Can we Rely on the 

Biblical Record?

by Nic Samojluk

If you receive "Adventist Today Newsbreak", you might have read Max Gordon Phillips article entitled "Renowned Archaeologist: Bible's "stories are exaggerated" published on 24 February 2007 in their ATNewsbreak. The following includes a question I sent to the magazine hoping that Mr. Phillips would take the time to respond:

I have a question for Max Gordon Phillips, the author of the article entitled "Renowned Archaeologist: Bible "stories are exagerated." Max states the following in his article:

"How does Dever affect me? My faith remains. Since it has never depended on "evidence for the 'probable' existence of God" anyway, it obviously cannot be shaken when some of that so-called "evidence" collapses under scientific scrutiny. As my Lord and Savior says (Matthew 24:35 NIV): "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Meaning: "Jesus' words are more certain than the existence of the universe" (NIV Study Bible text note). Consequently, I don't have to believe that God inspired the Hebrew Bible writers to exaggerate the facts any more than I have to believe God inspired Moses to command genocide against the Midianite people (Numbers 25 and 31). The Bible writers exaggerated the facts because they were imperfect human transmitters of God's unexaggerated revelation. Hence, while human integrity may be at risk in Scripture, divine integrity is not."

My question to Max is: If you accept the suggestion that the Bible writers exaggerated the facts as they wrote the stories we find in the Old Testament, then why would you believe that the Gospel writers did not do the same? If this is the case, then what is your faith based on? Remember that Jesus wrote nothing for posterity, and what he wrote on the sand is not available to us. All we have is the testimony of the gospel writers, who might have exaggerated the facts of history like the Old Testament writers. If we can't trust the O.T. authors, please give me a reason why I should trust the evangelists! All we know about God, Jesus, and eternal life has come to us through fallible human means. If they exaggerated the facts, our faith has no solid basis. You cite Matthew. Tell me why I should trust what he wrote about Jesus!

Here is a copy of Max Phillips explanation:

"Dr. William G. Dever, Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University
Renowned Archaeologist: Bible's "stories are exaggerated"
by Max Gordon Phillips, AToday (24 February 2007).

The Hebrew Bible's "stories are exaggerated, but based on facts," said world renowned archaeologist William G. Dever, PhD (Harvard, in Syro-Palestinian archaeology), Professor Emeritus, University of Arizona, Tuscon.

How does he know? In a public lecture at Cossentine amphitheater at La Sierra University on February 20, 2007, Dr. Dever explained that modern scientific archaeology cannot fully support the Bible's historicity. Here's why:

Patriarchs: Archaeology has failed to locate the patriarchal promised land: Shechem "was unoccupied during the time" that Genesis 33:18 says Jacob arrived safe in the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan.

Exodus: "No Egyptian record mentions an Israelite Exodus." Archaeologists "cannot trace the route of the Israelites across the wilderness." The Bible says the Israelites spent 38 years at the Kadesh Barnea oasis, but no one has found there so much as a "potsherd earlier than the Israelite monarchy."

Conquest: There is "no direct archaeological proof of Israelite destructions." "Jericho was abandoned for several centuries" during Joshua's time. "Joshua's destruction site [i.e., layer] is not there." Ai (pronounced Aye) had been "abandoned for a thousand years" when "the earliest Israelites appeared" there. Of the "forty sites of destruction, only Hazor" has even a chance of qualifying as part of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, "and that one is doubtful." The "Joshua stories are propaganda." The book "oversimplifies." Judges is "earlier" and "closer to the facts.

Idolatry: Most Israelites "were not monotheists." "The prophets condemned polytheism" and images indicating that polytheistic worship and graven idols did exist. There were graven images of Asherah, who was worshipped by many as Yahweh's wife. The inscription "Yahweh and [or by] his Asherah," on graven images representing both Yahweh and Asherah together, is not uncommon.

How does Dever affect me? My faith remains. Since it has never depended on "evidence for the 'probable' existence of God" anyway, it obviously cannot be shaken when some of that so-called "evidence" collapses under scientific scrutiny. As my Lord and Savior says (Matthew 24:35 NIV): "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Meaning: "Jesus' words are more certain than the existence of the universe" (NIV Study Bible text note).

Consequently, I don't have to believe that God inspired the Hebrew Bible writers to exaggerate the facts any more than I have to believe God inspired Moses to command genocide against the Midianite people (Numbers 25 and 31). The Bible writers exaggerated the facts because they were imperfect human transmitters of God's unexaggerated revelation. Hence, while human integrity may be at risk in Scripture, divine integrity is not."

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