Can I Trust The Bible?

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Luke 2:1–2 ESV

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Textual criticism

textual availability

correct accuracy

The Scientific Reason

Evolution

Fosil record

Cosmological argument

Teleological Argument

ex-nihilo creation - out of nothing

Order -> Chaos

Job 36:26–29 ESV

26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable. 27 For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain, 28 which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly. 29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?

Isaiah 40:22 ESV

22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

The Providential Reason

66 books total

39 books of OT

Hebrew Bible 22 books / same content / different order

Matthew 23:35 ESV

35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

Matt 23.35

Jesus affirms the OT cannon

never a group to decide!

Apocrypha

No NT writers quote them

Never a part of the Hebrew OT cannon

Some fairly significant errors

Thousands of years

3 languages

Several Cultures

Cohesive Structure

NT no central location for all - period of development

Written by apostle or authenticated by one - apostolic blessing?

27 books known and accepted

2 Peter 3:14–16 ESV

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

2 Pet 3.14-

Vote to include ones that everyone would agree upon…

recognize authority / not create authority

The Prophetic Reason

Isaiah 39:6 ESV

6 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord.

90-100 years later this happened

in Babylion for 70yrs

Isaiah 44:24–45:1 ESV

24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, 25 who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, 26 who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins’; 27 who says to the deep, ‘Be dry; I will dry up your rivers’; 28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ” 1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:

150-170

Cyrus not born yet

Persia = Babylion

anointed king

Isaiah 45:2–4 ESV

2 “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. 4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me.

Isa 45.2-4

Knows him by name

Ezra 1:1–3 ESV

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem.

Ez 1.1-3

another one

Eze 26.1-14

Ezekiel 26:1 ESV

1 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:

Ezekiel 26:1–14 ESV

1 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,’ 3 therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. 4 They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. 5 She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. And she shall become plunder for the nations, 6 and her daughters on the mainland shall be killed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 7 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers. 8 He will kill with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you. 9 He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. 10 His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots, when he enters your gates as men enter a city that has been breached. 11 With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. 12 They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters. 13 And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more. 14 I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the Lord; I have spoken, declares the Lord God.

Word of the LORD 1,500 times

predictions of messiah

Daniel

Isaiah

Jesus…

The Logical Reason

The Bible is the Word of God because it says it is!

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

1,552 = “says the Lord” References to being God’s word...

what is included = embarrassing

early evidence

eye witnesses

2 Peter 1:16 ESV

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

dyeing for this

The Historical Reason

extra canonical books

non-religious historians

archiology

Textual criticisom

textual availability

The Prophetic Reason

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Thousands of years

3 languages

cohesive structure

The Scientific Reason

Evolution

Fosil record

Cosmological argument

Teleological Argument

The Providential Reason

66 books

Thousands of years

3 languages

Several Cultures

Cohesive Structure

The Personal Reason

I have experienced God there

You have experienced Christ there

We have the leading of the Holy Spirit there

Psalm 119:105 ESV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Ps 119.105

Romans 8:9 ESV

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

The Ultimate Reason

Jesus believed and taught us to trust the Bible

Jesus taught that scripture was about Him

Jesus taught that scripture IS the Word of God

Jesus believed and taught its history

Matthew 24:35 ESV

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Matt 24.35

John 1:1 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Biblical Contradictions

American Atheists [Biblical Contradictions]

Moody SermonsBiblical Contradictions

American Atheists [Biblical Contradictions]

https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/biblical-contradictions/

Freedom From Religion Foundation

https://ffrf.org/legacy/books/lfif/?t=contra

Apparent Contradictions

Lost Books of The Bible

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Books_of_the_Bible_and_the_Forgotten_Books_of_Eden

https://www.michaeljkruger.com/what-about-the-lost-books-of-the-bible/

https://www.gotquestions.org/lost-books-Bible.html

Bible Problems !

https://www.news24.com/MyNews24/The-Problem-of-the-Bible-Inaccuracies-contradictions-fallacies-scientific-issues-and-more-20120517

External Evidence

Historical Evidence

Internal Evidence

Conclusion

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2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Matt, Mark, Luke

Matthew 24:35 ESV

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Ezekiel 12:25 ESV

25 For I am the Lord; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord God.”

Ezekiel 24:14 ESV

14 I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.”