How We Know the Bible Is Historically Accurate, # 1

1.) The closeness of the original writing to the oldest extant text
(the bibliographical test).

For example :   Aristotle lived from 384-322 BC but the earliest copy of his writings
date from 1,100 AD (a 1,400 years span).

Tacitus wrote around 100 AD, but the earliest copy of his writings date from 1,100 A.D
(a 1,100 year span)

Plato lived from 427-347 BC, but the earliest copy of his writings dates from 900 AD
(a 1,200 year span)

Aristophenes lived from 460-385 BC, but the earliest copy of his writings
dated from 900 AD (a 1,200 year span)


Biblical Manuscript, however, dates from as early as 80 years
from the Original manuscripts.


For example, the Gospel Mark was written around 48 AD
The oldest manuscript of Mark dates from 130 AD

The John Ryland Papyrus dates from 125 AD,
The Chester Beatty Papyri dates from 200 AD,
The Bodmer PapyrusII dates from 150-200 AD,

The Codex Sinaiticus dates from 350 AD,
The codex Alexandrinus dates from 400 AD,
The Codex Bezae dates from 450 AD,
The Codex Valicanus dates from 325-350 AD





2.) The Number of Surviving Manuscripts:

Author Number of Surviving Manuscripts

Caesar ----------------------------------------> 10
Plato ------------------------------------------> 7
Tacitus ----------------------------------------> 20
Sophocles -------------------------------------> 193
Suetonius -------------------------------------> 8
Herodotus ------------------------------------> 8
Thucydides -----------------------------------> 8
Aristotle --------------------------------------> 49
Aristophenes ---------------------------------> 10
The New Testament ------------------------->5,000


Now I think that is Amazing! Don't You?


* * * Check out Historically Accurate, # 2 * * *

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