2. Bible Authority
Bible Evidence

3. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Some Bible terms for you to know:
Pentateuch
Greek
Apocrypha
Codex Vaticanus, Sinaticus, Alexandrinus
Vulgate
Aramaic
New Covenant
Canon
Dead Sea Scrolls
Hebrew
Textus Receptus
Masoretic Text
Old Covenant
Septuagint 3

4. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Some questions:
Can I trust my Bible?
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Is there archeological evidence supporting the Bible?
Can the miracles of the Bible be proven? 4

5. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
The Bible is special:
Divinely inspired
668 prophecies fulfilled, not proved false (3 unconfirmed)
40 diverse writers, same message and theology
Spans 1600 years and over 3500 years old
Survived the entire history of the world
Natural disasters, weather
Persecution, ignorance 5

6. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
The Bible is special:
>25000 copies since 325 AD with >99.5% accuracy
As a comparison, Homer’s Odyssey copies have 764 disputing lines
The entire NT have only 40 questionable lines, OT is less than 10.
Only a 60 yr gap between originals and the earliest available copies
As a comparison, the Gallic Wars has a 1000 yr gap and Aristotle’s writings has a 1400 yr gap 6

7. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Why is the Bible so hated?
Outlawed with penalties of prison or death
Saudi Arabia, North Korea, China, Belarus
Even in the U.S. you could be fired
Attempts to destroy it
Early translations into common languages were burned along with their translators
Some Communist countries are still burning Bibles
Kicked out of school
No allowed to be used as a historical textbook or even as literature
Denied
Many agnostic and atheist groups are publicizing information denying the Bibles authenticity, accuracy, and divine origins
Mocked, misquoted, and blasphemed
Even by Christians 7

8. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Dead Sea Scrolls
The most significant find of our day!
Clay pots containing scrolls and scroll fragments found in a cave near the Dead Sea in 1947
All of the writings are 1000 yrs older than any other copy we had prior 8

9. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Dead Sea Scrolls
Subsequent digs have discovered 11 caves and over 800 documents
Every book of the OT except Esther
Entire scroll in perfect condition of Isaiah 9

10. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Dead Sea Scrolls
Ruins have been discovered near by indicating a community called “Qumran” of Essenes.
Probably dedicated to keeping and studying the scrolls
Destroyed by Romans in 68 AD 10

11. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Davidic Stele
One of the newest finds (1993)
Inscription referencing the House of David
Dated late 9th century to early 8th century BC 11

12. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Amulet scroll
Found in 1979 in some Jerusalem tombs dating back to 7th century BC
Contains Num 6 priests blessing and the oldest recording we have of God’s name (YHWH – Yahweh) 12

13. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Galilean boat
Found in 1986 during an extreme drought dating back 2000 years
Measures 30 ft long x 8 ft wide
Typifies the boat Jesus and the disciples used 13

14. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Ciaphas ossuary
In 1990 a dump truck crushed the roof of several buried chambers
The most significant find in the old tombs was the tomb of Ciaphas and his family 14

15. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Pilate’s inscription
Found in 1961
Bears the text: “Tiberius [the Roman emperor of the period]/Pontius Pilate/Prefect of Judea “ 15

16. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Archeological evidence
Ekron inscription
Found in 1993, the inscription dates back to the Philistine city of Ekron
Tablet found in the ruins of an Assyrian temple built around 600 BC during the Babylonian conquests 16

17. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence
Other Archeological evidence some even confirming “miracles” of the Bible
Noah’s Ark
Red Sea Crossing
Lot’s Wife (Pillar of salt)
Rock fountain in the wilderness
Shroud of Turin
Giant skeletons
Discoveries on Mt. Sinai
Sodom & Gomorrah
Mary Magdelene’s perfume bottle
Jerusalem water tunnel 17

18. Bible Authority – Bible Evidence18

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