This is a three-part series exploring the question “Can We Trust the Bible?”  Part Two can be found here and Part Three here.

The Reliability of the Old Testament

The Bible is unlike any other book in history. It was written over a span of approximately 1,500 years, between 1450 BC and 100 AD, by around 40 different authors from a wide variety of backgrounds. These writers included kings, prophets, shepherds, fishermen, and scholars. Some wrote while traveling, others in prison, and even some in isolation. Remarkably, the Bible was written across three continents—Asia, Africa, and Europe—and in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

The Old Testament: How Did It Come to Be?

The Old Testament is not just a random collection of ancient writings. From the very beginning, the Jewish people recognized something unique about these texts. As the books were written, they were treated as sacred and authoritative. These weren’t just historical records or religious reflections, they were believed to be the very words of God.

By the time Jesus walked the earth, the Jewish community had already identified and preserved these sacred writings. There was no debate among the Jewish people in Jesus’ time about which books were considered part of the Scriptures. When Jesus referred to ‘the Scriptures,’ His audience understood exactly what He meant.

Jesus Himself affirmed the Old Testament’s authority, quoting from it frequently in His teaching. In John 7:38, He said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Likewise, the Apostle Paul highlighted the importance of these writings when he reminded Timothy, “that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15).

When Jesus, Paul, Timothy, and the other New Testament figures referenced ‘the Scriptures,’ they were speaking of what we now call the Old Testament. There was no confusion or controversy about these texts—they were universally recognized as the Word of God.

From the Author to Us: The Role of Scribes

The original writings of the Old Testament, written by the prophets and other biblical authors, are known as autographs. These were the first editions—the exact scrolls written by the hand of the prophet or scribe. Any later copies of those autographs are called manuscripts. Because the autographs were written on materials like parchment and papyrus, which degrade over time, the Jewish people relied on scribes to copy the texts.

But these weren’t ordinary copyists. Jewish scribes viewed their task with utmost seriousness, often considering it a sacred calling. They followed strict rules, counted letters and words, and even knew the exact middle word and letter of every book. Their goal was to ensure perfect accuracy.

Their work paid off!

In 1947, a young shepherd discovered a cave near Qumran containing what are now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Among these scrolls were more than 200 copies of Old Testament books, many of which match, almost word for word, the manuscripts used in modern Bibles today. This incredible discovery confirmed what many believers had long held true: the Old Testament had been preserved with astonishing accuracy for thousands of years.

Is Our Old Testament Complete?

Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly instructed His prophets to write down His words. Phrases like “Thus says the Lord,” “Say to My people,” and “These are My words” appear over and over. This repetition leaves no doubt: these writings were meant to be recorded, preserved, and passed down as divinely inspired Scripture.

But what about the Apocrypha—the additional books found in Catholic Bibles but not in most Protestant or Jewish traditions?

There are several reasons why these writings are not considered part of the Old Testament canon by most Christians:

• They contain historical inaccuracies and contradictions.
• Jesus and the New Testament writers never quoted from them.
• They were not included in the Hebrew Bible used by Jewish communities.
• Some authors within these books admitted that prophetic revelation had ceased in their time.

In fact, the Catholic Church did not officially recognize the Apocrypha as Scripture until 1546, over 1,500 years after the time of Christ. This decision was made during the Council of Trent, largely in response to the Protestant Reformation, which rejected those books. Notably, Jewish tradition had always excluded them, and many early Christian leaders also did not view them as inspired Scripture.

As Charlie Campbell explains in One Minute Answers to Skeptics, the books of the Apocrypha were known and available in the early church but were purposefully left out of the canon due to their questionable origins and inconsistencies with accepted Scripture.

Confidence in the Old Testament

Given all the evidence from the internal consistency and divine claims within the texts, to the meticulous efforts of the scribes, to the archaeological confirmation of their accuracy, we can be confident that the Old Testament we have today is complete and trustworthy.

These are not just ancient stories or cultural artifacts. They are the inspired words of God, preserved across millennia with care and reverence. The same words that Jesus read, quoted, and affirmed during His earthly ministry are the words we hold in our hands today.

The Bible’s preservation is no accident. It is a testimony to its divine origin and to the faithful efforts of those who recognized its sacred nature. From the first prophets who wrote down God’s words, to the scribes who painstakingly copied each letter, to the communities who guarded the texts for generations, the Old Testament stands as a monument to the enduring truth of God’s Word.

Compiled from a sermon given by Pastor Dan Kowalczyk with editorial help from Kelly Martin. You can listen to the sermon audio here.