1. How Can We Be Sure the New Testament we Have Today is the Same as that penned by the Original Authors?

2. The Bibliographical Test
This test is applied to all ancient historical documents

3. Questions Raised in This Test:
How many copies are available?
More copies the better
Where are the copies found?
From places removed by time & location, collusion unlikely

4. Questions Raised in This Test:
What length of time passed between original & earliest copies?
Short interval increases confidence
What variances exist between the copies?
If the variances are few and minor, the process of copying over the years has been faithful to the original

5. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
How many copies of the New Testament manuscripts are now available?
Over 24,000 Greek Manuscripts!
Homer (Iliad) – 643 Copies
Sophocles – 193 Copies
Aristotle – 49 Copies
Caesar (Gallic Wars) – 10 Copies

6. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
Where were these copies found?
Various Places
Egypt
Palestine
Syria
Turkey
Greece
Italy
Such Varied Locates make Collusion Very Difficult, if not Impossible

7. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
What length of time passed between the original & the earliest copies?
Several Papyri Fragments have been dated within years of the autographs.
Several nearly complete N.T. Greek Manuscripts which were copied within years of the autograph.

8. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
What length of time passed between the original & the earliest copies?
Codex Sinaiticus – Mid 4th Century
Codex Alexandrinus – 5th Century
Codex Vaticanus – 4th Century
All Virtually Complete Old and New Testaments in Greek
“Unicals”

9. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
Compare with Classical Manuscripts-
Homer – 900 B.C. first copy 500 years from autograph
Sophocles – B.C. first copies dated 1000 A.D.
Aristotle – B.C. first copy in A.D.
Caesar – B.C. first copy 900 A.D.

10. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
What Variances Exist Between the Many Copies of the New Testament?
Only .5 % is in question – compared to 5% for the Illiad
“No fundamental doctrine rests on a disputed reading… It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain: especially is this the case with the New Testament.” Sir Frederick Kenyon

11. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
The New Testament Passes with Flying Colors
It does Better than any other Historical Document that has Come Down from Antiquity!

12. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
“Evidence for our N. T. writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no one dreams of questioning. And if the N. T. were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be as beyond all doubt.” F.F. Bruce

13. The Bibliographical Test For The New Testament
“After trying to shatter the historicity and validity of the Scripture, I came to the conclusion that they are historically trustworthy. If one discards the Bible as being unreliable, then he must discard almost all literature of antiquity." One problem I constantly face is the desire on the part of many to apply one standard or test to secular literature and other to the Bible. One needs to apply the same test, whether the literature under investigation is secular or religious. Having done this, I believe one can hold the Scriptures in his hand and say, 'The Bible is trustworthy, and historically reliable.'" Josh McDowell

14. Why Then Would Anyone Question The New Testament Record Concerning Jesus?
They Don’t Want To Believe that Miracles Happened
What are we to do with the testimony of the New Testament concerning the miracles of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead?

15. There are Only Two Alternatives
EITHER the New Testament is Telling the Truth OR it is a Carefully Orchestrated lie?
Why Only TWO Alternatives?
1 Corinthians 15:14,15
2 Peter 1:16-18
We cannot say they might have been sincerely deceived-
Acts 10:39-41
1 John 1:1-4
1 Corinthians 15:4-8

16. Which is More Logical, More Rational to Believe?
Implications IF the N.T. is Not True
It is a Carefully Orchestrated Lie!
Luke 2:1-5 – Confirmed by Archaeology
IF the record of Miracles & the Resurrection are False – they are merely intertwined, Fact and Fiction
IS it Reasonable to believe that?

17. Which is More Logical, More Rational to Believe?
Implications IF the N.T. is Not True
The Authors Suffered Extreme Hardship For What They Knew Was a Lie
1 Corinthians 4:9-13
2 Corinthians 11:24-29
The author of Half the Books of the N.T. (Paul) suffered Extreme Hardship for a LIE!
IS it Logical to Believe That?

18. Which is More Logical, More Rational to Believe?
Implications IF the N.T. is Not True
The Authors who were Martyred Knew they were Dying For A LIE!
James – stoned to death
Paul – beheaded
Peter – crucified
IF the N.T. is a LIE, they went to their Deaths KNOWING they were dying for a LIE!
IS it Rational to Believe That?

19. Which is More Logical, More Rational to Believe?
Implications IF the N.T. is Not True
Suffering & Dying for a LIE, went against Everything Jesus and they themselves Taught!
Matthew 5:37
Ephesians 4:25
1 Peter 2:1
Does it Make Sense To Believe That?

20. Which is More Logical, More Rational to Believe?
Implications IF the N.T. is Not True
It would mean that the Book with the World’s Highest Standard & Loftiest Goals was Composed by Liars, Frauds & Deceivers!
Matthew Chapters 5-7
1 Corinthians Chapter 13
Can You Believe It?

21. Those Who Do Not Believe the New Testament Record:
Are Those Who-
Have Never Read the New Testament Carefully
OR Are Not Aware of the Evidence which Supports it as a Historical Document
OR Have not Considered the Logical Implications of Simply Regarding it as a Mixture of Fact and Fiction

22. Those who Read it, I Believe they will find: It has “the Ring of Truth” to it. Romans 10:17; John 20:30,31

23. Have You Read the New Testament?
Have You Obeyed The New Testament?