This week’s class presentation will focus on seeing Jesus in the first eight books of the Bible. We will also continue to look at the first part of the apologetics acronym MAPS-S with some evidence for the reliability of transmission and translation of the Bible. For the Bible study portion of the class, we will study Judges chapters 3 through 5 by discussing the content and going deeper on some topics for those chapters. The website will post basic answers for the Bible study the week following the class for your review.

As Christians, it is more important than ever to know what we believe, and why we believe it, and then apply that to who we are on a consistent basis, and this can only be done effectively if we know what God’s Word teaches, especially the big picture that always points to Jesus!

All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, an “apologetics” presentation, and a Bible study section. You will find the presentation notes and Bible study survey format below. Basic answers to the Bible study will also be posted here during the week following the class for your review and to use as a future leader’s guide.

Watch this week’s class presentation:

2025 A Case for the Bible, The Story Continues

Presentation Notes

Review and Discuss

Prayer Cards: Do you have anyone that you are hoping to share what you are learning with? Write that person(s) name down on your prayer card along with any other prayer request you might have (exchange with your table group at the end of the evening).

1. Where is Jesus in the first five books of the Bible (Give the main tag line: Jesus is…)?

2. Memory Verse: Recite Genesis 3:15

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

SEEING JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Review “Where’s Jesus” in the first five books of the Bible, then add the next three…

JOSHUA

OUR ULTIMATE MILITARY LEADER

Old Testament – (Joshua gave the people a temporary victory and rest)

Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5:13-15 (NASB)

New Testament – (Jesus brings us into God’s promised permanent rest)

For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

Hebrews 4:8-10 (NASB)

The name Joshua = Jesus

Note: Rahab is in this book and she is in the lineage of Jesus (see Luke chapter 3)

JUDGES

OUR ULTIMATE JUDGE AND DELIVERER

Old Testament

When the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.

Judges 2:18-19 (NASB)

New Testament

For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

John 5:22-24 (NASB)

RUTH

OUR ULTIMATE KINSMAN REDEEMER

Old Testament

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. Ruth 4:13-14 (NASB)

Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name; He will vigorously plead their case So that He may bring rest to the earth, But turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon. Jeremiah 50:34 (NASB)

New Testament

From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. Acts 13:23-24 (NASB)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17 (NASB)

Note: Boaz and Ruth are in the lineage of Jesus

A Christian Apologetic Tool
MAPS-S

This tool helps answer questions like these:

How did we get our Bible?

How do we know the Bible has been transmitted correctly?

How do we know we got the right books?

How can we trust that the Bible is the Word of God?

Manuscript Evidence: Seven strong lines of researchable evidence

Exceptional historical and literary support
Excellent transmission over time
Accurate translations
Thorough canonization process – no inspired books are left out
Contains multiple eyewitness accounts
Authentication by both Christian and non-Christian sources
The science of textual criticism eliminates errors in the copies

SUMMARY OF TRANSMISSION OVER TIME

Old Testament =

God’s Inspiration and direction to the authors (especially Moses)
Oral transmission
Written transmission via the Hebrew text (Tanakh) and comparison between the Septuigiant; Massoric Text; and Dead Sea Scrolls
Scribal preservation over time (4000+ rules)

New Testament =

New Testament documents are considered primary eyewitness accounts, not secondary, because they were written in the first century during the time people involved were alive to confirm or dispute the events
The writings of the New Testament were immediately copied and widely dispersed throughout the Roman Empire and beyond (see the book of Acts) thus eliminating time for changes, forgeries, or embellishments
We have over 25,000 early New Testament manuscripts and fragments in five different document families from ancient Christian communities, dating as early as the second century, and most of these documents can be viewed in various libraries, museums, and churches around the world
Scholars find a 5% agreement between these early manuscripts with variations stemming mainly from differences in spelling, grammar, word order, and minor deletions or additions (noted in modern Bible footnotes)—none of which effects any doctrine of the Christian faith

What was the chain of custody from the Apostles?

Mark/Apostle Peter AD 50	Apostle Paul AD 50-60	Apostle John AD 70-90
Anianum AD 75	Linus AD 70	Ignatius AD 110 (7-16 books) Polycarp AD 110 (14-16 books)
Avilius AD 95	Clement of Rome AD 95 (7 books)	Irenaeus AD 185 (24 books)
Kedron AD 100 Primus AD 115	Evaristus AD 100 Alexander AD 110	Hippolytus AD 220 (24 books)
Justus AD 130	Sixtus AD 120 Telesphorus AD 130 Hyginus AD 135
Pantaenus AD 195	Pius 1 AD 150 Justin Martyr AD 160 (5 books) Tatian AD 175 (20 books)
Clement of Alexandria AD 210 (22 books)
Origin AD 250 (27 books)
Pamphilus AD 300 Eusebius AD 335 (27 books)

AD 325 – 397: All 27 books of the New Testament were officially accepted and canonized in we have today!

3. Accurate Translations

The Latin Vulgate

Latin replaced Greek as the universal language about the middle of the third century
Jerome, an Italian Hebrew scholar, translated both the Old and New Testaments from the original languages into Latin
The Latin Vulgate became so popular, and so identified with the Church of Rome, that it became blasphemous to have the Bible in any other language

Bible Warriors

John Wycliffe: 1384 (bones were ground to dust for making an English translation)
Martin Luther: 1522 (excommunicated and went into hiding due to death threats)
William Tyndale: 1530 (burned at the stake)
John Knox and Miles Coverdale: 1560 (exiled – both worked on the Geneva Bible)
King James: 1611 (commissioned some 54 translators – Version still used today)

Chapters and Verses are a modern addition

Chapter divisions of the Bible were created by Stephen Langton, completed around AD 1227
Wycliffe’s Bible, completed in AD 1382 before the printing press, was the first Bible to use Langton’s chapter divisions
The first English Bible to use both chapters and verses was the Geneva Bible published in AD 1560

Can We Trust the Translations today?

YES!

Through the multitude of early manuscripts available for study, we can have confidence that what we have today is based on the original texts, and not changed over time.
The Bible can be studied today by almost anyone of any language, and we don’t have to depend on others to tell us what the Word of God says, we can read it for ourselves.
Most of the modern versions today have only been translated once from the original language, not from other multiple languages (the telephone game accusation is unfounded).
Serious students of the Bible can consult the original languages for accurate meaning in their translation because the original languages are not lost languages!

Based on the accuracy in transmission, the translations can be taken from trusted manuscripts families with a 95-99.5% level of certainty.
All major translations today have been taken directly from the original languages that are still with us today – (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek).
Bible Warriors gave their lives to translating from the original languages into English (and other languages worldwide).
See gotquestions.org for an in-depth look at the history of Bible translators: “What is the history of the Bible in English?” https://www.gotquestions.org/history-of-the-Bible.html

Recommended Resource on translation history: Museum of the Bible

Bible Study

Each week we will have Bible study following the presentation. There will be questions presented here on the weekend, and basic answers will be posted during the week for your review. This can also be used to make a leader’s guide for your own small group and future studies!

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Discuss anything in the presentation that you would like to address with comments, questions or concerns, then go over your homework from last week…

Read Judges chapters 3 through 5, then do one or more of the following:

Note: There are several ways to study a book of the Bible, you can choose the level you’re most comfortable with:

Basic: Read the chapter, then write down a title for each chapter (you could include more than one depending on topics in that chapter or what your study Bible might have).
Going Deeper: Take notes to summarize the chapter (no more than three to five sentences). However, you can add to your summaries if you glean something important from your study partners each week (leave some room).
Advanced: Look for these things to put in your summary notes:
- Look for Covenants: Abrahamic (unconditional promise of a Nation, Land and Blessing) or Mosaic (Conditional promise of protection for obedience; loss of protection for disobedience)
- Look for Jesus? Is there anything in this chapter that foreshadows or pictures Jesus; or is there any prophecyin the chapter (Messianic or other types)?
- The Shelf: Note any questions or a-ha’s you have about the chapter.
- Answer the attached chapter questions to go along with your summaries.

Chapter 3 (verses 7-31)

1. Review from last week and again this week:

a. What is the cycle of sin and redemption we see in the book of Judges?

b. Who is Othniel? Why do you think he would be God’s choice as the first judge, and how did he rescue Israel in this narrative?

2. The narratives in the book of Judges can be very explicit. What did Ehud do to make himself a successful judge for Israel?

3. Who was Shamgar, and what did he do for Israel?

4. Going Deeper: How do we see the Mosaic Covenant play out here (the protection clause)? How is Jesus foreshadowed?

Chapter 4

1. Who were Deborah and Barak and what can we know about them from this story?

2. What can we know that made Deborah a true prophetess?

a. What happened in the story that confirmed this title?

b. Cross-reference by reading Deuteronomy 18:22 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 (write out these Scriptures)

Chapter 5

1. What do we see in this chapter that shows us Deborah and Barak were worthy of their leadership in Israel?

2. It appears some of the tribes of Israel were not willing to help; who were they? Why do you think they might not have wanted to help (this would be speculation)?

3. Discuss: What are some take-aways/application we have learned so far about the state of the Nation of Israel?

4. Going Deeper: How do we see the Mosaic Covenant play out here (the protection clause)? How is Jesus foreshadowed?

HOMEWORK:

Choose from the above (basic, going deeper or advanced) to read and study Judges chapters 6 through chapter 8. Here are the guiding questions for the chapters:

Chapter 6:

1. What happened to Israel this time when they did evil in the sight of the LORD? Research: Who were these oppressors, and what can we know about them historically?

2. What did the prophet of God have to say to them, and how does this relate to the Mosaic Covenant?

3. Who was Gideon, and what did the LORD have him do? How did the people of the city react to what Gideon did, and why?

4. Discuss: What was Joash’s reaction to the people; and what does his declaration say about him?

5. Going Deeper: Who was the Angel of the LORD and how can we know from the text?

Chapter 7:

1. What did God do to shrink the size of Gideon’s army, and why?

2. What did God do to help Gideon gain confidence, and to strengthen him to go forward in battle?

3. How did Gideon and his 300 men defeat the large company of men that the Midianites had?

4. Going Deeper: What other tribes did Gideon call on after this; and why do you think it was it only these tribes and not the others?

Chapter 8:

1. Why were the leaders of Ephraim upset, and what did Gideon say to appease them?

2. What happened when Gideon and his men were denied food (bread); and then what happened to the deniers? What happened to the enemy leaders of Midian (why is Gideon’s son mentioned)?

3. Gideon provided forty years of peace for Israel, but what did he do that lead them in the wrong direction at the end of the story?

4. What did Gideon say in verse 23 that is the solution to all of Israel’s problems, and why?

Continue to Practice your memorization of …

Where’s Jesus? The tag line and any Scripture support for the first five books of the Bible (Torah)
The “Protoevangelium” (First Gospel):

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Genesis 3:15 (NASB)

Please join us as we continue our Case for the Bible, The Story Continues, with a study in the Book of Judges!

———————————————————————

You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15