Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Criteria:
1) Was it authoritative? Did it come from God? Did it have the seal of apostolic authority? 2) Was the author confirmed by God? Miracles or prophecy? 3) Was it truthful? Contradictory? Rule-of-thumb: if in doubt, throw it out 4) Was it dynamic? Did it change lives? 5) Was it used? Was it read and collected by early Christians? (II Peter 3:16)?
(1) Manuscripts:
New Testament extant manuscripts 5,300 Greek 10,000 Latin Vulgate 9,300 other early versions + 24,000 manuscript copies, or portions 230 MSS compiled before the 6th century!!
Parchment & Vellum (Popular after 4th c.) New Sinaiticus: Testament 4th Century
ALEXENDRINUS
(2) Dating
Biblical Manuscripts: (note these are individual manuscripts) Magdalene Ms (Matthew 26) 1st century 50-60 AD co-existant(?) John Rylands (John-in Egypt) 90 AD 130 AD 40 years Bodmer Papyrus II (John) 90 AD 150-200 AD 60-110 years Chester Beatty Papyri (N.T.) 1st century 200 AD 150 years Diatessaron by Tatian (Gospels) 1st century 200 AD 150 years Codex Vaticanus (Bible) 1st century 375-350 AD 275-300 years Codex Sinaiticus (Bible) 1st century 350 AD 300 years Codex Alexandrinus (Bible) 1st century 400 AD 350 years Date Written 480 425 BC 460 - 400 BC 384 322 BC 100 44 BC 61 113 AD 70 - 140 AD 100 AD Earliest Copy 900 AD 900 AD 1,100 AD 900 AD 850 AD 950 AD 1,100 AD Time Span 1,300 years 1,300 years 1,400 years 1,000 years 750 years 800 years 1,000 years 10 7 ? Copies (extent) 8 ?
Author Secular Manuscripts: Herodotus (History) Thucydides (History) Aristotle (Philosopher) Caesar (History) Pliny (History) Suetonius (Roman History) Tacitus (Greek History)
...Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter the words of sober truth. For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.
4) Suetonius: a Greek historian 5) Pliny the Younger: a Roman author and administrator
112 AD of the Christian community in Asia Minor, and of their devotion to Christ by emperor Claudius, (Acts 18:2)
2,406 quotes 7,258 quotes 330 quotes 1,819 quotes 17,922 quotes 1,378 quotes 5,176 quotes 36,289 quotes
+36,000 quotes from before 325 AD = all but 11 verses of the New Testament!!!!
PEOPLE: PEOPLE:
-50 Old Testament people -27 27 New New Testament Testament people people I.e. Daniel 5:16 Belshazar?
Ur of the Chaldees & Tablets from Mari, Nuzi, Ebla & Armana
Harps from Ur Tablets from Amarna (1394
BC)
Armana tablets: Apiru or Habiru first found = Genesis 14:13 Ebla tablets: Case Laws, Customs, and Judicial Proceedings (Deuteronomy 22:22-30) Sodom and Gomorrah Mari tablets: Arriyuk, or Arioch found in Genesis 14 Nuzi tablets:
a) a barren wife giving a handmaiden to her husband b) a bride chosen for the son by the father c) a dowry paid to the father-in-law d) work done to pay a dowry (i.e. Jacob) e) the unchanging oral will of a father (i.e. Isaac) f) a father giving his daughter a slave-girl (i.e. Leah, Rachel) g) the sentence of death for stealing cult gods (i.e. Jacob).
Assyrian Architecture:
Jehu Obelisk
(841 BC)
(2nd
Kings 15:19/20
701BC)
Sargon II
(left - 722-
& Sennacharib
(right -704-
Lachish
Taylor Prism 1. Hezekiah rebelled against Senacharib. 2. The fortified towns of Judah fell. 3. Lachish also fell 4. Hezekiah was shut up in Jerusalem 5. He paid 30 talents of gold in tribute to Senacharib to gain favour 6. Jerusalem did not fall 7. The Assyrian army left without firing a single arrow at Jerusalem.
Sennacharib cont.
statue
37:9)
Tirhakah
(2 Kings 19:9; Isaiah
Hezekiah Mural
(II Kings 19:35-36)
Murals of Ninevah
3:13-15)
Book of Daniel and the Nabonidus Drum Drum (539 B.C.) Prayer for
(Daniel 5:16)
Balshazzer
Nabonidus Tablet
Persian Artifacts
BC)
(6th c.
Cylindar
Cyrus
Artaxerxes Silverware
Erastus = Corinthian treasurer (Rom. 16:23) -pavement found in 1929 with this name
Politarchs = civil authority of Thessalonica (Acts 17:6) -19 inscriptions use it, 5 in Thessalonica Praetor = for Philippian ruler instead of Duumuir -Romans used Praetor earlier Proconsul = title for Gallio (Acts 18:12) -corroborated by Delphi Inscription -(52 AD) Gallio held this position for 1 year only.
Joseph Free: confirms that while thumbing through the book of Genesis,
he mentally noted that each of the 50 chapters are either illuminated or confirmed by some archaeological discovery, and that this would be true for most of the remaining chapters of the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Basis of Law and Morality worldwide: (10 Commandments, Golden Rule, Sermon on the Mount) Gives Patterns copied by the world (even nonChristian): via colonialism (i.e. Hindu India, Muslim Senegal) via adoption (Shinto Japan, laws based on U.S. Constitution, modelled on Bible)
Arts.7,8,10: equality: Bible encourages it (Gal.3:28) while Quran distinguishes between Muslim/Kufr (wergild 10/1, Dhimmi laws, Jizya) Art.16: marriage & divorce equality: Biblical (only one wife etc...) Quran = no Kufr husband, must convert first to Islam. Art.18: Freedom of thought and religion (to change): Bible allows choice (Jn.3:16; Rom.10:915) Quran=fight unbelievers (S.8:39=fight them; 9:5=slay pagans, 29=fight; 47:4=smite, subdue, bind) Art.19: Freedom of opinion & expression: Bible (no censorship, only must not change scripture Rev.22:1819) Quran (no criticism of the Quran, Muhammad; i.e. Pakistans .= Sect.295C Blasphemy law) Art.21: Equal access /will of people basis of authority .=Democracy: Bible (separation of Church/state, Rom.13:17) Quran=Caliph, Ulema, Shariah =authority, nonMuslim may not rule, or participate in high office, Mawla
Shows
that secular governments borrow Biblical principles, though they try to distance from the source of its authority. Any Godgiven scripture must be universally adaptable, to all cultures, for all times. Most countries use Biblical principles of morality and law Few Muslim countries use strict Shariah laws, even when in absolute control; must revert back to Biblical principles. Excuse = corrupt leaders, yet West has corrupt leaders also, but Biblical memory still exists. Result = "just" and democratic society, improved economic environment = mass
CRITICS
What
Was
Qur'an endorses the Torah and the Gospel. Why is there is no warning?
Quran: 10:64 =No change can there be in the words of Allah. 6:34: There is none that can alter the words of Allah, (see also Suras 3:2,78; 4:135; 18:26; 35:42; 50:28,29) Bible: Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Isaiah 8:20; Matthew 5:17-18; 24:35; Revelation 22:18-20. -A recurring theme, so why would the Bible be different? -The argument of corruption began with Ibn Hazam (1064), so a much later polemic.
2:78-79 And there are among them (Jews) unlettered people, who know not the Book, but they trust upon false desires and they but guess. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, This is from AllahWoe to them for what their hands have written 2:140 says (of the Jews), ...who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah...? These are not a challenge of corruption, but a warning against sectarian & apocryphal literature, and a ringing
HOW CAN GODS WORD INCLUDE PORNOGRAPHY, BAD LANGUAGE AND BAD PEOPLE? -Judahs incest with Tamar (Genesis 38), or David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11), yet it is also found in Sura 38:25-26 -Bible teaches that all people are sinful, and that their sins incur damning consequences, which therefore needs forgiveness. -Bible doesnt condone sin, nor praise for dirty actions, but proclaims Gods impending judgement (II Sam. 11:26; 27-12:1-19). -Bible, indeed, uses human language to communicate God's revelation to humanity, making it more understandable & relevant. -By including the bad actions of Men of God the Bible proves it was not sanitized, or corrupted, as in Muhammads Sira. -Bible includes failed people, showing us that it is God who must be given the credit for the great things they do! Tamar = committed incest Rahab = prostitute Ruth = gentile Bathsheba = adulteress
Conclusion:
THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE WERE CHOSEN WISELY MANUSCRIPTS ARE AUTHORITATIVE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS ARE BELIEVABLE HOSTILE ACCOUNTS ARE SUPPORTIVE VERSIONS AND TRANSLATIONS ARE NUMEROUS LECTIONARIES ARE CORROBORATIVE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS QUOTES PROVE CREDIBLE OLD TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS PROVE HISTORICAL NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS ARE UNSURPASSED ARCHAEOLOGISTS ALL AGREE BIBLE HAS FULFILLED PROPHECIES BIBLE HAS EXTRAORDINARY UNITY AND HARMONY BIBLE HAS AMAZING CIRCULATION BIBLE APPEALS TO CLASSES EVERYWHERE BIBLE HAS WISDOM AND HIGH MORAL TEACHING BIBLE ANSWERS THE CRITIQUES
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.