Directions: A Cracked Code
It is not the form of the Scriptures or the sequence of its letters that conveys its truth, but rather the content of the book.
Ben Witherington III | posted 7/12/1999 12:00AM
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The Bible code theory may seem appealing at first glance—here we have further scientific proof of the divine character of the Old Testament! Alas, there is a stinger in the tail. When the theory is shown to be bankrupt, it simply further discredits the Bible in the minds of those already prone to be skeptical. Martin Luther once drew an analogy between the rough-hewn manger and the baby within it and the "rough hewn" Bible and its divine contents. It is an apt analogy. It is not the form of the Scriptures or the sequence of its letters that conveys its truth, but rather the content of the book.
One can "prove" a lot of things by statistics that, in fact, aren't true at all. In the end, the Bible does not need a Bible code defense. As Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin, is credited with saying, "Defend the Bible? I'd as soon defend a lion."
By Ben Witherington III, professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary. Send questions for Directions to cteditor@christianitytoday.com.
Copyright © 1999 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
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