So, what’s the point … about Scripture, I mean?

Why all this talk about Scripture? There’s the historical scope of Scripture, the inspirational and instructional value of God’s Word, and brief insight into the various translations that abound .  .  . now what?  Is that it?  Actually, no.

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.   Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”1  God’s Word tells us how we got here, who we are, who we are purposed to be, how to live life, and even how to attain eternal life; it tells us about our great God, who he is, and what he is like—a holy God, three in one.  It is the word of God, regardless of what you or I may think about it. 

Ah, come on, Christine—you might find the Bible inspirational, but do you really think it is a reliable record of what happened back then—or that it really came from God??  Yep, one of the objections people throw out about the Bible is that it ‘couldn’t possibly be reliable because of how it was transmitted—being copied and recopied for thousands of years, from language to language’ … (In truth, I have found that skeptics bandy about things they have heard from others; most of the time, they haven’t even done any homework themselves)

Well, a couple years back, I had the privilege of viewing the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, which I found to be captivating.  Why?  Well, the discovery of these scrolls proved to be invaluable . . . “In February or March of 1946, a Bedouin shepherd boy named Muhammad was searching for a lost goat.  He tossed a stone into a hole in a cliff on the west side of the Dead Sea, about eight miles south of Jericho.  To his surprise, he heard the sound of shattering pottery.  Investigating, he discovered an amazing sight.  On the floor of the cave were several large jars containing leather scrolls, wrapped in linen cloth.  Because the jars were carefully sealed, the scrolls had been preserved in excellent condition for nearly 1900 years.”   Dang!

Before the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest complete Hebrew manuscripts in possession were from A.D. 900.  The Scrolls demonstrate the unusual accuracy of the copyists of Scripture spanning a 1,000-year period.  For example--of the 166 words in Isaiah 53, there is only one word (three letters) in question after a thousand years of transmission—and this word does not significantly change the meaning of the passage.2  Now, that’s incredible! 

Take that, Naysayers!  Here’s the thing:  all reputable versions begin with the oldest and best Greek manuscripts (New Testament) and Hebrew manuscripts (Old Testament) that we possess, and these are then translated directly into contemporary language.3 

Indeed, Scripture says of itself that it is ‘inspired by God’—men were not writing of their volition, but under the direction of God.  “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.  For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”4

Why go on about the value and veracity of the Bible?  It is the single most place at which the voice of God may be found—God’s revelation of himself, and so very worthy of our time.  Soon, we will turn our attention back to Paul’s letter to the church at Rome; convinced of its value, I pray that you will join me as we continue our verse-by-verse exploration.

Christine

1)  John 8.31-32  

 2)  From The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by JoshMcDowell    

 3 ) The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask, Mark Mittelberg, p. 79    

 4 ) 2 Peter 1.20-21