Why Trust the Bible? - Part 9 by Dr. Joe L. Mott on Dec. 1, 2025

References: (1) In regard to fulfilled prophecies 2 scientists Peter Stoner and Robert Newman computed the probability that 8 of these prophecies concerning Jesus being fulfilled by one person is 1 in 10^17.  That is 1 divided by 1 followed by 17 zeroes. (2) Fulfilling 8 prophecies would be like covering the entire state of Texas in silver dollars 2 feet deep with only one silver dollar having a red dot on it. That is placed randomly in the pile of silver dollars.  Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel across the state as far as he wishes and he must pick up in one try the silver dollar with the red dot on it. (3) What chance would he have in picking the right one? That is exactly the same chance that the prophets would have had at writing 8 prophecies and have all of them come true in one person,  namely, 1 in 10^17. In fact, Jesus didn’t fulfill 8 prophecies; rather He fulfilled 300 of them. That probability is 1 in 10^637. That kind of objective proof should remove any doubts of the Bible’s trustworthiness. (4) The Bible’s unity is amazingly powerful. (5) Two of the 4 Gospels of the NT were written by Matthew and John who were both eyewitness. Luke, the author of the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, was not an eyewitness, but he interviewed eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-4). Mark’s Gospel was written by John Mark and records the eyewitness recollections of the apostle Peter. These eyewitnesses would have known the details and therefore would have been able to authenicate or deny what the documents wrote. Since there was NO SUCH DENIAL, then the details the gospels were describing the TRUE FACTS. (6) Now I wish to turn our attention to J. Warner Wallace’s argument that the 4 Gospels are reliable documents. Thus, it will follow that all the documents of the NT are reliable. (7) Wallace gives 4 reasons to support why the NT Gospels are reliable: They Were Written Early; The Gospels Are Corroborated by archaeology, eyewitnesses, and extra-biblical writings. (8) Baucham made this important comment, “The NT is a RELIABLE COLLECTION of historical documents, written by EYEWITNESSES during the LIFETIME of other eyewitnesses. They report SUPERNATURAL EVENTS that took place in fulfillment of SPECIFIC PROPHESIES, and claim that their writings are DIVINE rather than human in origin.” (9) Baucham’s comment has been opposed, but I know of no counter-argument to his claims that have been offered. Thus, his comment stands. This is episode 252.