This test asks “since we don’t have the original manuscripts of the Bible, how reliable are the copies we have?” This question is answered two ways: 1) By the number of  copies of the manuscripts that we have. 2) By the time interval between the original and the oldest existing copies.

Author When Written

Earliest Copy

Time Between

# Copies

Caesar 100-44 BC AD 900 900 Yrs 10

Plato 427-347 BC AD 900 1200 Yrs 7

Aristotle 384-322 BC AD 1100 1400 Yrs 49

Homer 900 BC 400 BC 500 Yrs 643

New Testament

AD 40-100 AD 125 25 Yrs Over 24,000

This evidence is drawn from authorship, style, etc. We know that the Apostle Paul had a certain style and certain favorite words, etc. So, any letters that were said to have been written by Paul would have to exhibit his literary style otherwise we would say it is a forgery.  It is also important to note that the writers of the New Testament were eyewitnesses to the historical Jesus and His mighty works.

(Luke 1:1-3; I John 1:3; Acts 2:22; Luke 3:1)

The people of the day knew they weren’t lying, notice in Acts 2:22 Peter says “we are witnesses of these things…as you yourselves know”.

There were many at this time who would have loved to end the movement of the way and yet they never exposed the lies of the followers of Christ, Why?

How do we know that the writers weren’t lying?

Wouldn’t you believe that if you wrote a book of lies about someone that others also knew wouldn’t someone come forward and call you a liar, especially if they hated you?

Example: Book claiming that there was no Holocaust

How do we know that the writers weren’t lying?

In this test historians seek to find other sources with which to substantiate the literature in question.

We can read the letters of the early church Fathers and read what they knew of the truth of the Bible. We can read what the Historians wrote at the time of Christ.

There were four very creditable Historians at the time of Christ who wrote of all that was going on in Israel at that very time. The speak of the crucifixion and the controversy that seemed to be happening in regards to it. They spoke of this man Jesus and the people that would follow Him.

For centuries archeologists have been trying to disprove the claims of the Bible…

However every time they do a dig to try and disprove the Bible, they come up with more proof to believe.

The last test is one where we look at the prophesies of the Bible and we see how they have been fulfilled.

The Old Testament was completed 350yrs. Before Jesus was born. The OT prophets testified to the coming of a savior sent from God.

How close were these prophets to the truth?

Major Prophesies fulfilled in Jesus Christ

The Christ would be through the line of AbrahamGenesis 22:18  ► Hebrews 2:16, Galatians 3:29The Christ would be JewishGenesis 28:14  ► Matthew 1:2, Hebrews 7:14The Christ shall be born of a virginIsaiah 7:14   ► Matthew 1:18,21The Christ shall be born in Bethlehem of JudeaMicah 5:2   ► Matthew 2:1The Christ will enter triumphantly in JerusalemZechariah 9:9   ► Matthew 21:5 The Christ would be sold for 30 pieces of silver Zechariah 11:12  ► Matthew 26:15 The Christ would be nailed to a cross Psalm 22:16  ► John 19:18, John 20: 25

What is the Probability?

One in One hundred thousand trillion

1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 (100 zeroes)

▼

That (8) would be fulfilled

also…

The supernatural miracle of Authorship.

The supernatural miracle of Indestructibility.

The supernatural miracle of Scientific Accuracy.

The supernatural miracle of Universal Influence.