This week’s presentation focuses on Bible Apologetics, and specifically on the literary history and early Biblical authorship. We will also touch on the question (with a recommended video): Do we have the right books in the Bible? For the Bible study portion, we will read through Joshua chapters 17-21 and then discuss those chapters in our study groups. The website will post basic answers mid-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 the Bible study survey format below, with basic answers to the survey format posted during the week. These things can be used as a leader’s guide, or to review your own study each week.

2025 A Case for the Bible Presentation Notes

Week 6: Bible Apologetics – Literary History, Authorship and Joshua Chapters 17-20

Class Review and Prayer

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).

Review for Final Exam:

Bring answers to share with your group next week:

1.What are the four important areas of Christian Growth that we should be focusing on in our Christian Walk (from our Ministry Statement)?

2.What are the 66 books of the Christian Bible, their categories and description?

3.How should we study the Bible? Hermeneutics

4.What are the major Covenants in the Bible, and why are they important to know?

5.What are the 12 parts to the Bible’s “Big Picture” that help you tell the story?

6.What is Christian Apologetics?

7.Practice the Bible study theme verses for memory:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

PRESENTATION:

Class Focus Questions and Overview

1. What are the four important areas of Christian Growth that we should be focusing on in our Christian Walk (from our Ministry Statement)?

2. What are the 66 books of the Christian Bible, their categories and description?

3. How should we study the Bible? Hermeneutics

4. What are the major Covenants in the Bible, and why are they important to know?

5. What are the 12 parts to the Bible’s “Big Picture” that help you tell the story?

APOLOGETICS

6. What is the history of the Bible? Authorship and Language

7. How did we get our Bible today? Transmission

8. How do we know the Bible has been transmitted correctly? Translation

9. How do we know we got the right books? Canonization

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

(Note: The above will include evidence from archeology, prophecy fulfillment and science)

6. What is the history of the Bible? Authorship and Language

The Bible has strong historical and literary support

The Christian Bible is made up of 66 individual books
- 39 books in the Old Testament covering a period of time, from creation to about 400 years before Christ (BC/BCE)
- 27 in the New Testament covering a very short period of time, beginning with the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, through the formation of the early Church, all during the first century (AD/CE)
The Bible was 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 was written in extreme places like the wilderness, dungeons, palaces, prisons, on lonely islands, and in military battles
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
Bibles today, like NASB, NIV or KJV, have only been translated once from the original language.
- Old Testament = Hebrew (some parts of Daniel and Ezra are in Aramaic)
- New Testament = Greek
These authors wrote on various subjects, including the unknown future, yet…

IT HAS A SEEMLESS AND COHESIVE STORYLINE!

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time and is considered by scholars to be a
Literary Masterpiece!

Authorship

God’s direction and inspiration:

God’s own eyewitness account of events (including the act of creation)
God spoke directly to the early authors
God inspired the authors, using each one’s unique perspective and personality

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NASB)

We find in Exodus that God Himself wrote some of what He gave to Moses and also directed Moses in his writings:

“When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.” -Exodus 31:18

When Moses destroyed the tablets after God gave them to him the first time (see story in Exodus) he then went back up the mountain and God re-gave him what we have today.

“Now the Lord said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered. So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain.”

-Exodus 34:1-2

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” -Exodus 34:27

Moses wrote these words to the Israelites:

“These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Human Authors:

Received direct revelation from God
Were eyewitnesses to the account, or recorded eyewitness accounts
Records were preserved via Moses, Joshua, the Levitical Priests and Scribes; and then the early Christian Churches and Church Fathers
Both Jewish and Christian histories preserve the same writings (Old Testament)

Old Testament books are confirmed by comparing…

Tanakh

This is the Jewish Bible and it contains all of the same books that we have in the Old Testament (39), just in a different grouping and order.
These books have long been accepted as God’s Word by Jewish Scribes and historians, and are categorized as the Torah, the writings, and the prophets.
In our Christian Bible we categorized them as the books of Moses, history books, books of wisdom and poetry, and the books of the prophets.

The Septuagint (c. 300-200 BC/BCE)

This is the Greek translation and name for the Old Testament
The Septuagint was the first translation of the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament into Greek and this would have been the Scriptures Jesus read from in the first century AD/CE
It is the translation used by the early Jews and Christian through the second century AD/CE

Masoretic text (c. 900 AD/CE)

The Masoretes were Jewish scribe-scholars between the 6th and 10th centuries AD/CE, based primarily in present-day Israel in the cities of Tiberias and Jerusalem, as well as in Iraq (Babylonia)
The Old Testament we have today has been translated mainly from this text family
It differs from the Septuagint mainly in grammar, spelling, and in some places word order

Dead Sea Scrolls (c. 250 BC/BCE to AD/CE 100)

These scrolls were discovered in 1947 in the Qumran Caves of the West Bank, about a mile north of the Dead Sea
The DSS contain all of the Old Testament books (with the exception of Esther), and close the one-thousand-year gap, quieting the skeptics
This discovery also helped confirm the prophecies in the Old Testament, fulfilled by Jesus, were not added or altered after the time of Christ but in fact was there centuries before his birth

What is so exciting is that we can see many of these ancient scrolls in museums, libraries, and Churches around the world today.

The Importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Septuagint: Dated 250 BC
Massorite texts: Dated AD 800-900

Note: There is approximately a 1000-year gap – Do we have the right information that hasn’t been changed over time?

YES!

Dead Sea Scrolls, first discovered in 1947, are dated 200-100 BC, answering this question by matching both previous texts with minimal variants!

Video Recommendation: Apologetics Canada – Wes Huff

Can I Trust the Bible: The Right Books

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 mid-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.

LET’S PRACTICE…

This week we will continue working on the content of the book, from our hermeneutical format…

***BEFORE STARTING THE REVIEW, DISCUSS ANYTHING FROM THE PRESENTATION YOU’D LIKE TO COVER, THEN…

From your homework this week, discuss with your groups what is in each chapter

Joshua chapters 17-20:

Content of the book: What is in each chapter?

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:

Is there anything in the chapter that relates to God’s Covenant Promises:
- Abrahamic: (Nation, Land, or Blessing)
- Mosaic: (Following the Law – protection vs. loss of protection due to disobedience)?
Where’s Jesus? Is there anything in this chapter that foreshadows/pictures Jesus?
Prophecy? Is there anything that is predicted and fulfilled later in the Old Testament; or predicted and fulfilled in Jesus (Messianic); or is apocalyptic in nature?
The Shelf: Note any questions or a-ha’s you have about the chapter.

LEADER QUESTIONS TO HELP GUIDE THE STUDY

***BEFORE STARTING, REVIEW AND DISCUSS ANYTHING FROM THE PRESENTATION YOU’D LIKE TO COVER, THEN…

Chapter 17:

Discuss: Who were the women who requested land and why? What happened to this tribe as they tried to access their allotment of land?
Research: Who was Manasseh, and why was this tribe divided into two halves?
Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter? Are there any prophetic passages in this chapter?

Chapter 18:

Discuss: What tribes were referenced in this chapter, and why?
Research: Where was Shilo, why was it important and what can we know about it historically (going forward in Israel’s history)?
Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter? Are there any prophetic passages in this chapter?
Extra-Extra: Research “the valley of Ben-hinnom” – What happened there and what did its name come to represent?

Chapter 19:

Discuss: Review these six tribes and anything that stands out about their allotments?
Research: Read Genesis chapter 48:17 through chapter 49. What do you notice about the prophecies Jacob speaks over his twelve sons as it relates to the land they received (or anything else you know about those tribes)?
Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter? Are there any prophetic passages in this chapter?

Chapter 20:

Discuss: What are Cities of Refuge (what are they for)?
Going Deeper/Advanced: Are there any Covenants in view in this chapter? Is there a picture of Jesus in this chapter? Are there any prophetic passages in this chapter?

HOMEWORK:

Next week we will conclude the book of Joshua by reading and studying chapters 21-24. Then follow the format we used this week and be prepared to discuss what you learned next week! Since we will finish the book, it is now important discuss application (How does this book apply to us today? Are there lessons learned; are there reasons we should know this history; does it help us understand God’s character and love for His people and His foreshadowing the promise of His Son? Other comments…)

Please join us next week as we continue our Case for the Bible and A Study in the Book of Joshua!

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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