His divine power has given us everything we need for life and Godliness through our knowledge of Him who
called us by His own glory and goodness.
2 Peter 1:3
• 1st Chapter: Holiness• 2nd Chapter: Heresy• 3rd Chapter: Hope
Outline of 2nd Peter
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when
we were with Him on the sacred mountain.
2 Peter 1:16-18
And we have the words of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the
morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had
its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:19-21
How do you know you can trust the Bible?
1. Scripture is not just cleverly-invented stories (v.16)
Peter’s Claims
“We did not follow cleverly invented stories...”
2 Peter 1:16
ou gar
1. Scripture is not just cleverly-invented stories (v.16)
2. Scripture is not just somebody’s interpretation of what they think God said (v.20)
Peter’s Claims
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own
interpretation.
2 Peter 1:20
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1. Scripture is not just cleverly-invented stories (v.16)
2. Scripture is not just somebody’s interpretation of what they think God said (v.20)
3. Scripture is God’s word, unchanged, speaking directly to people through people (v.21)
Peter’s Claims
Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried
along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:21
“God said…”
• Quiet whispers• Music• Words and actions of others• Audible voice• Scripture
How God Speaks
• Kings• Peasants• Philosophers• Fishermen• Poets• Statesmen• A doctor• Scholars
Who Wrote the Bible?
We believe the Bible was written by people who were providentially prepared by God, motivated and superintended by the Holy Spirit, who spoke
and wrote according to their own personalities and circumstances in such a way that their words are
the very Word of God.
No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God
as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:20-21
Verbal plenary inspiration
No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God
as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:20-21
• It would be widely distributed so man could attain it easily• It would be preserved through time without corruption• It would be completely accurate historically• It would not be prone to scientific error or false beliefs held
by the people of that time• It would present true, unified answers to the difficult
questions of life.
If God created man with a desire to know Him, we would expect His message to have some unique properties:
Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict
The Bible stands alone as the only religious text that can claim it meets all the criteria.
Josh McDowellEvidence that Demands a Verdict
1. Widely Distributed so Man Could Obtain it Easily
Bible has sold morethan 7.6 billion copies >
The beauty of the Gospelis the message, not the medium.
1. Widely Distributed so Man Could Obtain it Easily
2. Preserved Through Time Without Corruption
2. Preserved Through Time Without Corruption
• Most of Shakespeare’s plays, written only 400 years ago, are in much worse shape than the copies of the Old Testament that are over 1500 years old
• We have over 14,000 copies of the New Testament, some of which were written no later than 100 years after the original books and letters.
…but how accurate?
1. Spiritual2. Physical
Spiritually Accurate?
The truthfulness of the Bible is inextricably tied to the character of God Himself.
Physically Accurate?
• Oldest copy of the Old Testament is 1500 years old
Physically Accurate?After Moses finished writing in a book the words of
this law from beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of
the Lord: “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord, your God.
There it will remain.”
Deuteronomy 31:24-26
How the Bible was Copied• The copyist had to sit in full Jewish dress and wash his
whole body• The length of each column couldn’t be less than 48 or
more than 80 lines, 30 letters across• Between every consonant the space of a hair or thread
must intervene, between every book, three lines• The number of words on a page could not be changed
(if original had 288, page being copied had to have same)
How the Bible was Copied• Each line on a new page had to be the exact same as
the line on the old page (if line on old had 9 words, so must new)• After a page was copied, the number of letters on that
page was counted and compared with the original• After a page was copied, someone would check to see
what the middle letter was on the copy and the original• No word or letter could be written from memory
How the Bible was Copied• Scribes were not allowed to copy sentence for sentence
or even word for word – must be letter for letter• After a page was copied and double-checked, a third
person would check to see what the middle word was on the page• Finally, when the whole book was finished, another
person would count the phrases• Any errors at all, the manuscript would be destroyed
and scribes would start all over
10 > Plato, Sophocles,Homer, Caesar Augustus(made 1,000+ years after
original)
Physically Accurate?
1947Physically Accurate?
Dead Sea Scrolls
Physically Accurate?• Only variations were in spelling (like “honor” =
“honour”) or stylistic changes, like adding a conjunction• 14,000 copies of New Testament• Some written no later than 100 years after original• Comparing ancient copies of Scripture, less than 1% of
variations have anything to do with a passage teaching doctrine, no doctrine is affected by any of the variations• No other antique document even begins to approach
such numbers
Heaven and earth will pass away,but My words will by no means pass away.
Matthew 24:35
Three Questions
1. Do I treat Scripture as if it really is the Word of God?
2. Am I allowing God ample opportunity to speak to me?
3. Am I allowing Scripture to be a light to my dark path?