Our topic now is: Is the Bible completely reliable, and if not, in what aspects can we trust it? Therefore, it is worth considering the following points:
1) What does the word 'Bible' mean?
2) What different writings does it consist of?
3) How did its scriptures originate?
4) Why were they chosen for the Bible?
5) How widely has the Bible been distributed?
6) What is the basic message of the Bible?
7) In what aspects can the Bible be fully trusted?
8) To what extent and why do I trust the Bible?
9) How does the Bible doctrine differ from other religions?
10) What is the core message of the Bible for this time?
1) What does the word 'Bible' mean?
The English word Bible is derived from Koinē Greek: τὰ βιβλία, romanized: ta biblia, meaning "the books" (singular βιβλίον, biblion). The word βιβλίον itself had the literal meaning of "scroll" and came to be used as the ordinary word for "book". It is about the Scriptures that are considered especially Holy.2) What different writings does it consist of?
Our Bible contains 66 different Writings, of which the first 39 form the Old Testament or OT. The remaining 27 Writings form the New Testament or NT. The New Testament can also be called the New Covenant, because that name has been used in the prophecies of the OT.
3) How did its Scriptures originate? According to the Bible itself, our Creator, Yehowah Elohim, spoke to His chosen prophets often through His Holy Spirit and sometimes also through His holy angels. He spoke to them through dreams, visions and natural phenomena. Even through a donkey to the prophet Balaam.
Yehowah required them to write down for future generations everything that He said and taught them. This especially applied to the Old Testament Scriptures. The New Testament Scriptures were born in a somewhat exceptional way compared to them: Hebr. 1:1-4>>1 In many parts and in many ways of old, Elohim spoke to the fathers in the prophets; 2 in these last days He spoke to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all; through whom He indeed made the ages; (additional meaning: worlds)
3 who being the shining splendor of His glory, and the express image of His essence, and upholding all things by the word of His power, having made purification of our sins through Himself, He sat down on the right of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, He has inherited a name more excellent than they.<<
4) Why were they chosen for the Bible? Previously, in he most of the so-called Church Bible were also included the Apocryphal Books of the OT, but they have been omitted from the latest translations, partly because they have not been considered sufficiently reliable and partly because the Bible would not become too thick. The Apocryphal Books can be purchased separately and are worth reading.
The content of different Bible translations differs slightly depending on the Christian denominations. For example, the Orthodox Church's Bible has 76 Scriptures. The Catholic Bible also includes the Apocryphal Books. The Septuagint, translated into Greek by 70 Jews (about 200 BCE), also contains the Apocryphal Books.
The Septuagint includes the following book groups: https://www.septuagint.bible/#
a) Pentateuch or Law (5 books of Moses) / Total 5
b) Historical books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, 1-2 Ezra, Esther (more), Judith, Tobias, 1-3 Maccabees / Total 17 books
c) Wisdom books: Psalms, Psalm 151, Ecclesiastes, Job, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Psalms of Solomon, Wisdom, Sirach // 12 Minor prophets: Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi / Total 21
d) Major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Lamentations, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel (more) / Total 7 books
e) Appendix: 4 Maccabees / (appendix only)
In total, the Septuagint contains a total of 50 Scriptures. Since the Jewish NT contains a total of 27 Scriptures, the Jewish Bible therefore ought to contain a total of 77 Scriptures.
According to the NT, every Scripture that is inspired by the Holy Spirit is beneficial to the New Covenant saints regarding their earthly and spiritual lives. 2 Tim. 3:16-17
>>16 Every Scripture is Elohim-breathed and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 so that the man of Elohim may be perfected, fully furnished for every good work.<<5) How widely has the Bible been distributed?
As of November 2024, the entire Bible will have been translated into 756 languages, the New Testament will have been translated into an additional 1,726 languages, and smaller portions of the Bible will have been translated into 1,274 other languages. This brings the total number of languages in which at least some portions of the Bible will have been translated.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translations
5.9 billion people have the entire Bible in their own language. A total of 7.2 billion people have some version of the Bible in their native language. A total of 3,776 languages – more than half of the world’s languages – spoken by 201 million people still have no Bible at all. (April 3, 2023)
https://unitedbiblesocieties.org/scripture-translations-for-723-million-people-completed-by-bible-societies-in-2022/6) What is the basic message of the Bible?
In short, the Bible tells us that there is only one Creator, Yehowah Elohim, who created all the visible and invisible universe, including the heavens and the heaven of heavens with all their hosts. He created them all by His Word (Yeshua) and Spirit in and into His Son.
For us humans, the condition for salvation is to hear the Message of Salvation about the work of redemption of our souls that our Creator's Son, Mashiach Yeshua, accomplished on our behalf on the cross of Golgotha almost 2000 years ago, and to place all our hope for salvation in Him alone. No other salvation is offered to us!
So it is about salvation through faith alone without our own merits or works. But if we truly believe in Adonai Yeshua, then we will be grateful for his immense sacrifice and obey his teachings as our faith grows and we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit. This is what it means to follow Yeshua.
We find the teachings of Adonai Yeshua in the gospels and the Acts and in letters of the New Testament. The Book of Revelation is also written for our guidance in holiness and obedience to the faith. How did the apostle Peter teach the principles of salvation to those who believed the gospel preached to them? Acts 2:38-39
>>38 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, each of you on the name of Yeshua Mashiach to remission of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those afar off, as many as the Yehowah our Elohim shall call.<<
I obeyed that teaching of Peter and was filled with the Holy Spirit about 2 months later. The fact that all who come to faith must be baptized in the name of Yeshua Mashiach and no other name is evident from the following teachings of the apostle Peter, and notice that it is about all people under the sun, and not just about Jews! Acts 4:8-12
>>8 Then being filled of the Holy Spirit, Peter said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, 9 if we are being examined today on a good work of an infirm man, by what this one has been healed,
10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Yeshua Mashiach HaNotzri, whom you crucified, whom Elohim raised from the dead, in this name this one stands before you whole.
11 This One is the Stone counted worthless by you the builders, which has become to be the Head of the Corner; 12 and there is salvation in no other One, for neither is there any other name under Heaven having been given among men by which we must be saved.<<
7) In what aspects can the Bible be fully trusted?
Unfortunately, all Bible translations have had errors in translation and interpretation over time, and therefore no Bible translation is 100% reliable. However, the basic message of the Bible is all the more reliable the more often it is mentioned in the Bible. Some individual teachings, for which there is no single confirmation, should be considered suspicious. Especially then, if they clearly contradict several other Bible verses. An example of this is Matt. 28:19.
Also, all liberal Bible translations that are not intentionally made to be literal, but rather, for example, based on the principle of dynamic equivalence, are not reliable because they contain so much errors, i.e. the translators' own human, incomplete views of the content of the original texts.
8) To what extent and why do I trust the Bible?
I began to trust the Bible after hearing the gospel from my mother, who also lived it. I was only 3 years old at the time. I received confirmation of my faith after making a rational decision of faith when I was 12 years old and alone at home. I decided to believe in Yeshua as my Savior and to start following his noble teachings for the rest of my life.
Then I asked quietly in my heart: "If I get to heaven, will I be able to enjoy myself there and what will I do there forever?" At that time, I was bullied at school and tired of my life in the midst of the evil of the world. I was alone at home then and after making the decision, I heard a voice in response:
>>You will receive strength. You will lift your wings like eagles. You will run and not be tired. You will walk and not be weary.<<
After hearing that, I realized that a personal Creator exists and then my eyes were opened to see the spiritual dimension and I thanked my beloved Creator fervently and joyfully! Later, I found verses in the Bible knowing, that He who gave that promise me, was my Creator! Isaiah 40:30-31
>>30 Even youths are faint and fatigued, and young men surely shall stumble; 31 but the ones waiting for Yehowah shall renew power; they shall go up with wings as the eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint!<<
Adonai Yeshua often referred to the prophet Isaiah and other Old Testament Scriptures. That is why I believe that the entire Bible is at least partially inspired by the Holy Spirit. That is why I have read the Bible daily. I am currently reading the entire Bible through for the 50th time and am currently reading the KJB, the accurate English King James Version. I have read it many times before.
I trust various Bible translations to the extent that I feel that the Holy Spirit confirms their content. Some translations are clearly more accurate than others, so I recommend the reader to be healthy in their criticism of different translations. I recommend for Finnish the translation KR1933/38 and two English translations: KJV and CJB (Complete Jewish Bible).
- - -Insert: Two interesting memories from 1976
A. I was then living as a tenant of a clever Jewish widow at Fredrikinkatu 30, in Helsinki. It occurred to me to write selected Bible verses and stick them with easily removable tape on the paintings in my room. The widow, Braine Berlin, came to me one Sabbath and asked: "Why have you put those Bible verses on my paintings?"
I answered her: "So that I may better remember how good my Lord is and from what he has saved me." Then I asked Braine: "What does that large Hebrew name I have made out of aluminum foil: יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua) that I have pinned to your shawl mean to you?" She answered: "It is the name of God in Hebrew." I answered him: "Yes and He is my God."
B. I was still living as a tenant of the same clever Jewish widow at Fredrikinkatu 30, in Helsinki. I had visiting brothers and I enjoyed the Lord's Supper with them. Once an elderly missionary man visited me and talked with the widow. The widow surprisingly said to the man: "You Christians have robbed our Jewish Holy Scriptures for yourselves."
From a Jewish perspective, she was absolutely right! Regarding Braine Berlin's comment, I quote the following verses: Matt. 11:12-13 >>12 But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent seize it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.<<
If our Creator wills, then:
- I will study more closely on that surprising teaching of Adonai Yeshua in 2 weeks in the Shabat.
- I will study for next Shabat: Instructions for finding and maintaining a balance of good knowledge, faith, and emotional life even in times of persecution.
- - -
9) How the Bible doctrine differs from other religions?
The Bible is the only book that credibly and consistently tells the beginning of the universe and how it was created by the Word of Yehowah Elohim. It also tells the wonderful news that whoever believes in Adonai Yeshua as Savior receives forgiveness of sins through faith in his blood and eternal life with him after man's earthly journey here has ended.
No other religion or doctrine gives reliable answers to man's basic questions, nor does it bring peace to the human heart. Only Christianity tells us about a Creator who loves all people! It is also the only doctrine whose founder has proven to have defeated death, risen from the dead, and deservedly received all power in heaven and on earth! 1 Cor. 15:3-6 and Matt. 28:18
1 Cor. 15:3-6 >>3 For I delivered to you in the first place what I also received, that Mashiach died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised the third day, according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 Then He appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, of whom the most remain until now, but some also fell asleep.<<
Matt. 28:18 >>And coming up Yeshua talked with them, saying, All authority in Heaven and on earth was given to Me.<<
10) What is the core message of the Bible for this time?
Let us finally give Adonai Yeshua the last words: Luke 24:44-49
>>44 And He said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you yet being with you, that must be fulfilled all the things having been written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, concerning Me.
45 Then He opened up their mind to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, So it is written, and so the Mashiach must suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day. 47 And repentance and remission of sins must be preached on His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send forth the promise of My Father on you. But you sit in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.<<
Songs suitable for the topic
Please, note: Our Savior's original name in Hebrew is Yeshua HaMashiach HaNotzri
Jehovah Jireh
JEHOVAH is your Name
Oh Gentle Shepherd
Go Rest High On That Mountain
You Are My Hiding Place
P.S. You can check out the interesting stages of my life from the link below. My life has been a great adventure. There have been successes and setbacks. Adonai Yeshua has always helped me!
