The Bible was written by about 40 different authors, spread out over a period of more than 1,500 years. Many of the books of the Bible reveal their authorship, but others don't. This applies to both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The writers we know of include kings, prophets, church leaders, and a doctor (Luke).
Our best claim to the authority of the Old Testament is that Jesus himself often quoted from these scriptures and clearly accepted them as having a divine origin.
The books of the New Testament are largely the writings of the original apostles or those who lived and ministered with them. These letters circulated among the early churches and were early assumed to be of equal importance to the Old Testament.
See the following videos whether we can trust the Bible as God's Word:
- Time 1:40–6:46 in Video 1- PROPHECIES.
- Time 0:50–6:48 in Video 2 - The Manuscripts.
- Time 0:37–6:27 in Video 3 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROOF.
- Time 0:51–6:44 in Video 4 - Non-biblical writers.
- Time 0:34–8:52 in Video 5 - Scientifically Accurate.
- Time 0:46–13:48 in Video 6 - SUPPOSED CONTRADICTIONS.
- Time 0:57–12:09 in Video 7 - TRANSLATIONS PART 1.
- Time 0:44–15:17 in Video 8 - TRANSLATIONS PART 2.
- Time 1:23–13:54 in What BIBLE TRANSLATION should you READ . . ..
Some clarifications to these videos:
- The prophesy about Tyre & and throwing the building materials into the sea is found in Ezekiel 26:12b. Fulfilled by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.
- Jerusalem would be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled (Luke 21:24b). Titus led his army to breach the walls of Jerusalem and capture the city in 70 AD. The Jews were scattered all over the world. They wouldn't be given a homeland again until 1948, after The Holocaust drove other nations to act on their behalf. Jerusalem is still not fully controlled by the Israelites; Muslims hold the Temple Mount. But Jesus promises that this isn't the end. One day the times of the Gentiles will be over. Jesus will return and judge the nations for their wickedness (Luke 21:27). The Jews will then look to their Messiah and be redeemed (Luke 21:25–28).
- See The Creation model in The Big Bang Model Revealed.
- See also Misconceptions and Objections and Paul the Apostle.
- Jesus was crucified at the third hour (Mark 15:25), which was nine o'clock, and he died at the ninth hour (Mark 15:34), which is three o'clock in the afternoon: Jesus was on the cross for six hours before he died.
- The Old Testament of Vulgate is translated from Hebrew, from the
Masoretic Text, see Which Version of the Old Testament did Jesus Use? - See also Bible Translations.
We have the following witnesses that the Bible is trustworthy and authoritative:
- Unity:
The Bible conveys a unique message with a thread of unity throughout
the course of Scripture, despite it's written by 40 different authors over
a period of 1,500+ years and covers topics such as God, humanity, sin,
death, and salvation. It's the most amazing document of consistency. - Prophesy:
The accuracy of predicting the future is astounding. There are approx
2,500 prophesies that appear in the Bible. About 2,000 of these have already been met with great accuracy. For example in Isaiah 44:24a, 28: "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb:
"I am the Lord ... who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose'; saying of Jerusalem, 'She shall be built,'
and of the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid.'"" This was written
150 years before Cyrus even was born, see The Prophecies of Isaiah.
For the fulfillment of this prophesy, see The Book of Ezra. See also
Prophecies that Jesus Fulfilled and Prophecies of Jesus' Second Coming, - Archaeology:
Large numbers of archaeological excavations support the Bible, see
Evidence that the Jews were in Egypt and that King David has Existed
and the video TOP BIBLICAL Archeology DISCOVERIES. - Science:
Although the purpose of the Bible isn't to be a scientific book, it provides accurate scientific information about the Earth and the universe,
see Scientific Proofs of the Bible. - History:
The historical accounts in the Bible are confirmed by external historical evidence that has been discovered, see New Egyptian Chronology. - Changed lives:
There are many examples of changed lives. The disciples' lives changed after The Resurrection of Jesus.
For many people, all truth is relative. That's not the case for us Christians. For us, the truth is what we find in the Bible. Jesus is the personification of truth. He said of himself: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6), see Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
He also said: "Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Mat 24:35). Jesus quoted from 24 different books of the Old Testament as if they were the Word of Truth. He saw them as absolute reliable sources and as the Word of God. If we believe in Jesus, see Historical Facts that Jesus Rose from the Dead,
it follows that we must believe that the Old Testament is from God.
