January 12 2014 The Reliability Of The New Testament

The Reliability of the New Testament

Why You Can Believe the Bible part 2 

2 Timothy 3:16 “all Scripture is inspired.

THREE TESTS THAT HISTORIANS APPLY TO ANCIENT BOOKS:

1. THE CORROBORATION TEST: Is there any evidence outside of the document that supports the internal claim that the document makes?

No archeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline in clear detail historical statements in the Bible. -Nelson Glueck , archeologist

2. THE HONESTY TEST: Do the documents claim to be reporting the truth?

Luke 1:1 “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us. Just as they were handed down to us by those who were first eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning it seemed good to me also to write an orderly account so you may know the certainty of the things that you have been taught.”

2 Peter 1:16 “We did not follow cleverly invented stories or myths when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

1 John 1:1 “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have looked at, what we have touched with our hands we proclaim to you.”

Luke 3:1 “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar when Pontius Pilot was governor and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea.”

SOME KNOWN MARTYRDOMS OF THE DISCIPLES:

Peter - crucified
Andrew - crucified
Philip - crucified.
Bartholomew - flayed to death.
James the Greater - beheaded
Paul - beheaded.
Mathias - stoned.
James son of Alpheus - stoned.
Thomas - killed with a spear
Matthew - killed with a sword.

3. THE TELEPHONE TEST: Do we have reason to believe it’s been past faithfully through time?

Two Questions That Textual critics ask:

1. What is the time gap between the original copies and the copies we have today?

Other historians who are roughly contemporaries with the Gospel writers.
Pliny the Younger - 750 years
Caesar - 1000 years
Plato, his Tetralogies - 1200 years
New Testament - 50 years (John Ryland’s papyri)

2. How many manuscripts do we have?

Caesar - 10
Plato’s Tetrolgies - 7
Tacitus - 20
New Testament - 24,633
Illiad - 64