The Bible - Truth or Fiction?

Is the Bible filled with Truth or Fiction? There are 2,000 years’ worth of documents and archaeological finds substantiating the people and places in the Bible. Eyewitness historical accounts have never been proven false. But the Bible is considered "too incredible" because of the supernatural events within. Whatever happened to the phrase "TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION"?

Millions of people have the faith to take a psychic’s advice without meeting them or asking for credentials. Others wear crystals for strength or practice mystical things. Yet they will ask a Christian to "prove" that God exists and that Jesus was His Son.

A Bible believer can spout Bible verses as evidence, but if someone doesn't believe the Bible, why will they listen? Skeptics can be given insight through sound logical and statistical findings and information. Josh McDowell, internationally known youth advocate and Christian author, tried to prove the Bible false during his college days. He ended up becoming a believer and stated the following in his book, Evidence That Demands A Verdict:
"Being written on material that perishes, having to be copied and recopied for hundreds of years before the invention of the printing press, did not diminish its style, correctness or existence. The Bible, compared with other ancient writings, has more manuscript evidence than any 10 pieces of classic literature combined."

The Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947 were validated by paleographers as dating back to about 100 B.C. The Dead Sea Scrolls lended truth to previously found scrolls dated 600-900 A.D. And when compared they say virtually the same thing. Also found was an original scroll of the "Song of Deborah" from the Bible's book of Judges, documented to be from the 12th century B.C.

Forty different authors wrote within the 66 canonized books of the Bible. Some of them lived 500 years apart, in at least ten different countries. They couldn't see each other's writings in a bookstore. They had no editors. Yet they all tell the same story, including the gap between the last prophet (Malachi, circa 435 B.C.), and the birth of Christ. After nearly 400 years of silence, the story picks up as if without a day.

King David wrote about crucifixion in Psalm 22. Although crucifixion may have been developed by in Persia as early as 1800 B.C., the best documented evidence didn’t appear until the seventh century B.C. David lived 200 years before that. Where did he get this description?

People say that Jesus lied about who he was. But, what did he have to gain by doing this?
He was rejected by his own people. Even his mother and half-brothers thought he was crazy at first. He was beaten to a pulp beyond recognition. He was spit on and ridiculed, had thorns stuck through his head, nails driven into his body, and was hung between two thieves when all he did was say some things people didn't like.

What’s more, would he be around after his crucifixion to enjoy the fruits of his martyrdom? No.
To me, the most preposterous thing of all is for people to say the Bible is made up. To believe instead in a "big bang" - that everything just "got here" - now that's faith.

This article is excerpted from Sheryl’s book, What Every Christian Should Know about the Jewish People. For more information and how to order, see the first column to the right of this article.