How Ancient Texts Shape Biblical Understanding | Dr. Ben Witherington III

Dr. Witherington explains how Christianity's historical roots make manuscripts, oral tradition, and material culture vital to our faith. Discover how texts were written, copied, and read aloud in ancient time, and why understanding the context of scripture is crucial for interpreting the Bible today. Learn about early codices, sacred abbreviations, literacy in the New Testament era, and the transition from scroll to book. Asbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational graduate school equipping students for ministry and leadership in the Wesleyan tradition. It offers master's and doctoral degrees in theology, ministry, counseling, and missiology. Links: Website https://asburyseminary.edu/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AsburySeminary/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/asburyseminary Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@asburyseminary Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction & Green Collection 01:28 Why Artifacts and Archaeology Matter 03:28 Alexander the Great & Literacy in the Ancient World 08:07 Oral Tradition, Greek Language, and Biblical Culture 09:44 Manuscripts, Sacred Names & Early Gospel Texts 13:25 Codices, Gospel Fragments & Christian Bookmaking 17:28 How Papyrus Was Made & Used 21:37 Scribes, Writing Tools & Female Copyists 24:17 Ancient Education & Libraries 28:20 Gospel Labels, Scrolls & the Fourfold Tradition 31:41 Public Readers & "Let the Reader Understand" 34:32 Chapters, Verses & the Work of Stephen Langton 37:24 Oral Nature of Scripture & Final Reflections