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God-Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture
“God said, ‘Let there be. . .’ ” And when God spoke, things happened. Readers will personally experience the power and reliability of scripture in God-Breathed —brand-new from Josh McDowell, who has been at the forefront of cultural trends and ground-breaking ministry for over five decades. This life-transforming book takes readers on a journey as they come to understand how the living, breathing Word of God speaks directly into their lives—teaching them the meaning of life, love, relationships, and the joy He originally intended for His beloved children. A bonus section includes full-color photographs of McDowell’s ancient scripture artifacts.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2015
60 people are currently reading
640 people want to read
About the author
Josh McDowell
515 books646 followersJosh McDowell is a bestselling Christian apologist, evangelist, and author of over 150 books, including Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter. Once an agnostic, he converted to Christianity while investigating its historical claims. He went on to earn degrees from Wheaton College and Talbot Theological Seminary. For decades, McDowell has been a prominent speaker with Campus Crusade for Christ, addressing issues of faith, character, and youth culture worldwide. His work emphasizes historical and legal evidence for Christianity and tackles challenges posed by skepticism and non-Christian beliefs. He lives in California with his wife, Dottie, and is the father of four children, including fellow apologist Sean McDowell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 30, 2017
-Disclaimer: I won this book for free through goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.-
I guess the reason I didn't like this book is because I felt he was testing God. The main point of this book is too provide evidence God is real. My feelings are I don't feel you need to test God to make sure he is real. He just is real. Some people though require evidence before they commit to a religion. Which is understandable.
The writing in this book felt bland to me and a little too detailed. In other words 3/4 of this book was boring. There were a few parts of the book that were inconvenient to the story. Sometimes I felt the book was more about the author than God. And that is not the reason I wanted to read this book. I wanted to read this book to know more about God, not the author.
I guess the reason I didn't like this book is because I felt he was testing God. The main point of this book is too provide evidence God is real. My feelings are I don't feel you need to test God to make sure he is real. He just is real. Some people though require evidence before they commit to a religion. Which is understandable.
The writing in this book felt bland to me and a little too detailed. In other words 3/4 of this book was boring. There were a few parts of the book that were inconvenient to the story. Sometimes I felt the book was more about the author than God. And that is not the reason I wanted to read this book. I wanted to read this book to know more about God, not the author.
July 29, 2015
(From a Goodreads giveaway.)
This book is a great resource for younger believers (depth of spiritual growth, not age). It's a pretty comprehensive overview of the Bible--not the content of the Bible, but what it is, how we got it, and why we trust it. It covers all the big objections to the Bible. It talks about historical accuracy (with specific dates and historical events), translations, internal consistency, the Gnostic Gospels and the Apocrypha, the holy books of other faiths, and more.
Those who have a basic understanding of apologetics already will probably not find a lot of new content here. It's light reading, with a lot of unnecessary anecdotes and self-reference. It could still be useful to have all of these facts compiled in the same place, but my gut says there's probably a better, more scholarly option out there that does the same thing.
Still, I already have several people in mind to recommend this book. And even though most of the information was not new to me, it was still beautifully and excitingly presented, and reminded me again how beautiful God's Word is.
This book is a great resource for younger believers (depth of spiritual growth, not age). It's a pretty comprehensive overview of the Bible--not the content of the Bible, but what it is, how we got it, and why we trust it. It covers all the big objections to the Bible. It talks about historical accuracy (with specific dates and historical events), translations, internal consistency, the Gnostic Gospels and the Apocrypha, the holy books of other faiths, and more.
Those who have a basic understanding of apologetics already will probably not find a lot of new content here. It's light reading, with a lot of unnecessary anecdotes and self-reference. It could still be useful to have all of these facts compiled in the same place, but my gut says there's probably a better, more scholarly option out there that does the same thing.
Still, I already have several people in mind to recommend this book. And even though most of the information was not new to me, it was still beautifully and excitingly presented, and reminded me again how beautiful God's Word is.
March 9, 2019
A readable, well-written book for those desiring to understand the tenents of Christianity. A valuable resource for any Christian to have available for new converts.
May 18, 2015
It always takes me more time to read this type of book. I slow down to make sure I understand fully what is being said. I found the book honest, God-honoring, and carefully written. I had more difficulty staying focused on the first section but felt it was due to a lack in myself.
I have always said God is powerful enough to protect His book so I especially enjoyed Section 2--The Reliability of Scripture--dedicated to showing the great preponderance of evidence proving God's word has not been altered. It reminded me of things I was vaguely aware of and set them down clearly so I can refer back to this book when I tell others the facts. (My memory for numbers and dates fades too quickly.)
I received this book as a First-Reads Giveaway.
I have always said God is powerful enough to protect His book so I especially enjoyed Section 2--The Reliability of Scripture--dedicated to showing the great preponderance of evidence proving God's word has not been altered. It reminded me of things I was vaguely aware of and set them down clearly so I can refer back to this book when I tell others the facts. (My memory for numbers and dates fades too quickly.)
I received this book as a First-Reads Giveaway.
May 20, 2023
This answered so many of my questions. I skimmed the first half of the book about the Bible’s power because I was mainly reading to learn about the Bible’s reliability. I had no idea about the tests that career historians use to test ancient texts’ reliability and that the Bible passes each one by far. I understand far better now why no one I’ve ever heard claim that the Bible has “been changed over time” is a historian - because that’s simply impossible with the information we have. I’m floored and humbled at how this beautiful ancient text that has transformed so many lives is not only powerful, but it even holds up to our human standards of accuracy.
April 12, 2019
This author is quite proud of what he owns.
September 17, 2023
this was surprisingly a really good read! after finishing, my faith in the inerrancy and historical reliability of scripture has been strengthen!
definitely a worthwhile read! thanks for the recommendation Pastor T. 👊
definitely a worthwhile read! thanks for the recommendation Pastor T. 👊
April 27, 2022
Really appreciate the overview of how the Bible came to be.
April 5, 2020
I like the arguments it made and the evidence it presented. But it felt like a series of college papers stapled into book format.
May 21, 2015
I won this book through GoodReads First Read program.
I think this would be a great book for someone who has doubts about the Bible being the word of God. That isn't me. I had no doubts.
McDowell covers how painstakingly the scribes of ancient times would copy the Bible to produce another copy. It would take years. There are also many more copies of the Bible around the time the original writings were written then any other book. McDowell goes through the three tests used by experts to establish authenticity of the existing copy and the Bible passes all of these.
A big chunk of the book deals with McDowell obtaining what was latter determined to be papyrus of an ancient Bible. He was obviously more excited about this then I was based on the time he spent covering it in the book.
I think this would be a great book for someone who has doubts about the Bible being the word of God. That isn't me. I had no doubts.
McDowell covers how painstakingly the scribes of ancient times would copy the Bible to produce another copy. It would take years. There are also many more copies of the Bible around the time the original writings were written then any other book. McDowell goes through the three tests used by experts to establish authenticity of the existing copy and the Bible passes all of these.
A big chunk of the book deals with McDowell obtaining what was latter determined to be papyrus of an ancient Bible. He was obviously more excited about this then I was based on the time he spent covering it in the book.
September 23, 2015
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The author spoke a lot of truths and opened my eyes to certain things about scripture. Even though I had heard/learned about things mentioned before, the way he presented and talked about the reliability of scripture, and the way it was copied so that it stayed accurate, was fascinating. I also loved the chapter on how to read the scripture and not to pull things out of context. A great read and I'm glad I read it. I definitely recommend it if you are looking for this type of book.
*I received a complimentary e-copy via netgalley for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions express are my own.*
*I received a complimentary e-copy via netgalley for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions express are my own.*
March 10, 2016
This is a book that I won from Goodreads. I am enjoying the book and feel I will learn things that will make my BIBLE study more productive. This is not an easy fast read, much is covered in the chapters. If you already believe the BIBLE is the word of God, the book should build onto that. If you have doubts, the book should answer questions you may have.
Read
May 22, 2015Great book!
I thought this book was going to be rather basic but I was surprised by how much information I didn't know about what makes the Bible the inspired word of God. The history of behind scriptures, how it was protected through the ages and translated is fascinating.
I thought this book was going to be rather basic but I was surprised by how much information I didn't know about what makes the Bible the inspired word of God. The history of behind scriptures, how it was protected through the ages and translated is fascinating.
July 14, 2015
I enjoyed reading this as a study, and I learned about the new historical evidence found wrapped around mummies. I highly recommend this book.
May 30, 2016
Chapter 1: What's in a Word?
According to a recent Experian Marketing Services digital marketing report, the average number of texts per month by eighteen-to twenty-four year-olds is 3,853. That is more than 128 texts a day.
Within the first quarter of 2014, Facebook reported more than 1.15 billion active users per month. (11)
SECTION 1: THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE
Ch. 2: Why the Bible is Alive
It was December 6, 2013.
Coptic was the last stages of the written Egyptian language after the Greeks conquered Egypt.
Dr. Scott Carroll, an ancient manuscript specialist, was about to announce his findings...[from] papyri from the inside structures of ancient Egyptian mummy coverings (called cartonnage). (25-6)
Once a papyrus document began to deteriorate or the writings started to fade, it was copied to a new papyrus and the original was discarded. (27)
The New testament wasn't canonized by the church until the councils of Hippo in 393 and Carthage in AD 397. (32)
see mask process
Ch. 3: The True Purpose of the Bible
[See 2 Timothy 3:16].
Certainly doctrinal and behavioral guidance are part of God's purpose for Scripture.
[Also,]...to teach us how to believe rightly and live rightly.
In fact, if we fail to place in the proper context the Bible's teaching about thinking rightly and living rightly...[the Pharisees]...elevated 'right belief' and 'right living.'
The Sadducees [tried to trip up Jesus about the resurrection. Jesus used Matthew 22:31-32; Exodus 3:6, and John 11:25]. (40-41)
The Pharisees [tried to focus on doctrine.] ...the Bible has a behavioral purpose. (42)
The doctrine and commands of Scripture act as guardrails to guide us down the right path in life. Without the proper context, we can miss the true purpose of Scripture, which is to guide us into keeping right thinking and right living in balance. (42)
We can easily overemphasize the importance of the law, and focus on knowing all the right doctrines. This can lead to arrogance and the acquisition of knowledge for the mere sake of having it. We can overemphasize adherence to the law, and this can lead to legalistic behavior and judgmental attitudes. (42)
What they [the Sadducees & Pharisees] failed to understand was the connection between right beliefs, right behavior, and right relationships. [See Ps 26:3; 86:11]. The OT writers understood truth within the context of relationships.
By distilling all the doctrinal and behavioral truths of the Bible down to a simple two-part statement--love God and love each other--the Lord of the universe showed us that the dual boundaries of what we believe and how we behave are intended to be understood and experienced within the framework of deep, loving relationships with him and with one another. (44)
[See Ex 33:13; Jn 17:3; Hos 6:3, 6]. (44)
[See Deut 10:13; Prov 2:8-9, 11; 1:30-31; Jn 15:11]. He wants us back under his umbrella of protection and provision, because ultimately he wants us to experience a life of joy. (45)
And though I am omniscient, and therefore know all there is to know about you, I want you to reveal yourself fully to me. (46)
This passage [2 Tim 3:16] suggests that God's Word is designed to parent us. But how? [See Jn 14:16-17]. (46)
As I have often said, truth without relationship leads to rejection; and discipline or correction without relationship leads to anger and resentment. But when we place truth within the context of a loving relationship, we almost always get a positive result. (47)
[See Jn 5:39; 10:10; 15:11-12; 17:21].
Ch. 4: 101 Ways to Interpret the Bible? Not Really
Rather than looking to the biblical text to understand God's intended meaning of the truth, too many people look for their own meaning of the truth. (53)
There are two basic mistakes people often make when they try to interpret the meaning of the Bible:
1) They inject their own views or emotions into Scripture.
2) They take a verse, word, or passage out of context.
But as much as we want to interpret what Scripture means in our own lives, we must remember that nothing in the Bible was spoken or written directly to us who live in the twenty-first century. (54)
The authors of Scripture wrote TO a specific audience, yet the truth of those writings is nonetheless FOR US today. (55)
...we must understand two basic steps. First, we must understand the truth that God intended for a specific audience within a specific time in history. Second, we must determine what universal truth God is revealing to us right now.
[See 1 Cor. 2:7, 10, 13].
...our response should be, 'God, what do you intend for me to understand from the passages I read and hear from your book? My heart is open. Help me to discover your intended message to me within the context of our loving loving relationship.' (55)
Our task is not to CREATE the meaning; it is simply to UNCOVER the original intended meaning. [See 2 Pet. 1:20].
So instead of READING INTO a text a meaning we think might be there, we must DRAW OUT the meaning that God intends for us to understand. This process is called EXEGESIS.
...we engage in the process of exegesis by approaching each passage with the probing questions of a news reporter: who? what? where? when? why? and how? Here's the basic process:
1. We examine the text to understand its grammatical construction.
2. We seek to understand the meaning of individual words--literally, figuratively, culturally, etc.
3. We discover the historical context, such as the identity of the author, cultural setting, time frame, etc.
4. We examine the message within the context of paragraphs, chapters, individual books, and the entire scope of scriptural truth.
5. We understand the timeless truth applied to those it was written to at the time.
6. We understand how that timeless truth applies to us today.
As we deliberately follow this process, we crack the code of interpretation. (56-57)
There are many valuable study and reference tools to aid us in the process (and we will mention these later); but for now, let's look at two key elements involved in the interpretation process: the DETERMINATION OF MEANING [1] and the IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT [2]. (57)
1-In this section, we will consider two elements that contribute to the determination of meaning: METAPHOR and GRAMMAR.
Metaphor:
[See John 6:35]. In referring to himself as the bread of life, Jesus means that he provides sustenance for our spiritual life, just as a loaf of bread provides sustenance for our physical life.
This means we cannot take every word of the Bible as literal. (58)
Grammar:
...verb tense affects the interpretation of Jesus' statement, 'I am the bread of life.'
Jesus did not use the past tense, 'I WAS the bread of life;' nor did he use the future tense, 'I WILL BE the bread of life.' Jesus used the present...[which] indicates the unchanging, always-the-same, eternal nature of Christ. (59)
Context:
Imagine that you happen to walk past as I'm talking to three or four of my friends. You overhear me say, 'No, I'm leaving Dottie next week and she will be staying in California.' You don't stop to inquire further, but you step over to one of your friends and say, 'Did you hear the latest about Josh and Dottie McDowell?'
'No,' your friend replies. 'What's going on?'
'I just overheard Josh say he's leaving her next week, and he's going to let her keep their house in California.'
In this imagined incident, you would have heard me correctly...but what you didn't hear was the CONTEXT, which was spoken by the sentences spoken before and after the one you heard. (60)
I grew up in the home of an alcoholic, and I developed a pattern of behavior that made me into what psychologists call a RESCUER. Each time I saw my father try to hurt my mom, I would step in and try to prevent it. This became a lifelong psychological and emotional pattern for me. I always tried to rescue hurting, struggling people. (61-2)
[SEE HIS BREAKDOWN OF GALATIANS 6:2-5.]
When we read a passage out of context, we're in danger of reading another meaning INTO the text. Scholars call this EISEGESIS, which means 'to read into.' Most errors of interpretation come from reading into Scripture a meaning that simply isn't there. Much of that can be avoided by reading the text within its literary context.
We need to see it within the context of the chapter and even the entire Bible. And that is where cross-referencing tools come into play. (64)
Finding Context through Cross-Referencing:
Cross-referencing simply means the process of following a topic or a word from one verse to another within the Bible to discover all the book has to say on the subject. The power of cross-referencing comes from the fact that it allows Scripture to interpret Scripture. (64)
Many versions of the Bible, especially study Bibles, have cross-references listed in a separate column beside the verses. Your Bible may also have a concordance, which is another cross-referencing aid. Another useful tool is a chain-reference Bible, such as the THOMPSON CHAIN REFERENCE BIBLE, the original of its type, which is still available today. A chain-reference Bible has elaborate marginal references and a reference index that makes it easier to trace a given topic throughout the entire Bible. (65)
Historical Context:
The setting, life-style, and political structure of those times will affect our understanding of passages written in and to those times. (66)
[See John 6:35:]
The historical context was the first century during the Roman occupation of Israel. At that time, bread was the main food source. It was not a supplement to the main meal as it is today--something to eat along with our steak, soup, or salad. Bread was the main meal. So Jesus' use of bread as the metaphor for the sustenance of eternal life meant a great deal to his hearers. Just as without bread they would die physically, without Jesus they would die spiritually. (66)
Ch. 5: How the Bible is Personally Relevant
A) It reveals Universal Truths that provide and accurate worldview
The big picture of Scripture can be summarized in the following points:
a) Creation=the origin of all things--time, energy, space, matter, life and humanity.
b) Evil=Came into our world when an evil being tempted humankind into rejecting God, this cutting humanity off from the source of eternal life and inflicting pain and death on God's perfect world.
c) Rescue=God incarnated and paid the price of death to redeem humanity from the clutches of evil and restore his creation to himself.
d) New Life=God sent (and continues to send) his Holy Spirit to inhabit humans to trust in Christ, giving us the power to resist sin and live lives in harmony with God.
e) Restoration=The biblical worldview assures humans of the ultimate restoration of God's original intent, including a perfect world devoid of evil and humans who are sinless and endowed with eternal life. (72-3)
B) It Addresses How we are Meant to Live
[He protects and provides for us.]
C) God Meets us at the point of our need
We all have certain emotional and relational needs. We have a need for comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), support (Galatians 6:2), care and affirmation (1 Corinthians 12:25), and encouragement (Hebrews 10:24). (81)
We were created for a unique purpose (See 1 Corinthians 12). (87-8)
Ch. 6: Authored by God or by Man?
[See 2 Peter 1:20-21; Galatians 1:11-12, which demonstrate the meaning of inspiration].
King David was no randomly chosen spokesman to write God’s Word. He was God’s powerful messenger because he had experienced God’s message in his life. God knew that humanity needed the message of unfailing love conveyed through the writings of a king who knew what it was like to suffer guilt and receive forgiveness. (95)
[See Moses and Paul too].
Ch. 7: Who Decided What Books Would Become Scripture?
By AD 100, the apostles had died, but the Christian church was still in its infancy, with fewer than twenty-five thousand proclaimed followers of Christ. But within the next two hundred years, the fledgling church experienced explosive multiplicative growth, to include as many as twenty million people.^1 This means the church of Jesus Christ quadrupled every generation for five consecutive generations! (102)
From biblical and church history, we find at least four measurements or rules that guided the church leaders in recognizing which writings were divinely inspired:
1. The writing was authored by an apostle or prophet of God or by someone closely connected with one or more of the apostles or prophets.
2. The writings clearly evidenced the confirming power and presence of God.
3. The message was consistent with other recognized Scripture.
4. The writing was widely accepted by the church from an early date.^2 (104)
In AD 367, Athanasius of Alexandria compiled the first official list of books that we know today as the New Testament.
These books were then canonized officially by the church at the councils of Hippo (AD 393) and Carthage (AD 397). Again, these councils didn’t authorize which writings were God-breathed works; rather, they recognized that these writings were authorized by God himself.
The Old Testament, composed of thirty-nine books, was officially recognized as God-breathed Scripture as early as the fourth century BC and certainly no later than 150 BC.^3 (104)
In the short book that bears his name, Jude quotes from 1 Enoch 1:9 (Jude 1:14-15). Yet the Jewish leaders did not consider the book of Enoch to be a part of Scripture.
Fourteen books emerged as spiritual writings that some thought should be included as Scripture in the Old Testament. Now called the Apocrypha [‘that which is hidden’], these added books surfaced between 200 BC and the early second century AD. They include
• First Esdras
• Second Esdras
• Tobit
• Judith
• Additions to Esther
• The Wisdom of Solomon
• Ecclesiasticus
• Baruch
• Susanna
• Bel and the Dragon (Additions to Daniel)
• The Song of the Three Hebrew Children (additions to Daniel)
• The Prayer of Manasseh
• First Maccabees
• Second Maccabees
…it can be noted that Jesus never quoted from any of the added fourteen books.
Though these books were not accepted by the early church or the Jewish scholars as late as 150 BC, they were eventually included in the Old Testament by the Roman Catholic Church in AD 1546. (106-7)
…highly respected Jewish philosophers such as Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, historians such as Josephus, and traslators such as the renowned Jerome, as well as the early church fathers, rejected the Apocrypha as God-breathed Scripture. (108)
[Gnostic Writings:] …the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the Gospel of Judas.
These writings by and large contradict the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and Paul’s epistles. Some of their contradictory teachings include the idea that there were multiple creators; that salvation is by ‘spiritual knowledge’; that ignorance, not sin, is humanity’s problem; and other teachings that were refuted in the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a Gnostic writing, depicts a scene in which a young Jesus reacts to being bumped into by some children by striking them down with his supernatural power. (108)
Ch. 8: Unique: One of a Kind
How many books are there in the world? A few years ago, the Google Books Library Project came up with an answer. According to Leonid Taycher, a Google software engineer who at the time worked on the project, there are 129,864,880 books in the world.^2 (113)
The Bible IS Unique in Its Translation
The Old Testament was first translated from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek around 250 BC to 150 BC. The Septuagint version was primarily what the Greek-speaking world read during the time of Jesus. Later, other scholars translated the Old Testament into Greek as well. Their translation, the Coptic version, was completed around AD 350. Coptic is a version of Late Egyptian that was written in mostly Greek characters. The Latin Vulgate was translated by the scholar Jerome beginning in AD 382. It took him twenty-five years to complete the project. The Vulgate version of Scripture was the first major book that Johannes Gutenberg published on his brand new printing press in 1455. (114-5)
By the beginning of the fourth century, the Hebrew and Greek Bibles had been translated into languages such as Slavic, Syriac (a late version of Aramaic), Armenian, Bohairic (a dialect of Coptic), Persian, Arabic, Frankish, and Anglo-Saxon. (115)
Bible translations into English, or its precursor languages, began in the fifth century with the Anglo-Saxon version. The first translator to render the entire Bible in English was John Wycliffe (1329-1384). His English translation was the only English Bible for 145 years. [The Tyndale version came in 1525; KJV in 1611.] (115)
The United Bible Societies reports that, as of 2014, the Bible or portions of the Bible have been translated into 2,650 languages. Their Digital Bible Library now hosts more than eight hundred translations in 636 languages spoken by 4.3 billion people. The many languages into which the Bible has been translated encompass the primary modes of communication for well over 90 percent of the world’s population.^3 (115)
The Bible is Unique in Its Circulation
Distribution of the Bible is now into the billions of copies! More copies of the Bible and selected portions of the Bible are in circulation than any other book in history.
According to a report from the United Bible Societies, they distributed 32.1 million full Bibles and more than 372 million selections from the Bible in 2012 alone.^4 (116)
The Bible is Unique in Its Survival through Time, Persecution, and Criticism
Compared with other ancient writings, the Bible has more manuscript evidence to support it than the top ten pieces of classical literature combined.^5 (116)
In AD 303, the Roman emperor Diocletian issued an edict to stop Christians from worshiping and to destroy their Scriptures. ‘An emperial letter was everywhere promulgated, ordering the razing of churches to the ground and the destruction by fire of the Scriptures, and proclaiming that those who held high positions would lose all civil rights, while those in households, if they persisted in their profession of Christianity, would be deprived of their liberty.’^6 (116)
The historic irony of this event is recorded by Eusebius, a fourth-century church historian, who writes that twenty-five years after Diocletian’s edict, the Roman emperor Constantine ordered fifty copies of the Scriptures to be prepared at the government’s expense.^7 (116-7)
Voltaire, the noted eighteenth-century French writer and skeptic, predicted that within a hundred years of his time, Christianity would be but a footnote in history. [Not sure that has happened. Also, see 1 Peter 1:24-5).
Noted nineteenth-century scholar and writer H. L. Hastings forcefully states the unique way in which the Bible has withstood attacks of infidels and skeptics:
Infidels for eighteen hundred years have been refuting gand overthrowing this book, and yet it stands today as solid as a rock. Its circulation increases, and it is more loved and cherished and read today than ever before. Infidels, with all their assaults, make about as much impression on this book as a man with a tack hammer would on the Pyramids of Egypt… If this book had not been the book of God, men would have destroyed it years ago. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers have all tried their hand at it; they die and the book still lives.^8 (117)
No other book has been so chopped, knived, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified.
[I have WAY more notes in my own files--this Goodreads file won't allow extended writing in review.]
According to a recent Experian Marketing Services digital marketing report, the average number of texts per month by eighteen-to twenty-four year-olds is 3,853. That is more than 128 texts a day.
Within the first quarter of 2014, Facebook reported more than 1.15 billion active users per month. (11)
SECTION 1: THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE
Ch. 2: Why the Bible is Alive
It was December 6, 2013.
Coptic was the last stages of the written Egyptian language after the Greeks conquered Egypt.
Dr. Scott Carroll, an ancient manuscript specialist, was about to announce his findings...[from] papyri from the inside structures of ancient Egyptian mummy coverings (called cartonnage). (25-6)
Once a papyrus document began to deteriorate or the writings started to fade, it was copied to a new papyrus and the original was discarded. (27)
The New testament wasn't canonized by the church until the councils of Hippo in 393 and Carthage in AD 397. (32)
see mask process
Ch. 3: The True Purpose of the Bible
[See 2 Timothy 3:16].
Certainly doctrinal and behavioral guidance are part of God's purpose for Scripture.
[Also,]...to teach us how to believe rightly and live rightly.
In fact, if we fail to place in the proper context the Bible's teaching about thinking rightly and living rightly...[the Pharisees]...elevated 'right belief' and 'right living.'
The Sadducees [tried to trip up Jesus about the resurrection. Jesus used Matthew 22:31-32; Exodus 3:6, and John 11:25]. (40-41)
The Pharisees [tried to focus on doctrine.] ...the Bible has a behavioral purpose. (42)
The doctrine and commands of Scripture act as guardrails to guide us down the right path in life. Without the proper context, we can miss the true purpose of Scripture, which is to guide us into keeping right thinking and right living in balance. (42)
We can easily overemphasize the importance of the law, and focus on knowing all the right doctrines. This can lead to arrogance and the acquisition of knowledge for the mere sake of having it. We can overemphasize adherence to the law, and this can lead to legalistic behavior and judgmental attitudes. (42)
What they [the Sadducees & Pharisees] failed to understand was the connection between right beliefs, right behavior, and right relationships. [See Ps 26:3; 86:11]. The OT writers understood truth within the context of relationships.
By distilling all the doctrinal and behavioral truths of the Bible down to a simple two-part statement--love God and love each other--the Lord of the universe showed us that the dual boundaries of what we believe and how we behave are intended to be understood and experienced within the framework of deep, loving relationships with him and with one another. (44)
[See Ex 33:13; Jn 17:3; Hos 6:3, 6]. (44)
[See Deut 10:13; Prov 2:8-9, 11; 1:30-31; Jn 15:11]. He wants us back under his umbrella of protection and provision, because ultimately he wants us to experience a life of joy. (45)
And though I am omniscient, and therefore know all there is to know about you, I want you to reveal yourself fully to me. (46)
This passage [2 Tim 3:16] suggests that God's Word is designed to parent us. But how? [See Jn 14:16-17]. (46)
As I have often said, truth without relationship leads to rejection; and discipline or correction without relationship leads to anger and resentment. But when we place truth within the context of a loving relationship, we almost always get a positive result. (47)
[See Jn 5:39; 10:10; 15:11-12; 17:21].
Ch. 4: 101 Ways to Interpret the Bible? Not Really
Rather than looking to the biblical text to understand God's intended meaning of the truth, too many people look for their own meaning of the truth. (53)
There are two basic mistakes people often make when they try to interpret the meaning of the Bible:
1) They inject their own views or emotions into Scripture.
2) They take a verse, word, or passage out of context.
But as much as we want to interpret what Scripture means in our own lives, we must remember that nothing in the Bible was spoken or written directly to us who live in the twenty-first century. (54)
The authors of Scripture wrote TO a specific audience, yet the truth of those writings is nonetheless FOR US today. (55)
...we must understand two basic steps. First, we must understand the truth that God intended for a specific audience within a specific time in history. Second, we must determine what universal truth God is revealing to us right now.
[See 1 Cor. 2:7, 10, 13].
...our response should be, 'God, what do you intend for me to understand from the passages I read and hear from your book? My heart is open. Help me to discover your intended message to me within the context of our loving loving relationship.' (55)
Our task is not to CREATE the meaning; it is simply to UNCOVER the original intended meaning. [See 2 Pet. 1:20].
So instead of READING INTO a text a meaning we think might be there, we must DRAW OUT the meaning that God intends for us to understand. This process is called EXEGESIS.
...we engage in the process of exegesis by approaching each passage with the probing questions of a news reporter: who? what? where? when? why? and how? Here's the basic process:
1. We examine the text to understand its grammatical construction.
2. We seek to understand the meaning of individual words--literally, figuratively, culturally, etc.
3. We discover the historical context, such as the identity of the author, cultural setting, time frame, etc.
4. We examine the message within the context of paragraphs, chapters, individual books, and the entire scope of scriptural truth.
5. We understand the timeless truth applied to those it was written to at the time.
6. We understand how that timeless truth applies to us today.
As we deliberately follow this process, we crack the code of interpretation. (56-57)
There are many valuable study and reference tools to aid us in the process (and we will mention these later); but for now, let's look at two key elements involved in the interpretation process: the DETERMINATION OF MEANING [1] and the IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT [2]. (57)
1-In this section, we will consider two elements that contribute to the determination of meaning: METAPHOR and GRAMMAR.
Metaphor:
[See John 6:35]. In referring to himself as the bread of life, Jesus means that he provides sustenance for our spiritual life, just as a loaf of bread provides sustenance for our physical life.
This means we cannot take every word of the Bible as literal. (58)
Grammar:
...verb tense affects the interpretation of Jesus' statement, 'I am the bread of life.'
Jesus did not use the past tense, 'I WAS the bread of life;' nor did he use the future tense, 'I WILL BE the bread of life.' Jesus used the present...[which] indicates the unchanging, always-the-same, eternal nature of Christ. (59)
Context:
Imagine that you happen to walk past as I'm talking to three or four of my friends. You overhear me say, 'No, I'm leaving Dottie next week and she will be staying in California.' You don't stop to inquire further, but you step over to one of your friends and say, 'Did you hear the latest about Josh and Dottie McDowell?'
'No,' your friend replies. 'What's going on?'
'I just overheard Josh say he's leaving her next week, and he's going to let her keep their house in California.'
In this imagined incident, you would have heard me correctly...but what you didn't hear was the CONTEXT, which was spoken by the sentences spoken before and after the one you heard. (60)
I grew up in the home of an alcoholic, and I developed a pattern of behavior that made me into what psychologists call a RESCUER. Each time I saw my father try to hurt my mom, I would step in and try to prevent it. This became a lifelong psychological and emotional pattern for me. I always tried to rescue hurting, struggling people. (61-2)
[SEE HIS BREAKDOWN OF GALATIANS 6:2-5.]
When we read a passage out of context, we're in danger of reading another meaning INTO the text. Scholars call this EISEGESIS, which means 'to read into.' Most errors of interpretation come from reading into Scripture a meaning that simply isn't there. Much of that can be avoided by reading the text within its literary context.
We need to see it within the context of the chapter and even the entire Bible. And that is where cross-referencing tools come into play. (64)
Finding Context through Cross-Referencing:
Cross-referencing simply means the process of following a topic or a word from one verse to another within the Bible to discover all the book has to say on the subject. The power of cross-referencing comes from the fact that it allows Scripture to interpret Scripture. (64)
Many versions of the Bible, especially study Bibles, have cross-references listed in a separate column beside the verses. Your Bible may also have a concordance, which is another cross-referencing aid. Another useful tool is a chain-reference Bible, such as the THOMPSON CHAIN REFERENCE BIBLE, the original of its type, which is still available today. A chain-reference Bible has elaborate marginal references and a reference index that makes it easier to trace a given topic throughout the entire Bible. (65)
Historical Context:
The setting, life-style, and political structure of those times will affect our understanding of passages written in and to those times. (66)
[See John 6:35:]
The historical context was the first century during the Roman occupation of Israel. At that time, bread was the main food source. It was not a supplement to the main meal as it is today--something to eat along with our steak, soup, or salad. Bread was the main meal. So Jesus' use of bread as the metaphor for the sustenance of eternal life meant a great deal to his hearers. Just as without bread they would die physically, without Jesus they would die spiritually. (66)
Ch. 5: How the Bible is Personally Relevant
A) It reveals Universal Truths that provide and accurate worldview
The big picture of Scripture can be summarized in the following points:
a) Creation=the origin of all things--time, energy, space, matter, life and humanity.
b) Evil=Came into our world when an evil being tempted humankind into rejecting God, this cutting humanity off from the source of eternal life and inflicting pain and death on God's perfect world.
c) Rescue=God incarnated and paid the price of death to redeem humanity from the clutches of evil and restore his creation to himself.
d) New Life=God sent (and continues to send) his Holy Spirit to inhabit humans to trust in Christ, giving us the power to resist sin and live lives in harmony with God.
e) Restoration=The biblical worldview assures humans of the ultimate restoration of God's original intent, including a perfect world devoid of evil and humans who are sinless and endowed with eternal life. (72-3)
B) It Addresses How we are Meant to Live
[He protects and provides for us.]
C) God Meets us at the point of our need
We all have certain emotional and relational needs. We have a need for comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), support (Galatians 6:2), care and affirmation (1 Corinthians 12:25), and encouragement (Hebrews 10:24). (81)
We were created for a unique purpose (See 1 Corinthians 12). (87-8)
Ch. 6: Authored by God or by Man?
[See 2 Peter 1:20-21; Galatians 1:11-12, which demonstrate the meaning of inspiration].
King David was no randomly chosen spokesman to write God’s Word. He was God’s powerful messenger because he had experienced God’s message in his life. God knew that humanity needed the message of unfailing love conveyed through the writings of a king who knew what it was like to suffer guilt and receive forgiveness. (95)
[See Moses and Paul too].
Ch. 7: Who Decided What Books Would Become Scripture?
By AD 100, the apostles had died, but the Christian church was still in its infancy, with fewer than twenty-five thousand proclaimed followers of Christ. But within the next two hundred years, the fledgling church experienced explosive multiplicative growth, to include as many as twenty million people.^1 This means the church of Jesus Christ quadrupled every generation for five consecutive generations! (102)
From biblical and church history, we find at least four measurements or rules that guided the church leaders in recognizing which writings were divinely inspired:
1. The writing was authored by an apostle or prophet of God or by someone closely connected with one or more of the apostles or prophets.
2. The writings clearly evidenced the confirming power and presence of God.
3. The message was consistent with other recognized Scripture.
4. The writing was widely accepted by the church from an early date.^2 (104)
In AD 367, Athanasius of Alexandria compiled the first official list of books that we know today as the New Testament.
These books were then canonized officially by the church at the councils of Hippo (AD 393) and Carthage (AD 397). Again, these councils didn’t authorize which writings were God-breathed works; rather, they recognized that these writings were authorized by God himself.
The Old Testament, composed of thirty-nine books, was officially recognized as God-breathed Scripture as early as the fourth century BC and certainly no later than 150 BC.^3 (104)
In the short book that bears his name, Jude quotes from 1 Enoch 1:9 (Jude 1:14-15). Yet the Jewish leaders did not consider the book of Enoch to be a part of Scripture.
Fourteen books emerged as spiritual writings that some thought should be included as Scripture in the Old Testament. Now called the Apocrypha [‘that which is hidden’], these added books surfaced between 200 BC and the early second century AD. They include
• First Esdras
• Second Esdras
• Tobit
• Judith
• Additions to Esther
• The Wisdom of Solomon
• Ecclesiasticus
• Baruch
• Susanna
• Bel and the Dragon (Additions to Daniel)
• The Song of the Three Hebrew Children (additions to Daniel)
• The Prayer of Manasseh
• First Maccabees
• Second Maccabees
…it can be noted that Jesus never quoted from any of the added fourteen books.
Though these books were not accepted by the early church or the Jewish scholars as late as 150 BC, they were eventually included in the Old Testament by the Roman Catholic Church in AD 1546. (106-7)
…highly respected Jewish philosophers such as Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, historians such as Josephus, and traslators such as the renowned Jerome, as well as the early church fathers, rejected the Apocrypha as God-breathed Scripture. (108)
[Gnostic Writings:] …the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the Gospel of Judas.
These writings by and large contradict the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and Paul’s epistles. Some of their contradictory teachings include the idea that there were multiple creators; that salvation is by ‘spiritual knowledge’; that ignorance, not sin, is humanity’s problem; and other teachings that were refuted in the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a Gnostic writing, depicts a scene in which a young Jesus reacts to being bumped into by some children by striking them down with his supernatural power. (108)
Ch. 8: Unique: One of a Kind
How many books are there in the world? A few years ago, the Google Books Library Project came up with an answer. According to Leonid Taycher, a Google software engineer who at the time worked on the project, there are 129,864,880 books in the world.^2 (113)
The Bible IS Unique in Its Translation
The Old Testament was first translated from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek around 250 BC to 150 BC. The Septuagint version was primarily what the Greek-speaking world read during the time of Jesus. Later, other scholars translated the Old Testament into Greek as well. Their translation, the Coptic version, was completed around AD 350. Coptic is a version of Late Egyptian that was written in mostly Greek characters. The Latin Vulgate was translated by the scholar Jerome beginning in AD 382. It took him twenty-five years to complete the project. The Vulgate version of Scripture was the first major book that Johannes Gutenberg published on his brand new printing press in 1455. (114-5)
By the beginning of the fourth century, the Hebrew and Greek Bibles had been translated into languages such as Slavic, Syriac (a late version of Aramaic), Armenian, Bohairic (a dialect of Coptic), Persian, Arabic, Frankish, and Anglo-Saxon. (115)
Bible translations into English, or its precursor languages, began in the fifth century with the Anglo-Saxon version. The first translator to render the entire Bible in English was John Wycliffe (1329-1384). His English translation was the only English Bible for 145 years. [The Tyndale version came in 1525; KJV in 1611.] (115)
The United Bible Societies reports that, as of 2014, the Bible or portions of the Bible have been translated into 2,650 languages. Their Digital Bible Library now hosts more than eight hundred translations in 636 languages spoken by 4.3 billion people. The many languages into which the Bible has been translated encompass the primary modes of communication for well over 90 percent of the world’s population.^3 (115)
The Bible is Unique in Its Circulation
Distribution of the Bible is now into the billions of copies! More copies of the Bible and selected portions of the Bible are in circulation than any other book in history.
According to a report from the United Bible Societies, they distributed 32.1 million full Bibles and more than 372 million selections from the Bible in 2012 alone.^4 (116)
The Bible is Unique in Its Survival through Time, Persecution, and Criticism
Compared with other ancient writings, the Bible has more manuscript evidence to support it than the top ten pieces of classical literature combined.^5 (116)
In AD 303, the Roman emperor Diocletian issued an edict to stop Christians from worshiping and to destroy their Scriptures. ‘An emperial letter was everywhere promulgated, ordering the razing of churches to the ground and the destruction by fire of the Scriptures, and proclaiming that those who held high positions would lose all civil rights, while those in households, if they persisted in their profession of Christianity, would be deprived of their liberty.’^6 (116)
The historic irony of this event is recorded by Eusebius, a fourth-century church historian, who writes that twenty-five years after Diocletian’s edict, the Roman emperor Constantine ordered fifty copies of the Scriptures to be prepared at the government’s expense.^7 (116-7)
Voltaire, the noted eighteenth-century French writer and skeptic, predicted that within a hundred years of his time, Christianity would be but a footnote in history. [Not sure that has happened. Also, see 1 Peter 1:24-5).
Noted nineteenth-century scholar and writer H. L. Hastings forcefully states the unique way in which the Bible has withstood attacks of infidels and skeptics:
Infidels for eighteen hundred years have been refuting gand overthrowing this book, and yet it stands today as solid as a rock. Its circulation increases, and it is more loved and cherished and read today than ever before. Infidels, with all their assaults, make about as much impression on this book as a man with a tack hammer would on the Pyramids of Egypt… If this book had not been the book of God, men would have destroyed it years ago. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers have all tried their hand at it; they die and the book still lives.^8 (117)
No other book has been so chopped, knived, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified.
[I have WAY more notes in my own files--this Goodreads file won't allow extended writing in review.]
February 6, 2025
"God Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture" by Josh McDowell is a thought-provoking exploration into the reliability of the Bible, particularly the New Testament, that I thoroughly enjoyed. One of the standout aspects of this book is McDowell's emphasis on the relationship aspect of supporting each other and providing comfort before quoting scripture. All too often, this crucial element is overlooked in our interactions; McDowell reminds us of its importance.
Another remarkable feature of the book is the factual basis and supporting documentation McDowell provides, sometimes in meticulous detail, about the Bible as a historical document. His approach adds tremendous credibility to his arguments, especially when discussing the validity of the New Testament.
However, I found myself wishing McDowell had delved deeper into the topic of misinterpretation or taking scripture out of context. Addressing how and why these misinterpretations occur could have strengthened the final chapters of the book. While this might be covered in his other works, dissecting this issue more thoroughly within this book would have been a valuable addition, especially if it is presented as a persuasive talking point.
Overall, I appreciated the structure and wealth of information McDowell provided, making this book both enlightening and enjoyable. It certainly piqued my interest, and I look forward to exploring more of McDowell's works in the future. His ability to blend historical analysis with relational insights sets a compelling stage for anyone interested in understanding the powerful and reliable nature of the scripture.
Another remarkable feature of the book is the factual basis and supporting documentation McDowell provides, sometimes in meticulous detail, about the Bible as a historical document. His approach adds tremendous credibility to his arguments, especially when discussing the validity of the New Testament.
However, I found myself wishing McDowell had delved deeper into the topic of misinterpretation or taking scripture out of context. Addressing how and why these misinterpretations occur could have strengthened the final chapters of the book. While this might be covered in his other works, dissecting this issue more thoroughly within this book would have been a valuable addition, especially if it is presented as a persuasive talking point.
Overall, I appreciated the structure and wealth of information McDowell provided, making this book both enlightening and enjoyable. It certainly piqued my interest, and I look forward to exploring more of McDowell's works in the future. His ability to blend historical analysis with relational insights sets a compelling stage for anyone interested in understanding the powerful and reliable nature of the scripture.
January 10, 2021
I am responsible for a ministry that takes up a lot of my time. I have very little "me" time so when I do I choose to take a Christian book with me into my hot tub - leaving cell phone behind in the house. This s where I get my "quiet time" with the Lord. I was in the middle of another book, but didn't feel like going outside to get it out of my bookbag in my car. So I searched through my "stash" of books that I will get to one of these days and came across this one. I'm sure I've had it for a while but this was a God Moment this day when I picked it up. He knew exactly what I needed at this moment and WOW it hit the mark!!! I don't remember the exact date so I just chose a potential start date.
I enjoyed EVERYTHING about this book - I love the research he did into how Scribes were trained to copy Scripture - before this I always just thought of them as secretaries. I had no idea how much they training they had and the knowledge they needed to have - the scrutiny they were under. I love being able to refer to parts of this with fellow Christians who don't know how to explain to the nay-sayers that the Bible truly is GOD BREATHED!!! I have made comments / underlined / highlighted throughout it and am even considering it as a future Bible study.
I enjoyed EVERYTHING about this book - I love the research he did into how Scribes were trained to copy Scripture - before this I always just thought of them as secretaries. I had no idea how much they training they had and the knowledge they needed to have - the scrutiny they were under. I love being able to refer to parts of this with fellow Christians who don't know how to explain to the nay-sayers that the Bible truly is GOD BREATHED!!! I have made comments / underlined / highlighted throughout it and am even considering it as a future Bible study.
December 16, 2023
The Truest Sacred Text
This was an outstanding book about the fact that the Bible is completely true and historically accurate.
Having really loved Evidence That Demands a Verdict Bible Study Guide: Jesus and the Gospels, this book was a great companion to that book and went into much more detail about the Bible.
I got a lot out of this book and found it really inspiring towards reading the Bible.
It also compared historical texts of other religions and nothing comes close to the authenticity of the Bible.
Definitely check this one out if you are Christian or you are skeptical.
4.8/5
This was an outstanding book about the fact that the Bible is completely true and historically accurate.
Having really loved Evidence That Demands a Verdict Bible Study Guide: Jesus and the Gospels, this book was a great companion to that book and went into much more detail about the Bible.
I got a lot out of this book and found it really inspiring towards reading the Bible.
It also compared historical texts of other religions and nothing comes close to the authenticity of the Bible.
Definitely check this one out if you are Christian or you are skeptical.
4.8/5
September 24, 2018
I got this book, along with the study guide, for a Bible study I am leading. Since most of the material in this book is stuff I learned in Bible school or elsewhere, it's hard to say how well this book presents it. It will be interesting to hear what the ladies in the Bible study think of it. I think the second half of the book has more of what I was looking for, but there is some interesting stuff in the first half also.
I thought, before I bought it, that it was more along the lines of how the Bible came to be written and how the canon was developed. It covers some of that, but fairly briefly. I suppose, considering it was written by McDowell, I should not be surprised it is more apologetics than history, but I would have preferred more of the historical perspective.
I thought, before I bought it, that it was more along the lines of how the Bible came to be written and how the canon was developed. It covers some of that, but fairly briefly. I suppose, considering it was written by McDowell, I should not be surprised it is more apologetics than history, but I would have preferred more of the historical perspective.
June 13, 2023
I start many book, but finish few. I finished this book in just a few sittings. In this book, McDowell explains the way the bible was compiled. He writes as a narrative. He begins his story writing about ancient manuscripts which he has acquired. He then goes on to explain how books were chosen to be a part of the Canon of Scripture. He also discusses how we know the bible is reliable. This book is written for the layman. This subject can sometimes be a heavy topic for some readers. McDowell writes in such a way that the newest of Christians can gain insight into the Scriptures and why they should be trusted.
September 8, 2023
I went into this book looking for the historical, literary, and scientific proofs for the Bible, which the author covers in chapters 6-13 (the “reliability of the Bible” section). The first half of the book, however, hops around general topics relating to the faith (the “power of the Bible” section) that didn’t seem connected to the second half. The two sections should have just been two separate books. However, I imagine it would be a good read for new Christians, Christians who struggle with doubt, or non-believers looking for more information about the Bible. 4 stars for the second section, 2 for the first.
January 13, 2022
While some of this book wasn't so interesting to me (I resonate with another reviewer who said this book felt like a series of college essays stapled together), the most interesting part was finding out about the incredible care practiced by Jewish scribes as they copied God's word. The process of preparing the calf skin, making a grid, hanging the letters, making sure no letters touched each other, and honoring God's name before they wrote it made me appreciate the countless hours spent to preserve the Bible over the centuries.
March 15, 2021
God-Breathed fits an important niche of a book that helps introduce people to why the Bible is trustworthy. My favorite section was the part on the tests used to decide whether historical documents are truthful and reliable.
This isn't the book you want if you've looking for a nitty-gritty deep-dive into these issues. This is an entry into the issues.
I listened to this as an audiobook.
This isn't the book you want if you've looking for a nitty-gritty deep-dive into these issues. This is an entry into the issues.
I listened to this as an audiobook.
February 4, 2022
1st time
There were parts here that were really interesting (like how scribes preserved the Torah through their extremely specific guidelines to copy the text) but mostly stuff that I have heard all my life. I think it is a really good resource for a new Christian or one that doesn't know a lot about the evidence for Scripture. Also a lot of his illustrations were lame in my honest opinion
There were parts here that were really interesting (like how scribes preserved the Torah through their extremely specific guidelines to copy the text) but mostly stuff that I have heard all my life. I think it is a really good resource for a new Christian or one that doesn't know a lot about the evidence for Scripture. Also a lot of his illustrations were lame in my honest opinion
August 21, 2020
Good book for starting to understanding criticism of the Bible. I would recommend to beginners.
Josh McDowell wrote a historic piece titled "Evidence That Demands a New Verdict." That was an incredible writing that gives so much evidence and more for Christianity. "God-Breathed" is an attempt at proving that the protestant Bible is historically accurate. There are many nuggets of evidence that I didn't know about the manuscript copying process. McDowell also notes that many who critique the Bible are not criticizing it like other historical documents.
I was definitely disappointed because I expected there to be a lot more evidence and research. It also felt as though the author was bragging about all the artifacts he had accrued over the years.
Josh McDowell wrote a historic piece titled "Evidence That Demands a New Verdict." That was an incredible writing that gives so much evidence and more for Christianity. "God-Breathed" is an attempt at proving that the protestant Bible is historically accurate. There are many nuggets of evidence that I didn't know about the manuscript copying process. McDowell also notes that many who critique the Bible are not criticizing it like other historical documents.
I was definitely disappointed because I expected there to be a lot more evidence and research. It also felt as though the author was bragging about all the artifacts he had accrued over the years.
March 13, 2022
This describes the history of the Bible and how it was transcribed and preserved to little or no changes dating back to 250BC. The author is in possession of actual original manuscripts. The Bible was originally written in 3 languages: Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek.
May 31, 2017
A good introduction to the authority and historical reliability of Scripture.
May 16, 2021
Fascinating facts regarding the history and authenticity of the Bible! Very readable and encouraging, especially in these days of chaos and confusion.
January 12, 2022
Awesome book
February 27, 2022
A must-read intro to the authority and relevance of God’s Word. The book is very accessible but full of substance. It provides an excellent springboard for further exploring this topic.
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