Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Apologetics 6 - The Bible is Authentic


So far, in previous posts, it has been discussed how God exists, and even some of His characteristics, but this still does not prove that He is the God of the Bible.  To do this, we need to show that the Bible is true. The first step is to show that the Bible is authentic by dispelling two common objections. The first is that the Bible was never meant to be a historically accurate account. The second is that the Bible we have today has been corrupted or changed through time.

The Intention Test
  • Was recording what actually happened something that the writers were concerned about? Were they even trying to be historically accurate?
    • The beginning of Luke’s Gospel says yes.
  • Does the text include specific details or outlandish mythologizing?
    • No.
  • Do the authors refer to issues which were prevalent at the time of writing, which seem to not have been prevalent during the time of the events?
    • No.
The Bibliographical Test
This test examines the reliability of transition of a document to us. It is based on consistency between copies over time and determines how reliable the latest copy can be considered. F.F. Bruce states: “No classical scholar would listen to an argument that the authenticity of Herodotus or Thucydides is in doubt because the eight earliest manuscripts of their works that are in use by us are over 1,300 years later than the originals.” Comparing classic literature, the New Testament of the Bible clearly has been handed down accurately.



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