Articles
God's Inerrant Word
Do you have a lot of confidence in the text of the Bible? Do you become nervous when you see a footnote in your version saying something like, “Early manuscripts do not contain this verse”? Has the seed of skepticism entered your heart when you found the brackets at the end of the second Gospel (Mark 16:9-20), or in the narrative of the adulterous woman (John 7:53-8:11)? Do you start to wonder if the Bible is riddled with errors and changes made by men?
The trustworthiness of the Bible is of utmost significance in the life of a Christian. The reason is simple: if we are not totally confident in the Bible that will weigh heavily on our own journey in the footsteps of Jesus. If we believe the Bible is full of errors, we will not receive it as the Word of God (James 1:21). If it does not hold this rightful place of eminence, then God’s commands, instructions, and encouragements become watered-down, subjective, and fallible human opinions. So, yes, it very much matters!
Brother Doy Moyer explains the significance: “Considering the nature of the claims made by the Bible, there is no plausible way to argue that the Bible is a good book while denying that it comes from God and is, therefore, trustworthy. If it is not completely trustworthy, then it is not God-worthy. If the Bible is true, then those who deny it will reap the eternal consequences for denying God and His revelation. If the Bible is erroneous and untrustworthy, then the hope that the Bible gives for life is forever lost. There can be no hope where there is no ability to trust.”
But where do we start? Heaps of questions arise as we touch the subjects of textual criticism, translational reliability, and other matters. Circular reasoning will not stand in any impassioned discussion of the topic; just because the Bible claims inerrancy, that does not make it so! Given that reality, we simply start with the content and measure it against what is known and provable. God does not expect anyone to believe the Bible just because they like it or feel that they should. He invites dialogue (Isaiah 1:18) and commands the testing of revelation (1 John 4:1).
Let’s briefly consider biblical inerrancy via the lens of history. By any standard definition, even among atheists, the Bible is a collection of historical documents. Excepting the Bible’s account of miracles, few historians would dispute the general history of Scripture. And since a priori dismissal of the supernatural is a reflection on one’s philosophy and not on faithful examination of the evidence, this objection does not weigh in on the discussion. The question then becomes the accuracy of the historical data within the Bible. This area is especially worthy of examination as we consider biblical inerrancy because it is so bountifully fruitful.
In the past two centuries in particular, the attacks of skeptics on the historicity of the Bible have been disproven with regular monotony. Scholars and archaeologists, skeptics and believers alike, have found hundreds of sites and thousands of particular discoveries based on the biblical record. These finds have validated countless details in the Bible, even those vehemently denied beforehand. Historical confirmations have grown so abundant that noted historians have emphatically dismissed the notion that the Bible invents history. Dr. Nelson Glueck illustrates: “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of biblical description has often led to amazing discoveries.”
Historical research, and research in many other disciplines, has demonstrably proven biblical inerrancy. Naturally, this becomes most significant in the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, biblical truths well-supported by the testimony of history (Acts 1:3). The Bible has proven its reliability in all matters despite the pounding of critics throughout the centuries (cf. John 10:35). The sixty-six books we hold in our hands are indeed reliable!
Lord-willing, in our next article, we will begin giving consideration to the abundant textual evidence for the faithful transmission of the Scriptures. This will lay the foundation for a specific examination of some of those brackets and footnotes we see in our modern texts, as well as other challenges that arise when bringing the inspired, inerrant Word of God into our hands.
