. You just have to believe them! Is it dated only based on the "appearance" of the pages? Yes and they're the experts!

You will find out Sinaiticus was faked in the 18th century and how they projected it to public as 'the most reliable bible text ever'! 

White pages turned Yellow

The next year after Tischendorf visited St. Catherine's Monastery, a Russian Orthodox religious official Porfiry Uspensky visited the Monastery in 1845 and wrote that the pages were "WHITE." He visited again in 1850 it was white in color.

In 1910, the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics: Bible in the Church said the Sinaiticus was a "wonderfully fine snow white parchment" (source: Is the World's Oldest Bible a Fake - David Daniels).

But in 1862 Constantin Tischendorf published the Sinaiticus, he himself described the color as "sufflava" a word in Latin for 'Yellowed.'

Here are all the pages of the Sinaiticus compiled into a massive collage, see some parts are White and other Yellow:

Pages of Codex Sinaiticus collage showing white and yellow differences. Source: sinaiticus.net

What is the confusion. Some saw it White some describe it as 'yellowed,' a thorough study of these writing of people who saw it in different places (the manuscript were kept in four different locations even today) whichever Constantin Tischendorf had control over the manuscript was darkened. The CFA (codex Fredrico-Augustanus) remained white even today! See the above collage of the pages some parts are white! Those white parts were not in Tischendorf's hands! That means Tischendorf or someone he knew had darkened it to make it look old. More on this in the Theology course! Any questions please contact me.

No Doctrines Changed?

That's what the 'Experts' or the 'theologians' say, there's not much changes.

EXCEPT, of course the following:

There is no Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Gospel of Mark is said to be the very first gospel ever. That means when it comes to interpreting scriptures, any doctrinal changes to Gospel of Mark will affect the entire doctrines of christianity and alter Christian faith entirely, and guess what - Codex Sinaitius has no resurrection of Jesus Christ in Mark 16:9-20.

What does that mean? It means the other places resurrection is mentioned are considered 'latter additions.' The latter additions are dismissed by Text Critics - Theologians and Greek Experts. Many such greek experts after thorough study of Codex Sinaiticus started to denounce the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and are spreading their disbelief full time to students of theology.

See 2nd column Mark 16 resurrection verses are missing

Ascension of Jesus Christ removed

Besides removing Resurrection of Jesus from Mark 16, the Codex Sinaiticus has removed the ascension of Jesus in Luke 24:51. The ascension in Luke 24:51 is marked as a side note on top of the page. Is that Scripture? or is it not? There is confusion on 'what part of the texts are scripture?'

The other only place in the Gospels Ascension is recorded is in Mark 16:19 which they've removed completely along with the resurrection account. So according to Sinaiticus Jesus did not ascend into heaven. 

So much contradictions to original Texts

There are numerous contradictions to this newly 'discovered' most controversial book yet most theologians claim (without seeing and without any proof) that this is the oldest and best ever bible available. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus (it's another mystery codex) are just one single copy each but both tamper the Christian belief greatly.

• Deny the deity of Jesus Christ
• Create a confusion of 'what is the scriptural text?' Anyone can interpret as they like, like any other mystery religions with no definite beliefs.
  
• Never been tested
• It's a faked 'ancient codex' of the 19th century.
  

All Bibles translated after Sinaiticus was published is based on Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus

All bible translations such as the NASB, NIV, NLT, and a host of others including the Tamil, Hindi, etc were translated from these two texts. This is why we have so much differences in Salvation doctrine, endtime prophesies, and many other important teachings. God has given us His written Word the Textus Receptus from which King James version was translated into English. God has preserved His Word in KJV so let us not waver at this humongous deception satan has brought.

How is that in our present NASBs and NIVs (and all other Sinaiticus versions) we still have the resurrection account of Codex Sinaiticus doesn't have it? Well, only that part translators have taken from other manuscripts and fill it - BUT with a sidenote/ footnote saying, "this passage is missing in the original text." This footnote is enough to discredit the doctrine. Little by little the bible publishers are removing those verses that are not in the Sinaiticus. That means soon all those filled in texts they got from other manuscripts will be deleted and Christianity will be powerless. Those who hold on to these deceptive versions will soon end up full of doubts. 

Why depend on Sinaiticus and Vaticanus?

There is no reason, there are hundreds and thousands of IDENTICAL, tested ancient manuscripts that Christians followed throughout the ages for 1900 years! Until these two showed up suddenly everyone started to make new bibles based on these two (only two) manuscripts.

The fact the 'theologians' or the 'experts' rely on these two codices WITHOUT seeing or testing them are astounding. They claim there's no doctrinal changes, but the core of Christian faith is changed.

May the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and lead you into all truth!

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

- John 10:27, 28