Steven, et al: Obviously I am not as well-read in the area of textual criticism as you are apparently. Perhaps some (or all!) of my metaphors and selections for comparisons are deficient; that doesn't discount the fact that there are, at least in my opinion, clear parallels between many earthly/ritualistic practices and spiritual fulfillments. In this case, I intend to explore more fully:

Code:

	 God the Father
      	       |
       God the Holy Ghost/Spirit
           /       \
Human (Mary)        Human (Book writers)
    |			 |
Jesus, the Living   The Holy Scriptures
  Word		     The Written Word
   |  			|
Apostles (Copies     First Copies to
of the Original:      the Churches         - Conjecture
Jesus)	            (Copies of the Original)
   |			|
Disciples	  Copies of the Copies   - Conjectures
   |			|
Gentile Disciples    Translations?	-  Conjectures

There is clearly a parallel in the root, and I don't believe this to be an accident, but of design, by our infinitely creative Lord and God Himself. As for the other conjectures, or expansions, of the metaphor, they are just that: conjectures on my part, based on what appears to be truth in the parallels above. What I have noticed is that nobody has successfully attacked the basis for the parallel/metaphor itself, but only my conjectures.