I beg you--don't teach it as if it's in the Bible. Go into the history of the pericope, textual criticism in general, and how people like Bart Ehrman use it to destroy the faith of naive Christians. Please, please don't teach it as Biblical.

This comes down to one's philosophy of bible crafting. I hold that while the story may have been a later insertion, that in a vague way, the insertion was governed by God, or at least accepted by Him.

Same thing with the insertion of 1st Cor 11:2-16. While it is likely it is an insertion by the very people Paul was writing to, we Canonized it.

I trust in the Holy Spirit during the canonization process. What God wants there is there.

Thoughts?

I plan to teach on John 8, and ending of Mark 16 and 1 John 5:7 - and simply say these are not in the oldest manuscripts. Most scholars - Christian and non-believers agree that these were probably added later by some good meaning scribe.

I like Henry's take on it. If the Christian God exists, then he truly is in Control of whatever we have in the Bible so - like it or not - the Word of God is in our Bibles.

I wonder how high schoolers will take the news that some stories might have been added later. Some students will probably space out during the lesson so they might never know what I'll be talking about... some other ones might care enough to follow up and read the foot notes in their Bibles. We shall see.

If the Christian God exists, then he truly is in Control of whatever we have in the Bible so - like it or not - the Word of God is in our Bibles.

The problem with this statement is it begs the question of what is "our Bibles"?

By definition, if it doesn't contain God's word, it's not our Bible. Thus, we can confidently say the New World Translation is not our Bible. So, the statement is really just tautological.

Also, I would add that very few hold to the view that God, if He exists, would control the transmission of the text so that no variants creep in. That is the Ehrman line of reasoning when he builds his straw man. IMO, you should be careful to distinguish between "contains God's word" (at least in the manuscript tradition) and "has no variants".

I agree that God's word is contained (tenaciously) in the translations we generally refer to as "good" ones (no, I'm not including The Message), but they also clearly contain other stuff added later, as you well know. Whether or not the stuff added later is God's word is a different matter. What's important is that you teach the WHOLE truth.

I wonder how high schoolers will take the news that some stories might have been added later. Some students will probably space out during the lesson so they might never know what I'll be talking about... some other ones might care enough to follow up and read the foot notes in their Bibles. We shall see.

Better to hear it in church so they don't think someone was tricking them when they hear it from a college professor :)

all in all, if it were up to me, I would seriously just highlight the verses that everybody agrees are not original and simply said that. Then tell people how they got there - or what likely happen.

Unfortunately - this might work best at a class room setting than at a church -- especially when you're just a 'volunteer' rather than the lead pastor.

My real hope would be that students would feel challenged and would start asking me questions about it so that we could get really in depth and watch some stuff or listen to stuff but they just aren't into it.

Unfortunately - this might work best at a class room setting than at a church -- especially when you're just a 'volunteer' rather than the lead pastor.

I think you've hit on the problem. This sort of thing should be happening in the local church.

my pastor is pretty good about teaching about this... I think he just has a concern with my ability to communicate this to a young crowd. Especially when you don't get this back and forth we get in this blog for example where you clarify ideas and stuff.
I do have to be tactful and word it accordingly -- but sometimes I just go for the kill :-) Seriously though - you do have to make sure what you're saying resonates with the students and they understand it. I'm sure we all had teachers that we were like - what's this guy talking about?

Seriously though - you do have to make sure what you're saying resonates with the students and they understand it.

As long as you distinguish between "resonate" and tell "them what their itching ears want to hear"...

I'm sure we all had teachers that we were like - what's this guy talking about?

Yes. That was the guy we hated at the time, but whom we now refer to as "the best teacher I ever had."

As an aside, who is our model for teaching? Christ? His sheep (the elect) hear His voice, and those not of His flock hear foolishness. I try to keep that in mind when teaching.