Historical Accuracy

The Bible contains the most accurate ancient history of any book in existence. The book A Lawyer Examines The Bible highlights its historical accuracy this way: " While romances, legends and false testimony are careful to place the events related in some distant place and some indefinite time, thereby violating the first rules we lawyers learn of good pleading, that 'the declaration must give time and place,' the Bible narratives give us the date and place of the things related with the utmost precision."

The New Bible Dictionary comments: "[The writer of Acts] sets his narrative in the framework of contemporary history; his pages are full of references to city magistrates, provincial governors, client kings, and the like, and these references time after time prove to be just right for the place and time in question."

Writing in The Union Bible Companion S. Austin Allibone says: " Sir Isaac Newton... was also eminent as a critic of ancient writings, and examined with great care the Holy Scriptures. What is his verdict on this point? 'I find, says he, 'more sure marks of authenticity in the New Testament than in any profane [secular] history whatever.' Dr. Johnson says that we have more evidence that Jesus Christ died on Calvary, as stated in the Gospels, than we have that Julius Caesar died in the Capitol. We have indeed, far more.

This source adds: " Ask anyone who professes to doubt the truth of the Gospel history what reason he has for believing that Caesar died in the Capitol, or that the Emperor Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the West by Pope Leo III. In 800? ....How do you know that such a man as Charles I. [Of England] ever lived, and was beheaded, and that Oliver Cromwell became ruler is his stead? .... Sir Isaac Newton is credited with the discovery of the law of gravitation...We believe all the assertions just made respecting these men; and that because we have historical evidence of their truth...If, on the production of such proof as this, any still refuse to believe, we abandon them as stupidly perverse or hopelessly ignorant."

Then this source concludes: "What shall we say, then, of those who, notwithstanding the abundant evidence now produced of the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures, profess themselves unconvinced?.... Surely we have reason to conclude that it is the heart rather than the head which is at fault; - that they do no wish to believe that which humbles their pride, and will force them to lead different lives."


Continued- Next time: Internal Harmony And Candor