I QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE BIBLE 1 2 3

[I] QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE BIBLE 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Is not much of the Bible borrowed from other sources? (Source Criticism, i. e. oral accounts, stories) Who chose the books? (Canonicity) How do we know what we have was actually written? (Manuscript evidence) Is the New Testament not written too Late? (Dating) Could not someone have changed the Bible along the way? (Accretions/Deletions)

[A] Source Criticism: The Old Testament Sources? Epic of Creation Flood Tablets

New Testament Sources? Sectarian Apocryphal Fragments: 2 nd - 4 th Century

(B) THE CANON n n n Apostolic Authorship: Was it written by a prophet, or spokesman of God? Ecclesiastical Acceptance: Was it accepted by the people of God Divine Authority: Was the prophet confirmed by an act (miracle or prophecy)? Divine Truth: Did the message tell the truth about God (no contradictions, or errors)? Divine Power: Did it have the power of God (did it change lives)?

[C] MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE (1) Manuscripts: (2) Dating (3) Eyewitness accounts: (4) Hostile Accounts: (5) Versions or Translations: (6) Lectionaries: (7) Early Church Father’s Letters:

(1) Extant Manuscripts: New Testament extant manuscripts 5, 300 Greek 10, 000 Latin Vulgate 9, 300 other early versions + 24, 000 manuscript copies, or portions 230 MSS compiled before the 7 th century!!

(2) Dating Author Secular Manuscripts: Herodotus (History) Thucydides (History) Aristotle (Philosopher) 5 Caesar (History) Pliny (History) Suetonius (Roman History) Tacitus (Greek History) 20 Date Written Earliest Copy Time Span 480 ‑ 425 BC 460 - 400 BC 384 ‑ 322 BC 900 AD 1, 100 AD 1, 300 years 100 ‑ 44 BC 61 ‑ 113 AD 70 - 140 AD 100 AD 900 AD 850 AD 950 AD 1, 100 AD Copies (extent) 1, 000 years 750 years 800 years 8 ? 1, 400 years 10 7 ? 1, 000 years Biblical Manuscripts: (note these are individual manuscripts) Magdalene Ms (Matthew 26) 1 st century 50 -60 AD co-existant (? ) John Rylands (John) 90 AD 130 AD 40 years Bodmer Papyrus II (John) 90 AD 150 -200 AD 60 -110 years Chester Beatty Papyri (N. T. ) 1 st century 200 AD 150 years Diatessaron by Tatian (Gospels) 1 st century 200 AD 150 years Codex Vaticanus (Bible) 1 st century 325 -350 AD 275 -300 years Codex Sinaiticus (Bible) Codex Alexandrinus (Bible) 1 st century 350 AD 400 AD 300 years 350 years

Papyrus Fragments: Upto 4 th Century

Sinaiticus (320 AD): Old/New Testament n 4 th Century n

ALEXENDRINUS -Old & New Testament -5 th Century

(3) Eyewitness accounts: Internal Corroboration Luke 1: 1 -3 (Disciples) “. . . to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word have handed them down to us, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order. ” Acts 2: 22 (Jews) “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as yourselves know. . . ” Acts 26: 24 -26 (Secular Auth. ) “. . . Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter the words of sober truth. For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. ”

LUKE’S accuracy: Erastus = Corinth treasurer (Rom. 16: 23) -pavement found in 1929 with this name Politarchs = civil authority of Thessalonica (Acts 17: 6) -19 inscriptions use it, 5 in Thesselonica Praetor = for Philippian ruler instead of Duumuir -Romans used Praetor earlier Proconsul = title for Gallio (Acts 18: 12) -corroborated by Delphi Inscription -(52 AD) Gallio held this position for 1 year only.

(4) Hostile Accounts: External Corroboration 1) Thallus: a Greek historian 52 AD, crucifixion, day suddenly turned dark, and earth tremled 2) Tacitus: a Roman historian 80 -84 AD, death of Christ, reign of Tiberius’, by governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate 3) Josephus: a Jewish historian 90 -95 AD, death of Jesus, martyrdom of James, John the Baptist, resurrection 4) Suetonius: a Greek historian Expulsion from Rome of followers of Crestus, by emperor Claudius, (Acts 18: 2) 5) Pliny the Younger: a Roman author and administrator 112 AD of the Christian community in Asia Minor, and of their devotion to Christ

(5) Versions or Translations: 19, 284 translations, in 11 languages! (note: 230 examples between 2 nd - 6 th C. ) Latin 150 AD -> (over 10, 000 examples) Syriac 150 -250 AD -> (350 examples) Coptic early 3 rd and 4 th centuries (100 + examples) Armenian 400 AD -> (2, 587 examples) Gothic 4 th century -> (6 examples) Georgian 5 th century -> (4, 101 examples) Ethiopic 6 th century -> (2, 000 examples) Nubian 6 th century ->

(6) Lectionaries: 6 th century 2, 135 lectionaries

(7) Early Church Father’s Letters: Dr. Jean Burgon: 86, 489 quotes Sir David Dalrymple: 36, 289 quotes before 4 th C. Clement of Alexandria 2, 406 quotes Tertullian 7, 258 quotes Justin Martyr 330 quotes Irenaeus 1, 819 quotes Origen 17, 922 quotes Hippolytus 1, 378 quotes Eusebius 5, 176 quotes 36, 289 quotes +36, 000 quotes from before 325 AD = all but 11 verses of the New Testament!!!!

[II] ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE PEOPLE: -50 Old Testament people -27 New Testament people I. e. Daniel 5: 16 Belshazar?

Let’s go and see just how authoritative the Old Testament is: n Looking at Architecture: From the British Museum…. Epic of Creation Flood Tablets

Ur of the Chaldees & Tablets from Mari, Nuzi, Ebla & Armana Harps from Ur Tablets from Amarna (1394 BC)

(1900=Abraham, 1700=Joseph, 1447=Moses, 1000=David) Armana tablets: Apiru or Habiru first found = Genesis 14: 13 Ebla tablets: Case Laws, Customs, and Judicial Proceedings (Deuteronomy 22: 22 -30) Mari tablets: Arriyuk, or Arioch found in Genesis 14 Nuzi tablets: a) a barren wife giving a handmaiden to her husband b) a bride chosen for the son by the father c) a dowry paid to the father-in-law d) work done to pay a dowry (i. e. Jacob) e) the unchanging oral will of a father (i. e. Isaac) f) a father giving his daughter a slave-girl (i. e. Leah, Rachel) g) the sentence of death for stealing cult gods (i. e. Jacob).

Neo Hittite Figures

Assyrian Architecture: Jehu Obelisk (841 BC) (2 Kings 9 & 10 – Elisha & Ahab) Tiglath Pileser III (745 -727 BC) (2 nd Kings 15: 19/20 & 1 st Chronicles 5: 26 – ‘PUL’)

Sargon II (722 -701 BC) (2 kings 17: 6, 24) & Sennacharib (704 -681 BC)

Lachish Taylor Prism 1. Hezekiah rebelled against Senacharib. 2. The fortified towns of Judah fell. 3. Lachish also fell 4. Hezekiah was shut up in Jerusalem 5. He paid 30 talents of gold in tribute to Senacharib to gain favour 6. Jerusalem did not fall 7. The Assyrian army left without firing a single arrow at Jerusalem. ‘Tirhakah’ (2 Kings 19: 9, ( and Isaiah 37: 9)

Sennacharib cont. ‘Tirhakah’ statue (2 Kings 19: 9; Isaiah 37: 9) Hezekiah Mural (II Kings 19: 35 -36)

Murals of Ninevah (Nahum 1: 10, 2: 13, 3: 13 -15)

Book of Daniel and the Nabonidus Drum – (539 B. C. ) Prayer for Balshazzer (Daniel 5: 16) Nabonidus Tablet

Persian Artifacts (6 th c. BC) Cyrus Cylindar Artaxerxes Silverware

EVENTS: -The Flood (Gen. 11: 1 -9) -Tower of Babel -David's capture of Jerusalem via water shafts (II Samuel 5: 6 -8; I Chronicles 11: 6) Macalister, J. G. Duncan, and Kathleen Kenyon

What the Archaeologists say G. E. Wright: “We shall probably never prove that Abram really existed. . but what we can prove is that his life and times, as reflected in the stories about him, fit perfectly within the early second millennium, but imperfectly within any later period. ” Sir Frederic Kenyon: “The evidence of archaeology has been to re-establish the authority of the Old Testament, and likewise to augment its value by rendering it more intelligible through a fuller knowledge of its background and setting. ” William F. Albright: “The excessive skepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools of the 18 th and 19 th centuries, certain phases which still appear periodically, has been progressively discredited. Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history. ”

Millar Burrows: “On the whole, archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the scriptural record. ” Joseph Free: confirms that while thumbing through the book of Genesis, he mentally noted that each of the 50 chapters are either illuminated or confirmed by some archaeological discovery, and that this would be true for most of the remaining chapters of the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Nelson Glueck: (a Jewish Reformed scholar and archaeologist) “To date no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a single, properly understood biblical statement”

[III] FURTHER EVIDENCES FOR THE BIBLE'S AUTHORITY

[1] Its Fulfilled Prophecies: Principle: Deuteronomy 18: 21 -22; Isaiah 43: 9; and John 13: 18 -21 Moses and Isaiah: Isaiah prophecies which were fulfilled immediately, or the next day: -Defeat of Egyptians=Exodus 14: 13 -14, 27 -28, -holding the sun back=Isaiah 38: 5 -8 -Sennacherib's rout=Isaiah 37: 21 -38 prophecies which were fulfilled between 150 -200 years later: -Israelites sent to Babylon=Isaiah 39: 6 -7 or even centuries later: -blessing/curses for Israel=Deuteronomy 28: 1, 15, 64 -66; 30: 1, 4 -5 -fall of babylon=Isaiah 13: 1, 19 -20 and others that are just now being fulfilled: - the return from exile=Isaiah 11: 11 -12

[2] Its extraordinary Unity and Harmony: 66 books - +30 authors – 1, 500 years – common theme: God’s redemptive plan for humanity! [3] Its amazing Circulation: -+2, 000 translations in 260 languages, 1, 167 ongoing transls. -700 million Scripture portions -over 14 million Bibles, nearly 13 million New Testaments -in over 100 countries, now 93% of pop. have it in their tongue! [4] Its Appeal to all Classes everywhere: 1900 AD = only 558 million Christians in the world 2000 AD = were an estimated 2, 020 million (2. 2 billion)!!

[5] Its Wisdom and high Moral Teaching: ‑ Basis of Law and Morality worldwide: (10 Commandments, Golden Rule, Sermon on the Mount) n ‑ Gives patterns copied by the world (even non‑Christian): n ‑ via colonialism (i. e. Hindu India, Muslim Senegal) n ‑ via adoption (Shinto Japan, laws based on U. S. Constitution, modelled on Bible) n

UN Declaration of Human Rights The most universal secular document used today as a standard: n ‑ Biblical thread throughout, in direct contrast to Islamic principles n ‑ Art. 4: no slavery: Abolition movements= Christian: Clapham sect = UK, ‘underground railway’= US, Sierra Leone = Africa n ‑ Art. 5: no cruel, degrading punishment: Bible forbids it (Matt. 5: 39; 26: 52; Lk. 6: 27‑ 28; 1 Cor. 13) n Qur’an allows it (amputations, floggings, stonings = Hudud) n ‑ Arts. 7, 8, 10: equality: Bible encourages it (Gal. 3: 28) while Qur’an distinguishes between Muslim/Kufr (wergild 10/1, Dhimmi laws, Jizya) n ‑ Art. 16: marriage & divorce equality: Biblical (only one wife etc. . . ) Qur’an = no Kufr husband, must convert first to Islam. n ‑ Art. 18: Freedom of thought and religion (to change): Bible allows choice (Jn. 3: 16; Rom. 10: 9‑ 15) n ‑ Qur’an=fight unbelievers (S. 8: 39=fight them; 9: 5=slay pagans, 29=fight; 47: 4=smite, subdue, bind) n ‑ Art. 19: Freedom of opinion & expression: Bible (no censorship, only must not change scripture Rev. 22: 18‑ 19) n ‑ Qur’an (no criticism of the Qur’an, Muhammad; i. e. Pakistan’s. = Sect. 295 ‑C Blasphemy law) n ‑ Art. 21: Equal access /will of people basis of authority. =Democracy: Bible (separation of Church/state, Rom. 13: 1‑ 7) n ‑ Qur’an=Caliph, Ulema, Shari’ah =authority, non‑Muslim may not rule, or participate in high office, Mawla

n n n Shows that secular governments borrow Biblical principles, though they try to distance from the source of its authority. Any God‑given scripture must be universally adaptable, to all cultures, for all times. Most countries use Biblical principles of morality and law Few Muslim countries uses strict Shari’ah laws, even when in absolute control; must revert back to Biblical principles. Excuse = ‘corrupt leaders’, yet West has corrupt leaders also, but Biblical memory still exists. Result = "just" and democratic society, improved economic environment = mass immigration to West.

[6] Its life-changing power: 3, 500 new churches are being planted every week 70, 000 people receive Christ daily!

[II Timothy 3: 16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.