Can We Trust the Bible?
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Can We Trust the Bible? -©Melton B. Winstead, 2017.
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Do we have an
accurate copy of the originals?
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Recognition
Canon
NT Canon During the First 4 Centuries
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Canon
Clement of Rome (ca. 95) in one surviving letter cites 10 books.
Pseudo-Barnabas (ca. 70-130) in one letter cites 9 books.
Polycarp (ca. 110-150) cites 18 books.
Justin Martyr (ca. 150) cites 13 books.
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (ca. 177), cites 22 of the 27 books of the NT.
Tertullian (ca. 196) in North Africa cites 22 books.
Clement of Alexandria (150 – 215) held all 27 books of the present NT as canonical.
Origen (185 – 254) lists 22 books in his canon.
Canon: Athanasius
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“There must be no hesitation to state again the [books] of the New Testament; for they are these: Four Gospels: according to Mathew, according to Mark, according to Luke, and according to John. Further, after these, also [The] Acts of [the] Apostles, and the seven so-called Catholic Epistles of the Apostles, as follows: One of James, but two of Peter, then, three of John, and after these, one of Jude. In addition to these there are fourteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul put down in the following order: The first to the Romans, then two to the Corinthians, and after these, [the Epistles] to the Galatians, and then to the Ephesians; further, [the Epistles] to the Philippians and to the Colossians and two to the Thessalonians, and the [Epistle] to the Hebrews. And next two [letters] to Timothy, but one to Titus, and the last [being] the one to Philemon. Moreover, also the Apocalypse of John. . .”
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Canon
Did the book have apostolicity/antiquity? Did it conform to the Regula Fidei, the rule of
faith? Was the book widely received? How were the
churches using the book? Did the book show evidence of inspiration?
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Do we have an accurate copy of the originals?
Abundance Dating Accuracy TC
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Y#u have won $10 million! Yo# have won $10 million! You #ave won $10 million! You h#ve won $10 million!
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Highlights: Qumran Community
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P52
ca. AD 125 (± 25 years).
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P66: John 1:1-6:11; 6:35-14:26, 29-30; 15:2-26; 16:2-4, 67; 16:10-20:20, 2223; 20:25-21:9, 12, 17.
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Did the New Testament writers tell the truth?
Archaeology
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Archaeology
Pilate inscription Herod the Great
Gallio History of the Temple and Jerusalem Gihon / Hezekiah’s tunnel
Highlights: The Pilate Inscription / Herod the Great z
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Hezekiah’s tunnel.
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• Gihon Spring, Pool of
Siloam
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The Gallio inscription, or, Delphi inscription
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History
Herod the Great Extrabiblical references
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Herod’s Rise to Power
47 BC Herod appointed governor of Galilee 40 BC given Palestine by the Senate Assists Mark Antony at Samosata
37 BC – besieges Jerusalem Initially Herod supported Mark Antony; after
Octavian defeats Antony, Herod sides with Octavian.
30 z BC Octavian confirms kingship of Herod Lands are added to his kingdom.
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Herod’s Building Projects
Masada The Temple The Harbor at Caesarea Maritima
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Extrabiblical references: Seutonius
He (Claudius) banished from Rome all the Jews, who were continually making disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus.
-Claudius 25.4
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Tacitus, Annals 15.44
. . . But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor,
and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.
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Pliny the Younger, Epistles 10.96-97
They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to perform any wicked deed, never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to make good; after which it was their custom to separate, then reassemble to partake of food -- but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.
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Mara Bar Serapion (ca. 73 – 200)
What advantage did the Athenians gain from putting Socrates to death? Famine and plague came upon them as a judgment for their crime. What advantage did the men of Samos gain from burning Pythagoras? In a moment their land was covered with sand. What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise King? It was just after that their Kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged these three wise men: the Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea; the Jews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates did not die for good; he lived on in the teaching of Plato. Pythagoras did not die for good; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise King die for good; He lived on in the teaching which He had given
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Eyewitnesses of the events
1. Eyewitnesses’ brutal deaths 2. Over 500, Luke 1:1-4, 1 Cor 15.1-3
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Turek’s 6 Es
Early testimony - most New Testament books written before 70
A.D. Eyewitness testimony – 140 events in John and Acts alone. Embarrassing testimony. Excruciating testimony - the eyewitnesses died brutal deaths. Expected testimony - the Old Testament prophets. Extrabiblical testimony - 10 nonbiblical writers within 150 years
of Jesus’s death recorded facts that are congruent with the New Testament.
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The resurrection of Jesus
F.A.C.T.S. F - FATAL CROSS A - ABANDONED TOMB C - CONVERSION OF THE DISCIPLES T - TRANSFORMATION OF JAMES S - SAUL BECAME PAUL
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Conclusion
“The true story of the historical
Jesus is exciting and inspiring. The true story may well be an old story, but it is far more compelling than the newer, radical, minimalist, revisionist, obscurantist and faddish versions of the Jesus story that have been put forward in recent years”
z
Geisler
We accept the free gifts of
righteousness, forgiveness, and adoption by accepting Jesus. We accept Jesus by believing in him. We encourage you to trust him and welcome him.
z
“ . . .all persons stand morally
guilty and condemned before God, utterly incapable of redeeming themselves through righteous acts . . . . But God in His grace has provided a means of salvation from this state of condemnation: Jesus Christ, by His expiatory death, redeems us from sin and justifies us before God . . . . To reject Jesus Christ is therefore to reject God’s grace and forgiveness, to refuse the one means of salvation that God has provided. It is to remain under His condemnation and wrath, to forfeit eternal salvation . . .”.
z
z
Sanctify them by
the truth; Your word is truth. (Jn. 17:17 CSB)
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END
Can We Trust the Bible? -©Melton B. Winstead, 2017.
z
z
Do we have an
accurate copy of the originals?
z
Recognition
Canon
NT Canon During the First 4 Centuries
z
Canon
Clement of Rome (ca. 95) in one surviving letter cites 10 books.
Pseudo-Barnabas (ca. 70-130) in one letter cites 9 books.
Polycarp (ca. 110-150) cites 18 books.
Justin Martyr (ca. 150) cites 13 books.
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (ca. 177), cites 22 of the 27 books of the NT.
Tertullian (ca. 196) in North Africa cites 22 books.
Clement of Alexandria (150 – 215) held all 27 books of the present NT as canonical.
Origen (185 – 254) lists 22 books in his canon.
Canon: Athanasius
z
“There must be no hesitation to state again the [books] of the New Testament; for they are these: Four Gospels: according to Mathew, according to Mark, according to Luke, and according to John. Further, after these, also [The] Acts of [the] Apostles, and the seven so-called Catholic Epistles of the Apostles, as follows: One of James, but two of Peter, then, three of John, and after these, one of Jude. In addition to these there are fourteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul put down in the following order: The first to the Romans, then two to the Corinthians, and after these, [the Epistles] to the Galatians, and then to the Ephesians; further, [the Epistles] to the Philippians and to the Colossians and two to the Thessalonians, and the [Epistle] to the Hebrews. And next two [letters] to Timothy, but one to Titus, and the last [being] the one to Philemon. Moreover, also the Apocalypse of John. . .”
z
Canon
Did the book have apostolicity/antiquity? Did it conform to the Regula Fidei, the rule of
faith? Was the book widely received? How were the
churches using the book? Did the book show evidence of inspiration?
z
Do we have an accurate copy of the originals?
Abundance Dating Accuracy TC
z
Y#u have won $10 million! Yo# have won $10 million! You #ave won $10 million! You h#ve won $10 million!
z
Highlights: Qumran Community
z
P52
ca. AD 125 (± 25 years).
z
P66: John 1:1-6:11; 6:35-14:26, 29-30; 15:2-26; 16:2-4, 67; 16:10-20:20, 2223; 20:25-21:9, 12, 17.
z
Did the New Testament writers tell the truth?
Archaeology
z
Archaeology
Pilate inscription Herod the Great
Gallio History of the Temple and Jerusalem Gihon / Hezekiah’s tunnel
Highlights: The Pilate Inscription / Herod the Great z
z
z
z
z
Hezekiah’s tunnel.
z
• Gihon Spring, Pool of
Siloam
z
The Gallio inscription, or, Delphi inscription
z
History
Herod the Great Extrabiblical references
z
Herod’s Rise to Power
47 BC Herod appointed governor of Galilee 40 BC given Palestine by the Senate Assists Mark Antony at Samosata
37 BC – besieges Jerusalem Initially Herod supported Mark Antony; after
Octavian defeats Antony, Herod sides with Octavian.
30 z BC Octavian confirms kingship of Herod Lands are added to his kingdom.
z
Herod’s Building Projects
Masada The Temple The Harbor at Caesarea Maritima
z
Extrabiblical references: Seutonius
He (Claudius) banished from Rome all the Jews, who were continually making disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus.
-Claudius 25.4
z
Tacitus, Annals 15.44
. . . But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor,
and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.
z
Pliny the Younger, Epistles 10.96-97
They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to perform any wicked deed, never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to make good; after which it was their custom to separate, then reassemble to partake of food -- but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.
z
Mara Bar Serapion (ca. 73 – 200)
What advantage did the Athenians gain from putting Socrates to death? Famine and plague came upon them as a judgment for their crime. What advantage did the men of Samos gain from burning Pythagoras? In a moment their land was covered with sand. What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise King? It was just after that their Kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged these three wise men: the Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea; the Jews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates did not die for good; he lived on in the teaching of Plato. Pythagoras did not die for good; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise King die for good; He lived on in the teaching which He had given
z
Eyewitnesses of the events
1. Eyewitnesses’ brutal deaths 2. Over 500, Luke 1:1-4, 1 Cor 15.1-3
z
Turek’s 6 Es
Early testimony - most New Testament books written before 70
A.D. Eyewitness testimony – 140 events in John and Acts alone. Embarrassing testimony. Excruciating testimony - the eyewitnesses died brutal deaths. Expected testimony - the Old Testament prophets. Extrabiblical testimony - 10 nonbiblical writers within 150 years
of Jesus’s death recorded facts that are congruent with the New Testament.
z
The resurrection of Jesus
F.A.C.T.S. F - FATAL CROSS A - ABANDONED TOMB C - CONVERSION OF THE DISCIPLES T - TRANSFORMATION OF JAMES S - SAUL BECAME PAUL
z
Conclusion
“The true story of the historical
Jesus is exciting and inspiring. The true story may well be an old story, but it is far more compelling than the newer, radical, minimalist, revisionist, obscurantist and faddish versions of the Jesus story that have been put forward in recent years”
z
Geisler
We accept the free gifts of
righteousness, forgiveness, and adoption by accepting Jesus. We accept Jesus by believing in him. We encourage you to trust him and welcome him.
z
“ . . .all persons stand morally
guilty and condemned before God, utterly incapable of redeeming themselves through righteous acts . . . . But God in His grace has provided a means of salvation from this state of condemnation: Jesus Christ, by His expiatory death, redeems us from sin and justifies us before God . . . . To reject Jesus Christ is therefore to reject God’s grace and forgiveness, to refuse the one means of salvation that God has provided. It is to remain under His condemnation and wrath, to forfeit eternal salvation . . .”.
z
z
Sanctify them by
the truth; Your word is truth. (Jn. 17:17 CSB)
z
END
