Theology
Autor: fmaretich1 • October 6, 2016 • Course Note • 1,149 Words (5 Pages) • 717 Views
Faye Maretic
September 13, 2016
Theology I
Assignment: Blind Faith
by JP Jones
Chapter I
- In what ways is the Bible unique?
The Bible is unique in that it is a valid and credible historical book with roughly 1500 years of history. Additionally, it was written on three different continents in three different languages: Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek, and by 40 different authors over the course of the first book. Furthermore, the Bible contains both an Old Testament and New Testament comprising of various literary genres such as poetry, prophecy, propositional statements, narrative, and apocalyptic literature. It is truly an extraordinary book!
- What are some misconceptions about the Bible?
The most common misconception regarding the Bible is the fact that it has been rewritten and translated so many times that current translations have lost the value of the original text or manuscripts. The Bible, therefore, is unfortunately seen as unreliable.
- How does science of textual criticism validate the Bible’s historical reliability?
The science of textual criticism involves reconstructing ancient documents from past documents or copies. Historians use this science to determine reliability and thus, such science involves many factors. Such factors include archeological evidence, geographical factors that indicate location, the number of ancient manuscripts available for comparison, and the time gap in between the original manuscript and its copies. A study of literary, grammatical, and linguistics is also necessary and utilized as evidence for the internal accuracy of manuscripts. Taking all of this into account, the science of textual criticism has proven that the Bible, especially the New Testament, is the most historical document in existence today.
- What are some facts concerning the Bible’s historical reliability?
Some facts concerning the Bible’s historical reliability are one, archaeologists have found letters by early church leaders in the second century that can actually be reproduced from various scriptures in New Testament. Secondly, from the second century to our present day, there are over 20,000 partial and whole copies of the New Testament. Thirdly, the Greek New Testament has been translated into various other Middle Eastern and Roman Empire languages such as Hebrew, Syrian, Coptic, Latin, etc. Finally, Lectionaries, using scripture from the New Testament, wrote a catechism – completely man-made!
- How should the Bible’s historical reliability influence our acceptance of its message?
As Christians, we ought to look at the bigger picture. The Bible claims to be the Word of God. Therefore, it has all authority. Furthermore, the Bible accurately records the birth, life, and death on Calvary of Jesus Christ – who claimed to be God. The Bible has also been directly translated from its original source, offering validity. Just to add, following scripture and doing as the Bible says is truly heart-transforming. It is a wonderful and beautiful message that is beyond history!
Chapter II
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