Is the Bible accurate?
Supposedly no original manuscripts remain. Instead, we have copies of manuscripts. Note – this could actually make the Bible more accurate.
How do copies of manuscripts make the Bible more accurate? Wouldn’t that allow more room for error? No!
For example, if there is only one manuscript and someone changes it, there is no way to cross-check it against other manuscripts. However, when multiple manuscripts are available (the more, the merrier!), a manuscript that potentially contains errors can be cross-checked against the others.
Here is a further explanation.
Let’s give a simple example of four copies of manuscripts:
One manuscript says the following: *ogs
The second says the following: D*gs
The third says the following: Do*s
The fourth says the following: Dog*
What can we conclude? The original said: Dogs
However, if only the original manuscript were available and it said, for example, D**s, it could be interpreted as either “Duds” or “Dots.” Moreover, someone could simply add a bunch of extra details, omit sentences, rewrite sections, etc., and we wouldn’t be able to cross-check those changes against other manuscripts to verify their validity.
Does the Bible contradict itself? Although it may sometimes seem that way, the answer is NO.
The 66 books of the Bible, consisting of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament, are completely impeccable and without error. After examining certain verses, it may initially appear that there are some contradictions. However, it is important to note that the Bible does not contain any contradictions.
From these verses, we can infer that the Holy Spirit enabled the writers to produce a perfect Bible, even though they themselves were clearly imperfect:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (New International Version, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (New International Version, John 14:25-26).
Moreover, did the Holy Spirit really empower the writers to write exactly what God wanted them to write if there appear to be obvious contradictions? Yes! Even though we may not always understand certain verses, and some passages may appear to contradict one another, they do not.
For example, John 1:13-15 states the following:
When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (New International Version)
Because as far as I know, Jesus was tempted at least three times in the wilderness. If so, how can this statement be true?
Does God in this case refer to God the Father in Heaven and not Jesus Christ in flesh? It seems to be explicitly referring to God the Father in Heaven. Jesus is God as well, but on earth He was God in flesh. Therefore, since He was 100% God and 100% human He was tempted just as we humans are tempted.
More information about this can be found by studying the Trinity, which we cannot fully comprehend (i.e., the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God, yet they are distinct from one another).
Given that Jesus Christ is the one and only God (an explanation is on the Home Page), I have wondered whether the Bible is entirely accurate or whether sinful humans somehow distorted its message (the 66 books of the Bible), especially given the existence of many different versions of the Bible and other religions.
The answer is clearly the former, primarily because of the overwhelming number of biblical manuscripts and the fact that the Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. God is sovereign, and therefore, His Word is perfect.
Here is logical reasoning as to why the Bible is the inerrant Word of God:
God Exists → Christianity is True → An infinitely powerful God can create an inerrant book called the Bible → All God-breathed Scripture in the Bible is True.
To further elaborate on this, I will use the following example: What if the copies are accurate, but the original information was skewed or made up when the authors wrote it? In other words, what if we have accurate manuscripts containing falsified original information?
This is where things such as eyewitness testimony from multiple people, archaeological evidence supporting such claims, etc., help reinforce the validity of the original content. When numerous people report the same thing, it is more likely to have happened.
With that being said, some of the things written in the Bible could lead people to believe that the Bible isn’t true if they don’t interpret them correctly or consider the other available evidence. As with other situations, it’s important that we don’t jump to conclusions when we are uncertain.
Given that God is sovereign, infinitely powerful, knows every single atom in the universe, and so forth, the entirety of the Bible is indeed the inerrant Word of God.