Session 1 - How We Know The Bible is Reliable
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1. The Witness of Unity
1. The Witness of Unity
There is a consistency in the Biblical message despite it being written by around 40 authors with very different backgrounds over a period of 1,600 years. The topics they talk about agree with one another. Topics such as God, Mankind, Sin, Salvation and Death. You would expect there to be a lack of cohesion but the thread continues throughout showing there was one Author who oversaw the entire writing process and that is God Himself.
2. The Witness of Prophecy
2. The Witness of Prophecy
This is one of the strongest arguments. The Bible is full of prophecies about the future. There are approximately 2,500 prophecies in the Bible. Almost 2,000 of them have already been fulfilled. We can look at the prophecy and see the fulfillment already. The fact that so many prophecies have already been fulfilled means we can have confidence in the events that are still to come in fulfillment of the remaining 500 prophecies. The Bible is unique in fulfilling prophecy.
The prophet Isaiah prophesises of the rise of Cyrus (by name) through who would allow the Temple of Jerusalem to be rebuilt. The Temple was still standing at this time and would not be destroyed for another 100 years. It was fulfilled within 150 years.
Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb: I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth (who is with me?);
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto Jehovah, the God of Israel; then they drew near to Zerubabbel, and to the heads of fathers’ houses, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
The Bible also gives us predictions of the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. David said this 1,000 years before the ministry of Jesus.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
Isaiah says this about the Suffering Servant and more 750 years before the ministry of Jesus.
Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
3. The Witness of Archaelology
3. The Witness of Archaelology
The discoveries of archaelogy help to demonstrate the reliability of the Bible. The places, the nations, the wars and events that happened in the Middle East.
The Tel Dan Stele (9th century BC) - An inscription in Aramaic discovered in northern Israel. It mentions the "House of David"—the earliest extra-biblical reference to King David. Confirms that David was a real historical figure, not just a legendary character.
The Mesha Stele (Moabite Stone, ~840 BC) - Found in Jordan, written by King Mesha of Moab. Mentions the Israelite king Omri (1 Kings 16) and his oppression of Moab. Confirms the conflict between Moabites and Israelites described in 2 Kings 3.
The Cyrus Cylinder (6th century BC) - A Babylonian clay cylinder from King Cyrus the Great. Records his policy of allowing conquered peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild temples. Matches Ezra 1:1–4, where Cyrus allows Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III (~841 BC) - An Assyrian monument showing King Jehu of Israel (or his emissary) bowing to the Assyrian king. First known depiction of an Israelite king. Matches biblical records of Israel’s interactions with Assyria (2 Kings 9–10).
Hezekiah’s Tunnel (late 8th century BC) - A water tunnel in Jerusalem, dug to protect the city’s water supply from Assyrian siege. Mentioned in 2 Kings 20:20 and 2 Chronicles 32:30. The Siloam Inscription inside the tunnel describes its construction.
The Dead Sea Scrolls (250 BC–70 AD) - Found at Qumran (1947–1956). Contain portions of nearly every book of the Old Testament. Show that the Hebrew Bible was transmitted very accurately over centuries.
Pontius Pilate Inscription (1st century AD) - Found in Caesarea Maritima. An inscription bearing the name Pontius Pilate, Roman prefect of Judea. Confirms the existence of the figure who presided over Jesus’ trial (mentioned in the Gospels).
Caiaphas Ossuary (1st century AD) - A limestone bone box (ossuary) inscribed with the name Joseph son of Caiaphas. Likely the high priest who condemned Jesus (Matthew 26:3).
House of Peter in Capernaum - Excavations in Capernaum revealed a house that was turned into a Christian meeting place as early as the 1st century. Early tradition identifies it as the home of the Apostle Peter (Mark 1:29).
See www.expeditionbible.com for this and more.
4. The Witness of Science
4. The Witness of Science
The Bible does make some scientific statements such as the creation of the Universe.
The Bible correctly describes the shape of the Earth and that the universe is expanding.
It is he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;
This is written in 700 BC long before modern science.
In 150 BC the astrominer Hipparchus said there was 1,026 stars. Around the birth of Christ, Ptolemy said there was 1,056 stars. In the 17th century, Kepler catalogued 1,006 stars but recognised there were many more too faint to see. We now think that in the Milky Way there are something like 100 Billion stars! Jeremiah would say 600 years before Christ that there are too many to count.
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
The Law of Entropy is also known as the Second Law of Thermodynamics. All matter is in a constant state of deterioration. It is breaking down or wearing out. This was found out in 1850. The Bible mentions it some 1,000 years before Christ is born.
Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth;
And the heavens are the work of thy hands.
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure;
Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment;
As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
Jesus will say something similar.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
5. The Witness of History
5. The Witness of History
Did the Biblical writers really witness what they recorded? This is closely related to the Witness of Archaeology.
The military campaign into Israel by Pharaoh Shishak around 926 BC.
Revolt of Moab against Israel around 853 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to Assyria around 721 BC
Defeat of Ashdod by Sargon in 713 BC
Campaign of the Assyrian King Sennacherib against Judah in 701 BC
Siege of Lachish by Sennacherib also in 701 BC
Fall of Babylon to the Medes and the Persians in 539 BC.
These and others are all mentioned in the Bible and confirmed by historical finds and documents outside of the Bible. Another powerful proof is given by Luke who gives details as markers of his historical credidentials.
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
The fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar
Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea
Herod was tetarch of Galilee
Philip was tetarch of the regions of Ituraea and Trachonitis
Lysanias was tetrach of Abilene
During the priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas
These time markers are put in by Luke. For many years they thought Luke had got it wrong when compared to Josephesus. A discovery was made that showed Josephesus was likely talking about somone else with a similar name. The Abila temple inscription, which mentions “Lysanias the tetrarch”—the archaeological discovery that sheds light on a rather elusive historical figure. Luke is a historian with great credability. The Bible presents history as it happens.
6. The Witness of a Changed Life
6. The Witness of a Changed Life
The Bible can cause lives to be dramatically changed. There are many people who can witness that their lives were changed by the Word of God.
We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
The Bible itself was written by people who were moved by the Holy Spirit. There may be many human authors but they were all moved by the one God.
For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Our lives are stabilised as we build our lives upon God and His Word.
Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock.
