Inspiration of the Old Testament
The events of the Bible covers the period from creation (Genesis 1) through the end of this world and establishment of a new world described in Revelations. (See Rev. Chapter 21 for description of the New Jerusalem).
Of this material the Apostle Paul states: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,...) 2 Timothy 3:16
Moses who lived 3500 years ago, (1500 to 1300 BC - BC meaning before Christ's birth) is attributed by most scholars as having written the first 5 Books of the Bible (the Torah) including the account of creation. Moses had been was equipped to write the Torah having been raised in the courts of the Pharaoh. In fact Acts 7:22) says Moses was "mighty in both speech and action" Moses specifically states that it was God who told him:
"Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." (Exodus 34:27)
We will see the creation account would have to be inspired as it gives the sequence of life beginning in the waters, then later extended to birds, then to land animals and then to human life. This sequence is in harmony with scientific findings! How miraculous is it that the complexities of life were first documented by ancient followers of the one true living God well before the scientific theories were formulated!
Some have interpreted the reference to the Lord's back in the following scripture as indicating God showed Moses the past (his back) including the creation story:
"When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in a rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then will I remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen" (Genesis 33:22-23)
Others believe the creation story and other part of Genesis were communicated and maintained first through oral traditions including: songs, narratives and poetry as other early Biblical events were . (Adapted:What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? IBS. org) Then later Moses documented all of them as the Lord instructed Him in the verse above.
Additionally, there are innumerable other prophecies throughout the Word of God which have were later verified as having occurred! These were spoken and written by other holy servants of God; such as: Samuel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezra. Ezekiel, etc...
Authentication and Interpretation - Manuscript Evidence
After Moses. the writing of the Old Testament occurred over the next approximately 1500 years. The text was originally written in Hebrew, which was one of the primary languages of ancient Mesopotamia (current day Iraq). Approx. 200 BC, the complete Hebrew Old Testament was translated into Greek, this was referred to as the Septuagint translation.
The entire Old Testament writings were not fixed as the current 39 books until near the time of Christ's birth.
The printing press was not used to copy the Bible until
Gutenberg accomplished this feat over a thousand years
later in 1457 AD (AD meaning after Christ's birth).
(Heroes of the Faith; Fedelee)
Until then "scribes" hand wrote each copy of the Bible.
(A fragment of a scroll with words from Ecclesiastes is shown.)
The scribes had a deep reverence for God and rightly considered the
Bible to be the very word of God. Their reverence was reflected in
their great efforts to ensure each manuscript was an accurate copy
including: precise letter and word spacing, defined line length,
counting of characters and paragraph configurations.
(Adapted: Writing a Torah Scroll - IBS.org) An early manuscript is shown.
There are three primary factors used to validate the authenticity
of the historical manuscripts:
1. The date of original writing and the date of manuscripts
2. The number of existing manuscripts
3. The proportionate number variances between manuscripts
Why The Dead Sea Scrolls Are Important Manuscripts
In 1947, Bedouin shepherds found ten jars of manuscripts in a cave near the Dead Sea. Eventually, 800 additional manuscripts were found near the valley including some Biblical text. These scrolls provide either the complete text or fragments of all of the books of the Old Testament except the book of Esther. In fact, the entire text of Isaiah was found!
The manuscripts, have been dated far earlier than previous manuscripts. The Dead Sea scroll of Isaiah dates from the second century before Christ. It is a thousand years older than any previous Hebrew scripture document. Even so little appreciable change was found in the text! After examination, it has been determined that there is less than a 2 percent deviation from the documents we had previously relied upon. (Adapted: What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? - IBS. org)
Besides manuscripts there have been other important archeological evidence which supports the authenticity of the Bible. William Albright one of the world's most renowned archaeologists, stated:
"Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history." (Albright, William Noxell. The Archaeology of Palestine. Pelican Books, Hammond, Middlesex, England, 1960, p. 127, 128.)
Dr Clifford Wilson stated "I know of no finding in archaeology that’thats properly confirmed which is in opposition to the Scriptures. The Bible is the most accurate history textbook the world has ever seen." (Dr Clifford Wilson, formerly director of the Australian Institute of Archaeology taken from: http://www.answersingenesis.org)
Canonization of the Old Testament
Scripture was considered Canon by religious scholars and councils when regarded as 1) inspired by God and 2) authoritative for faith and life. The first five books (sometimes called the Torah or the Pentateuch) were the first to be accepted as canon. We're not sure when this occurred, but it was probably during the 5th century BC. However, the Hebrews had the "Law" for many centuries prior to its canonization.
The prophets' writings (Ezekiel, Isaiah, etc.) were probably brought together in a single form about 200 BC. The remaining Old Testament books were adopted as canonical later. The Old Testament list was probably finally fixed just prior to the birth of Christ. (Adapted from: How were the Books of the Bible Chosen IBS.org)
The Christ as Key to Inspiration, Authentication and Interpretation of Both the Old and New Testaments
Jesus as Inspiration and Authentication of Old Testament
Jesus specifically stated that the New Testament writers would be inspired when He promised:
John 14:26 "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
The words of our Savior, also affirm the inspiration and authentication of the Old Testament. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18: (Adapted from Is the Bible True IBS.org)
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."
In Luke 24 Jesus said: "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
As Geisler points out in his book A Popular Survey of the Old Testament, Jesus was not an "accomodator". The New Testament records numerous accounts of Jesus expressing His disapproval when necessary. Recall His overturning the tables in the temple recorded in Matthew? Certainly if Jesus did not approve of the Old Testament He would have corrected any material misstatements. Yet rather than casting doubt on the Old Testament, Jesus refers to significant people and events from the Old Testament including: Adam and Eve (Matt 23:35), Cain and Abel (Matt 23:35), Noah (Luke 17:27) to name just a few.
Jesus and Interpretation of the Old and New Testaments
Geisler also noted in his Popular Survey of the Old Testament to properly interpret the Bible we should seek to understand the Bible from a Historical, Doctrinal and Christocentrical perspective. For example:
Even though Jesus birth does not appear until the New Testament, Jesus' coming is first proclaimed in Genesis 3:15 when mankind fell in the Garden of Eden and God's promises Jesus will defeat satan::
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
This is also evident when we read the Passover account in Exodus 12:
12 "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt."
We understand the Old and New Testament more fully when we hear John the Baptist describe Jesus as the perfect lamb of God (John 1:29). It is our applying the blood of Jesus' to the doorpost of our hearts which allows death to "Passover" us as we inherit eternal life.
However, Jesus is throughout the Old Testament. This is what Geisler means when he says: "What is commenced in the Old Testament is completed in the Christ of the New Testament." (pg 20) Others expand this to say:
The New Testament is contained in the Old Testament;
The Old Testament is explained in the New Testament
The New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament;
The Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament
The New Testament authenticates the Old Testament;
The Old Testament anticipates the New Testament
The New Testament lies hidden in the Old Testament;
The Old Testament lies open in the New Testament
The Old Testament predicts a person;
the New Testament presents that person.
Understanding the message of Jesus is the key to our correct interpretation of many key Old and New Testaments passages.
Evidence from Early Christian Writers
In addition to the thousands of NT manuscripts, there are thousands
of NT quotations attributed to early church fathers and early worship
books.
Other writers not involved in the Christian faith are also valuable in
supporting the authenticity of the Old and New Testament writings
and teachings. These writers include Josephus, the renowned Jewish
historian, (Jerusalem) A.D. 37–c.A.D.
Josephus’ historical works are among the most valuable sources for the study of early Judaism and early Christianity. He lived in Rome under imperial patronage, and wrote the Greek-language historical works: such as The Jewish War. These ancient documents provides early support in support of many Biblical events.
New Testament Manuscript Evidence
About the New Testament, William Albright (the renowned archeologist) made the observation that each book of the New Testament was originally written by 75 - 80 years AD.
Each book could then be written by either a first person eyewitness account b) at the direction of an eyewitness or c) when the facts could still be investigated and verified through eyewitnesses. Luke confirms this was his approach in Chapter 1:1-3 of his
Gospel account:
"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account..."
Also there are more than 5,300 known Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. There are also over 10,000 in Latin and over 9,300 other early versions for a total of 24,000+ early manuscripts of portions of the New Testament in existence today. This ranks the Bible first of all texts in the number of existing manuscripts. (The Iliad, by Homer, is second with approximately 640 surviving manuscripts.) Dr. Carsten Thiede/1st century papyrus fragments of Matthew)
Differences In New Testament Manuscripts
The minimal number of differences between New Testament manuscripts also supports the accuracy of the text.
The New Testament contains approximately 20,000 lines, of which 40 lines are in question. This equals .5% (one half of one percent). Of the 0.5% of the New Testament variances, only one eighth of those amount to anything more than a stylistic difference or misspelling. Examples of typical variances would be:
"Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world Vs. Christ Jesus is the Savior of the whole world."
"Jesus Christ s the Savior of the whold world Vs. Jesus Christ is th Savior of the whle world."
Christian Canonization Process
The New Testament was originally spoken in Aramaic; however, primarily written in Greek during the 1st Century. The New Testament writings were considered by Churches and Councils until 367 AD when the Church leader Athanasius first listed the 66 books of the Bible at which time they were considered "Canon". (Adapted: What language was the first Bible written in? IBS.org)
For the New Testament there were four "Criteria for Canonicity":
1) Apostolic Origin — attributed to and based on the preaching/teaching of the first-generation apostles (or their close companions).
2) Universal Acceptance — acknowledged by all major Christian communities in the ancient world (by the end of the fourth century).
3) Liturgical Use — read publicly when early Christian communities gathered for the Lord's Supper (their weekly worship services).
4) Consistent Message — contained theology similar or complementary to other accepted Christian writings.
What is the Apocrypha?
Some Bibles (primarily Catholic) include 14 additional books referred to as the Apocrypha ("hidden"). None of these books were ever considered "canon".
The primary books of the Apocrypha are 1 and 2 Maccabees and 1 Esdras. 1 and 2 Maccabees records the struggle of the Maccabees family in the quest for Israelite independence during 167 to 134 BC. Neither Jesus nor the Apostles make any reference to the books of the Apocrypha. (Adapted: Why do some Bibles have a section called the Apocrypha IBS.org)
Translations
The International Bible Society provides this chronology for the
translation of the Bible from its original language to the translations
we have today.
The first translations of the Bible were of the Hebrew Bible.
The Septuagint (SEP-too-a-jint) was a Greek translation written
about three centuries before the birth of Christ. (A excerpt of
Genesis from the Septuagint is shown.)
The Pope commissioned the great scholar Jerome to make a definitive
translation of the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures into the common
language (Latin) which was completed in 405 and brought to
England in the 6th century. For nearly a thousand years this
translation, known as the Vulgate, reigned supreme. While many
translations were made, a church council in Toulouse, France, in
1229 forbade anyone who was not a priest from owning a Bible.
Nevertheless, "underground" translation and circulation of the
Bible continued.
The Vulgate was the standard version of the Bible for Roman Catholics
for over one and half millennia. Since Latin was only studied by priests
and scholars, the vast majority of people could not read or understand
the Vulgate,...
Into this situation came a great revolutionary named John Wycliffe,
whose central doctrine was, "Every Christian ought to study this book
because it is the whole truth!" (Once it was learned that Wycliffe
was resolved to publish the Bible in English and distribute it to the
common people , the Church authorities attacked him with a
vehemence. Wycliffe was stripped of his position within the Church...
Though old and exhausted, Wycliffe remained undaunted in his pursuit, and in 1382, John Wycliffe completed the first translation of the New Testament into English. His friend Nicholas Hereford, was paramount in completing the translation of the Old Testament.
Adapted: Heroes of the Faith, Fedelee)
During the Protestant reformation in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Bible was finally translated into modern languages, against great resistance from the Church. However, until 1450 when Gutenberg developed moveable type and printing press print copies remained very rare and expensive.
In 1611, King James broke from the Roman Church and issued the first Authorized English Bible (The King James Version) which far exceeded previous translations.
After the King James Version, a complete manuscript of the Old and New Testament were located and dated to 325AD. These new manuscripts and archeological findings resulted in the American Standard Version of the Bible (issued in 1901).
Additional translations have subsequently been written for particular emphasis; such as: literal word for word (ASB), thought-for-thought (NIV) and modern speech (Message) translations. (Adapted: Why are there so many versions of the English Bible- IBS.org)
With So Many Translations How Can We Trust Interpretation of the Bible
As we have previously discussed Jesus affirmed the inspiration of the Old and New Testaments.
Also remember Jesus' promise recorded in John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
This promise was important for the inspiration of the New Testament; however, this is also meant as an important promise for our interpretation of the Bible as well. Isaiah 55:9 tells us "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
When studying God's Word, we cannot necessarily read the Word and assume a literal translation. God's ways are much different than our language and our preconceived attitudes. To improve the accuracy of our interpretation we must depend on the revelation and prompting of the Holy Spirit.
To correctly interpret the Word it is also important that we establish the historical, cultural, and situational context of the scripture we are studying. Outside sources such as Theologians, Historians and Anthropologists can provide this context and
contribute to our understanding. Above all else, select a solid Study Bible
which provides introductions, cross references, maps, explanatory
footnotes, etc. to help establish context.
Recommendations and approx. prices are given below:
- Study Bible (NIV Study Bible - $35)
- Commentaries (Matthew Henry concise single volume - $15)
- Concordance (Strongs NIV Exhaustive Concordance - $25)
- Dictionary of important persons, places and doctrines (Tyndale Bible Dictionary- $25)
- Dictionary of important Biblical words (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary - $10)
- Topical Bible (Nave's Topical Bible - $13)
The Real Test of the Bible
The real test of the inspiration, authentication and interpretation of the Bible is a very personal one. The Bible is a living document written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is meant to provide doctrinal truths to help us live in relationship with God and with others:
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
Jesus promised that if we read and apply His Word as the Holy Spirit leads we will be set free from the distortions and destructive forces which bind us. "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32, NIV)
That sense of freedom in your soul is one of the most important ways to gauge the truth of the Bible as the inspired authentic Word of God. It is then that you will confess of the Word as Jesus did in John 17:17, "Your word is truth."
