Chapter 3 - Erik Cooper

The author gets it right early in this chapter, when he describes the correct determination of scriptural canon as being of "utmost importance". As Christians, we base our lives on the Bible as the word of God, so it is critical that we have the correct text. I found the historical information to be very interesting, as I have not ready much about this subject. I have faith that the books in our Bible are that which God intended, so I don't have much to say here.

One part that the author did not discuss is the importance of accurate translations. I don't know Greek or Hebrew (and I assume that is true for most of the people reading this), so I rely on the wisdom of trained interpreters who have translated the original texts into English. The good news is that (even though there are a variety of translations on the market) most translations say generally the same thing. This provides some comfort for the majority of Christians who are dependent on these translations.
It is interesting, though, to examine differences in various translations. Some are very accurately translated while some are more of a paraphrase. I tend to prefer the more literal translations (I have a New American Standard that I really like), but easier-to-read translations can be great tools to make the scriptures available to a wide audience. I do have some concerns about the paraphrased versions. For example, take John 1:14
NASB: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Message: The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

To me, "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood." just does not have the same ring, or even quite the same meaning. This is not to say that translations such as The Message are without value, but that we should apply caution when we read a translation that risks changing the meaning in order to increase readability.