Is the Bible the Word of God?

The Bible’s Composition 66 Books (39 in OT, 27 in NT) Period of 1,600 years 40 different writers

The Bible’s Canonization All NT books to have apostolic roots To be theologically in line with OT Accepted widely by Christians

The Bible’s Claim: Plenary, verbal inspiration The Bible’s Claim: Plenary, verbal inspiration (1 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20-21) l Individual words (Matt 24:35, 1 Cor 2:13) l Verb Tenses (Matt 22:32) l Noun Numbers (Gal 3:16) l Individual Letters (Matt 5:17-18)

The Bible’s Characteristics Infallibility Inerrancy 1. God cannot err (Titus 1:2, Heb 6:18) 2. The Bible is God’s word (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21) 3. Therefore, the Bible cannot err.

Passes the Transcriptional test No. of Greek copies – 5,686 Time-gap – as little as 30 years Accuracy - over 99% “The scrolls have shown that our traditional Bible has been amazingly accurately preserved for over 2,000 years.” - Eugene Ulrich

2. Passes the Honesty Test No evidence of collusion Recounts derogatory remarks Includes harsh sayings …and self-incriminating reports Contrary to culture of writers

3. Passes the Consistency test Breadth of subject matter 1,600 year time period 40 varied authors

4. Passes the Historical Accuracy test Sir. William Ramsay: “Luke is a historian of first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy…this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”

5. Passes the Archaeological Accuracy test William F Albright: “There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament tradition.”

6. Passes the Contemporary Literature test Paul Maier: ‘‘Many facts from antiquity rest on just one ancient source, while two or three sources in agreement generally render the fact unimpeachable.’’

Passes the Medical Accuracy test Circumcision 8th day (Lev 12:3) Life in the blood (Lev 17:11) Quarantine (Lev 13:46)

Passes the Scientific Accuracy test The Universe had a beginning (Gen 1:1) Innumerable stars (Gen 22:17) Earth suspended in space (Job 26:7) Water cycle (Ecc 1:7)

9. Passes the Predictive Accuracy test Prof. Peter Stoner: ‘‘We find the chance that any man might have lived to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 1017…that would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.’’

“Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32) Lord George Lyttelton Gilbert West Frank Morrison Josh McDowell John Warwick Montgomery Sir William Ramsay Dr. Allan Rex Sandage Lee Strobel