Harry A. Hoffner Jr.

On the Reliability of the Old Testament

Apologetics

“Why should I be concerned about the historical reliability of the Old Testament? The overriding concern of most Bible readers is ? Are this book's claims about God, Jesus, and the afterlife reliable enough that I should carefully heed and believe what it says?' This is the ?absolute truth' that Kenneth Kitchen in his preface states is beyond the purview of this book. Kitchen's approach is not ? How much historical reliability do I need for my faith?' but ? How much faith do the facts of archaeology (including ancient texts) tell me that I actually have?' In the course of his tour through three pre-Christian millennia, Kitchen approaches his subject with the skill and experience of a bona fide expert and the frankness, honesty, and wit of a Scotsman. His book takes into account the very latest discoveries. There could be no better author for a book like this, an author who for over forty years has read, published, and taught most of the ancient texts he cites. Professor I. Howard Marshall should be congratulated for prompting Kitchen so many years ago to write such a book!”