How Do I Know The Bible Is True

How Do I Know the Bible Is True?

Readings: Psalm 119:89-104 (page 438) John 20:19-31 (page 769)

1

How do I know the Bible is true?

• You want to know, “Does the Bible correspond with reality?”

• Does it describe what I find in the real world?

2

Fantasy and Reality

• How do you know something is not true?

3

Fantasy and Reality

• How do you know something is not true?

• Some books that are a mixture of reality and fiction give the impression they are true.

4


• “What would make me think the Bible is not true?

• People and places that didn’t exist.

• Events which never happened.

5


• You are not the first person to ask this question!

• 1000’s of books published on this question.

• Countless scholars have spent their lives studying this question.

6


7

• Two problems:

• There is so much evidence - where do I start?

• Fringe minority academics grab the headlines.

• The overwhelming majority of scholars discount such claims as rubbish - this isn’t “news”.

8


Prophecy

Archeology Written

Self Test

PAWS

How I know the Bible is true

9

Prophecy

Predictions Fulfilled

300 Prophecies in the O.T. which Jesus fulfilled.Eg.Psalm 22:18John 19:23-24

Bible predictions of future events are specific and detailed. Unique.

PAWS

Prophecy

10

• All predictions about Jesus were made more than 250 years before He was born.

• Predicted His place of birth, His Name, Who He was, what He did, how and why He died.

Prophecy

11

• 1000BC Prediction“They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.” (Psalm 22:18, NLT)

• 32 AD Fulfilment“When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His clothes among the four of them. They also took His robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” (John 19:23–24, NLT)

Prophecy

12

• Did Jesus organise things to fulfil the prophecies?

• Organise your place of birth?!!

• Chance fulfilment?

• Professor Peter Stoner: The chance fulfilment of 8 prophecies = 1 in 1017

One chance in 100,000,000,000,000,000


13

Archeology

Places, names, events confirmed

After 150 years of of digging up the past no discovery has shown the Bible to be inaccurate

Amazing example: the walls of Jericho did fall just as Joshua 6 describes

PAWS

Archeology - digging up the past

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• There are many examples of critics doubting the historical accuracy of the Bible until an archeological discovery has confirmed the biblical record as true and accurate.

Archeology - digging up the past

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• The walls of Jericho - Joshua 6

• Archeological discoveries from 1900 - 1996.

• Jericho had two walls 4-5 metres high and 2 metres thick.

• Houses built against outer wall (Josh. 2:15)

• City besieged at harvest time (Josh. 3:15)

• City was taken suddenly and burned (Josh.6:24)

• Evidence that the walls collapsed in at least two places. Earthquake?

16

Archeology


17

Written

Accuracy of the written text

The text of the bible has been proven to be true to the earliest surviving manuscripts.

The Bible contains some of the earliest written records of man’s history.

PAWS

Writing from the beginning

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• Earliest writing: Chinese bone pottery 2500 BC

• Earliest surviving original writing: Clay tablets 3500BC

Written record

19

• Great majority of scholars do not doubt the accuracy of the written text of the Bible.

• The textual variations are small and of little importance.

• No other book or religious book has been examined as carefully as the Bible text.

• It is unique.


20

Self Test

Test the truth of the Bible for yourself

The ultimate and most personal test of truth is to try living it.

Jesus said, “I am the Way the Truth and the Life” John 14:6

PAWS

21


Prophecy

Archeology Written

Self Test

PAWS

Spiritual

How Do I Know The Bible Is True