Is the Bible Is the Bible the Word of God?the Word of God?

The Bible’s Composition

• 66 Books (39 in OT, 27 in NT)

• Period of 1,600 years

• 40 different writers

The Bible’s Canonization

• All NT books to have apostolic roots

• To be theologically in line with OT

• Accepted widely by Christians

The Bible’s Claim:Plenary, verbal inspiration

(1 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20-21)

Individual words (Matt 24:35, 1 Cor 2:13)

Verb Tenses (Matt 22:32)

Noun Numbers (Gal 3:16)

Individual Letters (Matt 5:17-18)

The Bible’s Characteristics• Infallibility

• Inerrancy

1. God cannot err (Titus 1:2, Heb 6:18)

2. The Bible is God’s word (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21)

3. Therefore, the Bible cannot err.

1.1. Passes the Passes the Transcriptional testTranscriptional test

• No. of Greek copies – 5,686• Time-gap – as little as 30 years• Accuracy - over 99%

“The scrolls have shown that our traditional Bible has been amazingly accurately preserved for over 2,000 years.”

- Eugene Ulrich

2. 2. Passes the Passes the Honesty TestHonesty Test

• No evidence of collusion• Recounts derogatory remarks• Includes harsh sayings• …and self-incriminating reports• Contrary to culture of writers

3.3. Passes the Passes the Consistency testConsistency test

• Breadth of subject matter

• 1,600 year time period

• 40 varied authors

4.4. Passes the Historical Passes the Historical Accuracy testAccuracy test

Sir. William Ramsay:

“Luke is a historian of first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy…this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”

5.5. Passes the Passes the ArchaeologicalArchaeological Accuracy testAccuracy test

William F Albright:

“There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament tradition.”

6.6. Passes the Passes the Contemporary Contemporary Literature testLiterature test

Paul Maier:

‘‘Many facts from antiquity rest on just one ancient source, while two or three sources in agreement generally render the fact unimpeachable.’’

7.7. Passes the Passes the Medical Medical Accuracy testAccuracy test

• Circumcision 8th day (Lev 12:3)

• Life in the blood (Lev 17:11)

• Quarantine (Lev 13:46)

8.8. Passes the Passes the Scientific Scientific Accuracy testAccuracy test

• The Universe had a beginning (Gen 1:1)

• Innumerable stars (Gen 22:17)

• Earth suspended in space (Job 26:7)

• Water cycle (Ecc 1:7)

9. 9. Passes the Passes the Predictive Predictive Accuracy testAccuracy test

Prof. Peter Stoner:

‘‘We find the chance that any man might have lived to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 1017…that would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.’’

“Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”

(John 8:32)• Lord George Lyttelton • Gilbert West • Frank Morrison• Josh McDowell• John Warwick Montgomery• Sir William Ramsay• Dr. Allan Rex Sandage• Lee Strobel