DOES ARCHEOLOGY VALIDATE THE HISTORICAL ACCURACY OF THE BIBLE?

 

 

While many discount the historical accuracy of the Bible, hear are some quotations that suggest otherwise:

Millar Burrows, Professor of Archaeology, Yale University: “On the whole … archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the Scriptural record. More than one archaeologist has found his respect for the Bible increased by the experience of excavation in Palestine. Archaeology has in many cases refuted the views of modern critics.”

Archaeologist William F. Albright:  “The excessive scepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools of the eighteenth-and-nineteenth centuries, certain phases of which still appear periodically, has been progressively discredited. Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history.”

Joseph Free: “Archaeology has confirmed countless passages which had been rejected by critics as unhistorical or contrary to known facts.”

Theologian Craig L. Blomberg: “archaeology can demonstrate that the places mentioned in the Gospels really existed and that customs, living conditions, topography, household and workplace furniture and tools, roads, coins, buildings and numerous other ‘stage props’ correspond to how the Gospels describe them. It can show that the names of certain characters in the Gospels are accurate, when we find inscriptional references to them elsewhere. Events and teachings ascribed to Jesus become intelligible and therefore plausible when read against everything we know about life in Palestine in the first third of the first century.”

Archaeologist Jonathan L. Reed: “The many archaeological discoveries relating to people, places, or titles mentioned in Acts do lend credence to its historicity at one level; many of the specific details in Acts are factual.”  

Lee Strobel: “In trying to determine if a witness is being truthful, journalists and lawyers will test all the elements of his or her testimony that can be tested. If this investigation reveals that the person was wrong in those details, this casts considerable doubt on the veracity of his or her entire story. However, if the minutiae check out, this is some indication – not conclusive proof but some evidence – that maybe the witness is being reliable in his or her overall account.”

Paul Barnett: “archaeology neither proves nor disproves the New Testament. It does, however, endorse the narratives at many points, especially in the case of inscriptions, which by their nature are specific. Here we meet characters secondary to the main story – the Herods, the high priest and several Roman governors. Moreover, through archaeology we are able to fill in background details that enhance the narratives in both the Gospels and in the book of Acts. Archaeological findings have confirmed that the texts of the New Testament are from first to last historical and geographical in character.” https://www.bethinking.org/is-the-bible-reliable/archaeology-and-the-historical-reliability-of-the-new-testament

Here is a list of quotes from Archaeologists: http://infostudenti.net/en/hasnt-archaeology-disproved-the-bible/

·       “I know of no finding in archaeology that’s properly confirmed which is in opposition to the Scriptures. The Bible is the most accurate history textbook the world has ever seen.” – Dr Clifford Wilson, formerly director of the Australian Institute of Archaeology (quote obtained from: Archaeologist Speaks Out)

·       “Through the wealth of data uncovered by historical and archaeological research, we are able to measure the Bible’s historical accuracy. In every case where its claims can thus be tested, the Bible proves to be accurate and reliable.” – Dr. Jack Cottrell, The Authority of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979), pp. 48-49.

·       “In every instance where the findings of archaeology pertain to the Biblical record, the archaeological evidence confirms, sometimes in detailed fashion, the historical accuracy of Scripture. In those instances where the archaeological findings seem to be at variance with the Bible, the discrepancy lies with the archaeological evidence, i.e., improper interpretation, lack of evidence, etc. — not with the Bible.” – Dr. Bryant C. Wood, archaeologist, Associates for Biblical Research [1]

·       “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of Biblical description has often led to amazing discoveries.” – Dr. Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert, (New York: Farrar, Strous and Cudahy, 1959), 136.

·       “Archaeology has confirmed countless passages which have been rejected by critics as unhistorical or contradictory to known facts……Yet archaeological discoveries have shown that these critical charges…..are wrong and that the Bible is trustworthy in the very statements which have been set aside as untrustworthy…..We do not know of any cases where the Bible has been proved wrong.” – Dr. Joseph P. Free, Archaeology and Bible History. Scripture Press, Wheaton, IL, 1969, pg. 1

·       “The reader may rest assured that nothing has been found [by archaeologists] to disturb a reasonable faith, and nothing has been discovered which can disprove a single theological doctrine. We no longer trouble ourselves with attempts to ‘harmonize’ religion and science, or to ‘prove’ the Bible. The Bible can stand for itself.” – Dr. William F. Albright, eminent archeologist who confirmed the authenticity of the Dead Sea Scrolls following their discovery

·       “There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament tradition.” – Dr. William F. Albright, Archaeology and the Religions of Israel. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1956, p. 176.

·       “On the whole, however, archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the Scriptural record. More than one archaeologist has found his respect for the Bible increased by the experience of excavation in Palestine….Archaeology has in many cases refuted the views of modern critics. It has shown, in a number of instances, that these views rest on false assumptions and unreal, artificial schemes of historical development. This is a real contribution and not to be minimized.” – Millar Burrows, Professor of Archaeology at Yale University, What Mean These Stones?, Meridian Books, New York, NY, 1956, p. 1

·       “The excessive skepticism of many liberal theologians stems not from a careful evaluation of the available data, but from an enormous predisposition against the supernatural.” – Professor Millar Burrows (Professor of Archaeology at Yale University), What Mean These Stones?, Meridian Books, New York, NY, 1956, p. 176.

·       “It is therefore legitimate to say that, in respect of that part of the Old Testament against which the disintegrating criticism of the last half of the nineteenth century was chiefly directed, the evidence of archaeology has been to reestablish its authority and likewise to augment its value by rendering it more intelligible through a fuller knowledge of its background and setting. Archaeology has not yet said its last word, but the results already achieved confirm what faith would suggest – that the Bible can do nothing but gain from an increase in knowledge.” – Sir Frederic Kenyon, a former director of the British Museum, The Bible and Archaeology (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1940), page 279.

·       “I set out to look for truth on the borderland where Greece and Asia meet, and found it there. You may press the words of Luke in a degree beyond any other historian’s and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment.” – Sir William Ramsey (eminent archaeologists who changed his mind regarding Luke after extensive study in the field), (1915), The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1975 reprint), page 89.

·       Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of facts trustworthy; he is possessed of the true historic sense…In short this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.” – Sir William Ramsey (archaeologist), The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament, 1915, pages 81, 222

 

COURAGE TO STAND

 

 

Holding your ground against intimidation and rejection is not easy. When you are treated like trash, you feel like trash. This is because we are social beings. When we are demeaned, we naturally try to submit and to regain the approval of the oppressors. However, as we mature, we should begin to recognize that there are more important things, namely truth and our integrity.

How can we stand against the militant opinions and their shout-downs if we think that we are standing on the shifting sands of the evolving opinions of man? Sadly, an increasing number do not stand on solid ground:

·       “More than half of respondents to the State of Theology survey say that religious belief is not about objective reality. However, fewer people expressed this view in 2020 than in 2018. It isn’t clear why this is the case, but it may be that our chaotic cultural moment has prompted more people to turn to religion for objective truth,” LifeWay researchers said. https://www.christianpost.com/news/most-us-adults-say-religious-belief-is-matter-of-personal-opinion-study.html

If religious believe is personal and just pertains to me, it is allowed no place in public discussions. This same confusion about whether Christian beliefs depend upon blind faith also afflicts evangelicals:

·       The Christian Post previously highlighted from the survey how more than half of American adults, including 30% of evangelicals, say Jesus isn’t God, but most agree He was a great teacher.

If we believe that Jesus is only a great teacher, our foundation is not the solid Scriptures. As a result, we are easily manipulated and controlled.  “If we don’t know where we stand, we will fall for anything,” according to one perceptive saying. Without this assurance, we are also vulnerable to all kinds of temptations, promising new psychological therapies, and pretentious philosophies. This is why the Christian needs to be grounded through the teaching of the Word of God:

·       And he [God] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:11-14)

Without this Biblical foundation, we can longer influence society, which then falls prey to many destructive philosophies and practices.

A Jewish epidemiologist surprised me. She explained that epidemics only can spread if a critical mass of the population goes without inoculations, perhaps 50%. She then likened this to the critical mass of serious Christians within a society. Once their percentage falls below a certain level, the society becomes vulnerable to an array of social ills. Therefore, Jesus called us to be the light of truth:

·       “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

When our light shines, our communities see our “good works and give glory to your Father.” However, there are no good works without good teaching from the Word of God. Nor will we have the necessary confidence to live sacrificially, especially amid the inevitable persecution (Matthew 5:10-12).

How are we to withstand persecution without folding? Only with the assurance of the truths of the Scriptures:

·       But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. (Isaiah 50:7-8)

Our confidence must be in the Lord whom His Spirit makes increasingly real for us through His Word.

SUICIDE AND SECULARISM

 More than any other indicator, suicide says, “Life isn’t worth living.” What is causing the explosion of suicides among those who have everything to live for – our 10-24 year olds:

·       Suicide rates among youth ages 10 to 24 increased by 57% between 2007 and 2018, data released Thursday from the National Center for Health Statistics shows, rising from almost 7 per 100,000 population to nearly 11. Comparing three-year averages from 2007 to 2009 to the time period between 2016 and 2018 brought the increase down to 47%...The U.S. suicide rate among all age groups was 14 per 100,000 in 2018. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/suicides-among-us-kids-young-adults-jumped-57percent-in-past-decade/ar-BB18ViMs?ocid=se

How can we explain this phenomenon? Many explanations are offered:

·       “There are many reasons to suspect that suicide rates will increase this year too, not just because of Covid-19 but because stress and anxiety seem to be permeating every aspect of our lives,” said Shannon Monnat, co-director of the Policy, Place, and Population Health Lab at Syracuse University. (Ibid.)

It does not seem that environmental factors are significant. This phenomenon is no respecter of the US States. Similar increases are found throughout the States. Instead, it seems to be associated with the growth of secularism, today’s reigning Western religion:

·       Diana Graines, in Rolling Stone, noted that prior to the 1960s, teenage suicide was virtually nonexistent among American youth. By 1980 almost four hundred thousand adolescents were attempting suicide every year. By 1987 suicide had become the second largest killer of teens, after automotive accidents. By the 1990s, suicide had slipped down to number three because young people were killing each other as often as they killed themselves. (Vishal Mangalwadi, The Book that Made your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization, 4)

Why point the accusing finger at secularism? Secularism destroys meaning and value. It claims that these do not have any independent existence. Instead, they are merely socially constructed to give life some coherence. However, our welfare depends upon believing that they are real and represent worthwhile pursuits. They impart fullness to our lives.

Secularism provides no basis for hope or faith beyond the physical world of chemical-electrical reactions. Consequently, in a valueless world, there can be no basis for meaning or morality beyond our own arbitrary decisions to create meaning out of non-meaning. Arthur Deikman, a Buddhist-like psychotherapist, writes about the poverty of secular psychotherapy:

·       Human beings need meaning. Without it they suffer boredom, depression, and despair…Western psychotherapy is hard put to meet human beings need for meaning, for it attempts to understand clinical phenomena in a framework based on scientific materialism in which meaning is arbitrary and purpose nonexistent. Consequently, Western psychotherapy interprets the search for meaning as a function of childlike dependency wishes and fears of helplessness. (The Observing Self, 4)

Secularism is incapable of affirming anything beyond the material. Many psychotherapists have noted the relationship between the absence of meaning, purpose, and moral absolutes and depression. In Speaking of Sadness, David Karp writes:

·       Cosmopolitan medicine banishes that [extra-material] knowledge by insisting that suffering is without meaning and unnecessary because pain can be technically eliminated. Symptoms are divorced from the person who has them and the situations that surround them, secularized as mechanical mishaps, and so stripped of their stories, the spiritual ramifications and missing pieces of history that make meaning. (191)

I too had experienced the barrenness of secularism. I had been referred to five highly recommended psychologists in my youth. Each had left me worse off than I had been before. I came to understand that everything that I felt, longed for, and dreamed about was merely a product of my childhood depravations. None of it had any meaning or purpose. It was one big mistake and its victim, a mere result of how I had been treated.

Secular therapy had stripped me of any sense of dignity; it laughed at my quest for honor. It reduced my life to a matter of self-fulfillment but made it almost impossible for me to find fulfillment.

Secularism is suicide, the death of the individual and even of his debauched society.

Principles, Feelings, and Endurance

Without guiding objective moral principles, the secular world judges its self-help endeavors by what works, what gives us the desired benefits, especially those benefits which enable us to feel good about ourselves.

 

Fortunately, they often lead us into virtuous behavior. It makes us feel good to help others. However, the pay-off for virtuous behavior is like the delight we receive when we smell a rose. It is short lived! Likewise, it is like continually listening to our favorite piece of music. We experience a declining sense of satisfaction as we repeatedly perform any act that pleasures us. This is just the way we are constituted.

This reminded me of one thoughtful young man who shared his perplexity with a group of seekers. Initially, he had derived great joy from giving to a certain foundation. However, over time, his joy diminished, and he wondered whether he should find another NGO more worthy of his offering.

However, the joy of giving is like the joy of smelling a rose. These will not continue to give us the same delight. This is why many verses warn us that we have to persevere in giving:

·       And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone… (Galatians 6:9-10)

Doing good can grow wearisome in the same way that repeatedly listening to our favorite piece of music begins to lose its impact and leaves us with the impression that, “There must be something more!”

What lesson can we draw from this. If our behaviors are strictly governed by their immediate benefits, our lives will be unstable. They will lack commitment and staying power. We will be easily blown about by every new self-help therapy and philosophy.

 

Instead, our lives must rest upon a solid foundation of moral certainty, consisting of more than our changing feelings.  Living by feelings and their benefits alone also play havoc with our relationships. They fail to give us the fortitude and endurance that God-given moral truths can offer us.

This brings us back to the fact that the delight we derive from roses and sunsets do not last for long. Why not? Our God designed us in a way so that we will not worship the fading glory of His creation, however glorious it is. Instead, they serve as pointers to the bedrock reality of the Creator Himself, whom we should adore above His creation.