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An Introduction to the Bible by Greg Williamson © revised 2017

† Introduction † General Description † God's Revelation † The Bible: A Reliable Record Of God's Revelation – OT Biblio-graphical Test ... OT Internal Evidence Test ... OT External Evi-dence Test ... NT Bibliographical Test ... NT Internal Evidence Test ... NT External Evidence Test † The Bible's Message: Salvation Through Jesus Christ – Our De-nial ... Our Dilemma ... God’s Solution ... Jesus Christ ... A Personal Relationship † The Bible: God's Word And Our Guide – God’s Word ... Our Guide: Interpretation ... Application ... Numerous Benefits

† Q & A: You can't prove the existence of God. Why should I be-lieve in him? † Q & A: Isn't the Bible really just a book of myths and legends? † Q & A: Hasn't the Bible been translated and copied so many times that what we have today cannot be trusted? † Q & A: Isn't it narrow-minded for Christians to think that only they have the truth? Isn't all truth relative? † Q & A: Wasn't Jesus just a great moral teacher, but not God in the flesh (as Christians claim)? † Q & A: The Bible is so complicated. How can I read and under-stand it? † Q & A: How does Christianity compare to other religions?

† Bibliography

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Introduction It was Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) who said: "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education."1 However, as numerous surveys have shown, far too few of us read - let alone study -- the Bible. As one pundit wisely (with tongue in cheek) observed, if all of a sudden everyone began reading their neglected Bibles, there would be a massive dust storm resulting in a week-long eclipse of the sun!2 What is the end result of biblical illiteracy? On a societal level, an exchange of biblical notions of right and wrong for secular human-ism (particularly beginning in the 1960's) has led to a continuing in-crease in a wide array of social ills that cut across all socioeconom-ic strata: divorce and broken homes; unwanted pregnancy/abortion; sexually transmitted diseases; drug and alcohol abuse and addic-tion; suicide; hopelessness and/or a general sense of despair; and serious criminal behavior -- just to name a few. On a personal level, even among people who claim to believe the Bible (while, it should be noted, seldom bothering to actually read it) there is widespread confusion regarding basic right and wrong. As reflected in a recent Barna poll, the belief in absolute moral truth - particularly as based on the clear teachings of Scripture -- is rapidly shrinking. In its place, moral direction is sought through a variety of means, including personal preferences, whatever feels right at the moment, or whatever makes the most people happy. Inevitably the person who rejects the Bible will seek guidance and direction from some other source. Thus we see rogue religions and pagan philosophies running rampant among non-Christians and Christians alike. Within Christian circles the so-called "prosperity gospel" is finding wide acceptance -- especially among those of a more charismatic stripe. Put simply, this is the belief that because I

1 E. Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, electronic edi-

tion (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1992), s.v. "Bible." 2 D. F. Nygren. As found in L. R. Frank, editor, Random House Webster’s Quota-

tionary (New York: Random House, 1999), s.v. "Bible."

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am a Christian, God is obligated to bless me with abundant health and wealth. "Name it and claim it," as the saying goes. Which, quite frankly, amounts to nothing more than spiritual snake oil. Among non-Christians, occult beliefs and practices are an increasingly popular source of guidance, as witnessed by countless Hollywood movies, network television programming, and bestselling books ad-vocating everything from New Age to witchcraft. On both a societal and a personal level, the Bible correctly inter-preted and diligently applied is the one and only solution to our on-going moral and spiritual crisis. Hence the aim of An Introduction to the Bible is to promote: 1) an accurate understanding of the Bible, followed by 2) an appreciation for the Bible, leading to 3) a commit-ted, ongoing study of the Bible. It needs to be said -- and said loud-ly and often -- that only the Bible can lead us to a God-pleasing life filled with true and lasting meaning, purpose, and direction.

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General Description The Bible3 is a collection of 66 individual books, written from the time of Moses to the end of the first century AD -- a period of ap-proximately 1,400 years.4 Taken as a whole, these writings5 com- 3 Our English word "Bible" comes from the Greek word biblia, which means

"books" (plural). Apparently John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) was the first writer to refer to the OT and NT together as "the books" -- hence our word "Bible." Because the various books of the Bible form a single unit, by medieval times they were commonly referred to as "The Book" rather than "The Books." ([1] B. M. Metzger, "Bible," in The Oxford Companion to the Bible, edited by Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan [New York: Oxford Press, 1993], 78–79. [2] F. F. Bruce, The Canon of Scripture [Downers Grove, IL: InterVar-sity Press, 1988], 214.)

4 S. Barabas, "Bible," in The New International Dictionary of the Bible, J. D. Douglas et al, editors (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 149.

5 There are some definite advantages associated with the Bible's being a written record, particularly in modern times. For example, a written rather than oral record is: permanent; less liable to distortion; open to verification; and equally accessible. (G. Bray, Biblical Interpretation: Past and Pre-sent [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996], 17–18)

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prise the record of God's revelation of himself and his will regarding humankind.6 In general, the Bible can be divided into: 2 major sections, 8 smaller units, and 66 individual books:

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT

The Pentateuch Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

The Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

The History of Israel Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

The History of the Church Acts

Wisdom Literature Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ec-clesiastes, Song of Solomon

The Epistles Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philip-pians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews,

6 S. Barabas, "Bible," in The New International Dictionary of the Bible, J. D.

Douglas et al, editors (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 147. One Bible commentator notes how the primary theme of the book of Genesis is the covenant as a vehicle of God's revelation of himself, a theme played out throughout the remainder of the Bible.

As the covenant established in Genesis develops throughout the rest of the Bible, its stages were marked by covenants, or phases of the cove-nant. God revealed his holiness and character through the law at Mount Sinai as the nation of Israel became God's elect people. God revealed his kingship through the Davidic covenant as David's line became God's elect rulers. Finally, God revealed his salvation through Christ as election became soteriological in nature. These are all results of what was begun in Genesis. Christ fulfills the covenant in that he is the climax of God's revelation. As God incarnate he is the ultimate revelation of the holiness and character of God. As Messiah he reveals God's kingdship perfectly. As Savior, he is the instrument by which salvation becomes available. Christ concludes what Genesis began.(J. H. Walton, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001], 52)

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James, 1&2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude

The Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamenta-tions, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zechariah, Haggai, Zechari-ah, Malachi

The Revelation Revelation

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God's Revelation The Bible centers on the notion that there is a real and personal God who created humankind in order to have a real and personal relationship with us. There are two ways in which God reveals him-self to us: 1) general revelation, and 2) special revelation.7 General (or universal) revelation refers to God's communication of himself in a general sense. This is what can be known of God through nature -- including human nature -- and human histo-ry. The design and beauty of nature, the preservation of the nation of Israel, and our religious nature -- these are all general ways in which God reveals himself to us. There are two very serious limita-tions with this type of revelation, however: 1) "due to their fallen condition," human beings "suppress this knowledge and pervert its 7 Much of this section represents a summary/paraphrase of the material found

in Christian Theology by M. J. Erickson (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1985), 153–54, 175–191. As explained by another theologian of some note, general revelation is what can be known of God via his creation apart from any spe-cial act of God. This revelation is experienced by everyone everywhere. Conversely, special revelation refers to the knowledge of God that he con-veys via direct communication to and through particular individuals and groups, with examples including the patriarchs, prophets, and priests of Isra-el, Jesus Christ, and the New Testament apostles, as well as the various Bi-ble writers and their finished product. (H. Berkhof, Christian Faith, translated by S. Woudstra [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979], 74)

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message," and 2) general revelation is insufficient to prove the true God of the Bible.8 Which leads to the second type of revelation. General revelation establishes the foundation for special (or par-ticular) revelation, which is God's communication of himself in a particular sense. This is what can be known of God through his many personal encounters with individuals. As recorded in the Bi-ble, God communicated directly with such individuals as Abraham, Moses, and the Old Testament prophets of Israel. God's ultimate manifestation, however, came with the appearance of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, God made himself known as never before. Jesus' miracles, death, and resurrection verified his teachings and made a way -- the only way -- for us to enter into a personal relationship with God. This is the message the followers of Jesus -- the first Christians -- took to all the world beginning in the first century AD.

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The Bible: A Reliable Record of God's Revelation At first, the individual books of the NT were circulated locally. Even-tually they were gathered together in a collection recognized as be-ing on the same level as the OT -- i.e., inspired by God. Because other, false, writings were also being circulated at that time, it be-came necessary for the church to give its official stamp of recogni-tion to what we know as the New Testament. This was done by the Synod of Carthage in AD 397. There exists overwhelming historical evidence for both the OT and NT books. As we will see, both OT and NT writings have been pre- 8 Relying on general revelation alone can lead to false and seriously misleading

conclusions. To name only two: 1) All the pain, suffering, and evil in the world would naturally lead us to believe that the God who created this world is un-loving, powerless, or both. 2) The fact that everything in the world is made up of matter would naturally lead us to conclude that the God who created this world must be composed of matter, as well. (R. L. Reymond, A New System-atic Theology of the Christian Faith [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998]).

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served and passed down with painstaking care. This fact, along with other lines of evidence, helps to confirm the reliability of events reported in the Bible. However, it is important to remember that the historical witness is not the main reason we accept the Bible as the authoritative Word of God. Here noted Bible scholar F. F. Bruce's comments concerning the NT apply equally to the entire Bible. He states that the authority of the NT is not based on archaeological evidence, study of the many and various manuscripts, etc. While these and related endeavors can lead to a better understanding of the people and culture of the first century AD (when the NT was written), in the final analysis the NT is authoritative because of its very close association with its central figure, Jesus Christ. As God-in-the-flesh, Jesus has ultimate authority, at least part of which he granted to his apostles and their authoritative writings regarding Je-sus (the NT).9 Criteria for Critical Analysis Generally speaking, there are three tests that historians use when seeking to determine the reliability of any ancient document.

1. Bibliographical. This has to do with how a document was preserved as it was passed from generation to generation.

2. Internal Evidence. This has to do with contradictions and other inconsistencies.

3. External Evidence. This has to do with other sources outside the document that help to prove the document is true and trustworthy.10

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9 F. F. Bruce, "New Testament," in The New International Dictionary of the Bible,

J. D. Douglas et al, editors (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 707. 10 C. Sanders, Introduction to Research in English Literary History (New York:

Macmillan, 1952), 143 ff. As found in J. McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Nelson, 1999), 33.

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Old Testament OT Bibliographical Test The Old Testament was written over a period of about one-thousand years -- from Genesis c. 1400 BC to Malachi c. 400 BC -- and involved between 30 and 40 writers, including prophets, judg-es, and kings.11 The first OT manuscripts used only the consonan-tal Hebrew alphabet, and were written without divisions (to preserve space). Schools of scribes meticulously hand copied the text in this way until the time of the Masoretes (about AD 500-900), who were Jewish scholars and scribes that added vowel points and made other improvements to the text. The OT we have today is called the Masoretic text (MT) because of the tremendous contribution made by the Masoretes as they preserved and passed on the Hebrew Bi-ble.12 Both prior to and including the period of the Masoretes, those who copied the manuscripts did so with a sense of reverence, care, and precision rivaling any modern scientific endeavor.13 Why? Be-cause they remained absolutely convinced they were dealing with the very thoughts and words of the Lord God Almighty. Here it's worth noting that for both the Old and New Testaments, there arose a number of books from the same time period that were not included. The process of determining which books to include and which to exclude is known as the "canonization" (canon = "an accepted principle or rule"14) of Scripture. There were certain strict criteria that had to be satisfied before a book could become a part of the Bible. The book had to: be written by a prophet (an official

11 (author?), "Bible," in Tyndale Bible Dictionary, W. A. Elwell and P. W. Comfort,

editors (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001). As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

12 A. E. Hill and J. H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991), 12, 15–16.

13 N. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), s.v. "Old Testament Manuscripts." As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

14 Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary. 2003. Merriam-Webster, Inc. Version 3.0. Electronic edition.

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spokesman for God); be confirmed by miraculous acts; speak the truth about God; and be accepted by the people of God.15 Today there are literally thousands of Old Testament manuscripts preserved in various collections around the world. These writings, which date from between the third century BC and the fourteenth century AD, have been carefully catalogued and compared for ac-curacy.16 The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947, represent some of the most significant Old Testament writings. They include the entire book of Isaiah, as well as fragments representing every book except Esther.17 The Isaiah scroll dates to about 125 BC. Prior to its discovery, the earliest text of Isaiah available was dated at AD 916. Despite the lapse in time of more than a thousand years, there is remarkably little difference in the writings. Renowned OT scholar Gleason Archer has noted that the text of the Dead Sea copy of Isaiah is 95 percent identical to the text of our Hebrew Bible.18

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15 N. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics [Grand Rapids: Baker,

1999], s.v. "Bible, Canonicity of." As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

16 Textual criticism is the name given to the scientific process of comparing and contrasting available manuscripts. Several rules govern this process (here summarized/ paraphrased). In general the reading that is to be preferred is the one that is: older; more difficult; shorter; has been distributed across the widest geographical area; is most in keeping with the usual style of the au-thor; and is without doctrinal bias. (E. Wurthwein, The Text of the Old Testa-ment: An Introduction to the Biblia Hebraica, E. F. Rhodes, translator [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979], 80–81. As found in J. McDowell, The New Evi-dence That Demands a Verdict [Nashville: Nelson, 1999], 89).

17 N. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), s.v. "Old Testament Manuscripts." As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

18 G. Archer Jr, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago: Moody Press, 1964, 1974), 19. As found in J. McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Nelson, 1999), 79.

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OT Internal Evidence Test The matter of alleged contradictions in the text can be dealt with most effectively by looking at the doctrine of inerrancy. Put simply, inerrancy (inerrant = "without error") means that when correctly in-terpreted (a crucial point) the Bible is completely true and trustwor-thy in all that it affirms.19 Abiding by such a definition calls for a def-inite degree of humility: we must admit that whereas God's knowledge is complete and fixed, ours is partial and expanding. Many Bible critics have pointed to errors or even seeming blatant contradictions in the text -- only to be proved wrong in the light of new archaeological discoveries, new manuscript evidence, etc. Here there are at least two key points to keep in mind: 1) Truth can and does include various figures of speech, as well as differing ac-counts (so long as the accounts are complimentary and not contra-dictory).20 2) Inerrancy applies to the original writings, not to the copies of those writings. Many alleged contradictions can be cleared up simply by investigat-ing the text a little further. One classic example involves the com-parison of Genesis 1:11–12 with Genesis 2:5. Here there appears to be two conflicting accounts concerning the appearance of vege-tation upon the earth. However, such a view fails to note that, first of all, chapter two supplements (not contradicts) chapter one by adding details not found in the latter and, secondly, the wording of 2:5 refers specifically to plants that require cultivation. Most likely, then, either such plants did not appear until after Adam was creat-ed, or else they were present but they did not grow until after Adam was placed on the scene.21 Countless other examples could be cited involving numerical data, figures of speech, geological phenomena, etc. A vital point to re-member in all this is that in any case of an alleged contradiction, the burden of proof rests with the person claiming the contradiction. 19 P. D. Feinberg, "Bible, Inerrancy and Infallibility of," in Evangelical Dictionary of

Theology, W. A. Elwell, editor (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984), 142. 20 C. C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 93. 21 C. C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 93.

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So long as a reasonable explanation can be found, there is no rea-son to conclude that the Bible contradicts itself. As for inerrancy applying only to the original writings and not to the copies we have today, the point is worth stressing that whereas er-rors do indeed slip into any text that is copied by hand, modern tex-tual criticism has isolated the errors in the biblical text to the point that the Bible we possess today is nearly identical to the error-free (or inerrant) original writings.22

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OT External Evidence Test Today most (non-conservative) critical scholars hold that Israel's religion evolved over a long period of time and that the earlier books of the Old Testament -- particularly Genesis through Deu-teronomy -- were written and rewritten by later generations in an effort to give credibility to Israel's religious beliefs and practices. Jewish editors (or "redactors"), it is alleged, "borrowed" beliefs and practices from Israel's pagan neighbors, sanitized them, and fit them neatly into the biblical text. Two foundational assertions of this theory are 1) the use of different names for God indicates different original sources, and 2) the book of Deuteronomy was written long after the time of Moses. Although still maintained by most liberal scholars, these assertions simply do not hold up against the evi-dence supplied by modern conservative biblical scholarship. For example, different names and titles for God -- and there are many -- reflect various aspects of his character. And while it seems certain that some editing of the biblical text did take place, this in no way detracts from the fact that the end product is the divinely inspired Word of God.23 As one source poignantly puts it: "Many ancient

22 P. D. Feinberg, "Bible, Inerrancy and Infallibility of," in Evangelical Dictionary of

Theology, W. A. Elwell, editor (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984), 145. 23 (1) G. J. Wenham, "The Pentateuch," in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century

Edition, D. A. Carson et al, editors (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994). As found in the Logos Bible study software program. (2) G. Archer Jr, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 3rd edition (Chicago: Moody,

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laws, sayings, songs, poetic couplets, and proverbs found their way into inspired Scripture. Inspiration does not exclude the divine use of existing material; but in Scripture it takes on a new force, a high-er meaning, and becomes authoritative."24 As for the Old Testament in its present form, there are numerous sources against which the text can be checked for accuracy. These include:

• The Septuagint. This is the oldest Greek translation of the OT, commonly known as the LXX. It was begun c. 280 BC and completed between 200 BC and 150 BC.25 This transla-tion demonstrates the relation between the Greek language and Hebrew thought, and it is the translation of choice for the NT writers.26

• The Hexapla. This is a type of parallel Bible containing dif-ferent versions of the OT laid out side by side for compara-tive study. It was produced between AD 231 and 24527 by the renowned Alexandrian theologian Origen (c. 185-c. 254).

• The Samaritan Pentateuch. "On the return from the Exile, the Jews refused the Samaritans participation with them in the worship at Jerusalem, and the latter separated from all fellowship with them" and established their own system of

1994), s.v. Chapter 7: Higher Criticism of the Pentateuch in the Twentieth Century, and Chapter 8: The Authorship of the Pentateuch. As found in the Logos Bible study software program . (3) G. A. Klingbeil, "Historical Criti-cism," in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003). (4) T. D. Alexander, "Authorship of the Penta-teuch," in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003).

24 A. P. Ross, "Proverbs," in the Expositor's Bible Commentary, F. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas, editors, 12 volumes (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992). As found in the Pradis software program.

25 J. Orr, general editor, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915). (This resource is in the public domain.) As found in the e-Sword software pro-gram.

26 M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary (1897). (This resource is in the public domain.) As found in the e-Sword software program.

27 G. T. Kurian, editor, Nelson's New Christian Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nel-son, 2001). As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

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worship, accepting as divinely authoritative only the OT Pen-tateuch (first five books).28

• Targums. "After the return from the Captivity, the Jews, no longer familiar with the old Hebrew, required that their Scrip-tures should be translated for them into the Chaldaic or Ar-amaic language and interpreted. These translations and paraphrases were at first oral, but they were afterwards re-duced to writing, and thus targums, i.e., 'versions' or 'transla-tions', have come down to us."29

• The Mishnah. "The Mishna, or 'second law', which contains a compendium of the whole ritual law, was reduced to writing, in its present form, by Rabbi Jehuda, the Holy, a Jew of great wealth and influence, who flourished in the second century of the Christian era."30

• The Midrashim. "Apparently the practice of commenting up-on and explaining the meaning of the Scriptures originated in the synagogues (in the time of Ezra), from the necessity of an exposition of the Law to a congregation many of whom did not or might not understand the language in which it was read. Such commentaries, however, were oral and extempo-re; they were not until much later crystallized into a definite form. When they assumed a definite and, still later, written shape, the name Midhrāsh (meaning 'investigation,' 'interpre-tation,' from dārash, 'to investigate' a scriptural passage) was given."31

In addition, there is the ever-increasing archaeological evidence. What was once written off by skeptics as myth or legend has been proved historical fact. Names of kings and other persons, names

28 M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary (1897). (This resource is in the public

domain.) As found in the e-Sword software program. 29 M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary (1897). (This resource is in the public

domain.) As found in the e-Sword software program. 30 W. Smith, Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884). (This resource is in the public do-

main.) As found in the e-Sword software program. 31 J. Orr, general editor, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915). (This

resource is in the public domain.) As found in the e-Sword software pro-gram.

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and locations of towns, commonly used terms -- all these and much more are being verified through archaeology.

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New Testament NT Bibliographical Test During the earliest years of the Christian mission there was no real need for a written record of Jesus and his teachings. The material contained in the writings that we know today as the NT gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) was circulated by word of mouth, and there were plenty of eyewitnesses still alive to verify what was being said. As the eyewitnesses eventually began dying out, how-ever, it was deemed wise to preserve their testimony in writing. In the meantime, it was inevitable that problems and difficulties arise within the new churches that were being planted far and wide. This situation resulted in what we know today as the New Testa-ment epistles (or letters), most of which were written by the apostle Paul in an effort to help the fledgling churches work through their difficulties and, most of all, fully embrace and live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul and the other apostles wrote with a mixture of profound passion and apostolic authority, guided by God's Holy Spirit in communicating his truths that remain valid and binding to this day.32 At first the NT books were circulated individually. By late in the first century and early in the second, they were being grouped together into the fourfold gospel, the book of Acts, and Paul's letters. By about AD 150 the church at large had accepted most of the NT books as authentic, with dispute centering on some of the books found at the end of the NT. But by AD 367 the limits were firmly in place, and a church council meeting in 393 ratified what had al-

32 F. F. Bruce, "New Testament," in The New International Dictionary of the Bible,

J. D. Douglas et al, editors (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 704–05.

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ready been accepted by the church at large as the limits of the NT writings.33 Countless copies of the NT writings were made by hand and dis-tributed abroad. As a result, today there exist in various languages more than 25,000 manuscripts, with more than 5,600 in Greek. The earliest New Testament manuscript in existence is dated to the be-ginning of the second century AD/ACE (c. 114); manuscripts of en-tire books are dated c. 200; manuscripts for most of the New Tes-tament are dated c. 250; and manuscripts representing the entire New Testament are dated c. 325. This can be compared, for in-stance, to Homer's Iliad. Originally written in 800 BC, the earliest copy dates 400 years later (c. 400 BC/BCE), and there are less than 650 copies in existence.34

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NT Internal Evidence Test The same line of reasoning used in connection with the Old Testa-ment is valid here, with an additional point or two worth noting. To begin with, it should be admitted that no two Greek manuscripts are precisely the same. While some would label the differences that ex-ist as "errors," they are properly classified as "variant readings." Which is where modern textual criticism comes in, as manuscripts are carefully examined and compared in order to get as close as possible to the original, by some estimates making today's NT more than 98 percent pure.35 It's also important to remember that variant readings present a problem for translation in only a very few cases, and in no instance is a major biblical doctrine effected.

33 F. F. Bruce, "New Testament," in The New International Dictionary of the Bible,

J. D. Douglas et al, editors (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 704–05. 34 J. McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Nelson,

1999), 38. 35 N. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker,

1999), s.v. "New Testament Manuscripts." As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

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When encountering an apparent discrepancy in the Bible, there are several sound principles that can help guide us to a correct inter-pretation of the text36 (here summarized/paraphrased):

• A lack of understanding on our part does not mean the ob-ject of our inquiry is beyond understanding.

• Misinterpretation does not negate divine revelation. • Often the key to understanding a passage can be found in its

context. As the saying goes, a text taken out of context is a pretext.

• Passages that are clearly understood should be used to help interpret passages that are more difficult to understand.

• Never build a doctrine on an obscure or isolated passage (e.g., Paul's mention of "baptism for the dead" in 1 Corinthi-ans 15).

• The Bible is both a divine book and a human book. • An incomplete report is not automatically a false one (e.g., if

one passage mentions only "one" while a parallel passage says it's "two," the first text is not false so long as it does not say "not two").

• The version of the OT most cited or quoted in the NT is the Septuagint, which differs in a number of ways from our standard OT (the Masoretic text).

• Just because something is recorded in the Bible does not mean God approves of it (e.g., incidents involving murder, adultery, lying, stealing, etc.).

• Most of the Bible's language is common instead of technical. • The Bible employs several different types of literature or

genre (e.g., narrative, poetry, logical discourse, prophecy, etc.).

• A general principle is not an absolute promise (e.g., the many wisdom sayings in the book of Proverbs).

36 J. McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Nelson,

1999), 47.

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• Revelation is progressive, meaning doctrine found in a later text supersedes its earlier counterpart.

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NT External Evidence Test Many early Christian writers offer insights and observations con-cerning the NT writings, including:

• Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260-c. 340), often referred to as "the father of church history."

• Papias (60-130), early church leader and chronicler. • Irenaeus (f. c. 175-195), bishop of Lyons and one of the

most important Christian writers of the second century. • Clement of Rome (died c. 100), earliest of the apostolic fa-

thers. • Ignatius (died c. 107), bishop of Antioch in Syria. • Polycarp (c. 70-156), bishop of Smyrna and martyr.

Early non-Christians whose writings speak of Jesus and/or the movement he founded include:

• Cornelius Tacitus (c. 55–120), Roman historian. • Gaius Suetonius (c. 69–140), Roman historian. • Flavius Josephus (37–c. 100), Jewish military officer and his-

torian. • Pliny the Younger (c. 61–c. 113), Roman writer and adminis-

trator. • Emperor Trajan (52–117). • Lucian (c. 125–c. 190), Greek writer.37

37 (1) J. McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Nel-

son, 1999), 53–60. (2) J. D. Douglas et al, editors, Who's Who in Christian

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While none of these secular sources offer any factual data beyond what is recorded in the NT gospels,38 what they do offer is addi-tional testimony regarding certain key facts, including: that Jesus was a real person who lived a wise and morally upright life despite which he was put to death by way of crucifixion under Pontius Pi-late in Jerusalem on the charge of being "the king of the Jews"; that he performed extraordinary acts and was worshipped as divine by followers who rejected polytheism; and that his small group of fol-lowers multiplied rapidly, including establishing a presence in the very heart of the empire, the city of Rome.39 As could be expected, there is also a tremendous amount of ar-chaeological evidence that confirms the people, places, and events reported in the NT writings. As with the OT, this evidence has forced many skeptics to reverse their position. One famous exam-ple involves Sir William Ramsey, regarded as one of the greatest archaeologists ever. As a result of his critical training, he believed the Bible book of Acts was written some one-hundred years later than the events it reports. After being compelled to closely examine the book for himself, however, he completely reversed his position, praising it as a masterful piece of history40 and its author, Luke, as "among the very greatest of historians."41

History (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1992). As found in the QuickVerse Bible study software program.

38 J. Orr, general editor, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915). (This resource is in the public domain.) As found in the e-Sword software pro-gram.

39 N. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), s.v. "Jesus, Non-Christian Sources." As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

40 E. M. Blaiklock, Layman's Answer: An Examination of the New Theology (Lon-don: Hodder and Stoughton, 1968), 36. As found in J. McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Nelson, 1999), 62.

41 Sir W. M. Ramsay, The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1915), 222. As found in J. McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Nelson, 1999), 63.

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Conclusion In A General Introduction to the Bible, Norman Geisler and William Nix provide an exhaustive overview of "bibliology," covering such topics as inspiration, canonization, transmission, and translation. Their final conclusion is that of all the ancient books that we have access to today, the Bible has by far and away the most evidence for its authenticity.42

The Bible is, quite simply and quite literally, the best preserved book in the world. The enormous number of manuscripts, other writings of the same time period, and the growing mound of ar-chaeological evidence all combine to prove that the Bible can be trusted.

All of which lays the foundation for the next logical step: a serious consideration of the Bible's message.

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The Bible's Message: Salvation Through Jesus Christ Our Denial The story is told of how one day a ruthless business man com-mented to Mark Twain that before he died he intended to make a pilgrimage to the top of Mount Sinai and from there read aloud the Ten Commandments. With characteristic whit and wisdom, Mr. Twain suggested rather that he (the businessman) stay in Boston and keep them.43

42 N. L. Geisler and W. E. Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, revised and

expanded (Chicago: Moody Press, 1986), 603. 43 R. McHenry, Something to Think About (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson, 1998),

37.

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As imperfect people, we tend toward pride and stubbornness. No-where is this tendency more dangerous than when it comes to our religious nature, which all of us have. We want to believe in and maybe even serve God -- but only so long as we are not overly in-convenienced and can discard whatever we disagree with. Hence when it comes to religious (or philosophical) beliefs and practices, one especially popular trend is to simply pick and choose from among the smorgasbord of belief systems available today. After all, aren't all religions basically the same? And so, we are told, it's okay to believe in Jesus and also believe in reincarnation and practice astrology. Or maybe you prefer to believe that God is everything (pantheism), practice yoga, and climb the corporate ladder to "suc-cess." The only cardinal sin is to label someone else's personal be-liefs as wrong, since what is true for one person may not be true for another. Why is such thinking so popular? Answer: Because it caters to our pride and stubbornness by making us the final authority. In truth, however, such thinking is the spiritual equivalent of a get-rich-quick scheme, promising enormous gain with little or no effort. But, as the saying goes: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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Our Dilemma When God created the earth, he planted a garden and placed with-in it the first human pair. Adam and Eve's world was filled with beauty, peace, and purpose. With only one exception, they could have and do anything their hearts desired. Because God made Ad-am and Eve to be fully human beings and not mere robots, he gave them the opportunity to respond to his love by choosing to trust in and obey him. By choosing to abstain from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the first human pair would prove that they loved God and were willing to trust him for their every legiti-mate need.

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As the Bible reveals, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God by eat-ing of the forbidden fruit. In so doing, they rebelled against God's rightful rule over their lives. Moreover, that single, decisive act of disobedience opened the door to the immeasurable pain, suffering, and death that has been the lot of the human race ever since. Ad-am and Eve introduced sin into the world, and each one of us is born into this world tainted by that same sin -- and thus separated from a pure, righteous, and holy God.

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God’s Solution The Bible reveals how God refuses to give up on the human race. In the OT he brought into being an entire nation of people, the Isra-elites, who would be dedicated to him. Through a system of animal sacrifices administered by a priestly class, the Israelites would con-tinually have their sins atoned for, and thus be able to continue in their relationship with God. A vital part of that relationship involved obeying God's commands, given in the form of laws and regulations for daily living. Alas, Israel's was a record of failure, as time and again the people chose the false gods of the surrounding nations over the one true God. As a result, they repeatedly engaged in religious, social, and sexual sin. Idol worship, oppression, and sensuality became the order of the day. And even when God sent one prophet after an-other to call the people back into a right relationship with himself, they refused to listen. Occasional efforts at reform proved incapable of turning the people's hearts back to God. In his infinite wisdom and mercy, however, all along God was work-ing behind the scenes to bring good out of bad as only he can. And so, " ... when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:4-5, NASB).

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Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the single most influential person who ever lived. Even though he wrote nothing, his words and his works were rec-orded by his followers in what we know as the New Testament gospels. While they are our primary source of information regarding Jesus, as noted above the basic facts of his life, death, and ministry can be confirmed through the writings of secular historians of that same period. Who did Jesus claim to be, and what was his message? Jesus claimed to be both God and man. While his humanity was apparent for all to see, his deity had to be revealed through his words and works. One significant proof for Jesus' deity is the way in which what was said of God in the OT is now said of Jesus in the NT.44 To give just a very few examples:

OT passage (ref: God) NT passage (ref: Jesus)

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14)

Jesus said to them, "Truly, tru-ly, I say to you, before Abra-ham was born, I am." (John 8:58)

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalms 24:10)

the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has under-stood; for if they had under-stood it they would not have

44 (1) O. J. Nave, Nave's Topical Bible (1896) , s.v. "Jesus the Christ ... Divinity

of." (This resource is in the public domain.) As found in the e-Sword software program . (2) N. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), s.v. "Jesus, Non-Christian Sources." As found in the Logos Bible study software program . (3) Bible passages taken from the New American Standard Bible. As found in the e-Sword software program.

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crucified the Lord of glory; (1 Corinthians 2:8)

For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. (Psalms 97:9)

"He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all." (John 3:31)

For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recom-pensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." (Isai-ah 6:1-3)

These things Isaiah said be-cause he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. (John 12:41)

"Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusa-lem. (Isaiah 8:14)

and, "A STONE OF STUM-BLING AND A ROCK OF OF-FENSE"; for they stumble be-cause they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. (1 Peter 2:8)

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A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wil-derness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)

For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDER-NESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'" (Matthew 3:3)

Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His re-ward is with Him And His rec-ompense before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. (Isaiah 40:10-11)

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eter-nal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, (Hebrews 13:20)

"I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images. (Isaiah 42:8)

"Now, Father, glorify Me to-gether with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You be-fore the world was." (John 17:5)

"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Re-deemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. (Isaiah 44:6)

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last," ... "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 1:17; 22:13)

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It is also highly significant that Jesus:

• claimed the authority to forgive sins (something only God alone can do)

• claimed the power to raise and judge the dead • requested prayer in his name • accepted worship • equated his words with the Law of God • performed many mighty miracles • fulfilled the numerous OT prophecies regarding God's Mes-

siah • lived a sinless life • and rose from the dead45

And it is worth noting that there are many NT passages outside the gospels where Jesus' deity is either clearly set forth, strongly im-plied, or presumed. To cite only one example, in his letter to the Philippians the apostle Paul wrote that Jesus had "existed in the form of God" (2:6), thus intentionally

employing a turn of speech which throws emphasis upon our Lord's possession of the specific quality of God. "Form" is a term which expresses the sum of those characterizing qualities which make a thing the precise thing that it is. ... And "the form of God" is the sum of the characteristics which make the being we call "God," specifically God, rather than some other being - an angel, say, or a man. When our Lord is said to be in "the form of God," therefore, He is declared, in the most express manner possible, to be all that God is, to possess the whole fullness of attributes which make God God.46

45 N. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker,

1999), s.v. "Christ, Deity of." As found in the Logos Bible study software pro-gram.

46 J. Orr, general editor, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), s.v. "Person of Christ." (This resource is in the public domain.) As found in the e-Sword software program.

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Jesus heralded the arrival of God's kingdom, which can be defined as God's sovereign rule over the hearts and lives of those who place their faith in Jesus Christ and are spiritually born again.47 Je-sus himself was the embodiment of God's kingdom, and the Bible tells of a time when he will establish his literal rule over all the earth. That will be the ultimate fulfillment of the kingdom. In the meantime, we enter into God's kingdom in a spiritual sense by committing our lives to Jesus Christ. As Jesus taught, such a com-mitment means turning from our old life of sin and taking up the challenge of living a new life in obedience to God's will as ex-pressed in his Word, the Bible.

• Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6, NASB)

• God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:22, CEV)

• From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17, NASB)

• And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. (Mark 8:34–35, NASB)

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47 C. C. Caragounis, "Kingdom of God/Heaven," in the Dictionary of Jesus and

the Gospels, J. B. Green et al, editors (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1992). As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

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A Personal Relationship Today God offers us the same opportunity he gave to Adam and Eve: a personal relationship centered on trust and obedience. But because we are sinful beings, we cannot enter into that relationship on our own. And so God, out of his incredible love and mercy, took upon himself the punishment our sins deserve. He did so by com-ing to earth in the form of Jesus Christ, who died as an atoning sac-rifice for the sins of the world. By confessing our sinful condition and our need for God's forgiveness available only through personal faith in Jesus Christ, we are brought into a real, lasting, personal relationship with God.

• God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. (John 3:16, CEV)

• So you will be saved, if you honestly say, "Jesus is Lord," and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others. The Scriptures say that no one who has faith will be disappointed, no matter if that per-son is a Jew or a Gentile. There is only one Lord, and he is generous to everyone who asks for his help. All who call out to the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:9–13, CEV)

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The Bible: God's Word & Our Guide God’s Word The Bible is an historical book, but it is not simply a book of history. It is the primary means by which God seeks to communicate with us today. God inspired its writers to record precisely what he want-ed. And because the Bible is from God, its truths are always alive, active, and life-changing.

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It has often been said that actions speak louder than words. In pre-senting God's dealings with people down through the ages, the Bi-ble teaches us much about God. In particular, from the pages of Scripture we learn that God is: eternal; faithful; a father; glorious; good; gracious; holy; immutable; impartial; incomprehensible; infi-nite; invisible; jealous; a just judge; a king; longsuffering; loving; merciful; omnipotent (all-power); omnipresent (all-present); omnis-cient (all-knowing); perfect; powerful; a preserver; righteous; a sav-ior; self-existent; sovereign; a spirit; truth; a unity; unsearchable; and wise.48

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Our Guide Interpretation On one level, the Bible is a simple story of God's interaction with human beings. Thus we can open it up and begin reading at virtual-ly any point, and before long we will see God working in the lives of people. There are heroes and villains, kings and peasants, angels and demons, and all of them can teach us valuable lessons both about God and ourselves. However, to stop there is to miss most of what God wants us to know. It is like settling for the gold dust lying on the ground when just beneath the surface is a limitless supply of the precious metal that is ours for the taking -- provided we are willing to mine it. In a word, the key to understanding and applying the Bible is proper interpretation.49 To "interpret" is "to explain or tell the meaning of;

48 O. J. Nave, Nave's Topical Bible (1896), s.v. "God." (This resource is in the

public domain.) As found in the e-Sword software program. 49 The technical term for this undertaking is "hermeneutics," which is "the study of

the methodological principles of interpretation," or more simply, "a method or principle of interpretation" (Merriam-Webster Inc., Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary, ver 3.0 electronic ed. [2003].). There have been sever-al major theories as to how the Bible should be interpreted. The method adopted here is referred to as the "grammatico-historical" approach, which presumes that each biblical writer had a definite message to convey and

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present in understandable terms."50 In one respect, our English language Bibles come to us already interpreted, since its transla-tors have sought to explain the meaning of the Bible's original lan-guages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek). However, a full understand-ing of any book, including the Bible, calls for much more than simp-ly knowing what the words mean. Because the Bible is an ancient book, inspired by God, and written in a foreign land, there are any number of areas in which major gaps exist between the Bible and us living today51 (here summa-rized/paraphrased):

• Chronology. No human being living today can claim firsthand knowledge of the people, places, and events de-scribed in the Bible.

• Geography. Most people live thousands of miles from the area in which the events described in the Bible took place.

• Culture. Both attitudes and actions are, to a large extent, culture bound.

• Language. The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek - languages largely unknown to the average Bible reader.

• Literature. There are any number of genres found within the Bible.

wrote in such a way that the intended message could be understood by the original audience. In simplest terms, it is the same approach we use when reading a newspaper, since we do not open the paper and immediately begin looking for hidden meanings, and we do not limit the meaning of a particular story to just what we think about it. The grammatico-historical approach de-mands being familiar with: the Biblical languages; the types of literature with-in the Bible; the historical background of the various books; the geographical locations represented; and the life settings of the individual writers(F. F. Bruce, "Interpretation of the Bible," in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, W. A. Elwell, editor [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984], 565–66).

50 Merriam-Webster Inc., Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary, ver 3.0 electronic ed. (2003).

51 R. B. Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation (Colorado Springs: Chariot Victor, 1991), 15–18.

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• Spiritual. The Bible comes from and seeks to describe the thoughts and workings of the infinite, and in many ways in-describable, Lord God Almighty.

Fortunately for us living today, we have at our disposal a wide array of helps for bridging these gaps, including

• different English versions/translations of the Bible • study Bibles • Bible dictionaries • Bible encyclopedia • language reference works (word study dictionaries, lexicons,

and interlinear Bibles) • introductions to the Bible • Bible handbooks • Bible commentary • Bible background/historical reference works52

Of course, nothing can nor should take the place of the Bible itself. And in order to understand the Bible, we must first know what it says. Two things can prove of tremendous benefit in this regard: 1) a regular schedule of Bible reading, and 2) asking questions of the Bible as we read. Regarding a reading schedule, normally it's most productive to choose the time of day when we feel our best, wheth-er morning, afternoon, or evening. Generally speaking, the ques-tions we should ask of the text are actually the same questions we should ask of any literature we read, including: Who? What? Where? When? and Why? Such questions, which are foundational to the inductive study method,53 can be divided into three basic categories54 (here summarized/paraphrased):

52 See the following webpage for some suggested titles:

http://ac21doj.org/resources/resources.html 53 Inductive study involves drawing an "inference of a generalized conclusion

from particular instances" (Merriam-Webster Inc., Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary, ver 3.0 electronic ed. (2003).). It is the best method of

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• Setting. Who wrote the book? Why was it written? What is

its historical context? Where was it written, and to whom? • Context. What genre is being employed? What is the mes-

sage of this verse, passage, or book? What is said before and after the passage under consideration?

• Structure. Look for: repeated words or phrases; compari-sons and contrasts; questions and answers; progression (in time, action, or place); a climax; figures of speech; linking words or ideas; and verbs (action words).

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Application As we continue digging into the Bible, we will see that not only is it a book of facts to be learned but, more importantly, it is a book of truths to be lived. Jesus had this same idea in mind when he said

Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on solid rock. Anyone who hears my teachings and doesn't obey them is like a foolish per-son who built a house on sand. The rain poured down, the riv-ers flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Finally, it fell with a crash. (Matthew 7:24–27, CEV)

The purpose of the application stage of Bible study is to make "meaningful connections" between the passage being studied and our contemporary world.55 In other words, application means going

study for determining as precisely as possible the message the author in-tended to convey.

54 L. O. Richards and G. J. Bredfeldt, Creative Bible Teaching, revised and ex-panded (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 65–66.

55 L. O. Richards and G. J. Bredfeldt, Creative Bible Teaching, revised and ex-panded (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 71.

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from the then-and-there to the here-and-now. Applying God's nev-er-changing truths to our ever-changing lives is a two step process involving 1) determining what a given Bible passage teaches con-cerning how people relate to one another and, most importantly, to God, and then 2) thinking in terms of contemporary human relation-ships found in one's home, neighborhood, workplace, school, church, state, nation, and world.56 While there is only one correct interpretation -- i.e., the original message the original author in-tended to convey to his original audience -- a given passage may contain any number of principles that can be applied to the many and various situations we encounter. One helpful approach to application involves answering specific questions as we read and study a particular passage of Scripture. The questions form an acrostic -- SPECS: Does the passage speak of a

• Sin to be forsaken? • Promise to be claimed? • Example to be followed? • Command to be obeyed? • Stumbling block or hindrance to be avoided?57 (quoted ver-

batim) Having said all that, it is vital to remember that right application be-gins with right interpretation. Which, in turn, means taking the time and effort to hear the original message and the entire message. A twofold very dangerous but all too common tendency is 1) to skip interpretation altogether and go straight to application, and 2) to look for those portions of Scripture we can personally identify with while ignoring everything else. And so the person with a gentle and quiet spirit, for example, will tend to key in on "gentle Jesus meek

56 L. O. Richards and G. J. Bredfeldt, Creative Bible Teaching, revised and ex-

panded (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 71. 57 R. B. Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation: A Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical

Truth (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1990), 289. As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

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and mild," while someone with a more aggressive personality type will tend to emphasize Jesus' anger toward the Pharisees and his driving the money-changers out of the temple. The best approach -- and, really, the only one that does justice to God and his Word -- is to read, study, and seek to apply all of the Bible.58

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Numerous Benefits God loves us just the way we are -- but (thankfully) he loves us too much to leave us that way. Instead, he wants to change us from the inside out, to make us into the people he created us to be -- which means making us increasingly more Christ-like in our attitudes and actions. As we consistently seek to study and apply God's inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible, we will see our lives changing for the better as God both calls us to and blesses us with specific personal qualities,59 including (but by no means limited to):

• a strong and lasting desire to help others • a pure and blameless life • the courage that comes from strong convictions • a sense of peace and contentment • a sense of direction, purpose, and meaning • a hunger and thirst for what is right - i.e., righteousness • a firm commitment to be truthful

and, of course, the fruit of God's Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, pa-tience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23)

58 D. A. Carson, "Approaching the Bible," in the New Bible Commentary: 21st

Century Edition, D. A. Carson et al, editors (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994). As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

59 W. A. Elwell and D. Buckwalter, editors, Topical Analysis of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991), s.v. "The Responsibility to Seek Virtues and Certain Personal Qualities." As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

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Questions & Answers QUESTION: You can't prove the existence of God. Why should I believe in him? ANSWER: God is spirit. We cannot see, hear, or touch spirit. Therefore, we cannot see, hear, or touch God - at least not directly. That is why he gave us his Word, the Bible. And that is why we must look at Je-sus to see God. Lots of things cannot be "proven" through the scientific method. Love, for example, cannot be weighed on a scale or poured into a test tube. And yet we know love is as real as anything in this world. People set themselves against tremendous odds, endure tremen-dous hardships, go tremendous distances -- all in the name of love. The greatest example of love, of course, is God's love for us: "God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and nev-er really die" (John 3:16, CEV). In addition, while there may be little direct evidence for God's exist-ence, the indirect or circumstantial evidence is formidable. For ex-ample: 1) The universe must have had a beginning - and hence a "beginner." 2) Complicated design -- i.e., evidence of an intelligent designer - is found throughout all of nature, even down to the DNA within a single cell. 3) Certain moral laws -- against murder, rape, stealing, lying, etc. - have been and still are accepted by many and various cultures around the world.60

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60 N. L. Geisler and R. M. Brooks, When Skeptics Ask. Grand Rapids: Baker,

1990. As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

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QUESTION: Isn't the Bible really just a book of myths and legends? ANSWER: This is a common -- and sadly mistaken -- refrain of those who, for whatever reason, have decided in advance to reject the clear teachings of the Bible. However, it is certainly not what the authors of the Bible believed: they knew and remained fully convinced that they were recording actual, historical events. The Bible is the historical record of God's dealings with the human race. While nature and the inner workings of the human person tes-tify to God's existence, it is only in the pages of his inspired, au-thoritative Word, the Bible, that we learn in particular of God and his plan to redeem us fallen, sinful human beings. It should come as no surprise that there is a tremendous amount of evidence for the Bible's historical reliability. Archeology, the study of ancient writings (manuscripts), the study of prophecy, and eyewit-ness testimony all help to confirm the fact that the Bible is com-pletely worthy of our total trust.

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QUESTION: Hasn't the Bible been translated and copied so many times that what we have today cannot be trusted? ANSWER: Of course it's true that the Bible has been translated into a vast number of languages. In fact, the Bible is the most translated book in the world, and in many cases a language was first put into writing by Christian missionaries for the express purpose of making the Bi-ble available to a specific people group. And it's also true that the Bible manuscripts were repeatedly copied by hand for many hun-dreds of years (until the advent of the printing press, invented in Europe in the 15th century). In both cases, mistakes were made.

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Far from making the Bible unreliable, however, the vast number of translations and thousands of hand copied manuscripts still in ex-istence help to ensure the accuracy and reliability of our modern Bible. How so? Through the science of textual criticism, which can be defined as: "Comparison and evaluation of the different readings of the manuscripts of the Bible in order to construct the history of the text through its various stages and to establish, as far as possi-ble, the original."61 In the case of the New Testament, today there exists nearly 5,700 Greek manuscripts, some fragments of which can be dated to with-in only a few years of Jesus' death and resurrection. This number has been said to be embarrassingly high when compared with other ancient writings. While no two manuscripts are exactly alike, mod-ern Bible scholars have arrived at a text that is very nearly 100% accurate. What's more, any questions or uncertainties that remain do not impact any major Bible doctrine.62

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QUESTION: Isn't it narrow-minded for Christians to think that only they have the truth? Isn't all truth relative? ANSWER: Christians claim that God is the source of all truth. And since the Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God, we must check our view of reality against it. Jesus said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6, NASB). If that sounds 61 G. T. Kurian, ed. Nelson's New Christian Dictionary: The Authoritative Re-

source on the Christian World. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001. (Now: G. T. Kurian, ed. Nelson's Dictionary of Christianity: The Authoritative Resource on the Christian World. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005.) As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

62 N. L. Geisler and W. E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Revised edi-tion. Chicago: Moody Press, 1986. As found in the Logos Bible study soft-ware program.

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narrow, it's because truth is narrow. For example, it's still true that 1 + 1 = 2. It does not equal 1.999 or 2.001. It equals 2. By definition, "truth" is what corresponds to reality and is true for all people, at all times, in all places. While our understanding or per-ception of truth may change with time, truth itself never changes. For example, even in the year 1500 it was true that electricity would be used to power the typical personal computer in the year 2017. But of course in order for that truth to be realized: 1) electricity had to be discovered and harnessed, 2) the pc had to be invented, and 3) the year 2006 had to arrive. As for the popular notion that "all truth is relative," that is a self-defeating proposition since it is making at least one absolute claim regarding truth -- namely, that all truth is relative. (Hence the state-ment actually cancels itself out.)

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QUESTION: Wasn't Jesus just a great moral teacher, but not God in the flesh (as Christians claim)? ANSWER: As has often been pointed out, a close examination of Jesus' own claims about himself leaves us with only one of three possibilities: 1) Jesus was a liar, 2) Jesus was a lunatic, or 3) Jesus was (and is) the Lord. In addition, only Jesus Christ said and did what we would fully ex-pect God-in-the-flesh to say and do, including the following:63

• being born in a way different from any other human being • being completely perfect • performing tremendous miracles • teaching the greatest truths ever taught

63 J. McDowell. The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Nelson,

1999.

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• having a profound and universal influence • satisfying our deepest spiritual hunger • overcoming our greatest enemy: death

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QUESTION: The Bible is so complicated. How can I read and understand it? ANSWER: The Bible -- a.k.a. Scripture -- is actually much simpler than many people realize. It is made up of several types of literature (narrative, poetry, prophecy, etc.) that tells a unified story of God's plan and purpose for the human race. The first part of the Bible (the Old Tes-tament) centers on God's dealings with the nation of Israel. The second part of the Bible (the New Testament) centers on the com-ing of Jesus Christ and the establishment of his Church. At the heart of Scripture is the story of the gracious and loving God who mercifully extends salvation to us rebellious and undeserving sinners. In a word, it's about reconciliation. Today as never before, there exists a wide array of helps for under-standing the Bible. For example, Bible dictionaries, commentaries, introductions, and word study aids offer a wealth of knowledge.64

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QUESTION: How does Christianity compare to other religions? ANSWER: The tendency today is to relativize all religions in the name of plu-ralism. This is accomplished mainly through maximizing the moral similarities and minimizing (or completely ignoring) the theological 64 See the following webpage for some suggested titles:

http://ac21doj.org/resources/resources.html

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distinctives found among the world's many and various religions.65 But while it is true that most religious traditions can come to general agreement regarding what constitutes a morally good person, there are some profound differences regarding who/what God/god/gods is/are and how we can be rightly related to him/her/them/it. Along those lines, it has been observed that the most important dif-ference between Christianity and all other religions is Jesus Christ. And the most important difference between Jesus Christ and all other religious leaders is Jesus' claim to be God -- a claim backed up by innumerable miracles, the greatest of which was his own res-urrection. Christianity is so vital because it is the only religion that 1) offers the true teachings of Jesus, and 2) binds together the true followers of Jesus. As important as the Christian faith is, however, we should be quick to remember that in the final analysis only personal, committed faith in Jesus -- not a religion - can save us. In other words, it's not about a religion, it's about a relationship. "'Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.'" -- Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30, The Mes-sage)

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65 P. Kreeft and R. K. Tacelli. Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of

Answers to Crucial Questions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994. As found in the Word Search Bible study software program.

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Bibliography Archer Jr, G. 1974. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Chica-

go: Moody Press. As found in McDowell, J. 1999. The New Evi-dence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Nelson.

Barabas, S. 1987. "Bible," in The New International Dictionary of the Bible, edited by J. D. Douglas et al. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Blaiklock, E. M. 1968. Layman's Answer: An Examination of the New Theology. London: Hodder and Stoughton. As found in McDowell, J. 1999. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Nelson.

Bray, G. 1996. Biblical Interpretation: Past and Present. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Bruce, F. F. 1988. The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: In-terVarsity Press.

Bruce, F. F. 1984. "Interpretation of the Bible," in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by W. A. Elwell. Grand Rapids: Baker.

Bruce, F. F. 1987. "New Testament," in The New International Dic-tionary of the Bible, edited by J. D. Douglas et al. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Caragounis, C. C. 1992. "Kingdom of God/Heaven," in the Diction-ary of Jesus and the Gospels, edited by J. B. Green et al. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. (As found in the Logos Bible study software program.)

Carson, D. A. 1994. "Approaching the Bible," in the New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson et al. Downers Grove IL: InterVarsity Press. (As found in the Logos Bible study software program.)

Douglas, J. D., et al, editors. 1992. Who's Who in Christian History. Wheaton: Tyndale. (As found in the Word Search Bible study software program.)

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Draper, E. 1992. Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale. (As found in the Word Search Bi-ble study software program.)

Easton, M. G. 1897. Illustrated Bible Dictionary. (As found in the e-Sword software program.)

Elwell, W. A., and D. Buckwalter, editors. 1991. Topical Analysis of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker. (As found in the Logos Bible study software program.)

Elwell, W. A., and P. W. Comfort, editors. 2001. Tyndale Bible Dic-tionary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.

Erickson, M. J. 1985. Christian Theology (now in its 3rd ed). Grand Rapids: Baker.

Feinberg, P. D. 1984. "Bible, Inerrancy and Infallibility of," in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. W. A. Elwell, editor. Grand Rapids: Baker.

Geisler, N. 1999. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker. (As found in the Logos Bible study soft-ware program.)

Geisler, N. L., and W. E. Nix. 1986. A General Introduction to the Bible. Revised and expanded. Chicago: Moody Press. (As found in the Logos Bible study software program.)

Hill, A. E., and J. H. Walton. 1991. A Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Holy Bible, Contemporary English Version. Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society. (As found in the e-Sword Bible study software program.)

Holy Bible, The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by NavPress Publishing Group. (As found in the e-Sword Bible study software program.)

Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. (As found in the e-Sword Bible study software program.)

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Klingbeil, G. A. 2003. "Historical Criticism," in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Kurian, G. T., editor. 2001. Nelson's New Christian Dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. (As found in the Logos Bible study software program.)

McDowell, J. 1999. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Nelson.

McHenry, R. 1998. Something to Think About. Peabody, MA: Hen-drickson.

Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Diction-ary. 2003. (Electronic edition.)

Metzger, B. M. 1993. "Bible," in The Oxford Companion to the Bi-ble, edited by B. M. Metzger and M. D. Coogan. New York: Ox-ford Press.

Nave, O. J. 1896. Nave's Topical Bible. (As found in the e-Sword Bible study software program.)

Nygren, D. F. 1999. In Random House Webster’s Quotationary, ed-ited by L. R. Frank. New York: Random House.

Orr, J. general editor. 1915. International Standard Bible Encyclo-pedia. (As found in the e-Sword Bible study software program.)

Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Press. Ramsay, Sir W. M. 1915. The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the

Trustworthiness of the New Testament. London: Hodder and Stoughton. As found in McDowell, J. 1999. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Nelson.

Reymond, R. L. 1998. A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Richards, L. O., and G. J. Bredfeldt. 1998. Creative Bible Teaching. Revised and expanded. Chicago: Moody Press.

Sanders, C. 1952. Introduction to Research in English Literary His-tory. New York: Macmillan. As found in McDowell, J. 1999. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Nelson.

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Smith, W. 1884. Smith's Bible Dictionary. (As found in the e-Sword Bible study software program.)

Walton, J. H. 2001. The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Wenham, G. J. 1994. "The Pentateuch," in the New Bible Commen-tary: 21st Century Edition. D. A. Carson et al, editors. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. (As found in the Logos Bible study software program.)

Wurthwein, E. 1979. The Text of the Old Testament: An Introduc-tion to the Biblia Hebraica. Trans. by Erroll F. Rhodes. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979. As found in McDowell, J. 1999. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Nelson.

Wyngaarden, M. J. 1984. "Testament," in the Evangelical Diction-ary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell. Grand Rapids: Baker.

Zuck, R. B. 1991. Basic Bible Interpretation. Colorado Springs: Chariot Victor. (As found in the Logos Bible study software pro-gram.)

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