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How inserting chapter & verse markers changed the Bible

There were no chapter divisions in the Bible before the 13th century CE -- a Frenchman and professor at the University of Paris inserted them.  His name was Stephen Cardinal Langton, later archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1228).  The Scriptures were without chapter divisions for over 1,300 years after the books were written.

Another 300 years would pass before the chapters would be divided into verses.  The first phase took place in 1528 when Santes Pagnino, O.P., inserted verse markers in the Old Testament.  The second phase took place in 1551 when Robert Stephens published his Greek edition of the New Testament with verse markers.  

Most people begin and end their scripture readings at these markers. There are many examples in which the markers are clearly in the wrong place, thereby significantly affecting the contextual environment. Let’s assume you are watching what was created to be a 30 minute long television program, but someone inserted “the end” at the 22 minute mark. Then, what is supposed to be the next program actually begins with the last 8 minutes of the previous program and continues uninterrupted into the next program.

Chapter and verse markers act like “stop” and “yield” traffic signs. If they are placed in the wrong places they can completely change the messages of the ancient authors. One of the first examples is the first account of Genesis. The first account ends at Genesis 2:4a, not 1:31. By inserting the chapter break at 1:31 Langton chopped off the ending of the account, the Seventh Day, and attached it to the second account. Why did he separate the last day of creation from the other six days? How does the chapter break affect the message?


Another interesting example is found in John 9:1-7. Below is a standard translation:

1 Now as he passed by, he saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 "We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 When he had said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay with the spit; and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And he said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

The verse markers divide the message into segments that indicate that the man hadn’t been born blind because of any sin he committed. That should be obvious. How could he have committed a sin before he was born – unless you believe in reincarnation?  The context indicates that he wasn’t born blind because of any sin his parents had committed. The contextual meaning, as well as many sermons have stated, it was so "the works of God should be revealed in him." In other words, God made the man blind so Jesus could come by and heal him. This clearly raises a number of questions about God.

It should be pointed out that many punctuation marks have also been added that may affect the meaning of the message. Now let’s take another look at Jesus’ answer, except this time we will drop the verse markers and adjust the punctuation marks.

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But that the works of God should be revealed in him, we must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

See the difference? Jesus’ disciples assumed that every sick person was sick because of some sin they or their parents had committed. They were more focused on why the man was blind that helping him. Notice that Jesus’ focus was on healing the man.

Ignore the chapter and verse markers and allow the flow of the story to tell you when an account begins and ends.  Also pay attention to the punctuation marks, especially when something doesn’t sound right – like God making people blind so a miracle could be performed.

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