What is the Bible?
What is the Bible?
There is no such thing as "A" Bible. No one can even agree to that. Christians should admit this undeniable fact rather than remain in their utter denial mode as it does not help them in anyway whatsoever. The number of books in the Bible depends upon the Church one is following. Is it 66 books, 73 books or 80 books? Each Church seems to have their own version. [for a detailed look at all the different bibles, click here]. As it happens, the title "Bible" is a name not found in the Bible. Nowhere does the Bible name itself as a unit. In the bible you have:
- many men writing about God,
- and you have in some places the word of God speaking to men,
- and still in other places you have some men simply writing about history.
Who wrote the Bible?
Note that every Gospel begins with the introduction “According to.....” such as “The Gospel according to Saint Matthew,” “The Gospel according to Saint Luke,” “The Gospel according to Saint Mark,” “The Gospel according to Saint John.” The obvious conclusion for the average man on the street is that these people are known to be the authors of the books attributed to them. This, however is not the case. Why? Because not one of the vaunted four thousand copies existent carries it's author's signature. It has just been assumed that they were the authors. Recent discoveries, however, refute this belief.
"Today, there are few Biblical scholars-- from liberal skeptics to conservative evangelicals- who believe that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John actually wrote the Gospels. Nowhere do the writers of the texts identify themselves by name or claim unambiguously to have known or traveled with Jesus."
-Jeffery L. Sheler, "The Four Gospels," (U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 10, 1990)
The Gospel Writers
St Paul
For more information please have a look at the following articles:
Islam's view on the bible
How does Islam view the Bible(s)?.
"The Qur'an talks about the Injeel of Jesus, meaning the particular message he delivered. Both the missionary and the careless Muslim may believe that this Injeel is the same as the four gospels - the Biblical accounts of the life of Jesus. The Muslim should realize and the Christian should be ready to admit that the exact words of the four gospel accounts are not the same as the message of Jesus. The gospels narrate the events of his life and at times quote him. More correctly, the words of Jesus are paraphrased in the gospels. His sayings are recast but not directly quoted necessarily. In fact, the famous "Lord's Prayer" will be found in two different versions at Matthew 6 and Luke 11. In a similar way, the Qur'an mentions the Torah of Moses. Again, it must not be imagined that the message of Moses survives verbatim in today's Bible. A claim like this was made in the prophet Jeremiah's day, but we read: "How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie." (Jeremiah 8:8). "
The Difference between the Bible and the Qur'an - by Gary Miller
Using the Bible to "prove" Jesus' divinity
The Bible Denies the Divinity of Jesus
Trying to Use the Bible to "prove" Jesus' divinity
Errors in the Bible
Contradictions and proofs of Historical Corruptions in the Bible
101 Clear Contradictions in the Bible - By Shabbir Ally
Are there any contradictions in the mainline bible?
Original Manuscripts
So, is the bible reliable?
OK, to conclude, You don't know what the bible is, you don't know the authors, and you have in the bible(s), contradictions, mistakes, lies, fabrications, pornography and incest. And you're still asking whether the Bible(s) reliable???
".there is not a single book in the New Testament which is the direct work of an eyewitness of the historical Jesus..." Professor Fuller, Professor of New Testament
Can you still rely on the Bible as the "Word of God"???
Textual Integrity Of The Bible
Is the Gospel Originally in Greek or Hebrew
Christian Scholars refuting the status of the NT as an inspired scripture
SO, Is Total Acceptance of The Bible Deserved?
It is NOT actually the attitude of many Christian. It is only a certain collection of Christians (the Fundamentalists) who maintain that ALL of the Bible originated with God. Adherence to this belief is unwarranted for at least four reasons;
- It is not claimed within the Bible itself;
- It is an unworthy attitude;
- It is not self-consistent;
- It is logically impossible.