There are 3 lines of evidence to consider when looking at the reliability of any ancient writing:
1. Reliability of manuscripts
Quantity of copies we have.
The time span between the original and the earliest copy we have.
2. Internal test
What claims does the Bible make about itself?
3. External test
How accurate is the Bible when checked against history and archaeology?
1. Reliability of the manuscripts
Quantity and time span.
When testing the accuracy of ancient writings, these two things are of most importance.
Quantity means comparing one copy with another to see if they say the same. The more copies that can be compared the better. This helps determine the reliability of the writing.
Time span asks the question “What time span is there between the earliest copies we have and the originals?” The closer the time span, the more reliable.
Here are some examples
| Author |
Date written |
Earliest copy we have |
Time span between |
Copies |
| Plato | 380 BC | 900 AD | 1280 years | 7 copies |
| Aristotle | 350 BC | 1100 AD | 1450 years | 5 copies |
| Caesar | 60 BC | 900 AD | 960 years | 10 copies |
| Tacitus | 100 AD | 1100 AD | 1000 years | 20 copies |
| New Testament | 60 AD | 130 AD | 70 years | 14,000 copies |
No historian would question accuracy and reliability of the writings of Plato and Aristotle, yet we have thousands more copies of the Bible to compare. There is over a 1200 year gap between when these men wrote and the copies we have now, compared to only 70 years between the Bible manuscripts we have and the original writings.
2. Internal test
What claims does the Bible make about itself?
Many of the authors were eyewitnesses of the accounts they wrote about. They wrote about what they saw and heard, and it could be verified.
John said “We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ…We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard.” (1John 1:1-3)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul all wrote about Jesus coming back from the dead.
Paul wrote to a church in the city Corinth in Greece. After Jesus had been raised back to life “He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles. After that, he was seen by more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died by now. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, I saw him, too, long after the others.” (Corinthians 15:3b-6)
The writer claimed Jesus had risen from the dead. He then lists people who actually saw Jesus after his death - Peter, 12 apostles, 500 at once. Then he says “most of whom are still alive.” It was like he was saying, “If you don’t believe me, go and ask them.” Add to this the religious leaders that had put Jesus to death were still around. If Paul’s claims were untrue, they could have easily proved this by producing Jesus’ body, but they couldn’t because his body wasn’t there.
Internal test strongly supports the Bible.
3. External Test
How accurate is the Bible when checked against history and archaeology?
The Bible has many references to nations, kings, cities, mountains, rivers, buildings, customs, and dates. Because the Bible is so specific, it is open to archaeological investigation. Does the Bible stack up against other historical and archaeological findings?
Hundreds of biblical statements have been verified by archaeology. Some haven’t, but that does not mean the Bible is wrong, it is simply that there is no other evidence to check it against.
It is significant that no archaeological finding has proven the Bible to be wrong.
There is one more claim the Bible makes:
“All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Bible claims that it is inspired by God. That’s something you may want to check out for yourself.