The Bible – the world’s best-selling book – has shaped cultures and societies for thousands of years, but what do we know about its origins?
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A new documentary from CBN Films “Sayings of God: The Old Testament Story“, draws on re-enactments, expert interviews, and stunning photographs to help bring biblical history to life, as director Erin Zimmerman explains how God placed the project on her heart.
The director recalls watching previous documentaries about the Bible and quickly coming to an important realization.
“I couldn’t find what I thought was doctrinally correct, or from a Christian standpoint, or even historically correct,” Zimmerman said. “They all seem to have come from the point of view that the text of the Bible is corrupt, that there was some deception in the choice of books, that it was for political influence, and all of these things.”
Recognizing the need for a documentary that honored the Bible with truth and science, she decided to focus on “facts that have no agenda.” And this is the way.”Oracle of God” child.
As Zimmerman delved into the Bible, she quickly realized that the composition of the Old Testament was relatively quick and coherent.
Watch Zimmerman explore how the Bible was shaped:
“Although the New Testament canon took about 300 years to develop, the Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible canon, was fairly quick,” she said. “There were really no disagreements. The Jewish people… they accepted the books as soon as they came out.”
In addition to the fact that the books presented in the Old Testament were well received, he was also fascinated by something else.
“What really struck me was the continuity of the script,” Zimmerman said. “This could not be proven before 1947, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.”
The director said the film explores how the Book of Isaiah – the only complete manuscript among the Dead Sea Scrolls – is the standard dating back to before the life of Christ. Before its discovery, the oldest copy of the Book of Isaiah dates back to 1000 AD, but the oldest copy showed the continuity mentioned above.
“When they discovered the Isaiah manuscript in 1947, they made comparisons and found that the two texts were 95% identical, and the other 5% could be traced back to grammatical and spelling differences over a thousand years.”
This remarkable fact makes the Bible uniquely reliable.
“What our experts say is that the Bible is the most stable of all the ancient texts in existence,” Zimmerman added. “And we have proof in the Dead Sea Scrolls.”
Zimmerman saidOracle of God“Taking viewers on a fascinating journey to understand the unique story of the Bible, the project also has a profound impact on her own journey of faith.
The director said that she grew up in the church and went to Christian schools and universities. But the film opened up a “whole new way” to prove the beliefs she had always held.
Despite her continued confidence in biblical truth, she previously did not have the answers needed to respond to various questions. After the project, she said she is now able to defend the authenticity of the Bible.
“I understand (now) why we have to have this evidence, because there are all kinds of allegations against him,” Zimmerman said. “And I think that really showed me that…as Christians…the Bible says we need to be ready to always get an answer about our faith.”
She hopes people will watch the film and walk away with the affirmation that “the Bible is not a damaged text.” Zimmerman is also preparing to release the second part of “The Sayings of God,” which will focus on the New Testament. The third film will focus on “The Creation of Law.”
Find out more about “Sayings of God: The Old Testament Story“.
