2. Reliability of the Bible
Different attitudes about reliability
Totally unreliable
Partially reliable
Completely reliable

3. Reliability of the Bible
Various views of inspiration
Mechanical
Noematical
Universal
Natural
Degrees
Verbal, Plenary, Isa. 51:15, 16; Jer. 1:9

4. Reliability of the Bible
Inspiration or non-inspiration?
If not, another human document
If not, a fraud
If not, no revelation from God
If not, no understanding of salvation
If so, believe & obey, 2 Thes. 1:7-10

5. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Biographical test
“Examination of textual transmission”
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

6. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Author
When Written
Earliest Copy
Time Span
No. of Copies
Caesar
B.C.
900 A.D.
1,000 10
Plato
B.C.
1,200 7
Tacitus
100 A.D.
1100 A.D. 20
Pliny
A.D.
850 A.D.
750
Thucydides
B.C.
1,300 8
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

7. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Author
When Written
Earliest Copy
Time Span
No. of Copies
Herodotus
B.C.
900 A.D.
1,300 8
Sophocles
B.C.
1000 A.D.
1,400
193
Aristotle
B.C.
1100 A.D. 49
Homer
900 B.C.
400 A.D.
500
643 NT
A.D.
125 A.D. 25
24,000+
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

8. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Biographical test
Over 24,000 ancient MSS (copies)
Over 5,300 Greek
Over 10,000 Latin
Over 4,000 Slavic
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

9. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Biographical test
Troubled text
Iliad: 15,600 lines – 764 in question
NT: 20,000 lines – 40 in question
5.0% vs. 0.5%
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

10. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Biographical test
Variations
Hort: 1/8th in dispute
Geisler & Nix: variations mostly minor
Geisler & Nix: 98.33% pure
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

11. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Biographical test
Isaiah 53
166 words – 17 letters in question
10 letters are spelling differences
4 letters are stylistic differences
Other 3, one word added in verse 11 found in LXX
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

12. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
Internal test
“contradictions or known factual” errors?
Eyewitness accounts
Lk. 1:1-3; 2 Pt. 1:16; 1 Jn. 1:3; Acts 2:32
How could it be made up?
Variations lend credibility
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

13. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
External test
Other historic documents confirm?
Josephus discussed John the Baptist
By name
Arrest, imprisonment, execution
Influence in preaching
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

14. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
External test
Archeological evidence
Jericho’s walls fell outward, Josh. 6:20
Erastus pavement stone, Rom. 16:23
Synagogue of Hebrews, Acts 18:4-7
Census, Lk. 2:1-3
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

15. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
External test
Archeological evidence
Luke mentioned
32 countries
54 cities
9 Mediterranean islands
95 people
A Study Course In Christian Evidences

16. Reliability of the Bible
Textual Evidence
External test
Archeological evidence
Sir William Ramsay – skeptic, 1800s
“Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness.”
Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Vol. 1

17. Reliability of the Bible Scientific Foreknowledge
Five fundamentals of science
Time
Force
Action
Space
Matter
Beginning
God
Created
Heavens
Earth
Gen. 1:1
A Study Course In Christian Evidences

18. Reliability of the Bible Scientific Foreknowledge
Ocean’s currents
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Psalm 8:8 – “Paths of the seas”
Discovered circulation currents
A Study Course In Christian Evidences

19. Reliability of the Bible Scientific Foreknowledge
Ocean’s valleys
Job 38:16
Men thought ocean bottom was flat
Valley found in 1870s – 5 ½ miles deep
Philippine valley – 7 miles deep
A Study Course In Christian Evidences

20. Reliability of the Bible Scientific Foreknowledge
Other facts
Life in the blood, Lev. 17:11-14
Female with seed, Gen. 3:15
Law of Entropy, Heb. 1:11
Spherical earth, Isa. 40:22
A Study Course In Christian Evidences

21. Reliability of the Bible
Inspired of God
Old Testament, 2 Pt. 1:20, 21
Claims
Moses, “The LORD said” 45 times
David, 2 Sam. 23:1, 2
Prophets, Isa. 1:18; Hos. 1:1

22. Reliability of the Bible
Inspired of God
Old Testament, 2 Pt. 1:20, 21
Proofs
Prophecy, Dan. 2:44; Isa. 53:7-12
Christ, Lk. 24:44; Mt. 22:43; Jn. 10:35

23. Reliability of the Bible
Inspired of God
New Testament
Claims
Jesus, Jn. 16:13
Luke, Acts 2:4
Philip, Acts 8:14
Paul, 1 Cor. 11:23; 14:37; Gal. 1:12
Peter, 2 Pt. 3:15, 16

24. Reliability of the Bible
Inspired of God
New Testament
Proofs
Textual Evidence
Miracles, Mk. 16:20; Heb. 2:3, 4

25. Reliability of the Bible
Inspired of God
New Testament
Proofs
Jesus Christ
Lived, died, resurrected
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Peter
Jude
James
Paul

26. Reliability of the Bible
Inspired of God
Translation does not destroy inspiration
OT Greek: Septuagint (LXX)
Quoted by Jesus & others
Mt. 22:31, 32; Ex. 3:6
Gal. 3:17; Ex. 12:40
Heb. 1:5; Psa. 2:7
Acts 28:26, 27; Isa. 6:9, 10

27. Reliability of the Bible
Inspiration or non-inspiration?
If not, another human document
If not, a fraud
If not, no revelation from God
If not, no understanding of salvation
If so, believe & obey, 2 Thes. 1:7-10