Bible authenticity

Scriptures of Previous Dispensations (here) (included below)

The Bible in general[edit]

Book is the Bible of Salvation, the noble Gospel[edit]

"This Book is the Holy Book of God, of celestial Inspiration. It is the Bible of Salvation, the noble Gospel. It is the mystery of the Kingdom and its light. It is the Divine Bounty, the sign of the guidance of God."

(Written by 'Abdul-Bahá in the Bible of the pulpit of the City Temple in London, quoted in "Star of the West", Vol. 2, No. 11, p. 8)

The Bible is not wholly authentic[edit]

"As to the question raised by...in connection with Bahá'u'lláh's statement in the 'Gleanings' concerning the sacrifice of Ishmael; although this statement does not agree with that made in the Bible, Genesis 22:9, the friends should unhesitatingly, and for reasons that are only too obvious, give precedence to the saying of Bahá'u'lláh, which, it should be pointed out, is fully corroborated by the Qur'an which book is far more authentic than the Bible, including both the New and Old Testaments. The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this respect is not to be compared with the Qur'an, and should be wholly subordinated to the authentic writings of Bahá'u'lláh."

(From a letter dated July 28, 1936 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

When Abdu'l-Bahá States that We Believe What is in the Bible, He Means in Substance[edit]

"When Abdu'l-Bahá states we believe what is in the Bible, He means in substance. Not that we believe every word of it to be taken literally or that every word is the authentic saying of the Prophet."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer and cited on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, March 13, 1986 in a letter to a believer, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1660)

Cannot add to list of Lesser Prophets beyond those found in the Bible, Qur'án, and our own Scriptures[edit]

"Regarding your questions: We cannot possibly add names of people we (or anyone else) think might be Lesser Prophets to those found in the Qur'an, the Bible and our own Scriptures. For only these can we consider authentic Books."

(From a letter dated March 13, 1950 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

Old Testament[edit]

We Cannot Substantiate Stories of the Old Testament[edit]

"We have no way of substantiating the stories of the Old Testament other than references to them in our teachings, so we cannot say exactly what happened at the battle of Jericho."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, November 25, 1950, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1659)

Torah confirmed by God consists of words of Moses[edit]

"...the Torah that God hath confirmed consists of the exact words that streamed forth at the bidding of God from the tongue of Him Who conversed with Him (Moses)."

(From a recently translated Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

Torah is that revealed in Tablets to Moses or that to which He was bidden; the stories are historical narratives written after Moses[edit]

"Know ye that the Torah is that which was revealed in the Tablets to Moses, may peace be upon Him, or that to which He was bidden. But the stories are historical narratives and were written after Moses, may peace be upon Him."

(From a recently translated Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Bahá; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

New Testament[edit]

The Divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized[edit]

"As to the position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation...that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized,.."

(Shoghi Effendi, Promised Day Is Come, par. 269)

The book of Jesus was confirmed in the Islamic Dispensation[edit]

"Every discerning observer will recognize that in the Dispensation of the Qur'an both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 20)

Cannot be sure of how much of the four Gospels are accurate; what has been quoted by Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá are authentic; we may assume much of the Gospel of St. John is accurate[edit]

"...we cannot be sure how much or how little of the four Gospels are accurate and include the words of Christ and His undiluted teachings, all we can be sure of, as Bahá'ís, is that what has been quoted by Bahá'u'lláh and the Master must be absolutely authentic. As many times passages in the Gospel of St. John are quoted we may assume that it is his Gospel and much of it accurate."

(From a letter dated January 23, 1944 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; in Scriptures of Previous Dispensations)

To-dos for this page[edit]

Reference to https://bahai-library.com/uhj_lot_daughters in "confused dreams" of some of the stories
Incorporate from https://bahai-library.com/uhj_old_new_testaments
Talk re: Torah https://bahai-library.com/abdul-baha_tablets_extracts_talks