Is the bible Gods word?

[dunsapy]

This can be a large topic, because there are many ways to check the bible. From archeology, science, creation, history , prophesies, and what the bible says about itself.( is it full of contradictions?) etc. I certainly don't know everything. And some things are not fully explained in the bible ( or certain usage of words or meanings have been forgotten over time) . But there certainly is enough information to know if the bible is Gods word or not.

[dunsapy]

Here is one on archeology. Historians have long thought that the city of Ur, mentioned in the bible with Abraham, did not exist. But in 1922 to 34 British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley confirmed the city was there.
The Bible informs us that Abraham (then called Abram) was raised in “Ur of the Chaldeans.� (Gen. 11:27, 28) Is this a legendary site? What have the picks and shovels of the archaeologists revealed? As early as 1854, J. E. Taylor tentatively identified Ur with Tell el-Muqayyar (“Mound of Bitumen�), just a few miles west of the Euphrates. In 1869, French Orientalist Jules Oppert gave a report at the Collège de France, in Paris, definitely identifying the site with Ur, on the basis of cuneiform-inscribed clay cylinders found there by Taylor. Then, much later, from 1922 to 1934, British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley not only confirmed this identification but also discovered that the Ur left by Abraham was a flourishing and highly civilized city with comfortable houses and a huge temple tower, or ziggurat, dedicated to the worship of the moon-god Nanna, or Sin.
The point of this, is to show the bible is accurate.

[McCulloch]

The purpose of this subforum is to have a place to freely engage in debates on Christian theology with the basic assumption that the Bible can be used as a primary reference without the need to defend its authority. Responses to topics with "but first you have to prove that the Bible is true" is not allowed here.

You seem to wish to debate the question, "Is the bible Gods word?" in a forum where the truth of the Bible is assumed. It seems to me to be an odd debate.

That aside, here are a couple of points:

1. Is there anything in the Bible which would lead the original readers of the various documents that those documents were in any way special, at some time to be collected together and called a holy book? If you cannot answer this question in the affirmative, then you have no basis to discuss the Bible as a whole entity.
2. Are there any places where the writers of the Bible claim that the Bible is the Word of God?

[McCulloch]

Here is one on archeology. Historians have long thought that the city of Ur, mentioned in the bible with Abraham, did not exist[...]
The point of this, is to show the bible is accurate.

This shows that one detail of one book of the Bible is accurate in contrast to certain scholars who at one time thought otherwise. Since we are in a forum where the validity of the Bible is not to be questioned, this hardly seems to be a relevant point.

There are lots of writings with some accurate information. Most of them are not considered to be of divine origin. You might be better showing that there are no inaccuracies in the Bible. You will find that proving a negative is a difficult task, just ask any atheist who has been asked to prove that there is no God.

[dunsapy]

You seem to wish to debate the question, "Is the bible Gods word?" in a forum where the truth of the Bible is assumed. It seems to me to be an odd debate.

Still I don't know if that really matters, except that I do think the bible should be able to stand on it's own. People can still put it to test.

[dunsapy]

1. Is there anything in the Bible which would lead the original readers of the various documents that those documents were in any way special, at some time to be collected together and called a holy book? If you cannot answer this question in the affirmative, then you have no basis to discuss the Bible as a whole entity.
2. Are there any places where the writers of the Bible claim that the Bible is the Word of God?

The English word “Bible� comes through the Latin from the Greek word bi‧bli′a, meaning “little books.� This, in turn, is derived from bi′blos, a word that describes the inner part of the papyrus plant out of which a primitive form of paper was made. The Phoenician city of Gebal, famous for its papyrus papermaking, was called by the Greeks “Byblos.� (See Jos 13:5, ftn.) In time bi‧bli′a came to describe various writings, scrolls, books, and eventually the collection of little books that make up the Bible. Jerome called this collection Bibliotheca Divina, the Divine Library.
Jesus and writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures referred to the collection of sacred writings as “the Scriptures,� or “the holy Scriptures,� “the holy writings.� (Mt 21:42; Mr 14:49; Lu 24:32; Joh 5:39; Ac 18:24; Ro 1:2; 15:4; 2Ti 3:15, 16) The collection is the written expression of a communicating God, the Word of God, and this is acknowledged in phrases such as “expression of Jehovah’s mouth� (De 8:3), “sayings of Jehovah� (Jos 24:27), “commandments of Jehovah� (Ezr 7:11), “law of Jehovah,� “reminder of Jehovah,� “orders from Jehovah� (Ps 19:7, 8), “word of Jehovah� (Isa 38:4), ‘utterance of Jehovah’ (Mt 4:4), “Jehovah’s word� (1Th 4:15). Repeatedly these writings are spoken of as “sacred pronouncements of God.�—Ro 3:2; Ac 7:38; Heb 5:12; 1Pe 4:11.
So these writings were collected and used as the writings from God , even the apostles and Jesus acknowledged, them and used them.


2Tim 3:14 You, however, continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe, knowing from what persons you learned them 15 and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

[dunsapy]

There are lots of writings with some accurate information. Most of them are not considered to be of divine origin. You might be better showing that there are no inaccuracies in the Bible. You will find that proving a negative is a difficult task, just ask any atheist who has been asked to prove that there is no God.

The difference of course, is that there is a God. He should have a hard time.
I just wanted to show that there are many ways to show that the bible is accurate.
You started out with some good questions.
I'm sure there will be more. Maybe some I can't answer, but maybe some I can.

[bernee51]

1. Is there anything in the Bible which would lead the original readers of the various documents that those documents were in any way special, at some time to be collected together and called a holy book? If you cannot answer this question in the affirmative, then you have no basis to discuss the Bible as a whole entity.
2. Are there any places where the writers of the Bible claim that the Bible is the Word of God?

The English word “Bible� comes through the Latin from the Greek word bi‧bli′a, meaning “little books.� This, in turn, is derived from bi′blos, a word that describes the inner part of the papyrus plant out of which a primitive form of paper was made. The Phoenician city of Gebal, famous for its papyrus papermaking, was called by the Greeks “Byblos.� (See Jos 13:5, ftn.) In time bi‧bli′a came to describe various writings, scrolls, books, and eventually the collection of little books that make up the Bible. Jerome called this collection Bibliotheca Divina, the Divine Library.
Jesus and writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures referred to the collection of sacred writings as “the Scriptures,� or “the holy Scriptures,� “the holy writings.� (Mt 21:42; Mr 14:49; Lu 24:32; Joh 5:39; Ac 18:24; Ro 1:2; 15:4; 2Ti 3:15, 16) The collection is the written expression of a communicating God, the Word of God, and this is acknowledged in phrases such as “expression of Jehovah’s mouth� (De 8:3), “sayings of Jehovah� (Jos 24:27), “commandments of Jehovah� (Ezr 7:11), “law of Jehovah,� “reminder of Jehovah,� “orders from Jehovah� (Ps 19:7, 8), “word of Jehovah� (Isa 38:4), ‘utterance of Jehovah’ (Mt 4:4), “Jehovah’s word� (1Th 4:15). Repeatedly these writings are spoken of as “sacred pronouncements of God.�—Ro 3:2; Ac 7:38; Heb 5:12; 1Pe 4:11.
So these writings were collected and used as the writings from God , even the apostles and Jesus acknowledged, them and used them.


2Tim 3:14 You, however, continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe, knowing from what persons you learned them 15 and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

So wading through this essentially you are saying that the bible is 'sacred', the 'word of god' because characters in this collection of stories, i.e. the book itself, says it is.

Is that correct?

[dunsapy]

So wading through this essentially you are saying that the bible is 'sacred', the 'word of god' because characters in this collection of stories, i.e. the book itself, says it is.

Is that correct?

I was asked about the writers, and if the writings were considered from God. I answered that. That alone does not make them from God, I'm sure others have claimed the same thing.
That is why I include other sources like archeology, historians , prophecy and what the bible says. What I mean by that is, that the bible has a theme, and this theme is carried through the bible starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation. This theme is about sovereignty, or God's governemnt. ( who has the right to rule Satan or God.) Man's salvation is part of this. But the bible is really about government.
At the same time the bible does claim it is inspired by God, so that also is part of the truth of the bible.

[dunsapy]

Prophecies are an other way to show that the bible is from God.
Here is one about Babylon.
Now, Hezekiah is receiving a delegation from Merodach-baladan, king of Babylon. On the surface, the ambassadors are there to congratulate Hezekiah on his recovery from a severe illness. Likely, though, Merodach-baladan sees Hezekiah as a possible ally against the world power of Assyria. Hezekiah does nothing to dispel such an idea when he shows the visiting Babylonians all the wealth of his house and dominion. Perhaps he, too, wants allies against a possible return of the Assyrians.—Isaiah 39:1, 2.
Isaiah is the outstanding prophet of that time, and he quickly discerns Hezekiah’s indiscretion. He knows that Hezekiah’s surest defense is Jehovah, not Babylon, and tells him that his act of showing the Babylonians his wealth will lead to tragedy. “Days are coming,� says Isaiah, “and all that is in your own house and that your forefathers have stored up down to this day will actually be carried to Babylon.� Jehovah decreed: “Nothing will be left.�—Isaiah 39:5, 6.
Now back in the eighth century B.C.E., it may have seemed unlikely for that prophecy to be fulfilled. One hundred years later, however, the situation changed. Babylon replaced Assyria as the dominant world power, while Judah became so degraded, religiously speaking, that God withdrew his blessing. Now, another prophet, Jeremiah, was inspired to repeat Isaiah’s warning. Jeremiah proclaimed: “I will bring [the Babylonians] against this land and against its inhabitants . . . And all this land must become a devastated place, an object of astonishment, and these nations will have to serve the king of Babylon seventy years.�—Jeremiah 25:9, 11.
About four years after Jeremiah uttered that prophecy, the Babylonians made Judah part of their empire. Three years after that, they took some Jewish captives, along with some of the wealth of the temple at Jerusalem, to Babylon. Eight years later, Judah revolted and was again invaded by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. This time, the city and its temple were destroyed. All its wealth, and the Jews themselves, were carried off to distant Babylon, just as Isaiah and Jeremiah had foretold.—2 Chronicles 36:6, 7, 12, 13, 17-21.


The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land notes that when the Babylonian onslaught was over, “the destruction of the city [Jerusalem] was a total one.�
Archaeologist W. F. Albright states: “Excavation and surface exploration in Judah have proved that the towns of Judah were not only completely destroyed by the Chaldeans in their two invasions, but were not reoccupied for generations—often never again in history.�
Thus, archaeology confirms the shocking fulfillment of this prophecy.