The Bible Is Inspired by God Yet, some have their faith shaken when learning of the “lost books of the Bible.” Others question the Bible’s inspiration straying due to debates over which books are canonized.

Introduction Every apologetic argument (for God, Jesus, Christ’s resurrection, etc.) ultimately leads to whether or not the Bible is divinely inspired. Cp. 2 Tim. 3:16 We will look at some evidence supporting the divine inspiration of the Bible.

Transmission of the Scriptures The original writings and successive manuscripts were written on perishable items like papyrus, parchment, and paper.

Transmission of the Scriptures To preserve the original manuscripts Jewish scribes meticulously made copies as the papyrus would quickly deteriorate. Cp. Ezra 7:6 (11, 12, 21)

Transmission of the Scriptures The whole process of recopying the Bible was controlled by strict religious rituals, and the scribes carefully counted  every line,  word, syllable, and  letter to ensure accuracy.”

Transmission of the Scriptures “Even though the two copies of Isaiah discovered in Qumran Cave 1 near the Dead Sea in 1947 were a thousand years earlier than the oldest dated manuscript previously known (a.d. 980), they proved to be word for word identical with our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text. The 5 percent of variation consisted chiefly of obvious slips of the pen and variations in spelling.” The Great Isaiah Scroll, 1QIs a Gleason L. Archer, Jr. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, p. 25.

Fulfilled Prophecy “Some other religions make prophetic claims, however, in no other religion in the world has prophecy been fulfilled so completely and so accurately as that recorded in the Bible.” Story, Dan (1997). Defending your faith (page 46)

Fulfilled Prophecy NOTE: The Bible makes it clear how to tell whether a prophet was true or false. Deut. 18:20-22 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

Fulfilled Prophecy Over 2,000 fulfilled prophecies are made in the Bible with hundreds specific to Jesus Christ (“place of birth, tribe and lineage, ministry, betrayal by Judas, suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection”). Further authenticating the dating and reliability of the Hebrew (Old Testament) Scriptures is the Greek translation (Septuagint) written more than two hundred years before Christ was born!

Over 300 Prophecies Concerning Jesus Christ Born of a virgin? Isa. 7:14 (Matt. 1:23) –Who would ever prophecy a “virgin” would give birth? Born in Bethlehem. Mic. 5:2 (Matt. 2:6) Would be betrayed by close friend. Psa. 41:9 (Jn. 13:18)

What Jesus Regarded As Scripture Three “Collections” made up the O.T. Scriptures: The Law (Torah) - Genesis - Deuteronomy The Prophets (Neviim) - Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel (one volume), 1 & 2 Kings (one volume), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the 12 Minor Prophets (one volume) The Writings (Kethubim) - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ruth, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah (one volume), 1 & 2 Chronicles (one volume)*

What Jesus Regarded As Scripture Jesus referred to these three collections as “the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.” Lk. 24:44* Most often the “O.T.” was referred to as the “Law and the Prophets.” Matt. 5:17; 11:3; Lk. 16:16; Jn. 1:45; Acts 13:15; 24:14 Jesus quotes out of 24 O.T. books Other N.T. writers quote out of 34 O.T. books

Summary By Jesus’ day the O.T. scriptures were already in Canon (Apocrypha was not). The Qumran Scrolls (date as far back as 300 BCE) The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) was written by 285 BCE). Jesus quoted from all three “collections” of the Hebrew Bible

Conclusion While only looking at the Old Testament Scriptures we can clearly see that Jesus (and all New Testament writers) regarded what was called “Scripture” as “God breathed”. 2 Tim. 3:16