2. The Inspired Word

3. The Inspired Word The Bible has been attacked repeatedly Myth
Historically inaccurate
Scientifically unreliable
Untrustworthy because of translation

4. The Inspired Word The Bible either is or is not inspired
(A Study Course In Christian Evidences)
Claim inspiration, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Lauded as great, Ps. 119:
Test it, Acts 17:11

5. The Inspired Word
Tests
Translation

6. The Inspired Word Tests
Historians apply three tests to documents to determine if they are reliable
(Evidence That Demands A Verdict)
Bibliographical
Internal
External

7. The Inspired Word Tests Bibliographical
Over 24,000 New Testament manuscripts
5,300+ Greek
10,000+ Latin
4,000+ Slavic
About years between latest original
& earliest manuscript

8. The Inspired Word Accuracy More Reliable Copies Less Reliable Original
Years

9. The Inspired Word Accuracy New Testament Thucydides Herodotus Copies
Plato
Sophocles
Aristotle
Caesar
Tacitus
Pliny
Homer
Years

10. The Inspired Word Tests Bibliographical Questionable text
Iliad: 15,600 lines / 764 questioned = 5.0%
NT: 20,000 lines / 40 questioned = 0.5%

11. The Inspired Word Tests Bibliographical Isaiah 53 Dead Sea Scrolls
166 words
17 letters questioned
10 letters – spelling difference
4 letters are stylistic
3 letters – one word “light”
Dead Sea Scrolls
125 BC
MSS
900 AD
1,000 years

12. The Inspired Word Tests Internal test Eyewitness accounts Luke 1:1-3
2 Peter 1:16
1 John 1:3
Acts 2:32
Could have been
contradicted
by living disciples

13. The Inspired Word Tests External test
Josephus discussed John the baptist
By name
Herod’s arrest, imprisonment, execution
His influence by preaching among Jews

14. The Inspired Word Tests External test Historical Jesus
Cornelius Tacitus
Lucian of Samosata
Suetonius
Plinius Secundus, Pliny the Younger

15. The Inspired Word Tests External test Historical Jesus
Encyclopedia Britannica (late 1970s)
20,000 words for Christ
More than for Alexander, Caesar…
Independent historical accounts prove His existence

16. The Inspired Word Translation Does not affect inspiration
Millions of books
translated into 1000s of languages
Proverbs 25:1 – copies
Ezra read a copy, Ezra 7:14; Neh. 8:1, 2

17. The Inspired Word Translation Does not affect inspiration
Jesus preached from the LXX, Mk. 7:6, 7
John quoted the LXX, Jn. 19:25
Apollos argued from the LXX, Acts 18:28
Stephen quoted the LXX, Acts 7:14