In this post, you'll learn a lot about the evidences as to why we can have complete confidence that God has protected the transmission of the Bible and it's Scriptures down through the ages, from ancient times - and up until our present time. It's a stunning thing to realize! Theologian and apologist Wes Huff starts us off (follow the various links below). You'll learn the difference between the transmission of Scripure vs. the translation processes teams of scholars use - and how these came about. Huff also destroys the total myth that key leaders in the early church somehow controlled what they did and didn't want in the New Testament - as if by some supposed, secretive committee controlled all of the original writings and their contents. And Wes further relates how the Bible's contents came down through history NOTHING like the false idea that it's been distorted and mangled as if were some centuries-old version of the youthful, classroom game of "telephone" (in which one person whispers a phrase and it's passed along by the entire class, coming down to the last person nothing like what the first person actually said). You'll also learn about other key evidences, including the massive amount of ancient Old Testament manuscripts found in caves of the Dead Sea, in the 1940s and '50s. And what to make of the the various, asserted "contradictions" found in the Bible - what are we to believe about such passages? Read, learn, enjoy!
Make sure to see the linked videos and information at the bottom of this post!
Philip
When it comes to the Bible, there are lots of people who have doubts that it contains the actual thoughts, understandings, events, and things that God wanted communicated to us through his many prophets, apostles, and of course, Jesus (who was and IS God in the flesh!) The Bible's contents cover events from the creation and beginning of time to the last events during the time of the apostles, in the first century. They also include prophesies about the future and even Heaven itself! But the actual writing of it took approximately 1,600 years and it was written by 40 human authors, in various times and cultures, and in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. There is a tremendous amount of the Bible that has been shown to be true and factual by many centuries of study by Biblical scholars and the ancient rabbis that came before them. Add to that the tremendous confirmations concerning the Bible found through many highly specific and fulfilled prophecies - so many and so amazingly fulfilled that it's truly mind-blowing (Just look around this site to see it!). And the scientific world, from biology, genetics, archaeology, etc has confirmed even more of it. And, of course, we have many historical accounts (outside of the Bible), ancient literature, and thousands of ancient Bible manuscript copies that have likewise shown the Bible's stupendous trustworthiness in both transmission and accuracy across time.
One needs to recognize that then need to understand that there HAD to be a God who stood outside of time and was before ALL created things - as NOTHING comes from nothing. ALL contingent things MUST have a Source - and the God who spoke an entire universe into existence is a God of great power and purpose, Who is absolutely in control of the entirety of His inspired thoughts and words conveyed through the writers He both inspired and sent to us. The God who created a universe also has the power to perfectly PROTECT His communications conveyed to man. In fact, the Bible tells us that Scripture's entirety points to God's love for mankind, His instructions for living the most "abundant" life possible, while readying us for an eternity with Him. And, most importantly, the Bible points to Jesus, God's Son (who is eternal, un-created, and FULLY God - as is God's Holy Spirit). And Scripture tells us that God's Word is so important to Him that Jesus came here to perfectly FULFILL, in all ways, it's contents as they relate to Him and salvation. So, one must realize that Jesus came here to DIE - and be Resurrected from the dead - ALL to fulfill God's Words to mankind, found in Scripture. And it is through His Resurrection and paying for the sins of all mankind, that God offers His salvation to all who would believe, receive, commit, and submit to Jesus as their Lord - meaning, salvation isn't just mere belief - it's entering it a relationship with the Lord of the universe!
But back to the accuracy of Scripture. One doubt many have about the Bible is because MEN wrote down in it what God inspired - FAILABLE, mistake-prone men. How is this possible, you ask. It's only possible per the God who spoke our world into existence, and through Whom "all things hold together. Okay, so in the following links, let's take a look at the evidences that reveal how God has protected and preserved His Holy Word, and that it remains accurate to the times in which they were originally written down.
SEE HERE, as Apologist Wes Huff explains how we can know that the New Testament has been accurately conveyed to us since it was completed before the end of the first century AD.
And SEE HERE as Wes talks to Joe Rogan about the Dead Sea Scrolls.
SEE HERE for a great discussion thread in which a poster on the site asks about supposed contradictions in the Bible.