Question: Many portions of the OT seem edited, added, and some portions seem like they are missing portions. Further, the Tanakh seems to promote and/or allow slavery, mysogony, genocide, Deistic favoritism, etc. And it seems to have conflicting issues of chronology, theology, science, moral ambiguity, etc. It also seems that the sacred texts that were “identified” to make up the OT were cherry picked from among other books. On top of all this, there are many narratives that are contradicted by extra biblical sources (such as the warrior giants called the ‘Nephilim’.) For these reasons and more, many conclude that these sacred writings were developed over time and are just a mythological tradition. How can we therefore trust the validity of the OT? And how can our acceptance of the OT help our argument for sola Scriptura — that the Scriptures make us, not us who compiled the Scriptures?
Answer: Greetings and thank you for your question. These are great questions with which Christians must come to grips. Let's see what we can do.
As I read through your question, there are a lot of issues you raise that the skeptics like to throw at the Bible in general and the OT in particular. We could spend a great deal of time on each one, but then this reply would turn into a short book. I want to focus on your main question at the end where you say, "How can we trust the validity of the OT?" This is the heart of the issue. To that end, I want to look at a few NT Scriptures to help us out.
You might ask, "Why look at the NT to determine the validity of the OT?" Simply put, when the NT was being written, every time the writers (Paul, John, Peter, Luke, etc.) mention the Scriptures, they are referring to the OT. Every time a NT writer mentions the Law, the Prophets, or the Writings, he is referring to the threefold organization of the OT, or the TaNaK (Torah, Nevi'im, Ketuvim).
The first NT Scripture I want to look at is Jesus comments in Matthew's Gospel:
- [17] "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. [18] "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Matthew 5:17-18 NKJV)
When Jesus says, "Law and Prophets," it's just shorthand for the entire OT. Jesus speaks to the everlasting, or eternal, character of the word of God (the OT).
Secondly, the author of Hebrews refers to the Scriptures as God's word:
- [1] God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, [2] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1-2 NKJV)
- [12] For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)
This speaks to the origin of the OT as being the very word of God. Moreover, both Paul and Peter tell us that the word of God as written by men is not the word of man, but the very "breathed out" words of God that the Holy Spirit guided the human authors to write.
- [16] All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV)
- [20] knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, [21] for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21 NKJV)
All of the qualities of God are reflected in His word. God is pure, so His word is pure. God is holy, so His word is holy. God is wise, so His word imparts wisdom, and so on. It's clear from all of this (and more) that Jesus and the NT authors held a very high view of the OT as being the pure, holy word of God.
Having established the NT's view of the OT, I want to move on to our Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians, we're followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the eternal and incarnate Word of God who comes to make the Father known (John 1:1-3, 14, 18). He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). We are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, it would seem fitting that we should share Jesus' view of Scripture. It's clear from the above that Jesus and His apostles held a high view of Scripture, therefore, we, as His followers, should also have a high view of Scripture.
Jesus told His disciples that He is the Great Shepherd (John 10:1-6). He knows His sheep by name. He calls them and hear His voice and follow Him. When we read Scripture (OT or NT), we are reading the "voice of our Shepherd." Jesus said the Scriptures (i.e., the OT) bear witness to Him and testify about Him (Luke 24:27 ; John 5:39, 46). Those who hear the voice of the Shepherd are those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit. In other words, believing in the inerrancy and infallibility of the Scriptures, is a matter of faith.
Therefore, bringing it back full circle, all the things you mentioned (the promotion of slavery, misogyny, signs of being edited, missing portions, etc.) are all the marks of people who do not hear the voice of the Shepherd calling to them. They, in the words of the Apostle Paul, suppress the truth about God in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). Notice the language you use in your question: The OT seems edited, it seems like it's missing portions, it seems to promote/allow slavery & misogyny, it seems to have conflicting theology, etc. Skeptics do not hear the voice of the Shepherd in the Scriptures. Put another way, they hear the voice, but they reject it in unrighteousness. Why? Because the Bible stands in judgment of their sin and disbelief.
As I stated at the beginning, I can address in great detail all of the objections you stated at the beginning of your question, but would that end the debate? I have argued with skeptics before, and if you answer all of their objections, they will come up with more. Until they see the depths of their sin and misery, they will not see the need for a Savior. If they don't see a need for a Savior, they will not listen to the voice of the Shepherd calling to them from the Scriptures.
I said it before, and I'll say it again: The Scriptures being the word of God is a matter of faith, and faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
[16] The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, [17] and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (Romans 8:16-17 NKJV)
The Holy Spirit bears witness in our hearts that we are adopted of God. The Holy Spirit gives us ears to hear the voice of the Shepherd calling to us from the Bible. At the end of the day, the objections of the skeptics is not intellectual, it's moral. They refuse to bow the knee to Jesus.
I hope this helps.
