Claim of Inspiration, Historical Accuracy of the Bible

Larry Dickens

August 31, 2014 PM

 

The Inspiration of the Bible

                       A.        Claim of Inspiration (2 Peter 1:20-21; Gal 1:11-12; 2 Tim 3:16-17)

                        1.         Verbal Inspiration

                        2.         Plenary Inspiration

                       B.         Word accepted as God’s Word (1 Thess 2:13)

1 Thess 2:13  And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

                       C.         Word Continues as Delivered (1 Peter 1:24-25; Mark 13:31)

 

II.        Is The New Testament Historically Reliable?

                       A.        Why do we believe that Jesus is the Christ?

                       B.         Because the New Testament says He is!

                       C.         But What if…

                                    1.         The New Testament was not by eyewitnesses?

                                    2.         It was filled with errors about geography, people and events?

                                    3.         The manuscript evidence was very scare and a thousand years removed from the original documents?

                       D.        If historically questionable, then our faith is shaky.

                       E.         Blind faith is inadequate

                       F.         Strong faith is needed.

 

III.       The Acid Test: How soon after the events took place were they recorded?

                       A.        Written by eyewitnesses?

                       B.         Written while other eyewitnesses were still alive to confirm or dispute.

 

IV.       Authors’ claims to be eyewitnesses

                       A.        Luke (Acts 16:11-13)

                       B.         John (John 1:14)

                       C.         Peter (2 Peter 1:16-18)

 

V.         Examples of (internal) Proofs

                       A.        Abrupt Ending Of Book Of Acts (Acts 28:30-31)

                       B.         No Mention of the Destruction Of Jerusalem in 70 A. D.

                                    1.         Prophesied (Matthew 24; Mark 13:1-4, 14, 30; Luke 21:5-9, 20-24, 32).

                                    2.         Yet Never Recorded As Event!           

 

VI.       Examples of (external) Proofs

                       A.        The Papyri Fragments…

                                   1.         Chester Beatty papyri (200-250 A.D.) large pieces of almost all of N.T.

                                    2.         Papyrus Bodmer II  (200 A. D.) portions of John

                                    3.         “Early Christian Papyri” (150 A.D.) major parts of the four Gospels

                                    4.         John Rylands Manuscript  (130 A.D.) oldest fragment – portion of John

                       B.         The “Papristic Writings”…

                                   1.         Epistle of Polycarpa to the Philippians (120 AD.)

                                    2.         Letters of Ignatius (115 A.D.)

                                    3.         Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (95 A.D.)

                       C.         Secular evidences by  Nelson Glueck and W. F. Albright

                                   1.         They all pass the “acid test” for Authenticity!

                                    2.         The N.T. was written in the same generation as the events.                

                                    3.         Written while those who lived through the events were still alive.

 

Conclusion:      What MUST we do with it?

                        A.        Received by revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal 1:11-12)

                        B.         Accept as the word of God (1 Thess 2:13)