Reliability of the Bible

By Irene A
Introduction
• Reliability refers to something is
trustworthy. It can also mean that
something is consistently good in its quality.
• The reliability of the Bible refers to whether
we can trust its content, including its ideas,
historical accounts, geography, and more.
• Factors supporting its reliability include
historical manuscripts, archaeological
evidence, eyewitness accounts, internal
consistency, fulfilled prophecies& enduring
influence.
• These factors contribute to the Bible being
considered trustworthy and consistent in its
quality and accuracy.
Evidences
• Historical manuscripts: The Bible has a significant
number of ancient manuscripts, some of which date
back to the first century. The manuscript evidence for
the Bible is far greater than any other ancient
document, providing scholars with multiple sources
to compare and cross-reference.
• Archaeological evidence: Many archaeological
discoveries have supported the historical accuracy of
the Bible. Numerous findings, such as ancient cities,
artifacts, inscriptions, and geographical details
mentioned in the Bible, have been corroborated by
archaeological research.
• Fulfilled prophecies: The Bible contains numerous
prophecies that were fulfilled in history. These
include prophecies about the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the fate of
nations and events in the world. The fulfillment of
these prophecies lends credibility to the reliability of
the biblical texts.
 Historical manuscripts
• The Septuagint: The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible,
primarily produced in the 3rd to 2nd centuries BC. It is significant because it
predates the birth of Jesus and provides an early witness to the Hebrew
Scriptures. The discovery of various Septuagint manuscripts, such as Codex
Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, has confirmed the accuracy and consistency
of the Old Testament text.

• The Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus: These are two important
manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. Codex Vaticanus, dating from the
4th century AD, is one of the oldest and most complete manuscripts of the
New Testament. Codex Sinaiticus, also from the 4th century, is another early
and significant manuscript. Both manuscripts contain almost the entire New
Testament, along with other early Christian writings. They serve as evidence
for the reliability of the New Testament text.
Prophecy
The birth of Jesus: The Old
Testament prophesied the
birth of the Messiah in
various passages, including
Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2.
The resurrection of Christ:
Jesus himself prophesied his
resurrection, and it was
foretold in Psalm 16:10,
where it was declared that the
Messiah would not see decay.
Coming of the Holy Spirit: n
Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:17-
21, the Old Testament prophet
Joel spoke of the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.
Fulfillment
These prophecies were Examples of
fulfillment of
fulfilled when Jesus was
born of a virgin in
Bethlehem as documented in
the Gospels of Matthew and
Luke. prophecies
The fulfillment of this
prophecy occurred when
Jesus rose from the dead on
the third day after his
crucifixion, as recorded in
the Gospels.
This prophecy was fulfilled
on the day of Pentecost when
the Holy Spirit descended
upon the early disciples,
empowering them for
ministry, as recorded in the
Book of Acts.
 Archaeological
Evidences
1. The Pool of Siloam: In 2004, archaeologists discovered
the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, mentioned in the New
Testament as the location where Jesus healed a blind
man (John 9:1-7). The discovery confirmed the
existence of this significant biblical site.
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls: Discovered between 1947 and
1956 in the vicinity of the Dead Sea, the Dead Sea
Scrolls include some of the earliest known copies of
biblical texts, including parts of the Old Testament.
These scrolls provide valuable evidence of the accuracy
and preservation of biblical texts over time.
3. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Located in the Old
City of Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is
believed to be the site where Jesus was crucified,
buried, and resurrected. While the exact location of
these events is a matter of debate, the church has been a
significant pilgrimage site for Christians for centuries.