APOL-02 THE BIBLE JESUS USED--How Did We Get Our Bible And How Did God Keep It Safe From Errors?

God has stated that His Word endures forever. Of course, we know that the Word, as far as the copy “settled in Heaven” (Ps. 119:89), is enduring forever. But what about the copy we hold? How do we know this Book is the same one God wrote by inspiration?

First, let’s survey the History of the Transmission of the Bible. As far as the history of this transmission of God's Word goes, we find there are four key periods:

1. Pre-Moses: Oral traditions incorporated by inspired writers so that what God wants to be a part of is written down.

2. Moses to Ezra (1500-500 BC): Prophets and Priests are the writers and guardians of the Word of God, always in their custody at the Tabernacle and later at the Temple. They were then carried into Captivity, returned with the Exiles, kept safe, copied, and distributed. Moses placed them in the Tabernacle verse.

• 1500 BC: Egyptian hieroglyphics influenced writing from the era of Moses and Exodus. The scrolls of God's Word were kept in the Tabernacle.

• 1000 BC: Phoenician-influenced writing from the time of David and the prophets. They found the lost book of the Law in the Temple because that is where it was kept.

• 500 BC: When the captives returned from Babylon, nearly all could not read the old Hebrew scrolls. So, Ezra invented modern, block-style written Hebrew, copied all the manuscripts into Modern Hebrew, and started a reading plan in the synagogues. Ezra is the father of Modern Hebrew, the synagogues, the Scribes, and most likely, the author of the Psalm 119 poem about the wonders of the Word. The scrolls were kept in the Temple.

• 200 BC: The scrolls Ezra copied and established into the 22-book Old Testament canon were taken by the LXX team in Alexandria, translated into Greek, and spread across the ancient world. The LXX became the Bible of Christ and His Apostles.

3. Ezra to the Apostle John (500 BC—100 AD): Christ and His Apostles affirmed the Old Testament Scriptures, so we know that the 22-book Old Testament (our 39 Old Testament books) is the exact Word from God. Then Jesus instituted His apostles as the guardians of His Word, and they, or a close associate under their care, wrote the 27 books of the New Testament. The net result: we have the Scriptures inspired and preserved by God in our hands today.

The Bible Jesus Used

For most people, the way that all those scrolls Moses, the prophets, and the Apostles wrote as God inspired them is quite hard to understand and a bit mysterious. John takes to the marker board and draws out the pathway God used to get His Word to us. He answers how God kept the Word in the CUSTODIANSHIP of the Apostles & Prophets. How Christ put His seal of Approval on the OT Scriptures and gave the Apostles the seal of authenticity on the NT. If you want your mind challenged with truth and your heart stirred with confidence, this session in God's Word is for you!

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   • APOL-02 THE BIBLE JESUS USED--How Did We G...