Is the Bible Reliable?. I.What does the Bible claim for itself?

Is the Bible Reliable?Is the Bible Reliable?


I.I. What does the Bible claim for itself?What does the Bible claim for itself?


All Scripture is breathed out by God and All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–2 Timothy 3:16–1717


… …No prophecy of Scripture comes from No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20–212 Peter 1:20–21


For the word of God is living and active, For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.must give account.

Hebrews 4:12–13Hebrews 4:12–13


I.I. What does the Bible claim for itself?What does the Bible claim for itself?II.II. Are the claims accurate?Are the claims accurate?


• Internal EvidenceInternal Evidence– Remarkable agreement in theme and doctrineRemarkable agreement in theme and doctrine– Eyewitness testimonyEyewitness testimony– Fulfilled prophecyFulfilled prophecy

Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.place. So you are to know and discern that So you are to know and discern that from the from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will beuntil Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.plaza and moat, even in times of distress.


Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will comeend will come with a flood; even to the end with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are there will be war; desolations are determined.determined.


And he will make a firm covenant with the And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations offering; and on the wing of abominations will comewill come one who makes desolate, even one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.makes desolate.

Daniel 9:24-27Daniel 9:24-27


““decree to restore Jerusalem” = decree to restore Jerusalem” = March 5, 444 B.C.March 5, 444 B.C.

““sixty-two and seven weeks” = 483 Jewish sixty-two and seven weeks” = 483 Jewish yearsyears

1 Jewish year = 360 days1 Jewish year = 360 days483 Jewish years = 173,880 days483 Jewish years = 173,880 days


173,880 days = 173,880 days = 476 Gregorian years (365 days)476 Gregorian years (365 days)

March 5, 444 B.C. + 476 years =March 5, 444 B.C. + 476 years =March 30, A.D. 33!March 30, A.D. 33!



• Internal EvidenceInternal Evidence• External EvidenceExternal Evidence– Historical attestation (Josephus, Tacitus)Historical attestation (Josephus, Tacitus)– Archaeological attestation Archaeological attestation

• Bibliographic Evidence Bibliographic Evidence – OT: OT: Dead Sea Scrolls, Masoretic copyistsDead Sea Scrolls, Masoretic copyists– NT:NT: Abundance of manuscriptsAbundance of manuscripts

Is the Bible Reliable?Is the Bible Reliable?WORK DATE

WRITTENEARLIEST

COPY FRAGMENT

TIME SPAN NUMBER OF COPIES

ACCURACY OF COPY

Plato 427-347 BC

900 AD 1200 Years 7 ---------

Aristotle 384-322 BC

1100 AD 1400 Years 49 ---------

Thucydides 5th Cent. BC

900 AD 1300 Years 8 ---------

Sophocles 496-406 BC

1000 AD 1400 Years 193 ---------

Homer (Iliad)

9th Cent. BC

400 BC 500 Years 643 95%

New Testament

40 - 100 AD

125 AD 25 Years* over 24,000**

99+%


• Internal EvidenceInternal Evidence• External EvidenceExternal Evidence• Bibliographic EvidenceBibliographic Evidence• Practical Evidence Practical Evidence


I.I. What does the Bible claim for itself?What does the Bible claim for itself?II.II. Are the claims accurate?Are the claims accurate?III.III. How should we respond?How should we respond?– TrustTrust– KnowKnow– Obey!Obey!

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Is the Bible Reliable?. I.What does the Bible claim for itself?