How We Got Our Bible

George Burnside

www.CreationismOnline.com

THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE.

It is the most I owed, the most hated and the most feared. Get out your Bible and most people will get out. It is the oldest book in existence and yet the most read. It is a case of the “Survival of the Fittest.” Homer has been translated into 20 languages. Shakespeare has been translated into 40 languages. Pilgrims Progress has been translated into 118 languages. The Bible has been translated into 1050 languages.

It was the First book printed. Since then thousands of millions of copies have been printed. There are 3,000,000 books in the Paris Library and there are more in the British Library. It has thirty nine miles of shelving. Of all these books it is the only book called “The Book” - “The Bible”. A Jewish scholar asked me:-

WHY DO YOU ACCEPT THE NEW TESTAMENT?

I replied “For the same reason as I accept the Old Testament”. “Why is that?” My reply was “Because of the Old Testament’s amazing, uncanny prophecies. No mere human could foretell the future as did those ancient prophets. I find the same amazing accuracy in the New Testament.”

THE SAME WRITER WAS BEHIND BOTH TESTAMENTS

1 Peter 1:11 In both great divisions of the Bible we have the same writer, the same spirit and the same teaching. “I AM THE LORD, I CHANGE NOT.”

It is absurd to think that Jesus taught in the Old Testament that it was wrong to steal and in the New Testament that it was al right. It is absurd to think that Jesus taught in the Old Testament that it was wrong to kill, worship images, and lie, and then to tell people today that it is alright. If 4,000 years ago He sent to Hell those who stole, will He now take to Heaven those who do? Would He tell people 4, 000 years ago not to work on the Sabbath, and today to do so?

Time never changed, wrong or right. The Bible deals with Eternal principles. John 5:39 “Scriptures” - There was a Bible in Christ’s day. The Old Testament was the Bible of Our Lord and His disciples. I n the New Testament the Old Testament is quoted over 600 times.

HOW WAS THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE DECIDED?

Isaiah 8:20 “To the Law and to the Testimony.” This was the guiding principle.

2 Kings 17:13 Writings were admitted into the canon of Scripture as they agreed with the Ten Commandments.

Malachi 3:6 “I am the Lord I change not.”

THIS PRINCIPLE WAS NOT LEFT TO MAN

Exodus 24:12 God wrote the first chapter of the Bible. This became the Infallible Standard. There was no Bible before Moses. With what God wrote, all writings must agree.

Adam and Methuselah reached to the Flood. Noah lived 600 years before the Flood and 350 years after. Abraham was born about the time of Noah’s death. There was no need of a written record. (See George Burnside’s paper “The Ages of the Patriarchs.)

COPIES OF THE ACCEPTED SCRIPTURES

The Scribes were particular. They would count the number of letters in each book. Before writing a word they would pronounce it. They knew the middle letter in the Bible and in each book. There were no corrections. I f a mistake was discovered the manuscript was destroyed and they would start again. Before they would write the word “God” they would wipe their pen. Before they would write “Jehovah” they would bath and wash completely.

JESUS FOUND THE SCRIPTURE CORRECT IN HIS DAY

He set His approval on the scriptures. “Search the Scriptures.”

THE SCRIPTURES WERE COPIED BY THOUSANDS

THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS THE SAME.

They were copied in Europe, Asia and Africa for 1,500 years. Copies were made in Greek, Latin, Armenian, Ethiopian, Arabic, Persian, Coptic, Syriac and Gothic. By careful comparison it is clear that there has not been a single doctrine changed. No writing has had the careful, critical examination as have the Scriptures. We have the original Scriptures.

Psalm 12:6, 7 “Thou shall keep them O Lord, Thou shall preserve them forever.”

THE PRESERVATION OF THE SCRIPTURES IS REMARKABLE

Diocletian searched out and destroyed thousands of Manuscripts. The Dead Sea “Isaiah” Scroll “as far as the Authorized Version is concerned, it is word for word.” This is the testimony of the Supervisor of the Jerusalem Museum, to me, regarding the Isaiah Scroll. God has preserved His Word. His word is “pure”. The Water of Life is unsullied.

Europe Used the Latin Version by Jerome 400 AD. The church opposed the Bible in the language of the people. The first English Translation came in 1382 by Wycliffe. In 1582 Tyndale’s translation was printed. Then the Authorized Version in 1611, translated by 47 of the best Greek and Hebrew scholars.

TODAY IT IS TRANSLATED INTO OVER 1000 LANGUAGES

It can be read by nearly all people on earth. Over 10 million copies are printed annually. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 Jesus taught and lived the Scriptures. He conquered by the Word. Follow the Bible and it will lead you to Glory.