1633年之前,西方并没有“公认文本”这个称呼。1633年,出版商爱思唯尔叔侄二人(博纳文图尔·爱思唯尔与亚伯拉罕·爱思唯尔)在其出版的希腊语新约前言中用拉丁语写道:“Textum ergo habes, nunc ab omnibus receptum: in quo nihil immutatum aut corruptum damus”,翻译成中文是:“你手上的文本现在是公认的,其内没有任何错误。”人们从这句话中摘出了“公认文本”一词[10]。随着时间的推移,"公认文本"这个名称甚至被追溯性地用于指称伊拉斯谟的版本,因为他的版本构成了后续其他版本的基础。
由于中世纪教会的一些习俗与信念是建立在武加大译本之上的,所以许多天主教人士对伊拉斯谟出版希腊语新约感到惶恐,他们纷纷批评伊拉斯谟的做法。一些天主教人士认为武加大译本是默示的。伊拉斯谟的一个朋友多尔坡(Maarten van Dorp)说,如果武加大圣经“在任何地方与希腊语抄本不一致,我就与希腊语说再见了,我还是相信我的拉丁语圣经”[8]。但改教家对伊拉斯谟出版希腊语新约则大感欣喜[28]。伊拉斯谟出版的希腊语新约被抗罗宗使用,推动了宗教改革的发展。
此外,伯坚(英语:John Burgon)(John William Burgon,1813 – 1888)、米勒(Edward Miller,1825-1901)、希尔斯(Edward F. Hills,1912–1981)也为公认文本的优越性做了辩护。但伯坚和米勒均认为,尽管公认文本优于亚历山大文本,但在某些地方仍需要根据拜占庭文本的抄本传统进行修正。希尔斯不同意他们的观点。
从16世纪到今天,这处经文的真实性一直受到争议。很多学者参与了争论,激烈辩论这节经文到底存在不存在原文中。大科学家牛顿对此也有深入研究。他在1690年发表的一篇论文《两个著名的篡改经文的历史记录》(An Historical Account of Two Notable Corruptions of Scripture) 中总结了以往的历史研究,并说自己相信这节经文是在第四或第五世纪被人有意或无意加入到拉丁文圣经中的,那个时候教会充满了败坏的事情。他说:
^A P. S. Allen, H. M. Allen, and H. W. Garrod, eds., Opus epistolarum Des. Erasmi Roterodami, 12 vols. (Oxford 1906–58), 2:226
^W. W. Combs, Erasmus and the textus receptus, DBSJ 1 (Spring 1996), 45.
^Aland, Kurt; M. Welte; B. Köster; K. Junack (1994). Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments. Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter. p. 95. ISBN 3-11-011986-2.
^Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose; Edward Miller (1894). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament 1 (4 ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. p. 200.
^Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose; Edward Miller (1894). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament 2 (4 ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. pp. 189–190.
^ 8.08.1W. W. Combs, Erasmus and the textus receptus, DBSJ 1 (Spring 1996).
^Scrivener’s Preface To The TR, First Edition 1881, Reprinted 1881 (twice), 1883, 1884, 1886, 1890, 1894, 1908. 斯克里夫纳写道:In considering what text had the best right to be regarded as “the text presumed to underlie the Authorised Version,” it was necessary to take into account the composite nature of the Authorised Version, as due to successive revisions of Tyndale’s translation.
^Westcott & Hort vs. Textus Receptus: Which is Superior? (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) "What is perhaps the strongest argument in favor of the Westcott-Hort text vis-a-vis the textus receptus, is the fact that it has firm support from the oldest extant Greek manuscripts, plus the earliest of the versions or translations, as well as the early Christian writers of the 2nd through 4th centuries. Age of manuscripts is probably the most objective factor in the process of textual criticism.
^An Inquiry into the Integrity of the Greek Vulgate, or Received Text of the New Testament; in which the Greek Manuscripts are newly classed; the Integrity of the Authorised Text vindicated; and the Various Readings traced to their Origin (London, 1815), ch. 1. The sequel mentioned in the text is Nolan's Supplement to an Inquiry into the Integrity of the Greek Vulgate, or Received Text of the New Testament; containing the Vindication of the Principles employed in its Defence (London, 1830).
^Edward F. Hills, King James Version Defended!, pp. 199–200.
^Edward F. Hills, King James Version Defended!, pp. 209–213.