Last week we looked at the science of textual criticism and how the Bible is in first place, by far, over any other ancient document in the number of ancient manuscripts available to research (over 25,000 compared to Homer’s Iliad in second place with a a little over 1700). Scholars spend their lives studying these… Continue Reading
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A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 10 – Textual Criticism
Last week we looked at the evidence for the reliability of the Bible through the testimony of eyewitnesses, both friendly and hostile. That kind of testimony (which comes in multiples) gives us confidence that what we have in the content of Scripture is reliable and trustworthy. With that in mind it is also important to… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 9 – Are there witnesses outside the Biblical record?
Hostile Witness Accounts Last week we looked at the importance of eyewitness testimony and the fact that the Bible is written mainly by primary witnesses, or by those that interviewed them. Another powerful testimony to the reliability of the Bible comes from outside sources. These sources are non-Christian, and in many cases were hostile to… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 8 – Eyewitness Accounts
No other faith, or religious belief, can make a case for what they believe like Christianity. Put on trial for historicity and truthfulness, the New Testament in particular can boast of its reliability based on eyewitness accounts. What is so amazing is that it has multiple testimonies and not just one or two accounts for… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 7 – Were There Books Left Out?
Easy answer: No, there are no inspired books that were left out of the Bible, otherwise it would not be Christianity! Classical Christianity is based on the teachings of the 66 books of the Christian Bible. Other books that skeptics have said were “left out” teach something completely different than what we get in… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 6 – Authentication of the New Testament
Question: When you were in school (or if you still are) did the teachers or professors lecture from their own material? In other words, do teachers and professors only use their own writings or do they lecture from sources that others have authored? With some exceptions (mainly at the university level), most teachers and professors… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 5 – How were the books of the Bible decided?
How were the final books selected for our Christian Bible? Who decided what books would be chosen and which ones would be left out? Why do some Bibles contain books that others do not? Skeptics of Christianity will often pose these questions and Christians struggle to answer them. This week we will help you… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 4 – Can we trust the Bible translations we have today?
Translations “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” –Colossians 2:8 Over the last two weeks we looked at the transmission of both the Old and New Testament, from the time of Moses… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence Part 3 – How did we get the New Testament?
New Testament Transmission: Last week we looked at the transmission of the Old Testament from the time of Moses to today, roughly a 3500 year period. The New Testament has a shorter transmission timeline, yet it comes under attack by skeptics more than the Old Testament. Could that have anything to do with Jesus being… Continue Reading
A Case for the Bible 101: Manuscript Evidence, Part 2 – How has the Old Testament been transmitted over time?
Our “case-making” for the reliability, historicity, and authenticity of the 66 books of the Christian Bible continues this week as we uncover evidence using the acronym MAPS-S (Manuscripts, Archeology, Prophecy, Science and Saved lives). We are currently on “M” for manuscripts and we can find historical evidence in abundance for this category. Today we are… Continue Reading