Bible, Fact or Fable

Opening Discussion

How do your friends or others talk about the Bible?

What are reasons people give to mistrust the Bible?

What’s an example of somebody mistrusting the Bible?

Know What Matters

If you don’t know your Bible, you won’t know Jesus or how to follow him

The Bible has been demeaned, destroyed and critiqued yet its still here

People disbelieve the Bible because of the christian more than the words of the Bible.

The Bible defeats arguments and liberates people. The Bible is not a weapon to destroy, its a weapon to free people.

“If you consider yourself to be a well-educated person, how can you ignore the one book that has, more than any other, shaped the society and the world in which we live today?” – Moise Rosen

Jesus or the Bible first? We believe the Bible because we believe in Jesus who he is and what he claims. Example: Do you trust in your relationship with a person or what outside people say or don’t say about your relationship with that person?

Know Your Tools

Can I Trust the Bible? By Canadian Bible Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPaeo19sQXw&ab_channel=CanadianBibleSociety

Internal Claim

Word of Life is Alive and Trustworthy

To be this

Accuracy

Plato Republic = 7 Copies over 1400 years

Gallic Wars = 10 copies over 1000 Years

Iliad = 643 over 400 years

Bible NT = 24,000 over 25 years

OT = Dead Sea Scrolls after 1000 years were 95 % accuracy

Reliable : applies to the world

Multiple literacy types not made to be read a single way

2/3 of scientist are of the Christian faith, find it reliable although debated on literal

Reliable for history and archeology

Alexander the Great not debated 400 years vs Jesus who is under 80 years for his

More evidence for Jesus within or without the Bible than any other person from this period

Abraham , Hittite People (50x in OT, Joshua 1:4), Nazareth, Pontius Pilate, Jesus

Relevant

Deepest Question of humanity: Is there a God? What happens when I die? Is there a purpose for my life?

Bible answers all of these questions and more

It is the most studied book in all of history

Explore God Video: The Bible as Evidence https://youtu.be/CfB5r7wXUO8

Myth vs Bible

Myth: If the word myth refers to the traditional stories of a tribe or people group (such as ancient Israel or the early Christians), the accounts can certainly be true. Thus the label “myth” is no critique against the Bible. However, most lay people use the word myth to mean fiction or fable.

Q: Which parts of the Bible are myth? How do you tell?

Alternative: Okay let’s say I agree with you that the Bible is a myth and a fable, all fables tell stories and reveal something what does the Bible reveal? Would you like to find out together?

The difference between Santa Claus and Jesus

Historians are nearly unanimous in believing that Jesus existed. No one is claiming that Santa Claus actually exists.

The existence of some myths doesn’t mean everything is a myth. Think of it: Santa Claus is a myth. Therefore Jesus is a myth. That’s not much of an argument.

Nonbiblical Literary Evidence for Jesus

Why we shouldn’t have literary evidence of Jesus

There is very little Roman records of this time period for Rome, even Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea, a middle-management leader of Rome is only mentioned by historian Tacitus.There are only 3 Major Jewish Sources from this time period

(1) We have one Jewish historian, Josephus, who lived c. A.D. 36–100.

(2) There is one Jewish philosopher, Philo, who lived in Alexandria, Egypt.

(3) The Dead Sea Scrolls of Qumran is a collection of documents from a separatist Jewish movement living in the Judean wilderness. From a Roman perspective: Jesus is a minor figure of a minor people long conquered with limited communication and Hebrew perspective: A troublemaker who was killed by Romans held no formal title with Jewish government

Yet even though all 3 of these factors

He sparked incredible devotion from all of his followers who would die for this cause

Neutral and Against Jesus verify his existence

Josephus - Non Christian Jewish historian, says Jesus is a wise man and teacher, a miracle worker, writes jewish leaders need to respond to Christians, said Jesus was crucified under Pilate, Jesus movement very much alive in 1st century. He confirms: Jesus, James, and john the Baptist, execution of James (jeus brother), in depth description of Jesus, affirms Jesus appeared alive again on third day, and that Pilate condemned him to death.

Thallus - Roman Historian non-Christian, writes that upon Jesus death darkness and earthquakes rocked Jerusalem.

Know Your Self

Bumper sticker theology is not helpful. “Bible Says It, I believe it, that’s the end of it”

Jesus hates fig trees, the Bible said it, therefore Christians hate figs and don’t eat figs. Mark 11:12-14

Dogs are evil. Phil 3:2 “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;”

Textual Criticism, Context, and Interpretation help us understand truth of Scripture, don’t assume others already understand because it said so.

Do you know the Bible? Do you read it?

The Bible can be trusted from all accounts of evidential places, but will you trust it because of lofty terms or ideas or do we believe in the Bible because we believe in Jesus?

Look at More

Pastor DP contact info: [e-mail] if you would like additional ancient evidence of the Bible inside and outside Scripture

https://evangelism.intervarsity.org/resource/bible-just-myths

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2019/december/biblical-archaeologys-top-10-discoveries-of-2019.html

https://www.challies.com/sponsored/10-most-significant-discoveries-in-the-field-of-biblical-archaeology/

Bock, Darrell L.. Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods . Baker Publishing Group

reasonablefaith.org

How to Read your Bible - Kay Arthur

exploregod.com