by Archibald Alexander
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
"Evidences of the Authenticity, Inspiration, and Canonical Authority of the Holy Scriptures" by Archibald Alexander is an expansive and meticulously argued work that defends the divine nature of the Bible. This book is essential for anyone exploring the foundational truths of Christianity or seeking to deepen their understanding of the Bible's divine inspiration.
Structured across twenty-three chapters, Alexander’s text methodically addresses the logical, historical, and prophetic evidences supporting the Scriptures. He begins by establishing the legitimate role of reason in religion, arguing against the notion that faith and intellectual inquiry are incompatible. He then moves to defend the necessity and desirability of religion in general, and Christianity in particular, as the only faith that satisfactorily answers the profound existential questions of human existence.
The core of the book explores the credibility of biblical miracles, the historical accuracy of biblical prophecy, and the remarkable fulfillment of these prophecies, ranging from the detailed predictions concerning the Jewish nation to the foretold fates of ancient cities like Nineveh, Babylon, and Tyre. Alexander compellingly argues for Christianity’s unique historical and prophetic record, setting it apart from all other religions.
In later chapters, Alexander focuses on the authenticity and canonical authority of the biblical texts. He details the rigorous care with which the Scriptures were preserved, the criteria by which the canonical books were recognized, and the weaknesses of the apocryphal texts. His discussion extends to the New Testament, where he provides thorough evidences and testimonies affirming the authenticity and authority of the Gospels, the Epistles, and the Revelation.
This book not only serves as a defense of the Christian faith but also as a resource for believers to fortify their faith with knowledge and for skeptics to encounter compelling arguments about the Christian Scriptures. Alexander’s work is a testament to the enduring power and truth of the Bible, offering readers a profound insight into why the Scripture stands as a pillar of divine truth in Christian faith.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I: The right use of reason in religion
CHAPTER II: It is impossible to banish all religion from the world, and if it were possible, it would be the greatest calamity which could befal the human race
CHAPTER III: If Christianity be rejected, there is no other religion which can be substituted in its place, at least no other which will at all answer the purpose for which religion is desirable
CHAPTER IV: Revelation necessary to teach us how to worship God acceptably—the nature and certainty of a future state—and especially, the method by which sinners may obtain salvation
CHAPTER V: There is nothing improbable or unreasonable in the idea of a revelation from God,
CHAPTER VI: Miracles are capable of proof from testimony
CHAPTER VII: The miracles of the Gospel are credible
CHAPTER VIII: The rapid and extensive progress of the Gospel, by instruments so few and feeble, is a proof of divine interposition
CHAPTER IX: Prophecies respecting the Jewish nation which have been remarkably fulfilled
CHAPTER X: Prophecies relating to Nineveh, Babylon, Tyre, &c.
CHAPTER XI: Prophecies respecting Messiah—predictions of Christ respecting the destruction of Jerusalem
CHAPTER XII: No other religion possesses the same kind and degree of evidence as Christianity: and no other miracles are as well attested as those recorded in the Bible
CHAPTER XIII: The Bible contains internal evidence that its origin is divine
CHAPTER XIV: The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were written by the inspiration of God
CHAPTER XV: The inspiration of the books of the New Testament
CANONICAL AUTHORITY OF THE BOOKS OF SCRIPTURE
CHAPTER XVI: The importance of ascertaining the true canon of Holy Scripture
CHAPTER XVII: The care with which the books of the Old Testament were preserved—their canonical authority—the sanction given to these books by the Saviour and his apostles—and the method of ascertaining what books were in the canon at the time of Christ's advent
CHAPTER XVIII: The books denominated apocryphal have no just claim to a place among the canonical Scriptures of the Old Testament
CHAPTER XIX: Canon of the New Testament—method of settling it
CHAPTER XX: Testimonies in favour of the canonical authority of the books of the New Testament
CHAPTER XXI:: Canonical authority of Paul's Epistles
CHAPTER XXII: The canonical authority of the seven Catholic epistles, and of the book of Revelation
CHAPTER XXIII: Recapitulation of evidence on the canon of the New Testament