Is The Old Testament Reliable?
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Main Question for Today
How do we know if the Old Testament is reliable?
Consider this...
What facts do we need to know about the physical words of the Bible?
How would you describe the Bible to a stranger?
What aspects of Scripture would you include in your description?
Scripture
Take the time to read the following passages:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
What do you think "God-breathed" means?
Deuteronomy 4:40
Psalms 19:7-9
How is the Law and the commands described here?
Matthew 5:19
Matthew 24:35
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
What are we told to do with the Words of God we have received?
Rules for the Masoretic Scribes
The Masoretes were a group of scribes whose sole job was copying the text of the Bible.
Around ~AD 400 the Masoretes created a system of tracking and maintaining the accuracy of the biblical text.
They held themselves to extremely strict rules which maintained consistency when these scribes copied the Bible.
These rules included the following foundations:
1. The scroll must be written on the skin of a clean animal
2. Each skin must contain a specific number of columns equal throughout the entire book
3. Each column must extend no less than 48 lines and no more than 60
4. The column breadth must consist of exactly 30 letters.
5. The Space of a thread must appear between every consonant
6. The breadth of 9 consonants had to fit between each section of text.
7. A space of 3 lines had to appear between each book
8. Every word had to be copied letter-for-letter
9. The scribe had to count the number of times each letter occurred in each book and compare it to the original.
10. If a manuscript was found to have just one error, it was discarded.
Listen along as Scott discusses the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls, their impact on Christian Scholarship, and the evidence they provide for the reliability of the Old Testament.
Consider this...
Consider the acronym M.A.P. for three major areas of evidence that help to support the reliability of the Old Testament text.
M= Manuscript Evidence
A= Archaeological Evidence
P= Prophecy of Scripture.
These three categories include both external and internal evidence that help to bolster the dependability and accuracy of the texts we have received as Scripture. Over the next several weeks, we will address some of these in more detail.
Take Away
Why does learning about the reliability of Scripture important for your faith and for the faith of others?
How can this lesson help you share your faith?
Moving forward, what will you do differently when you read through your Old Testament?