learn to read the bible effectively. class 4 part 1 - critics of the bible part 2 - the purpose of...

Learn to Read the Bible Effectively

Class 4• Part 1 - Critics of the Bible

• Part 2 - The Purpose of God Revealed

• Part 3 - Overview of the Books of the Bible (Part 4)

• Part 4 - Study Tools Part 2

• Part 5 - Versions of the Bible

Bible Criticisms

• The Bible is a Work of Fiction

• Not Inspired - Happened by Chance and Coincidences

• Written a Long Time Ago

• It Contradicts Itself

PROOF: The Bible is a Work of Fiction

• Archaeology• Nineveh, Babylon, Jericho, Solomon.

• Geology• Sedimentary rock

• History• Writings of Great Empires Reveal the

Accuracy of the Scriptures

PROOF: Not Inspired Happened By Chance and

Coincidences• Prophecy

• 70 Years Captivity of Israel

• Prophecies regarding Christ

• Deuteronomy's Prophecy of A.D. 70

• Israel in the Land Again.

PROOF: Written a Long Time Ago

• Surviving New Testament Manuscripts

• A Comparison of Ancient Documents

Surviving New Testament Manuscripts

GREEK OTHERUncials 267 Latin Vulgate 10,000 +Minuscules 2,764 Ethiopic 2,000 +Lectionaries 2,143 Slavic 4,101Papyri 88 Armenian 2,587Recent Finds 47 Syriac Pashetta 350Bohairic 100Arabic 75Old Latin 50

Total: 24,000 +

A Comparison of Ancient Documents

AUTHOR Number of CopiesCaesar 10Tacitus 20Pliny 7Thucydides 8Suetonius 8Herodotus 8Demosthenes 200Sophocles 193Aristotle 49Homer (Lliad) 643

PROOF: It Contradicts Itself

• The Time Between the Documents and Known Copies

Time Between the Document and Known Copies

Author Written Earliest Copy Time Span

Caesar 100-44 BC 900 AD 1000 Years

Tacitus 100 AD 1100 AD 1000 Years

Pliny 61-113 AD 850 AD 750 Years

Thucydides 460-400 BC 900 AD 1300 Years

Herodotus 480-425 BC 900 AD 1300 Years

Demosthenes 383-322 BC 1100 AD 1300 Years

Sophocles 496-406 BC 1100 AD 1400 Years

Aristotle 384-322 BC 1100 AD 1400 Years

Homer (Lliad) 900 BC 400 AD 500 Years

New Testament 40-100 AD 130 AD 30 Years

The Purpose of God Revealed

Genesis 1

Genesis 2-8

Genesis 9 - Revelation

Why Did God Create Man?

NUMBERS 14:21

• 21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.


REVELATION 4:11

• 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.


ISAIAH 45:18

• 18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.


• From these few verses we learn:

• God created the earth to be inhabited

• Those inhabitants are created for God’s pleasure

• That pleasure involves filling the earth with his glory

Time Line of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah

Hezekiah Takes it to GodIsaiah 37:33-36

• 33 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.

• 34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.

• 35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

• 36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

End of Zedekiah’s ReignEzekiel 21:25-27

• 25 And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,

• 26 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.

• 27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.

Israel Expected the Coming Messiah

• Simeon - “waiting for the consolation of Israel”, was promised to see the Lord’s Christ.

• Anna - spoke to all those “that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

• How did the people respond when the Lord rode into Jerusalem.

• The disciples asked hime, just prior to his ascension , “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?” Act.1:6

Modern Translations• Revised Standard Version (RSV)

• New International Version (NIV)

• New American Standard Version (NASB)

• New King James Version (NKJV)

• New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

• New English Bible (NEB)

Learn to Read the Bible Effectively