SAVE - 66 Books Pass Internal Tests

Evidence ID: BIB-EV07

Evidence: SAVE - 66 Books Pass Internal Tests

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Summary:

Description: In a court of law, a person may testify on his own behalf. That is not proof of his claim, but his testimony is part of making his case. The Bible claims it speaks for God. It doesn’t prove it is God’s Word because it says it is, but it does at least show the writers thought God was at work in them as they wrote (or speaking through the other parts of the Bible that they refer to).

What claims are made that the Bible books we have are inspired?

There are two types of claims that have been made that the books of the Bible we have are inspired by God. What the Bible claims about the divine origin of the Old and New Testaments

Old Testament Internal Claims

The Law: Joshua referencing the Law of Moses --- Moses Books (Pentateuch) are to be revered and obeyed as the Word of God Joshua 1:7-8 "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do."

Prophets: The prophets heard God’s voice and recorded it verbatim (v5) Jeremiah 1:4-9 "" 4 The Lord gave me this message: 5 "I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations." 6 "O Sovereign Lord," I said, "I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!" The Lord replied, "Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!" 9 Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, "Look, I have put my words in your mouth!"

Psalms: NT writers reference OT books (identify how many books of the OT referenced by writers in the NT). Hebrews 3:7-11 (quoting Psalm 95:7-11) "Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’"

New Testament Internal Claims

(the apostles witnesses Jesus’ life and teachings (for three years) – Both speak for God/Jesus) The Gospels and Acts: quoting the OT scriptures as spoken by God and authoritative; Paul regards the words of Jesus as scripture/truth/Word of God. (v7B) 1 Timothy 5:18 (Paul quotes Luke 10:7) "For the Scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain." And in another place, "Those who work deserve their pay!"

Epistles: (Peter grants the status of Scripture to the apostle Paul’s writing.) 2 Peter 3:16 "Speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture."

2 Timothy 3:16a ("all Scripture is God-breathed") Paul here says that all of Scripture is from the mouth of God. Whatever is deemed Scripture is divinely inspired. The writers of Scripture see themselves as speaking for God through their writings. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 "Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe." Revelation 22:18-19 "And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book."

New Testament as a whole (The HS speaks the words of Jesus, authority of Jesus) John 16:12-14 "There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me."

Jude 3 "Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people."

Jesus references to OT scriptures affirms it authenticity

1. In Matthew 23:35, Jesus may have been alluding to the "start and finish" of the Old Testament. He refers to two stories, one of which happens in Genesis and the other in 2 Chronicles (the first and last books in the Hebrew way of ordering them). That is significant because he is "book-ending" the Old Testament. In effect, Jesus is saying, "From Genesis to 2nd Chronicles (the "Revelation"—last book—of the Hebrew OT), that blood will be on you." Through his statement, he seems to be agreeing with the extent of the Old Testament canon being made up of the 39 books of the Hebrew Old Testament—but not extending any further than that (that is, not including the Apocrypha or any other known works).

"And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar." Matthew 23:35

2. Jesus references the OT: https://www.redletterchristians.org/when-jesus-quoted-the-ot-and-why-it-matters/ Torah (first 5 books), Hosea, Micah, malachi, Isaiah, Jerimiah, Psalms, Daniel, Zechariah

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