Acts17apologetics agree with Quran; Bible is authentic?

In answer to the video "Answering Islam 12: What Does the Quran Say about the Bible?"

Now we get to the verse supposedly endorsing the current Bible's authenticity

5:47"Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel"

While in the present tense, is actually a describing past events. The whole passage from v43 to v47 follows the same pattern and culminates with the new reality, the superseding of the previous sytems with the latest revelation, the Quran. This is a common feature of classical Arabic, where tenses are often shifted for rhetorical purposes, and do not necessarily imply the respective time frame. For example, the Quran says that Allah kaana/was mighty, wise, forgiving, merciful 48:7,14 to mean that these attributes "are ever" with Allah or in 17:67 it is said that man kaana/was ungrateful to convey the idea of a persistent trait found in him. The Quran also refers to events that happen ON the Day of Judgement in the PAST TENSE, conveying the notion of inevitability of the events happening. The usage is still present in common speak when conveying the idea of certainty.

The passage thus starts at v43 and condemns the attitude of the Jews in Muhammad's time, bringing their internal matters to him for judgement, while they disbelieve in him, instead of upholding the scriptures in their hands which they claim is the absolute truth

5:43"And how do they make you a judge and they have the Taurat wherein is Allah's judgment?".

This rethorical question points to their straying throughout their history, and following their low-desires although they had the guidance from Allah with them all the time. To make them heed the portent of this sinful attitude, the Quran reverts to the past in 5:44 with the revelation of the Torah and reminds them how the successive prophets raised from among them based all their judgements on it

"for those who were Jews".

These judgements were only intended for the Israelites, and were never meant to have universal validity. They were therefore bound to judge by what Allah had revealed to them

5:44"and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers".

Then verse 45 gives an example of a law they did everything to circumvent and manipulate through hairsplitting conjecture, so as to render it inapplicable, the law of retribution. It emphasizes that these people had no choice but to judge by what Allah revealed

5:45"and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unjust".

This attitude towards their own books which they claimed to uphold against all others, was one that they had in the prophet's time. They often came to him seeking judgement in matters that were clearly defined in their own books, hoping for a different ruling. To illutrate that hypocrisy further, the Quran in v46 reminds them of the revelation of the Injeel to Jesus as a confirmation of the Torah and the next verse 47 is again a statement in the past, telling them they were bound by the Injeel when it was revealed, not simply what is in the Torah, which they had already distorted by that time. This is precisely why certain famous translators like Shakir, when translating this verse as he did with the preceding ones, uses the past tense, though the Arabic is in the present tense

5:47"And the followers of the Injeel should have judged by what Allah revealed in it; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the transgressors".

The sequence of events, revelation of the Torah; Jews are bound by it, then revelation of the Injeel confirming the Torah; Jews and Christians are bound by it, then revelation of the Quran confirming Torah and Injeel; Jews, Christians and Muslims are bound by it. The sequence thus leads to the last revelation sent to humanity, in a series of revelations and now all mankind is bound to judge by it:

5:48-49"And We have revealed to you the Book with the truth, declaring true what is before it/musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi of the Book and a guardian (Muhayminan) over it, therefore judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires (to turn away) from the truth that has come to you; for every one of you did We appoint a law and a way..And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires, and be cautious of them, lest they seduce you from part of what Allah has revealed to you.."

The final revelation has now descended in the form of the Quran:
1. It CONFIRMS the truth of what came before it
2. It GUARDS what came before it. The term Muhayminan, derived from H-M-N means witness and arbiter where the arbiter would be the one to let know which is right and wrong. Besides witnessing and arbitrating it carries at the same time the notion of protecting. So, when the book that came to Muhammad is declared as muhayminan upon the book it means it is the ultimate arbiter in case of dispute or potential misunderstanding in regards to whatever came before it. It declares what truly came from God vs what truly is not from God

45:16-8"And We did certainly give the Children of Israel the Scripture and judgement and prophethood, and We provided them with good things and preferred them over the worlds. And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ. Then We put you, [O Muhammad], on an ordained way concerning the matter [of religion]; so follow it and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know". 

We see the same pattern of Allah revealing a system, those supposed to uphold it end up turning away from it, in addition causing its corruption. Hence the need for the religion to be restored through the revelation of a new system.