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THE BIBLE

THE BIBLE. A Christian Apologetic. [I] HISTORICAL ANALAYSIS OF THE BIBLE. LOOKING AT THE NEW TESTAMENT EVIDENCE:. [A] The Canon - 5 Criteria:. 1) Was it authoritative? Did it come from God? Did it have the seal of apostolic authority? 2) Was the author confirmed by God?

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THE BIBLE

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  1. THE BIBLE A Christian Apologetic

  2. [I] HISTORICAL ANALAYSIS OF THE BIBLE LOOKING AT THE NEW TESTAMENT EVIDENCE:

  3. [A] The Canon - 5 Criteria: 1) Was it authoritative? • Did it come from God? • Did it have the seal of apostolic authority? 2) Was the author confirmed by God? • Miracles or prophecy? 3) Was it truthful? • Contradictory? • Rule-of-thumb: “if in doubt, throw it out” 4) Was it dynamic? • Did it change lives? 5) Was it used? • Was it read and collected by early Christians? (II Peter 3:16)?

  4. [B] MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE (1) Manuscripts: (2) Dating (3) Eyewitness accounts: (4) Hostile Accounts: (5) Versions or Translations: (6) Lectionaries: (7) Early Church Father’s Letters:

  5. (1) Manuscripts: New Testament extant manuscripts 5,300 Greek 10,000 Latin Vulgate 9,300 other early versions + 24,000 manuscript copies, or portions 230 MSS compiled before the 6th century!!

  6. (2) Dating • AuthorDate WrittenEarliest CopyTime SpanCopies (extent) • Secular Manuscripts: • Herodotus (History) 480 ‑ 425 BC 900 AD 1,300 years 8 • Thucydides (History) 460 - 400 BC 900 AD 1,300 years ? • Aristotle (Philosopher) 384 ‑ 322 BC 1,100 AD 1,400 years 5 • Caesar (History) 100 ‑ 44 BC 900 AD 1,000 years 10 • Pliny (History) 61 ‑ 113 AD 850 AD 750 years 7 • Suetonius (Roman History) 70 - 140 AD 950 AD 800 years ? • Tacitus (Greek History) 100 AD 1,100 AD 1,000 years 20 • Biblical Manuscripts: (note these are individual manuscripts) • Magdalene Ms (Matthew 26) 1st century 50-60 AD co-existant(?) • John Rylands (John-in Egypt) 90 AD 130 AD 40 years • Bodmer Papyrus II (John) 90 AD 150-200 AD 60-110 years • Chester Beatty Papyri (N.T.) 1st century 200 AD 150 years • Diatessaron by Tatian (Gospels) 1st century 200 AD 150 years • Codex Vaticanus (Bible) 1st century 375-350 AD 275-300 years • Codex Sinaiticus (Bible) 1st century 350 AD 300 years • Codex Alexandrinus (Bible) 1st century 400 AD 350 years

  7. Papyrus Scrolls: Popular upto 4th Century

  8. Parchment & Vellum (Popular after 4th c.) Sinaiticus: • New Testament • 4th Century

  9. ALEXENDRINUS -Old & New Testament -5th Century

  10. (3) Eyewitness accounts: Internal Corroboration Luke 1:1-3 (Disciples) “...to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word have handed them down to us, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order.” Acts 2:22 (Jews) “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know...” Acts 26:24-26 (Secular Auth.) “...Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter the words of sober truth. For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.”

  11. (4) Hostile Accounts: External Corroboration 1) Thallus: a Greek historian 52 AD, crucifixion, day suddenly turned dark, and earth trembled 2) Tacitus: a Roman historian 80-84 AD, death of Christ, reign of Tiberius’, by governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate 3) Josephus: a Jewish historian 90-95 AD, death of Jesus, martyrdom of James, John the Baptist, resurrection 4) Suetonius: a Greek historian Expulsion from Rome of followers of Crestus, by emperor Claudius, (Acts 18:2) 5) Pliny the Younger: a Roman author and administrator 112 AD of the Christian community in Asia Minor, and of their devotion to Christ

  12. (5) Versions or Translations: 19,284 translations, in 11 languages! (note: 230 examples between 2nd - 6th C.) 150 AD -> (over 10,000 examples) Latin 150-250 AD -> (350 examples) Syriac early 3rd and 4th centuries (100 + examples) Coptic Armenian 400 AD -> (2,587 examples) Gothic 4th century -> (6 examples) 5th century -> (4,101 examples) Georgian 6th century -> (2,000 examples) Ethiopic 6th century -> Nubian

  13. (6) Lectionaries: 6th century 2,135 lectionaries

  14. (7) Early Church Father’s Letters: Dr. Jean Burgon: 86,489 quotes Sir David Dalrymple: 36,289 quotes Clement of Alexandria 2,406 quotes Tertullian 7,258 quotes Justin Martyr 330 quotes Irenaeus 1,819 quotes Origen 17,922 quotes Hippolytus 1,378 quotes Eusebius 5,176 quotes 36,289 quotes +36,000 quotes from before 325 AD = all but 11 verses of the New Testament!!!!

  15. [II] ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE PEOPLE: -50 Old Testament people -27 New Testament people I.e. Daniel 5:16 Belshazar?

  16. Let’s go and see just how authoritative the Old Testament is: • Looking at Architecture: From the British Museum…. Epic of Creation Flood Tablets

  17. Ur of the Chaldees & Tablets from Mari, Nuzi, Ebla & Armana Harps from Ur Tablets from Amarna (1394 BC)

  18. (1900=Abraham, 1700=Joseph, 1447=Moses, 1000=David) Armana tablets: Apiru or Habiru first found = Genesis 14:13 Ebla tablets: Case Laws, Customs, and Judicial Proceedings (Deuteronomy 22:22-30) Sodom and Gomorrah Mari tablets: Arriyuk, or Arioch found in Genesis 14 Nuzi tablets: a) a barren wife giving a handmaiden to her husband b) a bride chosen for the son by the father c) a dowry paid to the father-in-law d) work done to pay a dowry (i.e. Jacob) e) the unchanging oral will of a father (i.e. Isaac) f) a father giving his daughter a slave-girl (i.e. Leah, Rachel) g) the sentence of death for stealing cult gods (i.e. Jacob).

  19. Neo Hittite Figures

  20. Assyrian Architecture: Jehu Obelisk(841 BC) (2 Kings 9 & 10 – Elisha & Ahab) Tiglath Pileser III (745-727 BC) (2nd Kings 15:19/20 & 1st Chronicles 5:26 – ‘PUL’)

  21. Sargon II(722-701BC) (2 kings 17:6, 24) & Sennacharib(704-681BC)

  22. Lachish • Taylor Prism • 1. Hezekiah rebelled against Senacharib. • 2. The fortified towns of Judah fell. • 3. Lachish also fell • 4. Hezekiah was shut up in Jerusalem • 5. He paid 30 talents of gold in tribute to Senacharib to gain favour • 6. Jerusalem did not fall • The Assyrian army left without firing a single arrow at Jerusalem. • ‘Tirhakah’ (or ‘Taharkah’) • (2 Kings 19:9, and Isaiah 37:9)

  23. Sennacharib cont. ‘Tirhakah’ statue (2 Kings 19:9; Isaiah 37:9) Hezekiah Mural (II Kings 19:35-36)

  24. Murals of Ninevah (Nahum 1:10, 2:13, 3:13-15)

  25. Book of Daniel and the Nabonidus Drum Drum – (539 B.C.) Prayer for Balshazzer (Daniel 5:16) Nabonidus Tablet

  26. Persian Artifacts (6th c. BC) Cyrus Cylindar Artaxerxes Silverware

  27. LUKE’S accuracy: Erastus= Corinthian treasurer (Rom. 16:23) -pavement found in 1929 with this name Politarchs= civil authority of Thessalonica (Acts 17:6) -19 inscriptions use it, 5 in Thessalonica Praetor= for Philippianruler instead of Duumuir -Romans used Praetorearlier Proconsul= title for Gallio (Acts 18:12) -corroborated by Delphi Inscription -(52 AD) Gallio held this position for 1 year only.

  28. What the Archaeologists say G.E. Wright:“We shall probably never prove that Abram really existed.. but what we can prove is that his life and times, as reflected in the stories about him, fit perfectly within the early second millennium, but imperfectly within any later period.” Sir Frederic Kenyon:“The evidence of archaeology has been to re-establish the authority of the Old Testament, and likewise toaugment its value by rendering it more intelligible through a fuller knowledge of its background and setting.” William F. Albright:“The excessive skepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools of the 18th and 19th centuries, certain phases which still appear periodically, has been progressively discredited. Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history.”

  29. Millar Burrows:“On the whole, archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the scriptural record.” Joseph Free:confirms that while thumbing through the book of Genesis, he mentally noted that each of the 50 chapters are either illuminated or confirmed by some archaeological discovery, and that this would be true for most of the remaining chapters of the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Nelson Glueck:(a Jewish Reformed scholar and archaeologist) “To date no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a single, properly understood biblical statement”

  30. [III] FURTHER EVIDENCES FOR THE BIBLE'S AUTHORITY

  31. [1] Its Fulfilled Prophecies: Principle:Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Isaiah 43:9; and John 13:18-21 MosesandIsaiah: prophecies which were fulfilled immediately, or the next day: -Defeat of Egyptians=Exodus 14:13-14,27-28, -holding the sun back=Isaiah 38:5-8 -Sennacherib's rout=Isaiah 37:21-38 prophecies which were fulfilled between 150-200 years later: -Israelites sent to Babylon=Isaiah 39:6-7 or even centuries later: -blessing/curses for Israel=Deuteronomy 28:1,15,64-66; 30:1,4-5 -fall of babylon=Isaiah 13:1,19-20 and others that are just now being fulfilled: - the return from exile=Isaiah 11:11-12

  32. [2] Its extraordinary Unity and Harmony: 66 books - +30 authors – 1,500 years – common theme: God’s redemptive plan for humanity! [3] Its amazing Circulation: • +2,000 translations in 260 languages, 1,167 ongoing transls. • 700 million Scripture portions • -over 14 million Bibles, nearly 13 million New Testaments • -in over 100 countries, now 93% of pop. have it in their tongue! [4] Its Appeal to all Classes everywhere: 1900 AD = only 558 million Christians in the world 2000 AD = were an estimated 2,020 million (2.2 billion)!!

  33. [5] Its Wisdom and high Moral Teaching: • Basis of Law and Morality worldwide: (10 Commandments, Golden Rule, Sermon on the Mount) • Gives Patterns copied by the world (even non‑Christian): • via colonialism (i.e. Hindu India, Muslim Senegal) • via adoption (Shinto Japan, laws based on U.S. Constitution, modelled on Bible)

  34. UN Declaration of Human Rights The most universal secular document used today as a standard: • ‑ Biblical thread throughout, in direct contrast to Islamic principles • ‑ Art.4: no slavery:Abolition movements= Christian: Clapham sect = UK, ‘underground railway’= US, Sierra Leone = Africa • ‑ Art.5: no cruel, degrading punishment: Bible forbids it (Matt.5:39; 26:52; Lk.6:27‑28; 1Cor.13) • Qur’an allows it (amputations S.5:38, floggings S.24:2, stoning S.24:2 (footnote) = Hudud) • ‑ Arts.7,8,10: equality: Bible encourages it (Gal.3:28) while Qur’an distinguishes between Muslim/Kufr (wergild 10/1, Dhimmi laws, Jizya) • ‑ Art.16: marriage & divorce equality: Biblical (only one wife etc...) Qur’an = no Kufr husband, must convert first to Islam. • ‑ Art.18: Freedom of thought and religion (to change): Bible allows choice (Jn.3:16; Rom.10:9‑15) • ‑ Qur’an=fight unbelievers (S.8:39=fight them; 9:5=slay pagans, 29=fight; 47:4=smite, subdue, bind) • ‑ Art.19: Freedom of opinion & expression: Bible (no censorship, only must not change scripture Rev.22:18‑19) • ‑ Qur’an (no criticism of the Qur’an, Muhammad; i.e. Pakistan’s .= Sect.295‑C Blasphemy law) • ‑ Art.21: Equalaccess /will of people basis of authority .=Democracy: Bible (separation of Church/state, Rom.13:1‑7) • ‑ Qur’an=Caliph, Ulema, Shari’ah =authority, non‑Muslim may not rule, or participate in high office, Mawla

  35. Shows that secular governments borrow Biblical principles, though they try to distance from the source of its authority. • Any God‑given scripture must be universally adaptable, to all cultures, for all times. • Most countries use Biblical principles of morality and law • Few Muslim countriesuse strict Shari’ah laws, even when in absolute control; must revert back to Biblical principles. • Excuse = ‘corrupt leaders’, yet West has corrupt leaders also, but Biblical memory still exists. • Result = "just" and democratic society, improved economic environment = mass immigration to West.

  36. [6] Its life-changing power: 3,500 new churches are being planted every week 70,000 people receive Christ daily!

  37. ANSWERING THE CRITICS What about the many numerical discrepancies in the Old Testament? Was Jehoiachin 18 years old (2 Kings 24:8) or 8 years old (2 Chronicles 36:9) when he became king of Jerusalem? Did David capture 1,700 of King Zobah’s horsemen (2 Samuel 8:4), or was it 7,000 (1 Chronicles 18:4) Did Solomon have 40,000 stalls for his horses (1 Kings 4:26), or 4,000 stalls (2 Chronicles 9:25)? Did Solomon build a facility containing 2,000 baths (1 Kings 7:26), or over 3,000 baths (2 Chronicles 4:5)? Answer: copyist errors

  38. THE QUR’AN GIVES AUTHORITY TO THE BIBLE 10:94 Muslims, if in doubtask those who read the book before thee. 21:7 apostles were inspired, so Ask them: they possess the message. 29:46 don’t dispute with Christians, believe in their scriptures 4:136 admonishing the Muslims to Believe in preceding scriptures. 5:46-47Christians must believe in their scriptures & judge by them. 5:68Christians must stand fast by the Gospel. 2:136no difference between Taurat, Injil & the Qur'an Qur'an endorses the Torah and the Gospel. Why is there is no warning?

  39. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE HIS WORD (found in both the Qur’an and the Bible Qur’an: 10:64 =“No change can there be in the words of Allah.” 6:34:“There is none that can alter the words of Allah,” (see also Suras3:2,78; 4:135; 18:26; 35:42; 50:28,29) Bible: Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Isaiah 8:20; Matthew 5:17-18; 24:35; Revelation 22:18-20. -A recurring theme, so why would the Bible be different? -The argument of corruption began with IbnHazam (1064), so a much later polemic.

  40. The Qur’an gives warning of corruption • 2:78-79 “And there are among them (Jews) unlettered people, who know not the Book, but they trust upon false desires and they but guess. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah’…Woe to them for what their hands have written” • 2:140says (of the Jews), “...who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah...?” • These are not a challenge of corruption, but a warning against sectarian & apocryphal literature, and a ringing endorsement to the Bible’s credibility!

  41. THE GOSPEL OF BARNABAS Problems: 1) 1st MS discovered in Papal library in 1590 AD, in Italian, written around 1400-1500 AD 2) Barnabas assumes he is one of the 12 apostles instead of Thomas, favoured by Jesus (#'s 19,25,72, 83,88,100,101,109,218,219,221) 3) Calls Jesus ‘Christo’, but denies he is the Messiah, forgetting Christ means the Messiah (in Hebrew) (#s 42 and 96) 4) Jesus is born in #3outside Bethlehem, #4 inside, #5 outside, #6 inside, #7 outside: 5 contradictions in 5 paragraphs 5) In #42 & 97 Jesus wears shoes, the kind invented for 15th c. Italian cold climates, unknown in Palestine in the 1st century. 6) In #152, wine barrels are mentioned, but were invented quite a bit later (around the 10th cent.), not in Palestine, but in Europe. 7) In #82 refers to “Jubilee of 100 years”, but Lev.25:8-34 = 50 years, only in 1343 AD, pope Boniface VIII made jubilee of 100 years. This was later returned to the original time allotment of 50 years by Clement VI. 8) In #20-21, Jesus traverses the Sea of Galilee & disembarks at Nazareth, and then walks up to Capernaum. In reality, Nazareth is found in the mountains, more than 25 kilometres from the Sea, and it is Capernaum which is next to the Sea.

  42. WHY ARE THERE MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE? Not Versions, but different Translations: 1. RSV was written in standard English and is the traditional favourite for many traditional denominations. 2. NIV: A newer, modern and increasingly popular English translation. 3. NASB: keeps to the exact meaning of the original text, word-for-word from the Hebrew and Greek. 4. J.B.Phillips written in story-book fashion 5. Good News for Modern Man uses only a 5,000 word vocabulary, to help new English speakers. Qur’anic Translations: YusufAli; MarmadukePickthall; Arthur Arberry; Muhammad al-Hilali & Khan; M.A.S. Abdel-Haleem

  43. HOW CAN GOD’S WORD INCLUDE PORNOGRAPHY, BAD LANGUAGE AND BAD PEOPLE? -Judah’s incest with Tamar (Genesis 38), or David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11), yet it is also found in Sura 38:25-26 -Bible teaches that all people are sinful, and that their sins incur damning consequences, which therefore needs forgiveness. -Bible doesn’t condone sin, nor praise for dirty actions, but proclaims God’s impending judgement(II Sam. 11:26; 27-12:1-19). -Bible, indeed, uses human language to communicate God's revelation to humanity, making it more understandable & relevant. -By including the bad actions of ‘Men of God’ the Bible proves it was not sanitized, or corrupted, as in Muhammad’s Sira. -Bible includes failed people, showing us that it is God who must be given the creditfor the great things they do! Tamar = committed incest Rahab = prostitute Ruth = gentile Bathsheba = adulteress If God used them, then he can use ME!

  44. Conclusion: the Books of the Bible were chosen wiselythe manuscripts are authoritativethe eyewitness accounts are believablethe hostile accounts are supportivethe versions and translations are numerousthe lectionaries are corroborativethe early church father’s quotes prove crediblethe old testament documents prove historicalthe New testament documents are unsurpassedthe archaeologists all agreethe bible has fulfilled propheciesthe bible has extraordinary unity and harmonythe bible has amazing circulationthe bible appeals to classes everywherethe bible has wisdom and high moral teachingthe bible answers the critiquesthe bible changes lives!!!!

  45. [II Timothy 3:16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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