The Reliability of Scripture: How We Got Our Bible

The Unshakable Anchor: How We Got Our Bible and Why We Can Trust It

In a world that often feels like shifting sand, where truth is debated and certainty seems elusive, where do we find an unshakeable anchor for our souls? For followers of Christ, that anchor is the Word of God—the Bible. But in an age of skepticism, a natural question arises: can we truly trust this ancient book? Is it merely a collection of human ideas, or is it, as it claims, God’s very voice speaking to us today?

This isn’t just an academic question; it touches the very core of our faith, our hope, and our daily walk. When we open our Bibles, are we engaging with divine truth that can transform our lives, or are we simply reading historical texts? Let’s embark on an incredible journey through time, exploring the divine origins, meticulous preservation, and careful recognition of the Holy Scriptures, so we can hold our Bibles with joyful, unwavering confidence.

The Divine Origin: God Breathed It (Inspiration)

The very first stone in the foundation of the Bible’s reliability is its divine origin. Scripture does not merely contain the word of God; it is the Word of God. This concept is beautifully captured by the term “God-breathed.”

Imagine a great composer, like Bach, orchestrating a magnificent symphony. He uses various instruments—strings, woodwinds, brass—each with its unique sound and texture. But it’s Bach’s genius and vision that orchestrates them into a single, cohesive, and glorious masterpiece. Similarly, God orchestrated human authors, using their personalities, experiences, and literary styles, yet ensuring that what they wrote was precisely what He intended, without error.

From the shepherd boy Amos to the highly educated Paul, from kings like David to fishermen like Peter, God used a diverse array of human instruments. Yet, through all their individual voices, a single, coherent, unified story of God’s redemptive plan emerges—a testament to His guiding hand. It was the Holy Spirit who moved upon these prophets and apostles, granting them divine revelation and enabling them to record it accurately, ensuring the Bible is not merely human wisdom, but divine truth.

The Human Hands: From Scrolls to Books (Transmission & Preservation)

If Scripture is God-breathed, how did it travel across thousands of years to reach our hands today? This is where the meticulous care of human scribes, divinely superintended, comes into play. While the original writings (autographs) no longer exist, we possess an overwhelming number of copies, demonstrating a remarkable chain of preservation.

For the Old Testament, Jewish scribes developed incredibly strict rules for copying the Hebrew Scriptures. Every letter, every stroke, every word was counted. If a single error was found, the entire scroll was destroyed and recopied. This wasn’t just about accuracy; it was an act of worship. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 was a monumental affirmation. These ancient manuscripts, dating back over 1,000 years earlier than previously known Hebrew copies, showed astounding consistency, with only minor variations, mostly in spelling. This confirmed the incredible accuracy of transmission over a millennium!

For the New Testament, the evidence is even more abundant. We possess over 5,800 Greek manuscripts, some dating back within a century of the originals. This number dwarfs the manuscript evidence for any other ancient text. Imagine, Homer’s Iliad has only about 1,800 manuscripts, and most classical texts have fewer than 10! Add to this thousands of early translations and countless quotations from the New Testament by early Church Fathers, and scholars can reconstruct almost the entire New Testament with over 99% certainty. This isn’t about criticizing the Bible, but a rigorous scholarly discipline called textual criticism, which compares all these copies to ensure the most accurate possible text, affirming the core message and integrity.

The Divine Oversight: How the Canon Was Formed (Canonization)

The “canon” refers to the recognized collection of books that comprise our Holy Scripture. How were these books chosen, and others excluded? It’s crucial to understand that the Church didn’t create the canon; it recognized the books that God had already inspired and authenticated. The books possessed inherent divine authority, and the early believers, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognized this.

The Old Testament canon was largely established by the time of Jesus, who consistently referred to it as “Scripture” or “the Law and the Prophets,” acknowledging its divine authority.

The process for recognizing the New Testament books took about three centuries and was guided by several key principles:
1. Apostolic Authorship/Authority: Was the book written by an apostle or someone closely associated with an apostle (e.g., Mark with Peter, Luke with Paul)?
2. Orthodoxy (Conformity to Truth): Was the book consistent with the established teaching of the apostles and the Old Testament? Did it promote sound doctrine?
3. Catholicity (Universal Acceptance): Was the book widely accepted and used by the churches across the early Christian world?
4. Divine Authority/Holy Spirit Attestation: Did the book bear witness to the Holy Spirit’s power? Did it “breathe God”? Did it transform lives?

While various local church councils formally affirmed the 27 books of the New Testament (like the Council of Carthage in 397 AD), they were simply codifying what the churches had already broadly recognized and accepted as divinely inspired for generations. They weren’t making arbitrary decisions, but formally acknowledging existing realities.

Jesus’ Endorsement: The Ultimate Seal of Approval

For Christians, the ultimate testimony to the reliability of Scripture comes from Jesus Christ Himself. His life and teachings provide the highest possible authentication.

Jesus constantly quoted, appealed to, and submitted to the authority of the Old Testament. He affirmed its absolute permanence and authority, declaring in Matthew 5:18 (NIV), “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” He also emphatically stated in John 10:35 (NIV), “…Scripture cannot be set aside.” This shows His complete reverence and trust in the written Word.

Furthermore, Jesus promised His apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth and bring to remembrance what He had taught them. This promise undergirds the authority of the New Testament writings. John 14:26 (NIV) records Jesus saying, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” The apostles themselves recognized the inspired nature of each other’s writings, as seen in 2 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV), where Peter places Paul’s letters on par with “the other Scriptures.”

If Jesus, the Son of God, fully embraced and lived by the Old Testament, and promised the continuation of divine revelation through His apostles, then we have every reason to trust the completed canon of Scripture. His endorsement is our highest assurance.

Key Scriptures: Our Unshakeable Foundation

The Bible speaks powerfully about its own nature and reliability. These verses form the bedrock of our understanding:

• 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV): “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
  • This is the cornerstone verse for understanding inspiration. “God-breathed” (theopneustos) means it originated from God’s very breath, not human will. It’s not just about God, it is God’s direct communication, making it uniquely authoritative for every area of our lives.
• 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV): “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
  • This verse clarifies the Holy Spirit’s role in guiding the human authors. It wasn’t their own ideas or insights, but God moving them, ensuring that what they wrote was precisely His message, untainted by human error or agenda.
• Matthew 5:18 (NIV): “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
  • Jesus Himself affirms the eternal and perfectly preserved nature of God’s Word. He underscores that even the tiniest details are significant and will endure. This is a powerful testament to the Bible’s reliability through the ages.
• Isaiah 40:8 (NIV): “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
  • This poetic yet profound verse contrasts the fleeting nature of all human things with the eternal, unchanging, and enduring nature of God’s Word. It offers immense comfort and stability in a changing world.

A Testimony of Unwavering Truth

I remember a period in my early twenties when I wrestled deeply with questions of faith. The world seemed to offer so many competing philosophies, so many “truths.” I started reading books that challenged the Bible’s accuracy, its historical claims, even its moral teachings. Doubt began to creep in, making my prayer life feel hollow and my worship uninspired.

One day, feeling utterly adrift, I stumbled upon a sermon series about the reliability of Scripture, much like what we’ve discussed today. The speaker delved into the overwhelming manuscript evidence, the meticulous scribal traditions, and most powerfully, Jesus’ unwavering affirmation of the Old Testament and His promise of the New. It was as if a light clicked on in my soul. I realized that my doubts were often based on misinformation or a lack of understanding of the facts.

The turning point came when I understood that if Jesus, my Lord and Savior, believed and taught from the Bible as God’s infallible Word, then who was I to question it? That revelation, coupled with the historical and textual evidence, cemented my trust. I picked up my Bible with a renewed sense of awe and expectation. It was no longer just a good book, but the very voice of God speaking directly to me. That day, my faith found its unshakeable anchor, and my walk with God has been transformed ever since. When I read it, I hear Him.

Practical Applications: Living by the Reliable Word

Understanding the reliability of Scripture isn’t just an intellectual exercise; it’s transformative for our faith and daily walk. Here are practical steps to embrace this truth:

1. Read with Confidence and Expectation: When you open your Bible, do so with the profound understanding that you are encountering the living, active, and trustworthy Word of God. Approach it not as a mere human text, but as a divine conversation waiting to unfold.
2. Study with Diligence: Since every word is God-breathed, commit to regular, thoughtful study. Use tools like study Bibles, commentaries, and concordances to deepen your understanding. Don’t shy away from passages that seem difficult; instead, pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and seek wise counsel.
3. Meditate and Memorize: Allow God’s Word to dwell richly in your heart. Choose verses that speak to you and meditate on them throughout your day. Memorizing Scripture equips you with truth to combat doubt, resist temptation, and share your faith.
4. Obey with Joyful Submission: The Bible isn’t just for information; it’s for transformation. As 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us, it’s “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Humbly submit to its commands, allowing it to shape your decisions, relationships, and priorities.
5. Share with Boldness: Knowing the Bible is reliable empowers us to share its message with others. We are not proclaiming a fable or a human philosophy, but a divinely authored message of salvation and hope. Let your confidence in God’s Word overflow into evangelism and discipleship.

Encouragement and Prayer

My dear brothers and sisters, what a gift we have in the Holy Bible! It is a beacon of light in a darkening world, a source of comfort in times of distress, and an absolute guide for righteous living. Do not let the fleeting winds of modern skepticism shake your faith in this precious treasure. God, in His infinite wisdom and love, has ensured that His voice would be heard clearly through the ages.

Embrace your Bible. Cherish it. Let it be the firm foundation upon which you build your life. For in its pages, you will find not only ancient wisdom, but the very heart of God revealed, calling you into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your holy and living Word. Thank You for breathing life into its pages, for faithfully preserving it through the hands of dedicated scribes, and for guiding Your Church in recognizing its truth. We pray for a renewed love for Scripture, a hunger to know You more through its revelations, and the wisdom to apply its truths to our daily lives. Help us to stand firm on its unshakeable foundation, trusting in Your perfect wisdom and Your enduring faithfulness. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Conclusion

The journey of our Bible, from divine breath to human hands to canonical recognition, is a profound testament to God’s faithfulness and His sovereign superintendence. It is not a book that fell from heaven ready-made, but one that was inspired, written, preserved, and recognized through a process that reveals God’s meticulous care for His Word.

We hold in our hands not just a book, but the very living voice of God, trustworthy in every detail, perfect in every truth, and powerful to transform every life. Let us embrace it, study it, live by it, and proclaim it with joyful confidence, for it is the unshakable foundation of our faith and the enduring hope for our world.