Can we trust what we read in the Bible

1
Can we trust what we read in the Bible ?

• Are the stories in the Bible fairy tales - like
  Lord of the Rings ?
• Or are the stories in the Bible legends like
  the Trojan war ?
• Or are the stories in the Bible real history
  like World War II ?

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Fantasy, Legend and History

• Fairy tales completely invented by men
• The Lord of the Rings
• Harry Potter
• Legends historical facts with exaggerations
• King Arthur (there was probably some noble king,
  but Excalibur was probably legendary)
• Trojan War (the war was real, Troy is real, but
  the heroes and their deeds have been exaggerated)
• History truthful accounts about the past
• Holocaust, World War II
• Nanjing Massacre

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How to tell if some account is Historical ?

• From Historical Evidence !!!

Historical writings
Pictures
Ancient artifacts
Archeological sites
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Honest questions about the Bible

• So, is the Bible a fairy tale (fiction) ?
• Stories in the Bible are made up by people ??
• Or is the Bible a book of legends ?
• E.g., Jesus was real, but he was just a wise man
  but he was not the Son of God. After He died, his
  followers made up the story about His
  resurrection ??
• Or is the Bible a historical book ?
• Jesus was real and He was really the Son of God
• Jesus really died and resurrected (and those that
  saw this freaked out completely)
• (And if it is a historical book and what it said
  is true, are you ready to face the consequences ?)

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Are stories in the Bible pure fiction ?

• How can you tell that a story (like Lord of the
  Rings) is a fiction ?
• There are no record for some people, places,
  events
• For example you cant find Middle Earth
• How can you tell that a story is not fiction
• You can verify many people, places, and events in
  the story
• Are there any evidence that shows the Bible is
  not a book of fiction ?

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Biblical places verified by archaeology
Capernaum
Nazareth
Rolling-stone tombs
Pool of Bethesda (John 51-15)
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Biblical People verified by Archaeology
TIBERIEUM (PON)TIUS PILATUS (PRAEF)ECTUS
IUDA(EAE)
Proconsul Sergius Paulus (Acts 136-12)
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Biblical People mentioned by Historians

• Jewish Historian Josephus (100 AD) on James
• So Albinus assembled the sanhedrim of judges,
  and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who
  was called Christ, whose name was James, and some
  others. he delivered them to be stoned
• Jewish Historian Josephus (100 AD) on Jesus
• Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise
  manHe drew over to him both many of the Jews and
  many of the Gentiles. And when Pilate, at the
  suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had
  condemned him to the cross

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Biblical Events confirmed by Historians

• Strange way of taking census
• Luke 23 - And all went to be registered, each
  to his own city.
• Confirm by an edict from C.Vibius Maximus,
  Prefect of Egypt dated around 104 A.D.
• The enrollment by household being at hand, it is
  necessary to notify all who for any cause soever
  are outside their nomes (administrative divisions
  of Egypt) to return to their domestic hearths,
  that they may also accomplish the customary
  dispensation of enrollment and continue
  steadfastly in the husbandry that belongs to
  them.

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More Biblical Events confirmed

• Jews expelled from Rome under Tiberius
• Acts 182 There he became acquainted with a Jew
  named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently
  arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They
  had been expelled from Italy as a result of
  Claudius Caesar's order to deport all Jews from
  Rome.
• Roman historian Suetonius (100 AD) wrote
• As the Jews were making constant disturbances at
  the instigation of Chrestus ( Christ?), he
  Claudius expelled them from Rome.
• These are the only two historical records on the
  expulsion of Jews from Rome by Claudius !!!

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More confirmed people, places events

• People
• Lysanius, Nicodemus, Mary, Martha, Lazarus
  (burial boxes), Pilate, Sergius Paulus, Erastus
  (treasurer of Corinth), Gallio (governor of
  Corinth)
• Places
• Nazereth, Capernaum, Derbe, Lystra, etc (every
  city mentioned in Acts confirmed)
• Events
• Census in Jesus time, Expulsion of Jews under
  Claudius, Crucifixion, Jesus resurrection (by
  numerous testimonies)

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So are the stories in the Bible fictions ?

• Many people, places, and events have been
  verified
• Bible reads like a history book !
• One of the Gospels writer (Luke) told us that he
  was writing history
• it seemed good to me also, following all things
  accurately from the very first, to write to you
  in order, so that you might know the certainty of
  those things in which you have been instructed
• The Bible is no fairy tale !

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Are the stories of the Bible legends ?

• We have established that the accounts in the
  Bible are not fairy tales
• Stories from the ancient times can come down to
  us distorted (exaggerated) legends
• The Iliad tells about a great battle for the city
  Troy
• The city of Troy did exist, the Trojans did exist
• But it is hard to imagine an invincible hero like
  Achilles (swords and arrows cant penetrate his
  skin, except at his Achilles heel)
• Are stories of the Bible legends ?
• Is Jesus really the Son of God ???
• Did Jesus really resurrect (came back to life) ???

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Forming of Legends

• Historical accounts (stories) are passed down
  through history by
• Oral accounts (songs and poems sung from memory)
  Iliad (Troy) !
• Written accounts
• Oral accounts usually get more impressive over
  time legends
• Legendary material are added to oral accounts
  after more than 200 years (memory fades)
• When was the New testament written ?

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When was the New Testament written

• Gospel of Matthew

Magdalen papyrus - fragment (dated around
150 A.D) we know for sure Matthew existed
around 150 A.D.
Bible scholars believe that the Gospel of Matthew
is written before 80 A.D. (most like around 60
A.D.)
Chester Beatty paparys P45 - fragment
(dated 200-250 A.D.)
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When was the New Testament written

• Gospel of Mark

Qumran cave 7 (7q5 may be Mark 652-53)
(dated around 50 A.D. !)
Bible scholars believe that the Gospel of Mark
is written before 70 A.D. (most like around 50
A.D.)
Codex Vaticanus c. 350 A.D.
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When was the New Testament written

• Gospel of Luke

Codex Vaticanus c. 350 A.D.
Codex Sinaiticus c. 350 A.D.
Bible scholars believe that the Gospel of Luke
was written before 80 A.D. (most like around 60
A.D.)
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When was the New Testament written

• Gospel of John

Rylands papyrus dated around 125 A.D.
Bible scholars believe that the Gospel of John
was written before 90 A.D. (most like around 70
A.D.)
Brodmer papyrus dated around 200 A.D.
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Testimony to Gospels Dating

• We can get clues on when the gospels were written
  from the Bible and historical writing about the
  Bible
• Gospel of Luke and Acts
• Luke said in Acts that Acts was written after the
  Gospel of Luke
• Acts ends with Paul under house arrest
• Paul was executed by Nero in 62 A.D.
• Luke would surely have told us about Pauls
  execution
• Acts probably written before 62 A.D.
• Gospel of Luke probably written before 60 A.D.

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Testimonies on the Authorship of the gospels

• Bishop Irenaeus (120-203 AD) wrote
• "Matthew published his Gospel among the
  Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and
  Paul were preaching and founding the church in
  Rome. After their departure Mark, the disciple
  and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us
  in writing those things which Peter had preached
  and Luke, the attendant of Paul, recorded in a
  book the Gospel which Paul had declared.
  Afterwards John, the disciple of the Lord, who
  also reclined on his bosom, published his Gospel,
  while staying at Ephesus in Asia."

The gospels are first hand information
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What do all these evidence tell us ?

• Gospels were written 30-50 years after Jesus
  death by people who knew Jesus very well
• 30-50 years is too short to form legendary
  stories in the gospel
• An even stronger reason
• The gospels were in circulation within a single
  generation of people people who witnessed
  Jesus miracles were still alive when these
  gospels were written this include hostile
  witnesses
• If the gospels contained any lies or
  inaccuracies, the hostile witnesses will surely
  speak out !!!
• The Gospels contain accurate information

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The Bible Then and Now

• OK, so the original gospels was very accurate
• But we do NOT have the original copy of the New
  Testament !!!
• The text of the Bible that we have today may or
  may not be the same as the original text it
  depends on how accurate the original text is
  passed down
• So how was the Bible passed down to us ?

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Passing on the New Testament

• The New Testament (accounts of Jesus life) was
  written on papyrus
• (Printing was not invented until 1455 A.D.)
• Papyrus scrolls worn by use
• When worn, the content is copied by hand onto a
  new scroll

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How careful was the Bible copied ?

• The copiers of the Bible text use special care to
  make sure the text was accurately copied !
• They count the number of words in each chapter
  and check if the count in the copy was correct
• They count the number of letters on each line and
  check if the count in the copy was correct
• A large number of copies of the New Testament
  have survived through history and we can use
  these copies to verify accuracy

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Evidence of careful copying

• Before the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls, the
  earliest copy of the Book of Isaiah was from
  around 980 A.D.
• In 1947, a Dead Sea scroll was discovered that
  contained the entire book of Isaiah dated around
  250 B.C. (over 1000 years earlier)
• The contents are virtually identical except for
  a few minor copy errors

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Testimonial to New Testaments Accuracy

• Norman L. Geisler William E. Nix said
• The New Testament has not only survived in more
  manuscripts than any other book from antiquity,
  but the New Testament has also survived in a
  purer form than any other book - a form that is
  99.5 pure
• In other words
• Scholars conclude that 99.5 of the New
  Testament that we read today is exactly the same
  as the original copy that was written almost 2000
  years ago !!!

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Comparing Bible/Ancient History Alexander
Jesus (30AD)
Earliest surviving copies Codex Vaticanus Codex
Sinaitus
Gospels written
400
400 BC
0
800
1200
Plutarch (60 AD)
Earliest surviving copy of Plutarch
Alexander the Great (323BC)
If you can believe the facts about Alexander,
you can believe the facts about Jesus
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Comparing Bible/Ancient History Caesar
Jesus (30AD)
Earliest surviving copies Codex Vaticanus Codex
Sinaitus
Gospels written
400
400 BC
0
800
1200
Suetonius (100 AD)
Earliest surviving copy of Suetonius
Julius Caesar(44 BC)
If you can believe the facts about Julius Caesar,
you can believe the facts on Jesus
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More on the reliability of the gospels

• A number of characteristics of the gospels make
  them more reliable
• They report the uglier side of the story
  Example Peter denied Jesus three times
• If you want to start a new made-up religion,
  would you portrait an important figure as a wimp
  ???
• They include weaker (truthful) testimonies
  Example Womens testimony were worthless in the
  ancient Jewish society and yet, the first
  people that discovered the empty tomb were all
  women !!!
• If you want to start a new made-up religion,
  you want men to discover the empty tomb.

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Can you believe the Bible ?

• The Bible contains super-natural events
  (miracles)
• Can an intelligent person believe in miracles
• The Bible says that Jesus died and resurrected
  (came back to life !!!)
• Have you seen any person die and come back to
  life ?
• Its sure hard to believe, isnt it ?
• You would freak out if someone did
• So did we see anyone freak out after seeing Jesus
  ??? You bet, plenty !

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Evidence that Jesus disciples freaked out

• Before Jesus resurection
• Peter denied Jesus 3 times (to save his neck)
• Peter went back to his old job (fisherman) -John
  213 Simon Peter said to them, I am going out
  to fish.
• After Jesus resurrection
• Peter preached the Gospel in Pontus, and Galatia,
  and Cappadocia, and Betania, and Italy, and Asia,
  and was afterwards crucified by Nero in Rome with
  his head downward, as he had himself desired to
  suffer in that manner.

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More Testimony to Jesus resurrection

• The disciples of Jesus did not only preach that
  Jesus had resurrected, they also testified to
  what they preached with their own life
• Hippolytus of Rome (c. 200 AD) wrote Catholic
  Encyclopedia in which he mentioned the life of
  many disciples of Jesus
• Andrew preached to the Scythians modern day
  Georgia and Thracians modern day Bulgaria, and
  was crucified, suspended on an olive tree, at
  Patrae, a town of Achaia Greece and there too
  he was buried.

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Yet More testimonies

• According to Hippolytus
• Bartholomew, preached to the Indians, to whom he
  also gave the Gospel according to Matthew, and
  was crucified with his head downward, and was
  buried in Allanum
• And James the son of Alphaeus, when preaching in
  Jerusalem, was stoned to death by the Jews, and
  was buried there beside the temple.
• James, brother of John, when preaching in Judea,
  was cut off with the sword by Herod the tetrarch,
  and was buried there.
• The list goes on and on

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Testimonies by early Christians

• The Roman Governor Pliny (100 AD) seeks out
  Christians (for execution) this way
• I interrogated these as to whether they were
  Christians those who confessed I interrogated a
  second and a third time, threatening them with
  punishment those who persisted I ordered
  executed.... (So, just deny Jesus and you go free
  !)
• Nero (62 A.D.) blamed the fire in Rome on the
  Christians
• an immense multitude was convictedthey were torn
  by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses,
  or were doomed to the flames and burnt

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Testimony from a former unbeliever

• Luke wrote Gospel of Luke and Acts
• Acts is proven to be very accurate many people
  and places, and all - except for a few - has been
  verified by archaeology
• Luke wrote about Pauls own testimony
• Paul said that he persecuted Christians at first
• Paul said in Acts that Jesus appeared to him
• Immediately, Paul preached that Jesus has
  resurrected and he was executed by Nero in 62
  A.D. for being a Christian
• Why the change in believe ? When you see God, you
  have no choice but to believe !

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Testimony from another former unbeliever

• James was one of Jesus brothers
• Jesus brothers did not believe Jesus was the Son
  of God
• John 75 For His brothers did not believe in
  Him
• According to the Jewish historian Josephus, James
  died for preaching the gospel
• They brought before them the brother of
  Jesuswhose name was James, delivered them to be
  stoned...
• What cause James to believe in Jesus ?
• 1 Corinthian 158 Afterward He (Jesus) was seen
  by James James saw the resurrected Jesus !!!

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What can we learn from these testimonies?

• The disciples of Jesus started the Christian
  faith and many of them died for this faith
• Nobody dies for a lie that he made up himself
• All these early Christians had to do to save
  their own life was the deny Christianity
• If Jesus resurrection was a lie, these disciples
  would never have die for it
• Some former unbelievers died preaching the
  gospels of Jesus
• Why would any of them rather die than deny Jesus ?

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Matthew 1032 Whosoever therefore shall confess
me before men, him will I confess also before my
Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall
deny me before men, him will I also deny before
my Father which is in heaven.
Jesus disciples, many early Christians, James
and Paul rather loose their life on earth than
loose their soul in heaven !!!
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The End