Is The Bible Historically Accurate?

Have you ever wondered if belief in the Bible’s stories may be just believing in myths and legends? Many young fathers and husbands I’ve helped, soon or later, are challenged with accusations that the Old and New Testaments are not historically accurate.  Building your life upon the Bible, some will say, is like building your life on fairy tales.  Usually, these challengers know little about history or the Bible or science, but their confident assertions can be unnerving.   

It is true that Bible writers sometimes used compressed symbolic and poetic language to express events that did in fact happen.  The ancient world had no trouble with this style of writing since paper and ink were scarce and poetry was a common technique.  Symbols could be used to express complex ideas where the idea is more important than historical details of the specific event. But it is rarely done, and it is not prima facia evidence they were making things up out of whole cloth.  Like any good writer, Biblical authors focused their attention on details of the history necessary to develop their overall argument. 

There are literally thousands of scholarly works that identify archeological data from broken pottery, tomb carvings and writings, written king lists, engravings on walls, obelisks and steles (flat or tapering stones engraved with historical data), and texts from countries all over the ancient world.   Archeologists the world over use the Bible’s descriptions of ancient cities in their digs because it is the best source of information on the layout of ancient cities in the Middle East.  The Bible’s historical reliability is really not in question.

Old Testament Consistent with Ancient Historical Data

Bible statements consistent with archeological data

1. Genesis 1:2, 6, 9 state that the surface of the earth was covered completely with water. In 2 Peter 3:5 it says that the earth was made “out of water and by water.” Geologists believed until recently that the earth’s surface was covered with molten rock and the oceans came about by countless comet collisions with the earth later on. Now geologists acknowledge that the earth was a water world from its earliest formation 3 billion years ago
2. In Genesis 36:31, it says that the Edomites had a strong civilization before the Israelite kingdom. Archaeological digs at Edomites cities Timna and Faynan found advanced copper mining dating to 300 years earlier than previously thought by historians that confirmed the Bible timeline
3. Jeremiah 47:4 and Amos 9:7 connect the Philistines with the Minoan civilization on Crete (Biblical name “Caphtor”) which means they would have European ancestry. DNA records from burial sites at the Philistine city of Ashkelon showed this to be true.
4. The destruction of the Israelite city of Lachish by the Assyrian King Sennacharib in 701 BC described in 2 Kings 18:13, 17, 2 Chronicles 32:9 and Isaiah 36:2, 37:8 is confirmed by an Assyrian relief discovered in 1845 that depicts the battle of Lachish thats 40 inches wide by 17 inches tall (recently on display at the British Museum). And at the Tel-Lachish archaeological site a 250 foot long by 200 foot wide ramp using 20,000 field stones was unearthed.
5. In 2 Kings 25:27-30, the Bible states that King Jehoiachin at at the Babylonian Kings table. Food ration tablets where discovered by archaeologists for Jehoiachin and his family among Babylonian artifacts.
6. The Bible gives the equivalent date of 539 BC for the Persian conquest over Babylon which is the correct date.

Bible People and Places Confirmed by Archaeology

1. The Bible states that Sargon II was the conqueror of Samaria. This was thought by historians as in error because no Assyrian King list mentioned Sargon II and the Bible was ridiculed as making up history. Then a 19th century French archaeologist discovered at palace 40 miles north of Nineveh with a front gate that read: “Sargon II Conqueror of Samaria.” Sargon usurped power when Shalmanezer V died and later was scrubbed from Assyrian texts.
2. Aramean papyri that has been recently discovered confirms the existence of Sanballat I of Samaria. In the tombs of Iraq-al-Amir an inscription was found of Tobiah of Ammon, and on a pottery bowl discovered in Arabia had an inscription of Gashmu (Biblical “Geshem”). All of these people are mentioned in Nehemiah 6
3. Luke 24:13-34 mentions the town of Emmaus which was not until recently identified outside the Bible. In 2013 archaeologist and Bible critic Israel Finkelstein discovered a site at Kiriath Yearim mentioned in 1 Samuel 7:1-2, 1 Chronicles 13:5-6 and 2 Chronicles 1:4. It now has been positively identified with the town of Emmaus and is exactly 7 miles from Jerusalem just as Luke says.
4. The town of Chorazin mentioned in Matthew 11:21-23 and Luke 10:13-15 though not mentioned in extra-Biblical sources was recently discovered in a dig to have a population as big as Capernaum.
5. The town of Nazareth was considered fictitious until 60 years ago. Not even Jewish historian Josephus (a.d. 37-100) who mentions 45 cities in Galilee records the name of the town. In 1961 a mosaic inscription of Nazareth was dug up at Caesarea Maritima and in 2009 dug up a house at a location now acknowledged to be Nazareth.
6. The Well near Mr Geriaim in Samaria mentioned in John 4:4, 11, 19-20 is now accepted by all authorities to be genuine located exactly where the Bible states.
7. The Pool of Bethesda mentioned in John 5:2 was thought to be purely legendary until a 19th Century archaeological dig discovered a structure holding 5 porticos the Bible mentions.
8. Ritual Water jars that John 2:1-11 mentions were water was turned into wine were found in digs.

Even Pre-Flood Concepts Reflected in Archaeology

1. In Genesis 5 list decendents of Adam living over 900 years. King lists of Sumer, the most ancient culture we know of, mentions King En-me-bara-gisc as living 900 years. The age of this king is not credible but that he live is verified, and it does reflect in other cultures a tradition of belief in exceptionally long life.
2. The Noaic flood of Genesis 6-9 thought for much of history as fictional is now acknowledged as having some basis in fact. Though most scholars deny a “universal” flood, some king of flood catastrophe is acknowledged because of the fact that nearly every culture on earth has a flood story in their history. Also, whole villages have been found at the bottom of the Black Sea.

Cultural Context of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Though many scholars doubt the actual existence of Abraham (through Judaism, Christianity and Islam base much of their religious practice on him), the cultural context of the Bible presents is verified.

1. Large cattle and sheep flocks tended by nomads existed in this period from Ur to Egypt.
2. The Mari texts mention the city of Harah where Abraham is said to have lived.
3. Cities states like Shechem, (Jeru)Salem, and Gerar are mentioned in Egyptian “Execration Texts.”
4. The City-states war mentioned in Genesis 14: Mari texts list Elam as having its farthest westward expansion during this period consistent with the Bible.
5. The 20 shekels Joseph is sold for is consistent with the price of the time.
6. The practice of reading dreams in Egyptian sources of the time is consistent with Genesis 41.

The Exodus: Historical Support

1. Israelites leave Egypt but do not go north toward Palestine but south away from it says Exodus 13:17-18 to avoid engaging in battle immediately. Archaeology confirms that at that time the north route from Egypt to Palestine was filled with Egyptian military strongholds.
2. The Sinai Covenant laid out in Deuteronomy with its historical instruction, identified witnesses, blessings and curses follows the known format for 14th – 13th century BC.
3. The tented tabernacle for worship was in long use in many cultures between 2800-1000 BC.
4. Pharaoh Merenptah stele reference: Tribal Israel in Palestine by 1209 BC.

Reign of Israelite Kings Consistent With Extra-Biblical Sources

1. Aramean stele in Dan and the stele of King Mesha of Moab mention the reign of David.
2. Geographical list found of Pharaoh Shoshenq (Biblical “Shishak”) lists location “Height of David” dated 924 BC just 50 years after David’s death.
3. Assyrian texts of Shalmaneser III mentions Israelite Kings Ahab and Jehu (1 Kings 16 and 2 Kings 13). Other Assyrian lists mention Jehoash (2 Kings 18), Meahem (2 Kings 15) Pekah (2 Kings 15) and Hoshea (2 Kings 17). Also they mention Kings of Judah as well: Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13), Hezekiah (2 Kings 18) and Manasseh (2 Kings 21).
4. Stele of Mesha of Moab mentions Israelite Kings Omri (1 Kings 16) and Ahab (I Kings 16).

Bible Accurately Record Other Country’s Kings

Egyptian kings recorded in the bible in Correct Chronological order

1. Shoshenq (Biblical “Shishak”)
2. Osorkah (Biblical “So”)
3. Taharqa (Biblical “Tirhakah”)
4. Necho
5. Hophra

Assyrian kings Recorded in the Bible in Correct Chronological Order

1. Tiglathpelezer III
2. Shalmaneser V
3. Sargon II (denied for centuries by other historians to even exist!)
4. Sennacherib
5. Esarhadden

Babylonian Kings recorded in the bible in correct chronological order

1. Merodach-baladan II
2. Nebuchadnezer II
3. Evil-Merodach

Bible Dates of events Consistent with Assyrian and Babylonian chronicles

The Bible places the fall of Samaria in 722 BC and the fall of Jerusalem in 605-597 BC. Both of these dates are confirmed in Assyrian and Babylonian texts.

Old Testament Manuscript Evidence Overwhelming

Dead Sea Scrolls

Between 800 and 900 manuscripts discovered in 1947 and were dated at 100 BC, one thousand years earlier than our earliest manuscripts at the time. The Dead Sea scrolls were nearly identical to the copies we had possessed at the time with only a few spelling changes and a few word changes that developed over the centuries.

Compare New Testament to manuscript Evidence of other Famous works

1. Julius Caesar’s Galic Wars (100-44 BC): earliest copy-900 a.d., one thousand years removed from original, number of copies-10.
2. Platos works (427-342 BC): earliest copy-900 a.d., twelve hundred years removed from original, number of copies-7.
3. Tacitas’ Annals (100 a.d.) earliest copy 1100 a.d., 1000 years removed from original, number of copies-20.
4. Aristotles works (384-322 BC): earliest copy-1100 a.d., 1400 years removed from original, number of copies of any one work-5.
5. Compare New Testament: (50-90 a.d.) earliest copy fragments: papri dated to 53 a.d. and full copies dated to 120 a.d. 3-30 years removed from original, number of copies-over 5,000 Greek manuscripts between 120-325 a.d., 8000 Latin Manuscripts dating to as early as 383 a.d. Additionally the entire New Testament (32,000 citations) is contained in writings of the early church fathers before 325 a.d.

Life of Jesus Established Beyond Doubt

1. Jewish historian Josephus mentions the life of the “miracle worker Jesus” in Antiquities (93 a.d.) and mentions the execution of James “the brother of Jesus who is the Messiah.”
2. Roman historian Tacitus describes the crucifixion of the “criminal Christus” in Annals (117 a.d.) during the reign of Tiberius Caesar and the governorship of Pilate. Also mentions the persecution of Christians under Nero blaming them for burning Rome which show an empire wide Jesus followers willing to die for their faith in a single generation after the life of Jesus.
3. Letter from Pliny the Younger to Emperor Trajan (a.d. 112) writing about followers of Jesus and what to do with them.

Other ancient References to Jesus within 150 years of his life

1. Greek satirist Lucian of Samosata (c. 115-200 a.d.) refers to Jesus in Passing of Peregrinus
2. Platonic philosopher, Celsus (c. 170 a.d.) considered Jesus to be a magician.
3. Roman historian Suetonius (69-122 a.d.) wrote about riots in 49 a.d. which he ascribe to “the “instigator Chrestus.”
4. Roman prisoner of war, Mara Bar Serapion (c. 73 a.d.) in letter to son about “the wise Jewish king” considered a reference to Jesus.

Purdue University Scholar Lawrence Mykytiuk Summarizes

1. He existed as a man
2. His name was Jesus
3. He was called Christus in Greek
4. He had a brother named James
5. He won over both Jews and Greeks
6. Jewish leaders of the day had unfavorable opinions about him
7. Pilate rendered the decision to execute him
8. He execution was specifically by crucifixion
9. He was executed during the governorship of Pontius Pilate in Judea (26-36 a.d.)
10. No serious scholar doubts the existence of Jesus any more

Bible Denounced For Reasons OtherThan Scholarship

People unschooled the actual scholarship heap denunciations on the Bible.  Religious books like the Islam’s Quran or the Chinese Tao Te Ching or the Hindu Rig Vedas have very little corroborating historical evidence and yet are treated with respect albeit with mild indifference.  The unbelieving world isn’t threatened by the claims of those works.  But the Bible categorically calls every man, woman and child to account.  We have to either bow to the claims or denounce it as rubbish.  The world is in rebellion against God’s kingdom.  It will ignore the evidence for kingdom of God as long as it can, and when that is no longer possible, it will revile it.  

But it should be expected. Jesus, the king of God’s kingdom, said “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first … If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me … they have hated both me and my Father. But this also was to fulfill what is written in their law: ‘They hated me without reason’” John 15:18, 20-21, 24-25.