The original documents of Scripture are referred to as which term?

The original documents of Scripture are referred to as which term?

• A. Autographs
• B. Manuscripts
• C. Scrolls
• D. Codices

Answer: (A)

The main point is distinguishing the original writings from later copies in biblical textual criticism. The original documents themselves are called autographs — they’re the writings as the authors themselves produced them. The term autograph literally means “written by the author.” Since these originals rarely survive, what we commonly study are copies made by scribes over time, which are known as manuscripts. Scrolls and codices describe the physical formats of those copies (scrolls being ancient roll formats, codices being book-like collections), but they are not the original writings themselves. So autographs are the best term to designate the authors’ original submissions, while manuscripts, scrolls, and codices refer to later copies or formats.

The main point is distinguishing the original writings from later copies in biblical textual criticism. The original documents themselves are called autographs — they’re the writings as the authors themselves produced them. The term autograph literally means “written by the author.” Since these originals rarely survive, what we commonly study are copies made by scribes over time, which are known as manuscripts. Scrolls and codices describe the physical formats of those copies (scrolls being ancient roll formats, codices being book-like collections), but they are not the original writings themselves. So autographs are the best term to designate the authors’ original submissions, while manuscripts, scrolls, and codices refer to later copies or formats.