The Attestation of Scripture

The Bible is a book considered an enigma to the world. Thousands of words that span thousands of years, one central message to every man. It sounds good and stirs our hearts, however is it true? Did it actually happen? Is what is written in the Bible a part of reality?

The Bible is not simply one book, but a collection of sixty-six books. Plenty of people would attribute the Bible as nothing special, but just an extraordinary piece of literature that had a great impact upon civilization and history. The main issue plenty of people have with the Bible is the claim for historical and scientific reliability. Many would claim that the Bible is great when it mentions the Spiritual portions, but is completely wrong  when it mentions anything scientific or historical 

How historically reliable are the Scriptures? Is there any mention of the validity of the Bible mentioned in the writings of history? Absolutely there is. I have listed several examples from antiquity about two portions of Scripture under attack constantly: the first eleven chapters of Genesis and the Historic Jesus.

The Story of the Beginning and Archaeology

The Sumerian Kings List

In the book of Genesis, the account of the history of the beginnings is presented. Within the first eleven chapters, mankind is presented as living for an extraordinary amount of time as compared to this day and age. 

And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

Genesis 5:5

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And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

Genesis 5:27

Until after the worldwide flood, and then the highest age you see mankind reach is around one hundred and twenty years. The Sumerian Kings List dating to 2100 B.C. lists dozens of kings. Of the first kings mentioned, they are documented to have lived for thousands of years. However after the first eight, it is said, “Then the flood swept over.” After that the list continues to list kings, yet their age, though still very long, are significantly shorter. Exaggeration is plainly seen from the author, however there is attestation to the worldwide flood that occurred in Genesis 6-8.

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Perhaps one of the most famous myths ever discovered, the Epic of Gilgamesh provides The Epic of Gilgamesh dates from  around the same time as the Sumerian Kings List in 2100 B.C. This could be described as the Babylonian alternative to the historical account in Genesis. See some of the parallels: Utnapishtim, the chosen individual, is commanded to build a boat and seal it with bitumen; then, animals were to come on board. The boat is described to be in the shape of a cube rather than an ark. A dove is released at the cessation of the Flood, as well as a raven. Utnapishtum then exits the boat and offers a sacrifice.

Imagine that after the Flood subsides in Genesis 8, that as the family of Noah leave the ark and begin to repopulate the earth, the farther the families travel both in time and distance, the farther they get from the Truth of what actually happened. It is like the telephone game where from one family to the next over time, the true historical account got distorted with other embellished details. This example is found all over ancient cultures and their beliefs. For there are over three hundred ancient Flood stories from all over the world giving testimony to its great impact upon humanity.

Historical Accounts of Jesus Outside of the New Testament

As influential and controversial of a man that Jesus was in His day, it would be expected for there to be more spoken of Him than just the New Testament. There are multiple accounts of historical attestation to Jesus and the New Testament.

Josephus

Josephus, a Jewish historian and general, who lived around the time of Jesus and the Apostles, wrote about Jesus, saying:

'Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.*

Pliny the Younger

Pliny the Younger was a governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor and was asking emperor Trajan of how he should treat the Christians. Speaking of the Christians in the early second century A.D. he says,

“..they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to do any wicked deeds…”

The Babylonian Talmud

The Babylonian Talmud is simply writings from the Rabbis. It is mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud of the crucifixion of Jesus.

  “It has been taught: On the eve of Passover they hanged Yeshu… But, not having found anything in his favor, they hanged him on the eve of Passover.”

Though this is not an exhaustive list of the many examples of the historical reliability from outside of the Scripture, it is evidence of important portions of the Scripture that are scrutinized today. We pray that this will aid your own study and build your confidence in the Absolute Truth of God’s Word and what He has done.

Unto His Glory,

Nicholas A. Gilbert

*The quotes mentioned in this article are taken from "The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict" compiled by Josh McDowell pg.122-125