BIBLE 1109 APOLOGETICS

Transcription

1 Grade 11 Unit 9

2 Author: Editor: Graphic Design: BIBLE 1109 APOLOGETICS CONTENTS I. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE BIBLE 2 Attitudes 3 Mistakes 4 Contradictions 6 Scientific Accuracy 10 II. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE 17 Christianity 17 God 19 Miracles 21 Jesus 23 Creation 24 Evil 25 Divine Silence 26 Unevangelized People 27 Infant Deaths 28 Heaven and Hell 28 III. THE INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION OF THE BIBLE 33 Specific Biblical Texts 33 Practice and Experience 37 GLOSSARY 45 George A. Till, D.Min. Alan Christopherson, M.S. Alpha Omega Staff 804 N. 2nd Ave. E., Rock Rapids, IA MCMXCVIII by Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. LIFEPAC is a registered trademark of Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. All trademarks and/or service marks referenced in this material are the property of their respective owners. Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. makes no claim of ownership to any trademarks and/or service marks other than their own and their affiliates, and makes no claim of affiliation to any companies whose trademarks may be listed in this material, other than their own.

3 APOLOGETICS Christians will always have opportunities to defend their faith. How do you reply to those who question your faith? Can your beliefs stand up under the challenge of non-christians? First Peter 3:15 commands, be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Christian faith does not come by reasoning, but the Christian faith is not unreasonable. Many people have questions concerning the Word of God. We do not have to be fearful of their questions, no matter how difficult they may be to answer. The Word of God supplies the answers we need (2 Timothy 3:16-17): All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. In this LIFEPAC you will study three categories of questions: questions about the integrity of the Bible, questions about the doctrines of the Bible, and questions about the interpretation and application of the Bible. OBJECTIVES Read these objectives. The objectives tell you what you will be able to do when you have successfully completed this LIFEPAC. When you have finished this LIFEPAC, you should be able to: 1. Classify those who question the integrity of the Bible. 2. State what Christians should do about alleged mistakes in the Bible. 3. Name five categories of alleged contradictions in the Bible. 4. Explain the biblical approach to science. 5. State four ways in which Christianity is unique from all other religions. 6. List three arguments often used against Christianity s being the one true religion. 7. Name and explain two kinds of experiential evidence for God s existence. 8. List and explain the three rational arguments for God s existence. 9. Describe four characteristics of genuine miracles. 10. Explain God s purpose in creating the world and mankind. 11. List six attributes of God that are glorified by His dealing with evil. 12. State three reasons why the heathen are without excuse. 13. Describe certain characteristics of heaven and hell. 14. List four theoretical evidences, three geological evidences, and three facts from the Genesis account that support a universal Flood. 15. Explain why Jesus does not know the time of His return to earth. 16. Name two bases on which we can have assurance of salvation. 17. Identify the five kinds of relationships that are required for answered prayer. 18. Contrast the roles of the law and grace in our lives today. 19. Compare the Old Testament Sabbath observation with Jesus concept of the Sabbath. 20. List five purposes of suffering. 1

4 Survey the LIFEPAC. Ask yourself some questions about this study. Write your questions here. I. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE BIBLE Before we accept something as being true, we must make determinations about accuracy and value. Many people today question the accuracy of the Bible and seek to know on what basis they can accept the Bible as truth. Among Christians the Bible has stood through the ages as a book of integrity. Not only does the Bible itself claim to be the true Word of God, but many other factors also point to the validity of Scripture. Knowing why we can accept the Bible as a factual account of God s revelation to man can help us in defending our faith. Throughout our lifetime many questions will be raised that we cannot answer. However, awareness of facts concerning the historical and scientific accuracy of the Bible will give you a good basis by which to answer those who question the integrity of the Bible. SECTION OBJECTIVES Review these objectives. When you have completed this section, you should be able to: 1. Classify those who question the integrity of the Bible. 2. State what Christians should do about alleged mistakes in the Bible. 3. Name five categories of alleged contradictions in the Bible. 4. Explain the biblical approach to science. VOCABULARY Study these words to enhance your learning success in this section. agnostic hyperbole metaphor deductive inductive uniformitarianism entropy integrity Note: All vocabulary words in this LIFEPAC appear in boldface print the first time they are used. If you are unsure of the meaning when you are reading, study the definitions given. 2

5 Read 2 Peter 2:1 3. ATTITUDES Attitudes toward the Bible vary from one extreme to another. Some people actively oppose the Bible while others view it as God s Word to man. These attitudes are classified here as those who oppose Scripture, those who doubt Scripture, and those who examine Scripture. Those who oppose Scripture. Active opponents of the Bible include atheists and infidels. Atheists claim that there is no God. Intellectual atheists use reasoning to attempt to disprove God s existence. Materialistic atheists reject all but natural realities. Some atheists seek to destroy all religions. One atheist succeeded in having the Supreme Court of the United States rule against prescribed prayer and Bible reading in the public schools. In Psalm 14:1, the Bible labels atheists as fools. Atheism is a foolish belief because proving a universal negative, such as the nonexistence of God, is a logical impossibility. Consequently, very few real atheists exist. Many people, however, are practical atheists who ignore God and live as if He did not exist. An infidel is an unbeliever who has no faith or who holds a different faith. Some infidels of other religions, such as Islam, have actually gone to war against Christianity. Those who doubt Scripture. People who doubt the truth of the Bible include skeptics and agnostics. Skeptics tend to question any proposition. One of the ancient Greek philosophies by this name excelled in this method. The average person with a skeptical attitude today may mistrust the Bible, often because of a suspicion toward religion. Agnostic literally means no knowledge. Agnostics believe that we cannot know whether God exists. However, even believers experience some honest doubts and uncertainties at times. In such cases, a wise person, rather than denying the truth, suspends judgment until he can examine or study it. Those who examine Scripture. People who seek to learn about the Bible may also question its integrity, whether they are critics or inquirers. Not all critics are judgmental faultfinders. Constructive criticism seeks to render a fair judgment, whether favorable or otherwise. Many Bible scholars are skilled literary critics who seek to evaluate the merits of any writing. Inquirers are those who search the Bible for truth. They may begin with a questioning attitude, but their search usually is rewarded with positive answers. An attitude of faith develops from an honest and receptive inquiry. God requires this kind of attitude from us (Hebrews 11:6): But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe. Complete this activity. 1.1 Label the following persons who question the integrity of the Bible. I do not believe I am not sure I do not God exists. what I can believe. believe anything. a. b. c. 3

6 I do not I will make the Bible I am willing trust the Bible. stand or fall on to give the Bible its own merit and a chance. demerit. d. e. f. Read 2 Timothy 3: MISTAKES Accusations of error in the Bible are not at all valid. An understanding of Scripture and its background clears up most misunderstandings. However, a few difficult statements remain. These few passages can cause confusion to some either because they are difficult to interpret or because the background information about them is incomplete. Difficult statements. A Christian needs to know how to react toward the difficult statements in Scripture. We should not ignore these statements, but should seek to understand them. Two steps lead us to a solution. First, deductive reasoning presupposes that the Bible, being the inspired Word of God, has no mistakes in it. This step exercises faith. Not knowing the explanation to a problem does not mean that no explanation exists. Second, inductive examination studies the problem passage to discover the answer. This step exercises scholarship. Assuming that we have taken the first step of deductive reasoning, let us examine and seek to answer a few historical and factual difficulties in the Bible. Historical difficulties. One example from each Testament follows. In each case the background information is incomplete. Assuming that all of the known facts are true, the solution comes by filling the gap with an assumption. The identity of Darius the Mede in Daniel does not appear in secular history. Daniel was living in Babylon when the Medes and Persians conquered it and killed Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans (Daniel 5:30). According to Daniel 5:31, Darius the Mede then took over the kingdom. However, in the inscriptions of secular history, Cyrus the Persian conquered the Babylonian Empire. The name of Darius does not appear anywhere in the inscriptions. Did Daniel mistake the name of the king under whom he served? No, two good reasons can explain this difficulty: the use of different names in different languages and the position of Darius under Cyrus. First, the biblical name Darius is a Persian title for a ruler. This title occurs in secular history for Persian kings in a later period. The inscriptions of secular history during Daniel s time give the Median names of the various rulers. Scholars have identified one or two of them which they believe to be the Median name for Darius. The use of two names for the same person was so common that Daniel, who was a Hebrew, was given the Chaldean name of Belteshazzar (Daniel 1:7). Second, Daniel 9:1 gives the position of Darius: he was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans. At the same time, Cyrus reigned as king of kings over the entire Persian Empire. Scholars assume, therefore, that Darius served as Cyrus territorial ruler in Babylon while Cyrus himself reigned from Arabia. The two men were possibly related to each other. Daniel 5:31 may be translated, Darius received the kingdom. 4

7 Evidence of the simultaneous rule of the Medes and the Persians appears in Daniel 6. In verse 8 Darius enforced the law of Medes and Persians. In verse 28, Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Dual rulership was a common practice at that time; it was practiced when Belshazzar ruled Babylon under his father, Nebuchadnezzar. The time of the enrollment of Mary and Joseph does not correspond to those recorded in secular history. Luke 2:1-5 describes the incident that brought Mary to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. The Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, decreed that everyone in the empire should be taxed. The word translated taxed literally means to write off, and it refers to an enrollment or registration. This actually was a census obtained in preparation for taxing the people. Each one had to register in the city of his family background, so Joseph went to Bethlehem. Verse 2 declares, And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. This statement presents two difficulties: the nearest enrollment recorded in secular history was in A.D. 6, and secular history identifies Varus as governor of Syria in that year. Did Luke make a historical mistake? No, for two reasons. (1) Luke was a highly educated physician and a scholarly historian. He explained in Luke 1:2-3, that he had perfect understanding of the history that he recorded in his Gospel so that the reader could know the certainty of what he wrote. (2) Luke knew about the census of A.D. 6, according to Acts 5:37, which he wrote; therefore, he could not have confused it with this one. We can rest assured then that the two difficulties of this verse have satisfactory explanations. First, the word first in verse 2, taken literally, identifies this enrollment as the first one, implying that other enrollments took place later. This enrollment, then, must have occurred before the one in A.D. 6. The silence of secular history about it does not mean it did not occur. Logically, such an argument from silence cannot prove or disprove an assertion. Second, the word translated governor in verse 2 literally means to lead, and it is used for any official in charge of something. Scholars assume that while Varus governed Syria under the Roman emperor Caesar, Cyrenius (Quirinius) served as the military leader under Varus and carried out his executive orders. Factual difficulties. The quotation of Jeremiah in Matthew 27:9 deserves an explanation. When Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, they used it to buy a potter s field to be used as a cemetery. Matthew 27:9-10 declares, Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter s field, as the Lord appointed me. This quotation, however, does not appear in the book of Jeremiah. The closest statement to it occurs in Zechariah 11:12-13: So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Did Matthew mistake which prophet he quoted? Admittedly this question is difficult to answer, but two good explanations provide the missing information, which Matthew may have known and which assuredly the Holy Spirit knew. First, in Jesus day, the prophetic books were written in a scroll that began with the book of Jeremiah. Matthew may have been identifying this quotation by the name of the book that headed the scroll of the prophetic writings. Second, this prophecy in Zechariah itself may have quoted a saying or writing of Jeremiah that we do not possess today. Zechariah 1:4 quotes Jeremiah 18:11, and this verse may have done so also. Matthew may have quoted a saying or writing of Jeremiah that we do not possess. The prophets spoke and wrote much that was not preserved in the Bible as inspired Scripture. Complete these activities. 1.2 State what a Christian should not do about alleged mistakes in the Bible and explain why. 5

8 1.3 State what a Christian should do about alleged mistakes in the Bible, and explain why. Read Psalm 119:89, 105, 140, , and 160. CONTRADICTIONS Both believers and unbelievers have noticed statements in Scripture that seem to be contradictory. Most of these alleged contradictions vanish upon closer examination. They prove to be superficial rather than actual contradictions. Consider some categories of alleged contradictions and some of the causes of confusion about them. Categories of contradictions. Apparent contradictions in the Bible fall into five categories. One or two examples accompany each category described here. Doctrinal variances seem to occur between different biblical statements, such as those which describe seeing God and the hardening of Pharaoh s heart. The Old Testament states that certain men saw God. However, John 1:18 declares, No man hath seen God at any time Does this statement contradict the Old Testament statements? No, the title, God, has many usages. Used without the article as in this verse, God refers to His essence which is not visible because He is Spirit (John 4:24). However, God can manifest Himself in many visible forms. One of these manifestations was the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. John 1:18 describes this manifestation: the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. The Incarnate Christ was the visible person of the Trinity in the New Testament, and the pre-incarnate Christ was the visible person of the Godhead in the Old Testament. When Jacob wrestled all night with a man identified as God Himself (Genesis 32:24-30), he saw the pre-incarnate Christ. Moses, the priests, and the elders saw God manifested as fire and smoke in a thick cloud cover on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:9-18). Moses alone was permitted to approach God s presence within the cloud (verses 16-18). While there (Exodus 33:11), the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. Then God consented to permit Moses to see His back (Exodus 33:22-23), explaining (verse 20), Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. God has been seen then in certain kinds of manifestations, but not His essence as Spirit. Moses went to Pharaoh repeatedly, asking him to let God s people, Israel, go out of Egypt. In each case, Pharaoh refused, then God sent a plague upon Egypt, whereupon Pharaoh consented. As each plague was removed, Pharaoh broke his promise and refused again. The book of Exodus calls this a hardening of Pharaoh s heart (Exodus 8:15, 32 and 9:34). Other instances describe God as hardening Pharaoh s heart (Exodus 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1; 20:27; 11:10, and 14:8). Exodus 7:13 was translated, and he hardened Pharaoh s heart. The wording in the Hebrew language, in which the Old Testament was originally written, is identical with verse 22, and Pharaoh s heart was hardened The first two instances which describe God as hardening Pharaoh s heart are actually prophetic of what will happen later. Therefore, Pharaoh first hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15 and 32) before God hardened his heart (Exodus 9:12). In this instance, God simply confirmed what Pharaoh had already done. After Pharaoh s repeated resistance and broken promises, God continued to make further demands and sent worse plagues, creating conditions under which Pharaoh hardened his heart even more firmly. God caused the conditions that He knew would cause Pharaoh to harden his heart. Ethical variances occur in Scripture between two seemingly contrasting commands, such as loving our enemies. Some statements in the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms, express hatred and hostility toward the enemies of God 6

9 and His people. After describing the sins of the wicked, Psalm 139:21-22 responds, Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred Psalm 58:6 goes so far as to pray, Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth Jesus, on the other hand, teaches in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:43-44), Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. Does Jesus contradict the Old Testament? No, His command is more consistent with the spirit of the Old Testament than it appears to be on the surface. The psalmist uses figurative language. Psalm 58:6 is a metaphor in which the meaning is conveyed by comparison with something different. For example, the verse describes the wicked as young lions when asking God to break their teeth. It means to destroy their weapons of attack. Hebrew poetry also seems to be extreme because it uses another figure of speech called hyperbole. The psalmist should be commended for committing the wicked to God s judgment rather than making a personal attack on them. Romans 12:19 makes this distinction: Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. God s example helps us to direct our love and hatred properly. He so loved the world that He gave His Son to die for its sin (John 3:16), but He also hates the sin and evil in the world (Proverbs 6:16-19). God can give us the grace to love sinners while at the same time hating their sin. Numerical variances in parallel passages appear to be contradictory more than any other category. The temple basin in Solomon s Temple, for example, contained water in which the priests washed themselves. First Kings 7:26 states, It contained two thousand baths. Second Chronicles 4:5 states, It received and held three thousand baths. The word bath denotes a certain measure of liquid, about eight gallons. Are these two statements contradictory? Not necessarily so. The different wording in the two references suggests that they describe different conditions. The larger figure may represent its total capacity, but the smaller figure may represent the amount of water kept in it at any time. Factual variances between related references in Scripture may seem to be contradictory, such as the facts concerning Jacob s grave. In Acts 7:16 Stephen recalls that the remains of Jacob and his family were carried back to Palestine and buried in a sepulchre in Sycham (Shechem) that Abraham had bought from the sons of Emmor (Hamor). The Old Testament does not mention this purchase. However, it does describe two similar purchases, one of Abraham and another by Jacob. Abraham purchased from Ephron a field near Mamre that had a cave in which he buried Sarah (Genesis 23:16-19). Jacob purchased from the children of Hamor a part of a field at Shechem (Genesis 33:18-19). Did Stephen confuse these two accounts when he made the statement in Acts 7:16? The absence of a record of the transaction mentioned by Stephen does not mean that it did not happen. Apparently Abraham bought two grave sites, and Jacob bought the land surrounding the one that was still unused in his time. Parallel passages in the Gospels, such as the voice at Jesus baptism, may seem to contradict each other. Matthew 3:17 records the voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Luke 3:22 alters the pronouns: Thou art my beloved son; in thee I am well pleased. Do these two accounts contradict each other? No, God spoke both to the people looking on and to Jesus Himself. Matthew records what the crowd heard; Luke records what Jesus heard. Causes of confusion. The Bible is a complex volume of sixty-six books written by about forty human writers over a period of about sixteen centuries. The fact that only a few difficult statements can be found in it testifies to its miraculous unity, divine authorship, and absolute truthfulness. Confusion on our part arises from many kinds of causes. Figures of speech, or symbolic language, abound in the poetry, preaching, and prophetic visions of the Bible. For example, Ephesians 6:1-3 reiterates the fifth commandment, which requests children to honor and obey their parents. Therefore, when Jesus made the declaration in Luke 14:26, He was using a hyperbole for effect: If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Different emphases occur among different writers of the books of the Bible although the material is similar, especially among the overlapping historical accounts in each Testament. Each writer reflects a distinctive purpose. This distinction explains seemingly contradictory subjects, such as faith, but James emphasized good works. Each writer seems to have minimized the other s subject. James 2:24 states, Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Paul declared in Romans 4:5, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. In reality, 7

10 James already acknowledged the necessity of faith when he stated (James 2:18), I will shew thee my faith by my works. Paul similarly gives good works their rightful place in Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Each subject, therefore, has its rightful place in relation to the other. Partial information results from the selective nature of the contents of each book of the Bible. The writers did not attempt to record everything; they included only representative accounts or those accounts which best suit the purpose of a book. Therefore, one book may give one aspect of a message or event, and a parallel account may give another aspect of it. For example, the superscription over the cross, which Pilate had placed there, was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Each Gospel records a different wording for it, but none of them gives the entire statement. Examine the following statements from the four Gospels: Mark 15:26 THE KING OF THE JEWS Luke 23:38 THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS Matthew 27:37 THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS John 19:19 JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS Mistakes in copying do not tarnish the integrity of the original writings of inspired Scripture. Until the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century, all Bibles had to be copied by hand. The Bible contains 1,189 chapters, each averaging about a page in length. Imagine how tedious was the copying of a handwritten manuscript. Only the reverent dedication of the scribes prevented multitudes of copying mistakes from creeping into the many thousands of manuscripts they produced. However, some mistakes were inevitable. Variances among the manuscripts which we possess today are relatively few and insignificant. The many numbers in the Old Testament were especially difficult to copy in the Hebrew language. Hebrew numerals were first represented by letters, then later they were written out in words. Certain common practices tend to make numbers inexact, such as estimating the size of a group or rounding off figures to the nearest hundred or thousand. For example, the reign of Jehoiachin lasted three months according to 2 Kings 24:8, but it lasted three months and ten days according to 2 Chronicles 36:9. Some apparent copying mistakes are found when the books Mistakes in Copying Do Not Affect the Integrity of the Bible. 8

11 of Chronicles are compared to the books of Samuel and Kings. For example, the two verses about Jehoiachin list his age when he began to reign as eighteen and eight, respectively. The age at which Ahaziah became king is listed as 22 in 2 Kings 8:26 and as 42 in 2 Chronicles 22:2. The number of horsemen David received from Hadadezer is listed as 700 in 2 Samuel 8:4 and as 7,000 in 1 Chronicles 18:4. The number of soldiers Jashobeam killed at one time is listed as 800 in 2 Samuel 23:8 and as 300 in 1 Chronicles 11:11. Baasha, the king of Israel, invaded Judah in the thirty-sixth year of king Asa s reign, according to 2 Chronicles 16:1. However, Baasha only lived until the twenty-seventh year of Asa s reign according to 1 Kings 15:33. Some people interpret these discrepancies as copying errors; however incomplete background information could also be an explanation. Nonparallel passages of Scripture may seem to be parallel accounts. For example, the two accounts of the beatitudes given by Jesus differ greatly. Matthew 5:1 locates Him on a mountain when He gave them, but Luke 6:17 places Him in a plain. Some scholars believe that the accounts of Matthew and Luke occurred on two separate occasions rather than being contradictory accounts of the same sermon. Like most preachers and teachers, Jesus certainly could have made similar statements on different occasions. Another example, the genealogy (family tree) of Jesus, shows similarities up through David in Matthew s account (Matthew 1:2-16) and Luke s account (Luke 3:23-38). However, beginning with David, Matthew traces Jesus lineage through Solomon, and Luke traces it through Nathan, another son of David. Matthew (Matthew 1:16) gives the lines of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. In Judaism, the birthright was inherited from the father by the oldest son. So Matthew proves Jesus right to inherit the throne of David through Joseph, His mother s husband. However, Jesus human relationship to David must come through His only human parent, Mary, to prove His right to be the Messiah. Luke gives her lineage. Shades of meaning may be conveyed by the same word in different contexts. For example, the verb to judge may mean to render a verdict concerning the innocence or guilt of a person, which results in his condemnation; or it may mean simply to exercise discernment and examine evidence for a value decision. In Matthew 7:1 Jesus prohibited judging: Judge not, that ye be not judged. This kind of judgment, condemning persons, belongs to God alone (2 Timothy 4:11); but in John 7:24, Jesus qualified His command: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. So Jesus expects His followers to exercise a discerning kind of judgment. Another word, voice, may refer either to the sound made by speaking or to the words which someone speaks. For example, when Jesus spoke from heaven to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:7), the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Paul later testified, however (Acts 22:9), They heard not the voice of him that spake to me. The grammatical case of voice is different in these two verses. The case of the latter reference is the same as in the account in Acts 26:14: I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Rather than being contradictory, the indication is that they all heard the sound of Jesus voice; but only Saul could distinguish His words. Match these items. 1.4 figures of speech a. the superscription over the cross 1.5 different emphases b. the use of the word judgment 1.6 partial information c. love and hate 1.7 mistakes in copying d. the parables of Jesus 1.8 nonparallel passages e. the genealogies of Jesus 1.9 shades of meaning f. faith and works g. the ages of kings in the Old Testament 9

12 Complete this activity Name five categories of apparent contradictions in the Bible. a. b. c. d. e. Read 2 Peter 3:3 7. SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY Science provides a good basis on which to affirm the accuracy of the Bible. A study of the biblical approach to scientific theory is valuable in affirming the validity of Scripture. Interaction between science and Scrip - ture. The explosion of scientific knowledge during the past century has given many critics of Christianity ammunition with which to attack the Bible. God s Word stands unshaken while the theories of certain scientists come and go with each edition of science textbooks. True science and Scripture are not incompatible. However, the false theories of certain people in science contradict both Scripture and true science. Theories of science include the prominent hypotheses of evolution and uniformitarianism. The theory of evolution supposes that all life, including human life, has developed gradually over millions of years from lower forms to higher ones by natural means. This theory contradicts the truth of Genesis 1 which begins (Genesis 1:1), In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The theory of uniformitarianism supposes that geological conditions today have developed slowly and uniformly only by means of such natural processes as are observed to be in effect today. This theory rules out such catastrophic events as God s curse upon creation when Adam and Eve sinned and the world-wide Flood in Noah s time. Second Peter 3:3 7 foresees this theory and labels those that accept it as scoffers and ignorant. Common characteristics of science and Scripture demonstrate their compatibility. Both science and Scripture originated with God. He created nature with all of its scientific laws, and He authored the Bible with all of its teachings. Both 10 science and Scripture are avenues through which God teaches us truth. Science explains to us natural revelation about the Creator and His creation. Science is like another book from God about His handiwork in nature (Psalm 19:1-2). The Bible gives us special revelation about the Savior, His program, and our relationship to Him. Causes of criticism against the Bible. Criticism of the Bible from men of science arises primarily because the Bible uses nontechnical language in its references to science-related subjects. However, the Bible is not intended to be a technical manual on science. Three characteristics of its language deserve recognition: It uses figures of speech, it takes a human viewpoint, and it occasionally has been mistranslated. Figures of speech and visual imagery abound in the writings of poets and prophets. For example, Isaiah 11:12 foretells the happy ending of the dispersion of the Jews when God will gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. This picturesque metaphor is more appropriate for a message of comfort and hope than would be a technical discourse. Similarly, John (Revelation 7:1) saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth John simply describes the vision he saw, leaving its interpretation to the reader. How else should God have visualized this future condition? Furthermore, when Hannah s prayer for a child was answered, she uttered a poetic prayer of praise (1 Samuel 2:8): for the pillars of the earth are the Lord s, and he hath set the world upon them. Her next phrase (1 Samuel 2:9), He will keep the feet of his saints, demonstrates her use of the figurative language.

13 Certainly we should allow her the privilege of describing nature in poetic form. Human viewpoints are a universally accepted manner of describing phenomena of nature. For example, when meteorologists state the time of sunrise and sunset, we do not accuse them of believing that the sun revolves around the earth. However, certain critics fall into that very trap when they criticize Ecclesiastes 1:5, The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. We still today describe natural occurrences from our own perspective. Even science permits the description of motion from the point of observation. Improper translations of some words in Scripture can also cause confusion. For example, Leviticus 11:6 translates the animal, arnebeth, as a hare. This animal, however, chews the cud, but rabbits do not. Therefore, the identity of this animal is unknown, possibly because it became extinct. Name three causes of criticism against the scientific references in the Bible, and explain each one a. b a. b a. b. Examples of scientific accuracy in the Bible. The teachings of the Bible agree with the facts of science in its scientific principles, its avoidance of the errors of its day, and its scientific subjects. The scientific principles of the Bible are valid. For example, the first and second laws of thermodynamics portray the universe as a closed system that is running down. The scientific law of the conservation of mass energy declares that no mass-energy is being created or annihilated. The Bible agrees. God completed Creation in six days and then rested (Genesis 2:1-2). Now He is simply preserving what He has already created (Nehemiah 9:6). The scientific law of entropy declares that everything in the physical universe is gradually becoming dissipated and disordered. The Bible explains the origin of this condition. When Adam sinned, God cursed His creation so that all life began to decay and die (Genesis 3:17-19). This condition will continue until God creates the new heaven and earth (Romans 8:21-22): Because the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Notice that the theory of evolution contradicts these laws of science as well as the truths of Scripture. The Bible avoids the scientific errors of its day. As recently as the discovery of America and the Protestant Reformation, ignorance, superstition, and error dominated man s understanding of scientific subjects. All ancient religious books abound with ridiculous errors in matters related to science all, that is, except the Bible. For example, until Columbus time, people generally believed that the earth was flat. However, Isaiah 40:22 describes its shape as, the circle of the earth. The Hebrew word translated circle suggests a shape that arches upward like a sphere rather 11

14 than something flat like a saucer. Ancient myths abounded in theories of what supported the earth. Some had the earth floating on water, others had it resting on the backs of giants or animals. However Job 26:7 reveals that God hangeth the earth upon nothing. Galileo s invention of the celestial telescope in the seventeenth century ended the practice of totaling the number of stars by eyeball, which then added to just over 1,000. Jeremiah, in the sixth century B.C., revealed (Jeremiah 33:22), The host of heaven cannot be numbered, either the sand of the sea measured Compare this verse with the calculations of some scientists today that about the same number of stars exist in all space as the grains of sand on all the beaches on earth. The Bible speaks accurately on scientific subjects. Selected statements from the Bible relating to the ten following scientific subjects demonstrate biblical accuracy. 1. In physics the particles which make up atoms remain invisible to our most sensitive instruments. Scientists can only observe their presence by their effects. Hebrews 11:3 states, Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 2. In astronomy certain constellations of stars are slowly drifting apart, but others will always remain together. Pleiades and Orion are two constellations of the type that are fixed. Job, probably the oldest book in the Bible, recognized this fact when God asked (Job 38:31), Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 3. In meteorology, satellites now project massive circulating storm currents onto our television screens daily. The evaporation-condensation cycle produces the clouds and rain. These phenomena of nature were recognized in Ecclesiastes 1:6-7: The wind goeth toward the south, and it turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 4. In geology running water will gradually erode rock formations. Job 14:19 notes, The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth 5. In physiology the human body is marvelously constructed with its bone structure, muscle layers, brain and nervous system, heart and circulatory system, digestive tract, glands, lungs, and all else that makes it function so well. Psalm 139:14 exclaims, I am fearfully and wonderfully made 6. In biology the bloodstream circulates nutrients, oxygen, and other substances that maintain the life of the body. Blood transfusions save many lives daily. Leviticus 17:11 affirms, For the life of the flesh is in the blood 7. In botany flowers develop intricate beauty through silent processes of nature such as pollination, photosynthesis, and osmosis. Matthew 6:28-29 advises, Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 8. In zoology the eyes of the birds demonstrate a high degree of development, and their eyesight possesses remarkable characteristics. Describing the eagle, Job 39:29 observes, her eyes behold afar off. 9. In psychology a disturbed mental and emotional state may perpetuate certain ailments. Proverbs 17:22 prescribes the cure for these: A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. 10. In hygiene the law prohibits selling the meat of animals that die from disease. Deuteronomy commands, Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself. 12

15 Complete this activity Look up the following verses and write each one alongside the branch of science to which it relates: Leviticus 17:11; Deuteronomy 14:21; Job 14:19; Job 38:31; Job 39:29; Psalm 139:14; Proverbs 17:22; Ecclesiastes 1:6-7; Matthew 6:28-29; and Hebrews 11:3. a. PHYSIOLOGY BIOLOGY f. b. GEOLOGY BOTANY g. c. METEOROLOGY ZOOLOGY h. d. ASTRONOMY PSYCHOLOGY i. e. PHYSICS HYGIENE j. BRANCHES OF SCIENCE 13

16 Review the material in this section in preparation for the Self Test. The Self Test will check your mastery of this particular section. The items missed on this Self Test will indicate specific areas where restudy is needed for mastery. SELF TEST 1 Match these items (each answer, 2 points) atheist a. exercises faith 1.02 agnostic b. comparison 1.03 infidel c. natural revelation 1.04 skeptic d. does not believe in the existence of God 1.05 deduction e. exaggeration 1.06 induction f. knowing 1.07 secular g. no faith or different faith 1.08 metaphor h. not knowing 1.09 hyperbole i. exercises scholarship science j. questioning k. not religious Answer true or false (each answer, 1 point) Proving that God exists is more difficult than proving that He does not exist Some Bible criticism is constructive The prophets spoke and wrote some things that were not preserved in the Bible When God spoke at Jesus baptism, the crowd heard different words than those that Jesus heard Paul s companions on the road to Damascus heard Jesus voice but did not understand His words Scripture originated from God, but science originated from man Criticism against the Bible in the name of science arises primarily because the Bible uses technical language in its references to science-related subjects Scientists still describe natural phenomena from the human view-point as people did in the Bible Science provides a good basis on which to affirm the accuracy of the Bible The biblical account of Creation contradicts the scientific law of the conservation of mass-energy. Write the correct letter and answer on each blank (each answer, 2 points) A Christian with honest doubts should. a. study the issues c. avoid denials b. suspend judgment d. a, b, and c 14

17 1.022 An honest, receptive inquiry into the Bible usually results in an attitude of. a. agnosticism c. criticism b. skepticism d. faith Cyrus the Persian and Darius the Median were. a. the same person c. ruler and subruler b. rulers of different kingdoms d. not contemporaries In the Old Testament,. a. God was not visible c. the Trinity was manifested b. pre-incarnate Christ was visible d. God appeared only as an angel The poetry, preaching, and prophetic visions in the Bible abound with. a. figures of speech c. historical difficulties b. doctrinal contradictions d. numerical variances Apparent contradictions or mistakes in the Bible occur. a. not at all c. very many times b. very few times d. throughout all of it Apparent errors in copying the Bible were made by. a. God c. scribes b. the original writers of Scripture d. printers True science and Scripture are. a. compatible c. parallel b. contradictory d. unrelated The biblical phrase, the four corners of the earth, is. a. a common error of its day c. a metaphor b. a scientific error d. an improper translation The Bible affirms that the earth. a. is round c. revolves b. is suspended in space d. a, b, and c Complete these statements (each answer, 3 points) The Bible calls the atheist a An understanding of the Bible and its clears up most misunderstanding of it The writer of the Gospel of was a highly educated physician and a scholarly historian The Bible contains more apparent contradictions involving than any other category Many biblical writers chose to describe nature in form rather than in technical languages Some words in the Scripture, such as names of animals, are not properly from the original language into English Psalm 139:14 supports the branch of science Matthew 6:28-29 demonstrates awareness of aspects of the branch of science known as. 15

18 1.039 Job 38:31 speaks of the branch of science known as An example of the Bible s knowledge of the processes of can be seen in Job 14:19. Complete this activity (each answer, 1 point) List the five categories of alleged contradiction in the Bible. a. b. c. d. e. Answer these questions (each answer, 5 points) What should a Christian not do about alleged mistakes in the Bible? What should a Christian do about alleged mistakes in the Bible? Score Adult check Initial Date 16