FABRICATIONS · INTERPOLATIONS
“Not Yet” Variant in John
Go ye up unto this feast: I go not yet up unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.
This variant changes Jesus’ statement about attending the feast. Early manuscripts lack “yet,” while later ones include it to reconcile Jesus’ later attendance. This small addition illustrates scribes resolving narrative tensions by editing the text. Recognizing such practices questions the notion of an unmodified, perfectly preserved Gospel.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The difference between “not” and “not yet” could be a scribal attempt to remove a perceived contradiction. It doesn’t change doctrine, just narrative clarity. Jesus still eventually goes, and the core message of His mission remains intact.
THE ISLAMIC POSITION
If scribes altered Jesus’ words to avoid contradictions, it shows they were willing to tamper with the text. Such interventions suggest that what we read may reflect later problem-solving rather than genuine accounts, raising doubts about Scripture’s historical accuracy.
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“Not Yet” Variant in John