Lesson Ten: The Bible & Archaeology

1. Lesson Ten: The Bible & Archaeology From Wayne Jackson’s book

2. The Bible & Archaeology • Introduction • Thrilling discoveries have been made that draw attention to the sacred writings in the Bible • Archaeology is a study of the ancient. • Investigating ancient sites, buildings, tools and other objects, as a way of learning about man’s history.

3. The Bible & Archaeology • The Vast Range of Evidence • A number of dramatic archaeological discoveries have been made since the early 1800’s. • Estimated 5,000 possible sites for excavation exist in Palestine alone; less than 200 have been explored • Of several hundred thousand tablets discovered & in museums, only about 10% have been translated

4. The Bible & Archaeology • The Vast Range of Evidence • The importance of archaeological study is manifold • It has aided in locating many Biblical locations • It has thrown a floodlight on the customs of the Biblical world, thus illuminating many Scripture texts • It has helped to clarify the meanings of many of the Biblical words by comparing their use in ancient documents • It has helped with establishing Biblical chronology and the relationship of the Scriptures to secular history • It has enhanced our confidence in the accuracy of the Biblical records, supporting their claims of Divine inspiration

5. The Bible & Archaeology • Some Important Discoveries • In 1843, Paul Botta (French explorer) discovered Khorsabad (in Assyria) • Palace of Sargon II (conqueror of Samaria & destroyer of the kingdom of Israel) was uncovered (25 acres) • In 1845, Henry Layard (English archaeologist) uncovered Nineveh • Walls were 32 feet thick & 76 feet high • Remains of Ashurbanipal’s library were found (the grandson of Sennacherib, mentioned in 2 Kgs. 18 & Isa. 36) • Library contained fragments of 26,000 tablets, including historic, scientific & religious literature

6. The Bible & Archaeology • Some Important Discoveries • Btwn 1925-1931, about 20,000 tablets exhumed in northern Iraq (at Nuzi) • Babylonian documents provided information about the culture in 15th-14th centuries B.C. • Greatly support the historicity of the patriarchal period in Genesis • Btwn 1933-1960, about 20,000 clay tablets were discovered in southeast Syria (at Mari) • Date to the 18th century B.C., and are in a Semitic dialect that is “virtually identical” to that spoken by the Hebrew patriarchs

7. The Bible & Archaeology • Some Important Discoveries • In 1947, some 500 documents were found west of the Dead Sea (collection known as Dead Sea Scrolls) • Contain both Biblical & non-biblical writings • About 100 of the scrolls are OT books, written in Hebrew • At least portions of all OT books (except Esther) • One of the most significant archaeological discoveries ever • It pushed our knowledge of the OT text back about 1,000 years earlier than copies previously possessed • Established how very accurately the sacred Scriptures had been transmitted across the centuries

8. The Bible & Archaeology • Some Important Discoveries • Since 1929, intermittent excavations at RasShamra (on the Syrian coast opposite Cyprus) • Several hundred texts were uncovered which shed amazing light on the Canaanite religion in 15th-14th centuries B.C. • Important because claims were made before this discovery that Israel’s religion was borrowed from the Canaanites • A study of these texts demonstrated that to be utterly false and not even close

9. The Bible & Archaeology • Chronology • Has helped to correlate Bible events with secular history, establishing the historical context of certain Biblical records • Example: Paul in Corinth • Acts 18:12 says, “When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews [in Corinth] with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat.” • In 1880s, in the city of Delphi (northern side of Gulf of Corinth), an inscription was discovered that mentions Gallio (with is official title, “proconsul”), and dates the time of his administration • Thus, we can say Paul arrived in Corinth about Dec. of AD 49

10. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • If the Bible is the inspired Word of God, one has every right to expect it to be accurate in its historical information. • Down through the years, unfriendly critics have been quick and sharp in criticizing the sacred narrative, alleging that the Bible is characterized by historical blunders. • The patient work of archaeologists has helped to quiet some of these critics.

11. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • Camels – domesticated animals in Egypt • When Abraham sojourned in Egypt, he was given camels by the ruling Pharaoh (Gen. 12:16) • Camels are mentioned as some of the victims among the livestock that died in the fifth plague on Egypt (Ex. 9:3) • Critics of the Bible once referenced these as “obvious errors,” as there was no record of domesticated camels in Egypt until the 11th century B.C. • Then, archaeological studies found evidence that the camel was present in Egypt as early as 3,000 B.C., centuries before the time of Abraham. • The Bible was right all along!

12. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • Writing – known & practiced in early Bible history • The first mention of “writing” in the Bible is in Exodus 17:14, and numerous other references follow this one. • Critics of the Bible once charged that no alphabetic script existed in the days of Moses (in spite of the fact that Jesus referred to Moses’ “writings” in John 5:46-47). • T.K. Cheyne contended that the law (Tora) was not written until 1,000 years after Moses. • Then, archaeological studies found evidence of a Proto-Semitic alphabet in the Sinaitic Peninsula that date back centuries before Moses. • The Bible was right all along!

13. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • Israel’s King David – a real person in history • Critics of the Bible once chided the idea of an historical king named David • Then, archaeological studies found evidence confirming the Biblical narrative. David’s name was found near the city of Dan, on an inscription dating to the 9th century B.C. • The Bible was right all along!

14. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • Assyria’s King Sargon – a real person in history • Isaiah tells of King Sargon of Assyria sending his forces against Ashdod (a Philistine city in SW Palestine) (Isa. 20:1). • Prior to 1843, Sargon’s name was not found in any piece of ancient literature, except for Isaiah’s record. • Critics of the Bible charged Isaiah with an historical error • Then, archaeological studies found Sargon’s palace about 12 miles north of Nineveh. • The Bible was right all along!

15. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • The Book of Acts – an historically reliable document • Critics of the Bible once alleged that Acts was not a reliable document from the standpoint of history • Sir William Ramsay (1851-1939), a British scholar who set out to prove the unreliability of the book, became thoroughly convinced otherwise. After years of digging up the evidence in archaeological explorations, Ramsay became convinced that Acts was so remarkably accurate in its details, that the whole of it must be considered trustworthy.

16. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • The Book of Acts – an historically reliable document • In one of his famous books, Ramsay honestly admitted his earlier skepticism: • “I had read a good deal of modern criticism about the book, and dutifully accepted the current opinion that it was written during the second half of the second century by an author who wished to influence the minds of people in his own time by a highly wrought and imaginative description of the early Church. His object was not to present a trustworthy picture of facts in the period of about A.D. 50, but to produce a certain effect on his own time by setting forth a carefully coloured account of events and persons of that older period. He wrote for his contemporaries, not for truth.”

17. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • The Book of Acts – an historically reliable document • After much investigation, Ramsay continued: • “The present writer takes the view that Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness. At this point we are describing what reasons and arguments changed the mind of one who began under the impression that the history was written long after the events and that it was untrustworthy as a whole.”

18. The Bible & Archaeology • Historical Accuracy • The Book of Acts – an historically reliable document • J.B. Lightfoot (1828-1889) was one of the greatest scholars of his day. • “No ancient work affords so many tests of veracity; for no other has such numerous points of contact in all directions with contemporary history, politics, and topography, whether Jewish, Greek, or Roman.” • Luke records an abundance of details; this allows the careful student to check the ancient historian for credibility. • He mentions 32 countries, 54 cities & 9 Mediterranean islands. He alludes to 95 different people, 62 of which are not mentioned by any other NT writer. 27 of these are unbelievers, chiefly civil or military officials. And, each time, it stands the test! • The Bible was right all along!

19. The Bible & Archaeology • The Integrity of the Biblical Text • Do we really know that the text of our English Bible is essentially that of the original Hebrew & Greek manuscripts? • YES, indeed! And the science of archaeology is a witness.

20. The Bible & Archaeology • The Integrity of the Biblical Text • Robert Dick Wilson was a renowned Bible scholar who taught at Princeton. He was a master linguist (familiar with 45 languages), who spent 15 years carefully examining the Hebrew text of the OT, comparing it with inscriptions taken from the ancient monuments. • “It is my endeavor to show from the evidence of manuscripts, versions, and the inscriptions, that we are scientifically certain that we have substantially the same [Old Testament] text that was in the possession of Christ and the apostles and, so far as anybody knows, the same as that written by the original composers of the Old Testament documents.”

21. The Bible & Archaeology • The Integrity of the Biblical Text • The same sort of compelling evidence exists for the New Testament as well. • There are more than 5,000 Greek manuscripts (in part or in whole) of the NT text. • Some of these extend to nearly the first century. • There are some 10,000 ancient translations from the Greek into other languages. • Some of these reach back to 2nd & 3rd centuries A.D. • There are hundreds of quotations from the NT in the writings of the Greek and Latin fathers. • It has been said that the text of the NT could be reproduced almost entirely from these writings alone.

22. The Bible & Archaeology • The Integrity of the Biblical Text • In fact, it has been shown that there is much greater credibility for the New Testament (in existence for 19 centuries) than there is for the writings of William Shakespeare (produced just four centuries ago).

23. The Bible & Archaeology • Conclusion • Though many archaeologists are far from being conscientious Bible believers, they have, nonetheless unwittingly assisted in enhancing our understanding of, and confidence in, the Holy Scriptures as the inspired Word of God.