How the Bible Was Copied, Preserved, and Passed Down

Having considered the inspiration and canonization of Scripture, it is necessary to examine its transmission throughout history. The prophets and apostles wrote the various books of the Bible long before the invention of the printing press or any mechanical means of reproduction. The question, then, is how these ancient writings have been preserved and passed down to us today.This, once again, is a story of divine providence. Even in ordinary experience, documents can be lost despite multiple safeguards and backups. Yet portions of the biblical text, some of which were written more than three thousand years ago, remain widely available and accessible.To state the matter plainly, the original writings of Scripture, known as the autographs, no longer exist. Not a single document penned by the biblical authors has survived. This raises an important question: Why did God not preserve the autographs? He could have ensured their survival. He could have had them inscribed on more durable…