Updated: 3/12/2023
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 for more room for error? No.
For example, if there is only one manuscript and someone does change it, then there is no ability to cross-check it against other manuscripts. However, with more than one manuscript available (the more the merrier?), the manuscript that potentially contains errors can be cross-checked against the many manuscripts.
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 was used and it said, for example, D**s. Maybe, it is the word duds or dots. Moreover, someone could just add a bunch of extra details, omit sentences, re-write sections, etc., and we wouldn’t be able to cross-check that with other manuscripts to verify its validity.
Does the Bible contradict itself? While it may seem to at times, the answer is, NO.
The 66 books of the Bible, the Old Testament having 39 and the New Testament having 27, are argued by some to be totally impeccable with no errors. After learning about some verses, it appears that there may be some contradictions upon closer inspection. However, it is important to note that the Bible does not have any contradictions.
From these verses, we can infer that the Holy Spirit enabled the writers to create a perfect Bible even though they are 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 Tim. 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” (John 14.25-26).
Moreover, did the Holy Spirit really empower the writers to write exactly what God wanted them to if there seems to be obvious contradictions? Yes, even though we may not understand the verses at times, and some verses appear to contradict one another, they don’t.
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 in Heaven. Jesus is God as well, but He is God in flesh not God in Heaven. Maybe I’m wrong?
However, like the uniqueness in a color gradient, if it seems to contradict itself, it doesn’t.
While Jesus Christ is the one and only God (an explanation is on the home page), I have wondered if the Bible is entirely accurate or if sinful humans ended up distorting the message (the 66 books of the Bible) just as there are many different versions of the Bible and other religions; it is clearly the former primarily based upon the number of manuscripts and that it is the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit. God is sovereign and therefore His Word is perfect.
To further elaborate on this, I will use the following example: what if the copies are accurate but the original information written was skewed or made-up when the authors wrote it? In other words, what if we have accurate manuscripts of falsified, original information? This is where things such as eyewitness testimony among more than one person, archeological evidence to support such claims, etc., reinforces the original content. When tons of people say the same thing, it likely happened.
With that being said, some of the things written in the Bible could end up convincing people that the Bible isn’t the truth if they aren’t looking at it correctly along with other pieces of evidence. Just like many things, it’s important that we don’t jump to conclusions when we are uncertain.
Given the fact that God is sovereign, infinitely powerful, knows of every single atom in the universe, and so forth, it would be safe to assume that the entirety of the Bible is indeed the Word of God.