The Bible is often criticized and dismissed as nothing more than myths and fables by those who have never read it or investigated its truth claims. Muslims allege that Christianity has corrupted the texts over time and that the Quran is the only unadulterated word of God despite the fact that it is vastly inferior in literary sophistication and eloquence, and Muhammed often contradicts himself in his writings. When the Bible is held to the same standards as other ancient documents, it is by far the most authentic and historically accurate ancient document known to man.
When you consider the continuity of both the Old and New Testaments, and the fact that they were written by 40 different authors over a span of 1500 years, you gain an appreciation that the inspiration for it came directly from God. The premise is consistent, it is non-contradictory, and it is uniquely tied together by the central theme that God created mankind and desires a relationship with us. As a literary document its completeness lends substantial credibility to its authenticity. The eloquence of its language testifies that the writers were inspired by God in their use of language and wording.
The Bible was meticulously copied by hand prior to the invention of the printing press. Today’s Bible is amazingly accurate when compared to the ancient texts demonstrating the extreme dedication of the people who hand copied scrolls that have been passed down from generation to generation. When the Bible has been translated from one language to another, small discrepancies have been identified, however, these do not change meaning of the scriptures. Errors can happen when a translation of a translation is used, for example, when an English text is used that was translated from a Latin text which was translated from a Greek text. Many English Bibles available today have been translated from the original language they were written in. Bible scholars are aware of past problems and have done a good job of weeding out any corrupted versions. When you pick up a Bible to read, you can have full confidence that what is written is accurate to the original. Not only is it accurate, it is the word of God.
The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is God breathed and suitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” He was speaking of the Old Testament here, since the New Testament was still a work in progress. Jesus also authenticated the Old Testament by quoting scriptures from it and by declaring, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Mathew 5:17.
The New testament is authenticated by archeological discoveries that support events recorded in scripture, nonbiblical historical accounts of the same events and an overwhelming abundance of early Christian writings that number in the tens of thousands of manuscripts. The most undisputable evidence is the persecution of Christians, first by the Jewish religious leaders and then by the Romans combined with the steadfastness and willingness of those martyred, to remain faithful to Christ even unto death, that is well documented.
Christ’s resurrection from the dead had a profound effect upon those who were eyewitnesses to the fact, that not only saw him but talked with him and even ate with him (John 20, Luke 24). Critics have claimed that witnesses to the resurrected Jesus were hallucinating or dreaming, however, Christ appeared to over five hundred at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6). That many people do not hallucinate the same hallucination at the same time, nor do they dream the same dream at the same time. Additionally, not all eyewitnesses were sympathetic to the idea of a resurrected Jesus as was the case with Saul of Tarsus.
He had plenty to gain by denying Jesus. He was a respected Pharisee and power and position were his, if he continued on his path within the established religious hierarchy. Yet his encounter on the road to Damascus changed his life forever, leading him to face hardship, imprisonment and eventually death. Many scholars place Paul’s writings within the first decade after the crucifixion.
The eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus became the first Christians and their lives were changed to the point of boldly proclaiming Christ to the very population that put Jesus to death. The disciples went from cowardly, disorganized and scattering when Jesus was arrested, to bold after seeing him alive after he rose. They were convincing enough that the church grew rapidly, even converting 3000 people in one day (Acts 2:41). Finally, they were so committed to their belief of the risen Christ that most endured torture and died for it. Even when given the opportunity to recant, they held steadfast and submitted to punishment. It is comprehensible that someone would endure torture and execution for something they believe in. It is hard to believe that someone would tolerate it for a known lie.
The apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:16, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories which we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” He goes on to explain in the verses immediately after how they heard the voice from heaven say, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” and the authenticity of prophecy, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21.
The late Dr. Chuck Missler used to say, “Jesus Christ is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed.” Jesus himself confirmed this fact in John 5:39, “You diligently study the scriptures because you think by them you possess eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about me,”. Indeed, there are some 356 prophecies in the Old Testament that foretell the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Messiah that were all fulfilled in the man of Jesus Christ. These are covered in greater detail in my book Truth Cries Out and in the article The Historicity of Jesus dated Nov. 24, 2020 on this website.
Jesus also correlated himself with the scriptures in Luke 24:27, where it is recorded, “And beginning with Moses, and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” The apostle Paul went to great lengths debating with the Jews, using the scriptures they themselves were familiar with, demonstrating how Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 17:2, 17:17, 18:4).
The gospels record the teachings and accomplishments, from different perspectives. Mathew, Mark, Luke and John each have unique and distinct points of view, with Mathew, being Jewish, presenting Jesus as the Messiah; Mark, focuses on Jesus as the suffering servant; Luke, who was a doctor, emphasizes Christ’s humanity; and John, depicts Jesus as divine and eternal in his being. That fact that all four gospels are not identical adds to their credibility as authentic eyewitness accounts since no two witnesses of the same event will recall the exact same details.
John’s gospel concludes with the words, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:25.
The book of Acts records the formation of the Church and its growth and spread throughout the Mediterranean region. Acts records the miraculous conversion of Saul, who zealously persecuted early believers, to Paul, who became perhaps Christ’s greatest advocate (Acts 9). Paul subsequently went on to write approximately half of the New Testament and articulated Christ’s fulfillment of the Mosaic law and the freedom believers have through Jesus; not the freedom to do as we please but the freedom to please God through the power of the Holy Spirit, thanks to Christ.
The book of Revelation is the final book in the New Testament and is the chronicled disclosure of God’s conclusion to his plan for humanity to the apostle John. The New Testament is not arranged in chronological order nor were the gospel accounts written prior to Paul’s epistles, however, it is widely accepted that most were written and in circulation within 20-25 years of the crucifixion since Paul died in AD 65. The book of Revelation was the last to be penned in AD 95.
Hebrews 4:12-13 reminds us, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Those who read and study the Bible can attest that its words have the ability to captivate one’s perception of reality and radically alter their worldview.
Without the Bible as “the word of God,” Christianity has no legs to stand on and is nothing more than just another religion. If the Bible is true, then there is power in its words, and the ability to transcend across the generations of time, the cultures of humanity and the moral fabric of civilization. If God is who the Bible says he is, he is our Creator, Master, Judge and Redeemer, the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and is to come, the Almighty. If the Bible is not true, then Christ died for nothing.
If the Bible is true, every person on this planet will be affected by it and those who sincerely profess to be Christians have an obligation. As defenders of the faith, we are called to testify to the world about the love of Jesus. Out of compassion, we are compelled to share the “good news” with everyone in order that “even the least of these” will be offered food, comfort and the opportunity to feel the love of Christ in their lives. Praise be to God for his immeasurable mercy, compassion and love for all of humanity.
