CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? TRUTHFUL AND ACCURATE OR JUST MYTHOLOGY?

CONFIRMATION BY HISTORICAL TEXT: Textual reliability: 1 How many manuscripts are there? THE MORE MANUSCRIPTS THE MORE ACCURACY

2 What is the time interval between the original document and the manuscript we have? The more manuscripts we have, with as short a time interval as possible: THE MORE ACCURATE THE BOOK!! TIME

WORKWHEN WRITTEN EARLIEST COPY TIME SPAN NO. OF COPIES Herodotus BC AD9001,3008 Thucydides BCAD9001,3008 TacitusAD100AD Caesar’s Gallic Wars 58-50BCAD Livy’s Roman History 59BC- AD17 AD Bible (New Testament) AD AD130 [AD350 Complete Bible] 300 5,000+ Greek 10,000 Latin 9,300 others ALL THIS LITERATURE IS ACCEPTED AS RELIABLE BY ALL HISTORIANS THE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE BEHIND THE BIBLE IS OVERWHELMING!!

MANUSCRIPT RELIABILITY SUPPORTED BY EARLY CHURCH SCHOLARS: Quote: 'Suppose that the new testament had been destroyed, and every copy of it lost by the end of the third century, could it have it have been collected together again from the writing of the (Church) Fathers of the second and third centuries'? That question aroused my curiosity, and as I possessed all the existing works of the fathers of the second and third centuries, I commenced to search, and up to this time I have found the entire New Testament, except eleven verses.' Sir David Dabrymple.

CONFIRMATION BY ARCHAEOLOGY: Quote: ‘It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted (refuted or contradicted) a biblical reference.‘ Nelson Glueck (Jewish Historian) In fact the Bible has been used to find sites of antiquity and has been found to be geographically and historically accurate. [The Book of Morman which supposedly tells the story of two tribes on the continent of America – has never provided any help in archaeology or led to any artefacts or sites that could substantiate the truth and accuracy of the book].

QUOTE: 'If one discards the Bible as being unreliable, then he must discard almost all literature of antiquity.' 'The Bible is trustworthy and historically reliable.' Josh McDowell. Evidence that Demands a Verdict.

THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE: Definition of unique - different from all others; having no like or equal. 1 Unique in its continuity: Written over 1,600 years Written over 60 generations Written by 40+ authors from every walk of life i.e. Kings, peasants, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars etc. Written in different places. Written at different times i.e. peacetime and in war. Written during different moods. Written on three continents. Written in three languages.

Its subject matter contains hundreds of controversial subjects and its authors wrote on these topics with harmony and continuity from Genesis to Revelation. IMAGINE ASKING 10 PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND AGES TO WRITE A CHAPTER EACH, WITHOUT ANY COLLABORATION, ON ‘THE MEANING OF LIFE’ WHAT WOULD YOU END UP WITH? A CONGLOMERATION – WITH NO CONTINUITY.

2 Unique in its circulation: This book outsells all other books! According to the British TIMES newspaper in 1996: "Forget modern British novelists and TV tie-ins, the Bible is the best-selling book every year. If sales of the Bible were included in best-seller lists, it would be a rare week when anything else would achieve a look in. It is wonderful, weird... that in this godless age... this one book should go on selling, every month." World sales of the Bible are more than 100 million every year.

3 Unique in its translation: The Bible has been translated and paraphrased more than any other book in existence. 4 Unique in its survival: Survival through time - although written on material that perishes there are more manuscripts to the Bible than any other ancient literature. Survival through persecution - throughout history man has tried to destroy the Bible, to burn it, to ban it but it has always survived. The communist countries, although atheist, could not stop people reading the Bible as much as they tried. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matt 24:35 NIV

Quote: ‘Voltaire, the noted French infidel (atheist) who died in 1778, said that in 100 years from his time Christianity would be swept from existence and passed into history. But what happened? Voltaire has passed into history; while the circulation of the Bible continues to increase in almost all parts of the world.' Sidney Collett. (WHEN VOLTAIRE DIED AND HIS HOUSE WAS SOLD IT BECAME A PRINTERS PRODUCING THE BIBLE!). RIP VOLTAIRE

Survival through criticism - no other book has been attacked and torn to pieces like the Bible. Quote: 'If this book had not been the book of God, men would have destroyed it long ago. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers have all tried their hand at it; they die and the book still lives.' H. L. Hastings

5 Unique in its teachings: Prophecy like no equal. Accurate history. Personalities the Bible tells it like it is, it does not cover up the failings of men; as man tends to, if man writes anything. The uniqueness of the Bible does not prove that the Bible is true, but it does prove that it is different from all other books; having no like or equal. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH, THEN WHY NOT READ THE ONE BOOK THAT HAS DRAWN MORE ATTENTION THAN ANY OTHER?

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? TRUTHFUL AND ACCURATE OR JUST MYTHOLOGY? READ IT! IT IS