How do we know the Bible is not just a fairy tale?
Many skeptics or atheists accuse the Bible of being no more than a fairy tale. Is this true? Is the Bible simply a collection of fables without being rooted in the reality of history?
Certainly not! One wonderful aspect of Christianity is that its claims can be verified by information found outside of the Bible. For example, a person who has questions regarding the integrity or accuracy of the Bible has more than 5,000 ancient copies of the Bible to investigate. No other ancient manuscript comes close to having as much material available.
A second line of evidence is found in the early copies of the Bible. Some of the many copies of ancient biblical manuscripts can be found from within a century of their original composition. The earliest fragment of John's Gospel, for example, is dated to about 125, within one generation of the Gospel's time of writing.
What about the cities or events of the Bible? Archaeologists have been able to accurately affirm thousands of the sites, historical references, cities, and other details found in the Bible with amazing accuracy.
Further, a look at the fulfilled prophecies of the Bible offers enormous evidence to support its claims as a divine book. For example, numerous prophecies were fulfilled in the coming of Jesus to earth. He was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), suffered a violent death (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22), was born in Bethlehem of Judea from the tribe of Judah (Micah 5:2), and was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13). These are just a few of many predictions written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Finally, the influence of the Bible helps to reveal that it is much more than a fairy tale. The Bible has led to the growth of the world's largest religion, and to the establishment of hospitals, orphanages, schools, universities, and the largest relief organizations in human history. It is a book that has changed individual lives, families, and societies unlike any other. The Bible is the world's most translated and best-selling book, reaching more people in more places than any other literary work. Why? Not because it is a fairy tale, but because its very words are inspired by God. Second Timothy 3:16-17 shares, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
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