This week we are continuing with making a case for the Bible by looking at some of the manuscript evidence over the next few weeks from our M category in the acronym MAPS-S. Just think, the Bible (and narrative from the books therein) has been the subject of hot debate for roughly the last two-thousand years, yet it has stood the test of time! Why does an ancient narrative such as this, consistently garner so much attention? Maybe because it has been miraculously preserved over the centuries, and its timeless teachings have helped so many people, especially those who are truly seeking the face of God!

Let’s look at Some interesting historical and literary facts about the Bible:

If you put 10 people in a room and give them a subject to write about what would you expect the outcome to be? Would you expect them to have the same theme, ideas, storyline, and conclusions? Would they have the same personal beliefs and views on the topic and write with the same convictions? The odds fall strongly in favor of no, but that is not what we see in the Bible:

The Christian Bible is made up of 66 individual books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament); written by 40 different authors, over a period of about 1,500 years, and from 10 different countries
The Bible has a cast of 2,930 characters depicted in 1,551 places
The Bible’s human authors (inspired by God) came from various stations of life: Kings, peasants, poets, herdsmen, fishermen, scientists, farmers, priests, pastors, tentmakers, tax collectors, doctors and governors
The Bible was written in extreme places like the wilderness, dungeons, palaces, prisons, on lonely islands, and in military battles
The authors wrote on various subjects, including the unknown future

What would we expect to see in this type of book? Probably a real mess of information, with various personal views and differing perspectives on life, but that is not what we get at all. We get a seamless story! Amazingly the books of the Bible are so united in their historical and narrative themes, and so remarkably linked to one main storyline, from Genesis to Revelation, that the Bible is considered by most scholars to be “A Literary Masterpiece!”

The Bible meets and exceeds all historical and literary requirements for excellence based on scholarly academic standards:

There are more early manuscripts of the Bible available for verification than any other ancient document
The Bible is a primary source document and contains multiple eyewitness accounts of events, including hostile witness accounts
The New Testament accounts of the first century (AD) life of Jesus and the early Church were written within the lifetime of the people involved in the events (completed by the mid to late first century AD)
Archeology and outside Biblical sources have confirmed over 25,000 people, places and events recorded in the Bible, none have ever been negated
The original languages used in the Bible are still with us today so translations can be made directly from these unique sources

A great example of the Bible’s historical reliability comes from Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. Christian and non-Christian scholars alike consider Luke to be one of the greatest historians to ever write. His historical accounts have always been confirmed and the details he gives allow scholars, historians, and archeologists to uncover historical truths based on his records.

To demonstrate, this lets take a look at the Gospel of Luke, chapter three. Here we find over fifteen confirmed historical, political, and geographical facts just in the first four verses:

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. ‘Every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low; the crooked will become straight, and the rough roads smooth; and all flesh will see the salvation of God.’” Luke 3:1-6 (NASB)

Watch this 15 minute video clip called “Why I Should Trust the Bible?” by Impact Video Ministries. It gives a great visual overview of some of the best evidence for the reliability of the Bible:

Question: If God exists (and He does) and if miracles are possible (and they are) how would God communicate with us? He would give us one of the greatest miracles of communication – His Word and it has has stood the test of time!

We know that the written word is one of our best methods of communication and is critical in contract law. It provides evidence of an agreement on the part of the individuals involved. God made sure that His Word was recorded as evidence of His agreement with us found in His Covenant Promises throughout Scripture (and there is no way He would allow it to be lost).

God’s Word helps us to understand who He is and what He has done over the history of time. His Word has been recorded and preserved for a reason. We humans are notorious for repeating past mistakes, and if we would only remember the consequences our “forefathers” suffered we might not repeat them. It is interesting that when studying the Bible we often come across certain words that are used in thematic repetition; it would seem that God is emphasizing something very important, for example:

The word “remember” appears in the Scripture 227 (examples: 1 Chronicles 16:15, Psalm 111:4, 119:52, Isaiah 46:9, Malachi 4:4), and the word “written” 251 times (examples: Deuteronomy 28:58, Joshua 1:8; 8:34, Psalm 102:18, 1 Kings 2:3, Ezra 3:2, Nehemiah 10:36). The high use of these words indicates that God is stressing something important for us to know. He wants us to remember our history (both the good and bad) and learn from it, and He made sure that his chosen authors have written down these things so that it would not be lost over the generations.

He has made His wonders to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and compassionate. –Psalm 111:4 (NASB)

One of the most important things to consider when studying the history and reliability of the Bible is that it claims to be the Word of God. If true (and it is) then it would have been easy for Him to make possible the transmission of His Word over time. Three of the greatest characteristics our God possesses, according to Scripture, are omniscience (all-knowing), omnipotence (all-powerful), and omnipresence (present everywhere at all time). This makes the God of the Bible (YHWH) a God we can take comfort in because He is a God that will not, and cannot, make mistakes. His promises are sure, and this includes the great love He has for us all.

Next week we will look at the transmission of the Bible and answer the question: How did we get the Bible?

Going Deeper

Sean McDowell, along with his dad Josh, have updated the book: “Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Life Changing Truth for A Skeptical World.” A large part of that book deals with the reliability and historicity of the Bible. This is a must have for your library as it is a go to for most of the tough questions we deal with in Christian Apologetics. Watch this short overview about the book and the importance of its contents:

Reflection

What are a few important facts about the Bible that stood out to you in this session?
PTRs: Pray about sharing some of the things you are learning with someone else.

Bible Study

Each week we do a Bible study to practice our Bible study skills. This week we are starting a new book, so you want to start with a quick read through the entire book of 2 Corinthians to get an overview, then answer the following questions:

Note: This book is the companion book to 1 Corinthians and was written as a follow up to both resolved and continued problems. Some Bible scholars say that there were two other letters written to the Corinthian Church by Paul that are now lost. Remember it is important to keep the context of the book, and the culture of that day, in mind when studying and answering these questions. The book of Acts is a blueprint for most of Paul’s Epistles and his missionary journeys.

Who is the author and audience? (1:1)
Review by cross-referencing Acts chapter 18 for the relationship between Paul and the Corinthian Church: What are some things you can note about that visit?
When was this Epistle written? Why is important to know when books or letters were written?
What purpose did he have in writing this Epistle?

Join us next week as we investigate how the Scriptures were passed down over time: “The Transmission, as we continue our “Case for the Bible” series!

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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