Dan Brown’s book “The Da Vinci Code” and the soon to be released film adaptation of it has generated a huge amount of attention and interest in the church and in the media in recent weeks. As a result, many questions are being asked about what the Bible really says about this man Jesus, and whether the Bible is really a true message from God. In short, people are asking once again—as the Roman Governor Pontius Pilot did 2000 years ago—“What is truth?” (John 18:38). Are we prepared to answer?
God has created the opportunity for questions like these to surface in a culture which would prefer to see them buried. In turn, the opportunity for us to answer them is an opportunity to defend our faith—and speak to the lost—on a scale that we will not often see in our lifetimes. God calls upon us in times like these, to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Who was Jesus?
Perhaps the most important question that any of us will ever answer is “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:13-16) This was the question Jesus posed to His disciples to teach them about who He was, why He had come, and what would soon take place in Jerusalem. He first asked, “Who do men say that I am?” and heard what we often hear today, and what “DaVinci” says directly—that most believed He was simply “one of the prophets.” The disciples were about to learn that He was far more than that, however, for God took this occasion to reveal the truth through Peter’s answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In affirming this answer, He identified Himself as the promised Messiah, “The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, Isaiah 53:1-7)
But as important as it was to acknowledge Him as the promised Messiah, the disciples would soon discover an even higher and more powerful truth—that Jesus was actually the incarnation of God Himself. Matthew’s gospel properly traces Jesus’ lineage back to David (Matthew 1:1) to show His legal title to the throne of Israel as King. Luke’s gospel traces it back to Adam (Luke 3:38) to show His humanity and identification with all of mankind. John’s gospel, however, takes us back to the very beginning: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” (John 1:1, 14) The fact that Jesus could say that “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30) and “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) is an astonishing revelation of his deity, a fact that sets Him apart from all other prophets and all other religious leaders. No one (not Mohammed, not Buddha, nor anyone else) has ever made that claim—it is His alone.
For each of us now, the real question is still, “Who do you say that I am?”
How can I be sure that what the Bible says is true?
Christians are often criticized for citing the Bible to prove their points, arguing that the Bible must be accepted as truth “by faith,” and then expecting non-believers to reach the same conclusions they have.
It is true that much of what we know about God, and much of what we know about history, comes to us from the Bible. And the Bible makes such astonishing claims about who we are, why we are here, and where we are going, that its authenticity has to be the most important question of all time for everyone who thinks seriously about their life. So how can we know it’s true?
Don’t be afraid of the questions. God loves skeptics. In fact, many of our most prominent Christian leaders today were previously skeptics—atheists, editors, professors, and scientists. They also set out to challenge our faith, to prove that the Bible is merely a collection of historical documents. But they discovered instead that the God of the Bible—unlike the deities of other “religions”—does not ask us to believe on faith alone. He has communicated with us miraculously through His Word, but He has also come into the world and left His marks very clearly in history for us to discover. We don’t have to check our minds and our reasoning ability at the door when we seek Him. He has revealed Himself to us very clearly in creation, He has revealed Himself to us very clearly in His Word, and He has revealed Himself to us very clearly in history.
Today, virtually all reputable archaeologists, historians, and academics regard the Bible, at a minimum, as being an important historical document. As one textbook author (Unger) has put it, “Old Testament archaeology has rediscovered whole nations, resurrected important people, and in a most astonishing manner filled in the historical gaps.” From confirming the “cradle of civilization,” to discovering evidence of the “great flood,” to finding the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jericho, and a host of other ancient cities identified only in scripture, time after time the Biblical account of man’s history, while often challenged along the way, has always been proved accurate by subsequent discovery. It is—by far—the most reliable historical document we have. How do we know this?
The Bible itself is a miracle
Miraculous design. The Bible consists of 66 books, written by over 40 authors from all walks of life, over a span of 1500 years, in different locations spread over three continents. Yet, there is not only perfect harmony in its message, but detailed, integrated information which is cross-referenced throughout its complex array of history books, law books, prophetic books, poetry books, proverbs, and songs.
Miraculous survival. Papyrus and parchment, which were used until about A.D. 105, were fragile and very vulnerable to weather and deterioration with the simple passage of time. For this reason, hundreds, if not thousands of books of antiquity have been lost forever. In fact, scholars observe that all the works now in existence from the A.D. 50’s and 60’s would fit within bookends one foot apart. Yet, the Dead Sea Scrolls alone consist of hundreds of manuscripts, including all of the Old Testament (except for Esther), and there are thousands of copies of the New Testament.
Equally remarkable is the Bible’s preservation from deliberate attempts at eradication. No other book compares to the Bible as a focal point in history between the powers of good and evil: between an enormous attempt by many to destroy it, and by others to preserve it. The Apostles, other eyewitnesses to Christ, and countless other contemporary believers were martyred to preserve the truth. For some 300 years after Christ, Christians were ferociously persecuted. Nero and Dieclecian, for example, decreed that it would be immediate death to be found with a copy of the Bible, and 7 million Christian graves have since been discovered in some 900 miles of catacombs found beneath the streets of Rome.
Authentic manuscripts. Scribes who reproduced the Old Testament were highly trained and scrupulously accurate. Their training began at age 14 and continued until age 40. Rules and crosschecks governing the copy process were exacting and strictly enforced. Individual letters were checked one by one. Letters per line and letters per page were specified and counted. Even distances between letters were measured. The middle letter of each scroll was verified against the master, and so on. The smallest error of any kind resulted in destroying the entire scroll.
Today’s scholars have three primary criteria for judging the authenticity of ancient works: 1) the number of copies existing, 2) the nearness of the copies to the recorded events, and 3) the extent of corroborating evidence. The most reliable non-scriptural writing in existence, for example, is Homer’s “Iliad”. There are 643 copies, the earliest of which is 500 years from the original. The second most reliable is the “Gallic Wars” by Julius Caesar with 10 copies, the earliest of which is 1000 years from the original.
In overwhelming contrast, the virtual explosion of credible, corroborative writing verifiable at the time by eyewitnesses, produced over 5300 copies of the New Testament. The earliest copy is only 25 years from the originals—i.e., within the lifetime of eyewitnesses and contemporary believers. Finally, in terms of corroborating evidence, it is remarkable that nearly the entire New Testament (excepting only 11 verses) can be reconstructed by quotes from the contemporary writings of others. Secular historians—including Josephus (before AD 100), the Roman Tacitus (around AD 120), the Roman Suetonius (AD 110), and the Roman governor Pliny (AD 110)—confirm the many people, places, and events chronicled in the New Testament.
Prophetic accuracy
Finally, and perhaps most astonishing, the Bible contains more than a thousand prophecies, often recorded thousands of years before the events. These prophecies have been proven to be 100% accurate, a truly supernatural (and irrefutable) historical reality.
Prophecy is a standard the Bible tells us to use to test whether something is truly from God. Prophets were those recognized as having revelations from God about future events, and they were taken very seriously. Any prophet whose prophecy was not 100% accurate was put to death by law.
Of the 469 historical prophecies in the Old Testament, 467 have so far been proven to have come true. The two remaining haven’t been proven one way or the other. In other words,
all that could be proven, have been proven.
105 other prophecies remain, all of which deal with heaven and the “second coming,” which still lies ahead.
Likewise, of the 202 historical New Testament prophecies, 201 have so far been proved, one remains. Here again,
all that could be proven, have been proven.
Another 237 New Testament prophecies deal with heaven and Jesus’ “second coming,” and still lie before us.
Who would have thought that the major kingdoms of world history, from the Babylonians, to the Medo-Persian empire, to the Greeks, and then the Romans, finally leading up to Christ, could be foretold thousands of years ahead? Even in our modern times, who prior to 1948 would have expected that the Jews, who had been scattered throughout the world (according to prophecy), would indeed be re-gathered in their own promised land of Israel, also according to prophecy? The evidence is overwhelming and irrefutable. People, places, events—all foretold with such astonishing accuracy that many believed the scriptures had been altered in translation after the events to make them coincide with recorded history—until the Deal Sea Scrolls (and other evidence) silenced the critics by confirming that the translations had been absolutely precise.
As for Jesus—His life, and His death—He was the most prophesied individual in history:
Messiah prophecies from the Old Testament
The Messiah will descend from Shem(1), Abraham(2), Isaac(3), Jacob(4), Judah(5), Jesse(6), and King David(7). He will be born in the city of Bethlehem in the county of Ephrathah(8) when a bright star appears(9). It will be a miraculous, virgin birth(10).
The messiah will be unique, having pre-existed His birth(8). He will perform many miracles: calming the sea(11) and causing the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, and the mute to talk(12). He will be referred to in many ways including: God with us(10), wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of peace(13). One day He will rule over everything—all nations will bow down to Him(14,21).
The Messiah, however, will come to save mankind(15). He will become man’s sin offering(15) and present Himself to Jerusalem as both the anointed king(17) and the Passover lamb(15). This will occur exactly 173,880 days after the decree by Artaxerxes to rebuild both Jerusalem and the Temple(16). So, four days before Passover, the Messiah will present Himself to a rejoicing Jerusalem riding on a donkey(17). But then He will suffer greatly(15). He will be rejected by many, including His friends(15). He will be betrayed by a friend(24) for thirty pieces of silver(18). Later, that money will be thrown on the floor of the temple(18) and will eventually go to a potter(18). At His trial He will not defend Himself. He will say nothing(15) except as required by law. Israel will reject Him(19).
The Messiah will be taken to a mountaintop identified by Abraham as “the Lord will provide”(20). There He will be crucified with His hands and feet pierced(21). His enemies will encircle Him(21), mocking Him, and will cast lots for His clothing(21). He will call to God asking why He was “forsaken.”(21) He will be given gall and wine(22). He will die with thieves(15). But unlike the thieves, none of His bones will be broken(21). His heart will fail(21), as indicated by blood and water spilling out(21) when He is pierced with a spear(21). He will be buried in a rich man’s grave(15). In three days He will rise from the dead(15,21).
1. Genesis 9,10
2. Genesis 22:18
3. Genesis 26:2-4
4. Genesis 28:14
5. Genesis 49:10
6. Isaiah 11:1-5
7. 2 Samuel 7:11-16
8. Micah 5:2
9. Numbers 24:17
10. Isaiah 7:14
11. Psalm 107:29
12. Isaiah 35:4-6
13. Isaiah 9:6
14. Isaiah 45:23
15. Isaiah 53
16. Daniel 9:20-27
17. Zechariah 9:9
18. Zechariah 11:12-13
19. Isaiah 8:14
20. Genesis 22
21. Psalm 22
22. Psalm 69:20-22
23. Zechariah 12:10
24. Psalm 41:9
Just do the math. Professors Peter W. Stoner (Chairman, Department of Mathematics and Astronomy, Pasadena City College) and Robert C. Newman (Ph.D., Astrophysics, Cornell University) in their book “Science Speaks” calculated the statistical probability of any one man fulfilling only 8 of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah (only 24 are listed above) as being one chance in 1 x 1017. To illustrate how small that is, they said “Suppose that we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting just the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote using their own wisdom.” Still skeptical? Try this one:
The Palm Sunday Prophecy
Daniel 9:20-27 (written in 535 BC) prophesies that 69 periods of 7 years will pass from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the “anointed one” (“Messiah” in Hebrew).
The Hebrew year is 360 days x 7 x 69 = 173, 880 days
Nehemiah 2:1-6 records the actual decree to rebuild Jerusalem by Artaxerxes almost 100 years later on March 14, 445 BC (the first day of Nissan—see Leviticus 23:4-5—in his 20th year of reign).
Converting the Hebrew calendar (360 day years) to our current Roman calendar (365 day years) with adjustments for leap years brings the 173, 880 days precisely to:
April 6, 0032
Jesus’ ministry began in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:1) whose reign began in 0014, and continued for three years leading up to the final week in AD 32.
0014 + 15 + 3 = 0032
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England confirms that the Sunday before Passover that year would be:
April 6, 0032
The bottom line? People can reject the Bible for many reasons: pride, fear, ignorance, tradition, or just plain apathy. But we have no basis whatsoever for rejecting it for lack of evidence, whether historical or scientific!
Books of New Testament “Canon”
For the believer, however, it is more than enough that Christ Himself authenticated the already existing Old Testament by referencing it many times as “scripture” (Matthew 21:42, Luke 24:27, 44, etc.). The apostles did as well, confirming that what the Jews had already “canonized” hundreds of years before were indeed “the oracles of God.” (Paul, Romans 3:2) Paul also declared that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16) and Peter adds that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21) So it is no surprise that the New Testament comes to us in the same way. Jesus expressly declared that He would leave “many things” unrevealed until after His ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12). His promise was that “when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13) He outlined in advance that God would inspire historical, “bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26); doctrinal, “teach you all things” (John 14:26); and prophetic, “tell you things to come” (John 16:13) teachings that would comprise the New Testament. We can therefore be confident that the Holy Spirit, who controlled the writing of the individual books, also controlled their selection and inclusion in the New Testament, in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise that He would guide His disciples to all the truth.
The Four Gospels
Historically, the evidence is that the written sources of our Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are dated not later than AD 60, with some of them traced back to notes taken of our Lord’s teaching while His words were actually being spoken! At a very early date, it appears that all four Gospels were united in one collection, and referred to as “the gospel” in the singular, not the “gospels” in the plural. Later, by the time of Irenaeus, who was bishop of Lyons about AD 180, the idea of a fourfold Gospel had become so axiomatic in the church that he (among others) refers to it in published writings as an established and recognized fact. In the earliest days, the “gospel,” along with the other inspired letters of the apostles, were circulated among the churches for reading. At first, no single church possessed all the apostolic letters, but their collections grew as copies could be made and authenticated by apostolic signature (2 Thessalonians 3:17, etc.) or emissary, for reading in each church. The first complete copies of “scripture” emerged from this apostolic practice of circulating and reading them in each church (see Colossians 4:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:27, etc.)
The Church “Fathers”
Immediately after the time of the apostles, in the writings of the earliest church “fathers,” there is a collective recognition of the inspiration of all 27 books of the New Testament. Supporting their testimony are early translations, canonical lists at churches, and minutes of the proceedings of many church councils. Collectively, we are provided with an unbroken continuity of evidence from apostolic times forward in the early church, verified by writers quoting one another as “scripture” (1 Timothy 5:18, Jude 17, etc.), as well as all of them being quoted by an apostolic Father—those church leaders living within a generation of the apostles—as having divine authority. The point is, the New Testament books did not become “canon” because they were formally included on a canonical list (e.g., the Council of Nicaea, AD 325, the Council of Carthage, AD 397), they were included on the list because the church, guided by the Holy Spirit, had already long embraced them as divinely inspired.
Finally, with respect to the sometimes heard challenge of “translation errors” occurring over the years, resulting in the most recent version having morphed into something different from the originals, nothing could be further from the truth. While it’s true that we do have different “translations,” with some being more precise than others with respect to the exact words of the originals, and others being more “contemporary” or “paraphrased” in their style, the fact is that each translation has been made not from the previous one, but from the original documents—which we still have. One may still go to the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts we discussed earlier, for an exact copy.
Why did Jesus come?
The Bible teaches that man succumbed to the temptation of the devil in the Garden of Eden, so that “through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) In our fallen world, long separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:2), men of God had prophesied of a coming Savior—our only hope—One who would “destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8) Jesus taught His disciples that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:14-17) He came “to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10), and knew that His path would lead to the cross: “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” (John 12:32)
The fact is, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21) Then comes our part: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Why did Jesus have to die?
The Bible teaches that “all have sinned,” and that “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 3:23, 6:23) Adam brought the penalty of death upon himself and all of mankind when he ignored God’s warning in the Garden, and instead believed Satan’s lie. (Genesis 2:17, 3:4) Therefore, “through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation” (Romans 5:18), and the fact that everything that has ever lived in this world is now either dead or dying is the sad proof of it.
Our God is a loving and merciful God, who is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) But He is also a holy and righteous God, and by His own word, the penalty for sin must be paid. And so it is that the anguished cry from Jesus on the cross, foreshadowed in the first verse of Psalm 22, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is answered in verse 3, “But you are holy.” Only a love of infinite capacity, and only a life of infinite value—a perfect, sinless man—could pay the price for so many sinners. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) God permitted “Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
And so it was that “Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18) His death for our sins fulfilled an 8 century old prophecy (Isaiah 53): “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering…he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
Who killed Jesus?
The Bible teaches that all of us—all who have sinned—put Jesus on that cross. We have all been part of the greatest, most far reaching conspiracy of all time, and all of us are guilty. It wasn’t just the Jews.
To be sure, history records that Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi Himself, and was betrayed by one of His own followers to the chief priests and scribes—the established religious leadership of the day—who condemned Him to death at an illegal trial, delivered Him to the gentile authorities, and persuaded them to crucify Him. The world’s religious authorities, its government authorities, with all the people consenting, condemned Him to die.
And again, He knew it would happen: “Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.’” (Luke 18:31) Matthew describes it in detail: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.” (Matthew 20:18-19)
When the actual day arrived, it unfolded just as He said: “When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” (Matthew 27:1-2) The governor questioned Jesus, but found nothing worthy of death in Him: “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him…from then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out…” (John 19:4, 12) Finally, when the people themselves were given the opportunity to release Jesus, “The chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus…They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’” (Matthew 27:20) So it was that Pilate consented to Jesus’ death, but in an attempt to escape responsibility, “washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it. And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’” (Matthew 27:24-25)
Just before He died, He was able to utter three of the most important words in history: “It is finished.” (John 19:30) He died on the cross with all the world consenting to His death—even Himself. He certainly had the power to escape from it, but He chose to endure the cross for our sake—yours and mine. “Therefore my Father loves Me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:17-18)
What does His death mean for me?
In the larger sense, the cross powerfully demonstrates such a love for the world that Jesus would die to save it; and at the same time such a hatred of sin that He would die to remove it. Thus, grace and truth are brought together at the cross in a most remarkable way.
At the personal level, the cross of Christ brings this home to each of our hearts in a special way: “For God so loved—ME—that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That the God of the universe, Who created the galaxies, the planets, the earth and everything in it, and even now controls the enormous power that spins them through space, could look down on us and say that not even a single sparrow will fall to the ground on this planet without His notice is almost too much for us to comprehend. That He could then look at you and me personally and say that “the very hairs on your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29-30) only begins to give us a sense of the love that He has for each of us, a love expressed so powerfully on the cross. And the enormous suffering that Jesus endured—how it must have wrenched the heart of the Father—confirms for us that there could be no other way to accomplish redemption. So it is that He could say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
And it is “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9) for “to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4-5) The fact that there is nothing we can do—that we are lost on our own, and could never be good enough to achieve salvation—makes His perfect life as well as His perfect sacrifice all the more precious. “Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2) so that we, “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12-13) might be saved.
What is my responsibility as a Christian?
This movie gives us a unique opportunity to simply “preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-24) Remember that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
