The Reliability of the Bible

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,

correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of
God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
 Overview
 Why the Bible
Prophecy

Outline

 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

Why the Bible?

Evaluating the integrity of Ancient Writings
Prophecy
Textual Criticism
Questions to ask to affirm the reliability of the
Gospels
– Where were they written?
– Do the writers use the right names?
– Geography: Do they know the places described?
 What is the
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism Bible?
 39 in the OT, 10-14 Deuterocanonical Books
 27 in the NT
 Written over a period of 1600 years
 Has more than 40 authors
 It was originally written in
– Hebrew: Old Testament books
– Aramaic: Daniel, Ezra and a few of the Deuterocanonical
Books
– Greek: The New Testament
 Overview

Why the Bible?

 Why the Bible
 Prophecy
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

 What distinguishes the Bible from other

religious sacred texts like: The Koran, the
Hindu Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Buddhist
Tripitaka, The book of Mormon etc…
 Why the
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy



Integrity
Textual Criticism Bible?
 How do we know that
the bible isn't just an
ancient book of
mythology?
 That it isn’t inspired
by the lore of nearby
cultures whose
religions share
similar plot lines?
 Is it just man made
creations of



Overview
Why the Bible
Prophecy
Scientific


Integrity
Textual Criticism Validation
• The Bible was completed long before the
invention of microscopes, telescopes, satellites,
and all the other technological innovations that
have allowed us to investigate certain
phenomenon of the world and the universe.
• That the Bible not only does not contain any
scientific errors, but anticipates later discoveries,
in expressions contrary to the opinions of their
day denotes a divine authorship and is powerful
support for inerrancy.
• Compare: Without exception, every ancient
religious writing has certain unscientific views of
 Overview
Compare -

 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism Vedas
For example, the Hindu Vedas
teach that

1.The Earth is flat and

triangular.

2.Earthquakes are the result of

elephants shaking their bodies
underneath the ground.

3.They also claim that

civilizations live on the back
 Overview
Compare –

 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism Quran
The Qur'an frequently describes the earth as "spread out", often
comparing it to a "carpet".

"And the earth have We spread out, and placed therein firm
hills, and caused each seemly thing to grow therein,"
(Qur'an 15:19).

The Quran says that the Sun sets in a muddy spring.

"when he reached the setting- place of the Sun, he

found it setting in a muddy spring.” (Surah 18:86)
 Astounding
Overview
Scientific

 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism
Foresight in the
Bible
DESCRITPION REFERENCE

1.The Sun on a circuit through space. Psalm 19:6

2.The Earth is Spherical Job 26:10
3.Earth suspended on nothing Job 26:7
4.The stars are beyond ability to count * Jeremiah 33:3
5.The universe had a beginning in space and time Genes
1:1
6.The universe is sustained with immutable laws Jeremi
33:25
•Universe subjected to law of decay Romans 8: 18
(2nd law of thermodynamics)
* The Greek astronomer and mathematician Hipparchus (190-120 B.C.) said there were exactly 1,026
stars, Ptolemy (c. 85-
A.D. 165) said there were 1,056 stars, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) counted 1,006. When Galileo
 What is
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism Prophecy?
 Prophecy – the future told in advance by God
through a prophet
 John 5:39 , “You search the Scriptures; for in
them you think you have eternal life; and these
are they which testify of Me.”
 The reliability of the Bible is confirmed
by the accuracy of its prophecies
– Cannot be said of any other “sacred writings”
– Other writings make great claims but contain no
prophecy unique to them that establishes “truth”
10
 Test of a True
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy
Integrity
Prophet

 Textual Criticism

 Deut. 18:22 , “When a prophet speaks in

the name of the Lord, if the thing does not
happen or come to pass, that is the thing
which the Lord has not spoken; the
prophet has spoken it presumptuously;
you shall not be afraid of him.”
 True Prophet – prophecy is fulfilled

11


Overview
Why the Bible
Why Did God
Prophecy
Use

 Integrity
Textual Criticism

Prophecy?


 Is. 48:3-5 , “I have declared the former things

from the beginning; they went forth from My
mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I
did them, and they came to pass. Because I
know that you were obstinate, and your neck
was an iron sinew, and your brow bronze, even
from the beginning I have declared it to you;
before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, lest
you should say, ‘My idol has done them, and my
carved image and my molded image have
commanded them.’”
12
 The Importance
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
of
Textual Criticism Prophecy
 Is. 46:9-10 , “Remember the former things of
old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am
God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the
end from the beginning, And from ancient
times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My
counsel shall stand, And I will do all My
pleasure.’”

13
 Overview
 Why the Bible


Prophecy
Integrity Prophecy …
 Textual Criticism

1. Proves the existence of God

2. Proves Scripture and Creation
3. Proves the divine origin of Scripture
4. Fulfilled in Jesus’ First Coming
5. Proves Jesus is coming again
6. Motivates believers
7. Proves God loves us
14
 Overview Prophecy Proves
Why the Bible
The Existence of

 Prophecy

God
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

 Prophecy is “history written in advance”

 Eschatology is the study of end times
(last things)
 Over 1000 prophecies (when written) found
in Scripture (28% of Scripture)
– Over 500 already fulfilled
– We can trust God for the fulfillment of the
remaining 500
 Fulfilled prophecy credentials the Bible
15
 Overview


Why the Bible
Prophecy The Lord Saves
Israel
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

 Ezekiel 38 and 39
– 8 times God declares that He will destroy
the enemies of Israel on the mountains of
Israel
– God declares “I am the Lord”
 Soul harvest described in Revelation
– Every tongue, nation, people
– 2 witnesses
– 144,000 Jewish witnesses
16
 Overview


Why the Bible
Prophecy
Prophecy Fulfilled in


Integrity
Textual Criticism
Jesus’ First Coming

 Prophets – holy men of God who spoke as

they were moved by the Holy Spirit
 Jesus is the only person who fulfilled all
109 prophecies of the Messiah
– Seed of the woman
– Born of tribe of Judah … in the line of David
– Born of a virgin
– Born in Bethlehem
 Jesus is the one and only Messiah
– 1 in 13 billion people who have ever lived!
17


Overview
Why the Bible Messianic
Prophecies
 Prophecy
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

 The only one who fulfilled 109 prophecies

 Jesus is the only way of salvation
 Jesus to be brought out of Egypt, Hos.
11:1
 He will reclaim sight to the blind, Is. 42:7
 50 prophecies about His death:
– Sold for 30 pieces of silver, Zech. 11:12
– Betrayed by a friend, Ps. 41:9
– Slain between two malefactors, Is. 53:12
18


Overview
Why the Bible
Key Messianic


Prophecy
Integrity Prophecy Chapters
in the OT
 Textual Criticism

 Genesis – Moses, 1400 B.C.

 Psalm 22 – King David, 1000 B.C.
 Psalm 69 – King David, 1000 B.C.
 Isaiah 9 – Prophet Isaiah, 700 B.C.
 Isaiah 53 – Prophet Isaiah, 700 B.C.
 Daniel 9 – Prophet Daniel, 550 B.C.
 Zechariah 11 – Prophet Zechariah, 500 B.C.
 Malachi – Prophet Malachi, 420 B.C.
19
 Psalm 22 & Isaiah
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism52:13-53:12
 They tell stories that perfectly parallel
events in the life of Christ that took place
much later (700 to 1000 years later)
 Psalm 22 – predicted 11 separate things
about Jesus’ crucifixion
 Isaiah chapters 9 and 53 refer to many
attributes of the Messiah to come
 The Bible was inspired by God!

20


Overview
Why the Bible Messianic
Prophecies - 1
 Prophecy
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

Event Prophecy Fulfillment

Born of the “seed” of a Gen. 3:15 Luke 1:34-35
woman
Raised from the dead Ps. 16:10,11 Luke 24:4-7
Would cry out to God Ps. 22:1 Matt. 27:46
Would be forsaken by Ps. 22:1 Mark 15:34
God
Crucified (hands & feet Ps. 22:16 Luke 24:39-40
pierced) 21
 Messianic
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy



Integrity
Textual Criticism Prophecies - 2
Event Prophecy Fulfillment
“He trusted God, let Ps. 22:8 Matt. 27:41-43
Him deliver Him”
Would thirst Ps. 22:15 John 19:28
No bones broken Ps. 22:17 John 19:32-33,36
Garments divided Ps. 22:18 John 19:23-24
Betrayed by a friend Ps. 41:9 John 13:18-21
22


Overview
Why the Bible
Messianic
Prophecies - 3
 Prophecy
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

Event Prophecy Fulfillment

Ascend to heaven Ps. 68:18 Luke 24:51
Born of a virgin Is. 7:14 Luke 1:26-35
Called Immanuel Is. 7:14 Matt. 1:23
Ministry in Galilee Is. 9:1-2 Matt. 4:12-16

Light to the Gentiles Is. 9:1-2 Luke 2:28-32

23
 Overview
Messianic

 Why the Bible

Prophecies - 4
 Prophecy
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

Event Prophecy Fulfillment

Born as a male Is. 9:6-7 Mark 1:1
John 1:1-3, 14
Would be Son of God Is. 9:6 Luke 1:35
Despised Is. 53:3 Luke 4:28-29
Rejected Is. 53:3 Matt. 27:21-23
Side pierced Zech. 12:10 John 19:34,37
24
 Messianic
 Overview
 Why the Bible
Prophecy

Prophecies - 5


 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

Event Prophecy Fulfillment

Silent when accused Is. 53:7 Matt. 27:12-14
Buried by a rich man Is. 53:9 Luke 23:50-53
Die for all mankind Is. 53:11 John 12:27
Condemned with Is. 53:12 Luke 23:32-33
criminals
Part of new and Is. 55:3-4 Matt. 26:28;
everlasting covenant Mark 14:24
25


Overview
Why the Bible
Messianic
Prophecy
Prophecies - 6


 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

Event Prophecy Fulfillment

Born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2 Luke 2:4-7
Enter Jerusalem on a Zech. 9:9 Matt. 21:1-11
donkey
Sold for 30 pieces of Zech. 11:12 Matt. 26:15
silver
Silver used to buy a Zech. 11:13 Matt. 27:7
potter’s field
Forerunner to prepare Mal. 3:1 Matt. 11:10
the way 26


Overview
Why the Bible
Significance of the


Prophecy
Integrity
Messianic
 Textual Criticism
Prophecies
 Prophecies written down later on?
– NO, early documents found as part of the Dead
Sea Scrolls confirm the dates of the prophecies
 How do we know these are Messianic?
– They were recognized and discussed by the Jews
before Jesus’ birth
 Two missions fulfilled in one person?
– Is. 61:1-3 – Good News & Day of Wrath
– Made possible by Jesus’ resurrection

27


Overview
Why the Bible
Couldn’t Someone


Prophecy
Integrity
Else Fulfill These
 Textual Criticism
Prophecies?

 Couldn’t anyone else have fulfilled

these prophecies if they really tried?
 How do we know Jesus is THE
Messiah?
– Other religions say they have a Prophet
that followed in Jesus’ footsteps – the real
Messiah?
 Jews are still waiting for the Messiah
– The “real” Messiah still to come? 28


Overview
Why the Bible Messianic
Prophecy Issues
 Prophecy
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

 Many of the prophecies are not under

human control
– Born in Bethlehem
– Born of a virgin
– Come out of Egypt (as a young child)
 Many have proclaimed to be the
Messiah
– Some have founded religions and cults
 Jesus Himself warned of false
Messiahs
– Matt. 7:15 ; 24:11 , 23-25 ; Mark 13:21- 29


Overview
Why the Bible
Evaluating the


Prophecy
Integrity integrity of Ancient
Writings
 Textual Criticism

# of
manuscripts
copies
When more than one ancient
manuscript is considered
excellent, and when 6 or
more is deemed an
embarrassment of riches,
what shall we say when the
New Testament has

24,970


Overview
Why the Bible
Evaluating the


Prophecy
Integrity integrity of Ancient
Writings
 Textual Criticism

 Documented manuscripts and fragments

 Papyrus and Parchment
 There are over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the
New Testament
 The earliest manuscript
 P52, a fragment from John 18, discovered in 1934
 Dan Wallace’s recent discovery has been dated
back to the 1st century


Overview
Why the Bible
Evaluating the


Prophecy
Integrity integrity of Ancient
Writings
 Textual Criticism

# of Manuscript
25000
Copies

20000

15000

10000

5000

0


Overview
Why the Bible
Evaluating the


Prophecy
Integrity integrity of Ancient
Writings
 Textual Criticism

Time gap between authorship and earliest extant

copies
Time Span (years)

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0
 Overview Evaluating the integrity of Ancient
 Why the Bible Writings
 Prophecy
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

“The interval, then, between the dates of

original composition and the earliest
extant evidence becomes so small as to be
in fact negligible, and the last foundation
for any doubt that the Scriptures have
come down to us substantially as they
were written has now been removed.

Both the authenticity and the general

integrity of the books of the New
Testament may be regarded as finally
established.”
– Frederic G. Kenyon
Former director/principal librarian of the British Museum
 Important NT
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism Manuscripts
 John Rylands’ MS (125 AD)
– Oldest extant fragment of Gospel of John
– Found in Egypt
 Bodmer papyrus II (150-200 AD)
– Purchased in Egypt in 1950’s and 1960’s
– Fragments of Gospels of John and Luke
 Chester Beatty papyri (200 AD)
– Purchased from Egyptian dealer in 1930’s
– Contains major portions of the NT
– Includes “Harmony of four gospels” composed by
Tatian, an Assyrian Christian, in 160 AD
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 35
 More Important
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy

NT MSS
 Integrity

 Codex Vaticanus (325-350 AD)

– Maintained in Vatican library
– Contains most of the Bible
– Considered one of the most trustworthy MS of the NT
text
 Codex Sinaiticus (350 AD)
– Discovered in Mt. Sinai Monastery in 1859
– Contains most of NT and half of the OT
– Also contains many other early writings
 Various Codex’s dated in 400’s and 500’s AD 36
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama


Overview
Why the Bible
Accuracy of


Prophecy
Integrity MSS -
Translations
 Textual Criticism

 Translated into multiple languages

– NT translated into Syriac in 150 AD
– NT translated into Coptic in 2nd/3rd century AD
– NT translated into Latin in 3rd century AD
– Armenian, Gothic in 4th/5th century AD
– Georgian in 5th century AD
– Ethiopic and Nubian in 6th century AD
 Accuracy of MSS supported by various versions
 More than 19,000 MSS in other languages
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 37
 New Testament
 Overview
 Why the Bible
Prophecy

Manuscripts


 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

Languag Earliest Manuscript

e s
Greek 130 AD 5,800
Armenian 862 AD 2,000
Coptic Late 200’s AD 975
Gothic 400 - 600 AD 6
Ethiopian 500’s AD 600
Latin 300’s AD 10,000
Syriac Early 400’s AD 350
Georgian 400’s AD 89
Slavic 900’s AD 4,000
 Accuracy of MSS
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy

– Church Fathers
 Integrity
 Textual Criticism

 Early church fathers quoted NT in their writings

 Numerous quotations (up to early 4th century) from
Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement, Origen, Tertullian,
Hippolytus, Eusebius – 36,289 in all
 86,489 quotations counted by one historian when
later century writings are included
 NT could be recreated from the writings of the early
church fathers alone!

@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 39

 New Testament
 Overview
 Why the Bible
 Prophecy


Integrity
Textual Criticism Manuscripts
Early Churh New
Father Lived Testament
Citations

Justin Martyr 100 – 165 AD 300

Irenaeus 130 – 202 AD 1,800
Clement of 150 – 215 AD 2,500
Alexandria
Origen 185 – 254 AD 18,000
Tertullian 160 – 220 AD 7,200
Hippolytus 170 – 235 AD 1,300
Eusebius 263 – 339 AD 5,200
Cyprian 200 – 258 AD 1,000
 Overview
 Why the Bible



Prophecy
Integrity
Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism

Four different kinds of variants

1.Spelling/Nonsense readings- 75% of all variants
2.Untranslatable words – do not change the meaning
of the text
3.Meaningful, non-viable variants - variants that would
make a difference, but do not claim to be original Luke
16:22-late manuscript doesn’t include ‘son of man’
4.Meaningful and viable variants - less than 1% of all
variants.

41
 Overview
 Why the Bible



Prophecy
Integrity
Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism

 Meaningful and viable variants - less than 1% of all

variants.
– Differences affect what particular passage teaches, but do
not jeopardize essential beliefs
– Acts 7:4- additional phrase
– Mark 16:9-20- longer ending
– John 7,9- woman caught in adultery
– In handwritten ancient documents, this is to be expected
and actually adds to the credibility of the New Testament
as a historical, reliable document.

42
 Overview
 Why the Bible



Prophecy
Integrity
Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism

Do the writers use the right names?

Tal Ilan: The Lexicon of Jewish names in later antiquity – Mohr
Siebeck
– The right pattern of names for the area signifying they have eyewitness
access
 Richard Bauckham; Jesus and the Eyewitnesses
– Correlates 1st century Jewish Palestinian names with those of the Gospels and
Acts: results within 1%
– Comparison with nearby countries – popular names
 The right features of names
– The popularity of Simon – Simon Cephas, the Zealot, the Leper, of Cyrene, the
tanner
– Matthew 10:2-4, disambiguation of names
– Only most common names have qualifiers in this list
43
 Overview
 Why the Bible



Prophecy
Integrity
Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism

The top 6 male names in first century Palestine are:

1.Simon/Simeon [Freq 8]
2.Joseph/Joses [Freq 6]
3.Lazarus/Eleazar [Freq 1]
4.Judas/Judah [Freq 5]
5.John/Yohanan [Freq 5]
6.Jesus/Joshua [Freq 2]
7.We can see, therefore, that there exists a remarkable correlation
between first century Palestinian names outside and inside the
New Testament.
44
 Overview
 Why the Bible



Prophecy
Integrity
Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism
 What is especially remarkable about this is that the rankings of
names in Palestine does not correspond with the rankings of those
names in other regions. For example, the rankings of names in Egypt
during that period are:
 1) Eleazar (ranked 3rd in Palestine)
2) Sabbataius (ranked 68= in Palestine)
3) Joseph (ranked 2 in Palestine)
4) Dositheus (ranked 16 in Palestine)
5) Pappus (ranked 39= in Palestine)
6) Ptolemaius (ranked 50= in Palestine)
7) Samuel (ranked 23 in Palestine)
 Such a correlation clearly suggests a close connection to the time
and place (first century Palestine) in which the events that the
gospels narrate unfolded. 45
 Overview
 Why the Bible



Prophecy
Integrity
Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism

 Curiously, this contrasts strikingly with the second century apocryphal

gospels in which such a correlation is not borne out.
 But we can go further. Consider the following excerpt from Matthew 10
(verses 2-4) where we are given the names of the twelve disciples. Where
these names feature in the top 90 names, their ranking is given in brackets:
 “Simon (1), called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James (11) the son of
Zebedee, and John (5) his brother; Philip (61=) and Bartholomew (50=);
Thomas and Matthew (9) the tax collector; James (11) the son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddaeus (39=); Simon (1) the Cananaean, and Judas (4) Iscariot,
who also betrayed him.”
 Notice that there is correlation between those names that have a high
ranking and those names that are assigned a qualifier. The lower ranked
names do not have a qualifier.
46
 Overview
 Why the Bible



Prophecy
Integrity
Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism

Geography: Do they know the places described?

The four gospels mention 12-14 towns each, for a total of 23
places including tiny villages
– The Gospel of Philip only mentions Jerusalem and Nazareth
– The Gospel of Peter mentions only Jerusalem
– Other 2nd/3rd century gospels mention no specific places
What if the four New Testament gospels told things as they really
happened?
They mention the place names naturally, not in a way that’s
intrusive.
This is about a real time and place.
47
 Overview


Why the Bible
Prophecy
Book
Integrity
Recommendations

 Textual Criticism

 Norman Geisler and William E. Nix,

From God to Us
 F. F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents:
Are They Reliable
 Craig Blomberg and William Lane Craig,
Reasonable Faith
 John W. Wenham
Inerrancy