The Bible

The teaching by Shawn McCraney focuses on defending the trustworthiness of the Bible, emphasizing that despite criticisms and skepticism, it is a reliable, inspired text written by various human authors under God's message. Shawn particularly warns against teachings, like those in Mormonism, that undermine confidence in the Bible, stressing that believers should wholly believe in its teachings as divinely inspired.

The teaching by Shawn highlights the process of how the books of the Bible, written across three continents in multiple languages over 1,500 years without contradiction, were considered authentic due to their divine inspiration rather than their inclusion in the Bible, showcasing the meticulous dedication of Old Testament scribes and the significance of translations such as the Septuagint. Additionally, it emphasizes that the Old Testament and New Testament emerged from distinct covenants, while apocryphal texts were not regarded as inspired by the Jews or early Christians despite their presence in certain traditions.

Shawn teaches that the Old Testament contains prophecies about Jesus, which are fulfilled in the New Covenant through events such as His betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection, and emphasizes the unchanging nature of God's Word as stated by Jesus in Mark 13:31. He explains the continuation from the Old Testament to the New Testament, highlighting how the Gospels proclaim Jesus as the only righteous path and noting that the canon of Scripture is complete, with its purpose to point solely to Jesus, eliminating the need for additional canonical writings.

Shawn teaches that the Bible must be trusted as a whole, without doubt or perceived corruption, highlighting that early church writings could almost entirely reconstruct the New Testament, thus affirming its reliability and consistency with key Christian virtues and spiritual values. Latter-day Saints are encouraged to have faith in the Bible's guidance by confidently adhering to the scripture's original intent and message rather than doubting its authenticity.

Shawn's teaching emphasizes that, much like the U.S. Constitution, the Bible's original essence can be reconstructed and authenticated through historical documents, scholarly references, and numerous translations over time. Despite challenges and criticisms, as well as significant historical efforts to preserve its content accurately, including translations such as the Codex Sinaiticus and the Latin Vulgate, the Bible's integrity and message have been largely maintained across millennia, as reflected in Jesus' assertion of its unbreakable truth in John 10:35.

The Bible, composed of sixty-six books divided into the Old and New Testaments, is regarded as one unified work with the singular purpose of human redemption, attributed to a single divine author. Despite its diverse authorship spanning various continents, languages, and time periods, the Bible maintains a consistent message of salvation and contains a wide range of literary genres, with its ancient manuscripts preserved and translated into languages such as Hebrew and Greek.

The history of Bible translations highlights significant milestones, starting with the Greek Septuagint and proceeding to the Latin Vulgate by Jerome, followed by English versions from John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, leading to the King James Version in 1611. Revised versions and modern translations, such as the American Standard Version and Revised Standard Version, reflect ongoing efforts to adapt the scripture for contemporary language and understanding, facilitating widespread circulation and accessibility in numerous languages worldwide.