TRUSTING THE GOSPELS: Some Background Information

All Souls, Langham Place October 2013

1. Claims and Signicance

Lukes Gospel
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fullled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the rst were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)

Johns Gospel

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe x that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31) This is the disciple who testies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:24-25)

Pauls First Letter to the Corinthian Church

For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Cor 15:16-17)

2. Corroboration of Luke-Acts in non-Christian Ancient Historians

On many counts, historical or incidental details in the gospels are corroborated by ancient classical writers. The most signicant writers were: Josephus (AD 37-ca100): Romano-Jewish historian who worked for the emperors Vespasian and Titus Tacitus (AD ca56-ca117): Roman Senator and one of the greatest ancient historians writing in Latin Here is a selection of some of the key parallels:

Date Event
6 BC
Luke 1:5, 26 Birth of John the Baptist & therefore of Jesus in the days of Herod, king of Judea

Historical & Circumstantial Corroboration

Josephus: Jewish War 1.210673; Antiquities 15.116.354; Philo: In Flaccum 25; De Legatione 294299 Tacitus: Annals 12.23; Histories 5.4, 9 Herods rule (4004 BC) is extensively documented Josephus: Antiquities 17.355 The territory subject to Archelaus was added to Syria and Quirinius...was sent by Caesar to take a census of property in Syria and to sell the Estate of Archelaus.

AD 6

Luke 2:12 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the rst registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Trusting the Gospels Some Background Information

All Souls Langham Place

Date Event
Luke 3:12 AD 28/29 In the fteenth year of the reign of

Historical & Circumstantial Corroboration

Tacitus: Histories 5.9 ...the nation was divided into three provinces Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being under the sons of Herod governor of Judea, and Herod being Josephus: Jewish War 2.169 tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip Pilate, being sent by Tiberius as procurator to tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Judea... Trachonitis...during the high priesthood Josephus: Ant. 18.113117 of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God Herod put John the Baptist to death though he was came to John a good man Luke 23:3 Tacitus: Annals 15.44 Pilate asked [Jesus], Are you the King of Christus...suffered the extreme penalty...at the the Jews? hands of Pontius Pilate Acts 5:3637 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. *NB there are some questions about how to date these two events Josephus: Antiquities 20.9789 When Fadus was procurator of Judea, a certain impostor named Theudas persuaded the majority of the masses to take up their possessions and follow him to the Jordan. He stated that he was a prophet and that at his command the river would be parted...With this talk he persuaded many...Theudas himself was captured, whereupon they cut off his head and brought it to Jerusalem [AD 4446] Josephus: Jewish War 2.118 A Galilean...Judas incited his countrymen to revolt [over] paying tribute to the Romans. [In AD 67] Josephus: Antiquities 19.344349 Clad in a garment woven completely of silver...he [King Herod Agrippa I] entered the theatre at daybreak...his atterers addressed him as a god...the king did not rebuke them...[he] felt a stab in his heart...after ve days he departed this life

AD 33 AD 34

AD 44

Acts 12:2123 On an appointed day Herod [Agrippa I] put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, The voice of a god, and not of a man! Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. Acts 11:28 Agabus...foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). Acts 18:12 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.

AD 44 45 AD 49

Josephus: Antiquities 20.101 It was in the administration of Tiberius Alexander [AD 4648] that the great famine occurred in Judea Suetonius: Claudius 25.4 Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome

Mark Meynell (http:markmeynell.wordpress.com)

October 2013

Trusting the Gospels Some Background Information

All Souls Langham Place

Date Event
AD 51 AD 57
Acts 18:12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia... Acts 21:1718 When we had come to Jerusalem...Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. Acts 21:38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness? Acts 23:2 The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him [Paul] on the mouth.

Historical & Circumstantial Corroboration

An Inscription at Delphi xes Gallios appointment to Achaia in caAD 51. Josephus: Antiquities 20.200 [In AD 62] Ananus [Annas II] convened the judges of the Sanhedrin and brought before them James, the brother of Jesus who is called Christ...to be stoned Josephus: Jewish War 2.261 The Egyptian false prophet...collected a following of about 30,000 dupes and led them...from the desert to the Mount of Olives Josephus: Antiquities. 20.103 Herod King of Chalcis...assigned the ofce [of high priest] to Ananias... Josephus: Antiquities 20.131143 cf. Tacitus: Histories 5.9; Annals 12.54 At the time when Felix was procurator of Judea [Drusilla] married Felix...

AD 58

Acts 24:24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

AD 60

Acts 24:27 Josephus: Antiquities 20.182 When two years had elapsed, Felix was When Porcius Festus was sent by Nero as succeeded by Porcius Festus. And successor to Felix... desiring to do the Jews a favour, Felix left Paul in prison. Acts 25:13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa [II] the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. Josephus: Antiquities 20.145 Bernice lived for a long time as a widow. But when the report gained currency that she had a liaison with her brother [Agrippa] she induced Polemo king of Cilicia to be circumcised and take her in marriage

Adapted from Paul Barnett, Gospel Truth, IVP (2012) FF Bruce (Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism & Exegesis at Manchester Uni, 1959-1978)
And it was not friendly eyewitnesses that the early preachers had to reckon with; there were others less well disposed who were also conversant with the main facts of the ministry and death of Jesus. The disciples could not afford to risk inaccuracies (not to speak of wilful manipulation of the facts), which would at once be exposed by those who would be only too glad to do so. On the contrary, one of the strong points in the original apostolic preaching is the condent appeal to the knowledge of the hearers; they not only said, we are witnesses of these things, but also as you yourselves know (Acts 2:22). Had there been any tendency to depart from the facts in any material respect, the possible pressure of hostile witnesses in the audience would have served as a further corrective. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable pp44-46

Mark Meynell (http:markmeynell.wordpress.com)

October 2013

Trusting the Gospels Some Background Information

All Souls Langham Place

3. Archaeology and the Gospels

Text
Mark 1:21 Matthew 22:18-22

Detail
Jesus taught in a synagogue in the village of Capernaum on the NW shore of Galilee

Archaeological Corroboration
A 1st C synagogue has been discovered under the remains of a later one in Capernaum

Jesus asks teachers of the law to Many coins found with emperors image & name the image and inscription divine status: TI CAESAR DIVI AUG F AUGUSTUS = on a Roman coin.
Augustus Tiberius Caesar Son of the Divine Augustus.

Luke 3:1

Pontius Pilate, the Governor/ Prefect of Judaea

No archaeological evidence for his rule until 1961 when a slab inscribed with his name and title was unearthed at The Tiberium, a temple for the worship of emperor Tiberius For a long time, assumption was John invented it. Discovered in C19th by Conrad Schick exactly where John said it was Part of the fresh-water pool has survived

John 5:2

A pool with ve porticos, named Bethesda near the Sheep gate in the city wall. Jesus heals a blind man by telling him to wash in the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem. The Roman Prefect, Pilate, passing judgment on Jesus at a location known as the stone pavement or Gabbatha. Jesus being crucied at Golgotha just outside the city walls The soldiers come to break the legs of those crucied (to speed up dying process); but Jesus already dead. NT crucixion descriptions were disputed (eg suggesting ropes not nails used, and criminals banned from Jewish burials).

John 9:1-9 John 19:13

The Pavement was recently discovered next to the Tower of Antonia, which was destroyed during the siege of Jerusalem (in 66-70 A.D), suggesting eyewitness account pre 70AD. Note that the walls were extended to include Golgotha within the city just 10 years after Jesus death. = eyewitness account In 1968, Vassilios Tzaferis found the rst indisputable remains of a crucixion victim, named Yohanan Ben Hagalgol. Yohanan had a spike driven into both feet, and nails driven between the lower bones of the arms. He also appeared to have had his legs broken. He was given a proper burial.

John 19:17-41 John 19:32-22

Mark Meynell (http:markmeynell.wordpress.com)

October 2013

Trusting the Gospels Some Background Information

All Souls Langham Place

4. Estimated Chronology of New Testament Books

NT Book
Galatians 1&2 Thessalonians 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Romans James Mark Matthew Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians Luke & Acts Philippians 1 Timothy Titus 1 Peter 2 Peter 2 Timothy Hebrews Jude John 1,2,3 John Revelation

Date Authored Author

49 50-51 55 56 57 50s-60s Late 50s-early 60s Late 50s-early 60s 61-62 62 62 63-64 63-64 63-64 65 65 68 Late 60s-early 70s Late 80s-early 90s Late 80s-early 90s Late 80s-early 90s Paul Paul Paul Paul Paul James, Jesus' brother John Mark (friend of Peter) Matthew Paul Luke (friend of Paul) Paul Paul Paul Peter Peter Paul Unknown Jude, Jesus' brother John John John

Place of Writing
? Syrian Antioch Corinth Ephesus Macedonia Corinth ? Jerusalem Rome ? Syrian Antioch Rome ?Caesarea, then Rome Rome Macedonia Nicopolis ? ? Rome ? ? Ephesus Ephesus Patmos (off Asia Minor)

Adapted from Robert H. Gundry, A Survey of the New Testament, 4th ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003)

5. Transmission of the Gospels Down the Centuries

Doubts are sometimes raised about the Bibles transmission since the potential for textual distortions obviously grows the longer the gap between writing and our earliest extant copies. But it is clear that the New Testament differs from all other ancient texts, both in terms of the copy gap and the number of ancient copies that have survived. Here are the gures for Marks gospel.

Mark Meynell (http:markmeynell.wordpress.com)

October 2013

Trusting the Gospels Some Background Information

All Souls Langham Place

Ancient Text
Pliny the Youngers HISTORY Caesars GALLIC WARS Platos DIALOGUES Catullus POEMS Aristotle TREATISES Sophocles plays Euripides plays MARKS GOSPEL

Date of writing
AD 61-113 100-44 BC 427-347 BC 80-55 BC 284-322 BC 496-406 BC 480-406 BC AD 50s - 60s

Earliest The Copy complete Gap

AD 850 AD 900 AD 900 AD 1300 AD 1100 AD 1000 AD 1100 AD 130 750 years 1000 years 1200 years 1350 years 1400 years 1400 years 1500 years <80 years

No of ancient copies
7 10 7 3 49 193 9 5000

Sir Frederic Kenyon (Director of The British Museum 1909-1931) The interval then between the dates of original composition and the earliest extant evidence becomes so small as to be in fact negligible, and the last foundation for any doubt that the scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were written has now been removed. Both the authenticity and the general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as nally established.

6. Further Reading And Study

Introductory level
If you want something small, Andrew Erringtons booklet Can We Trust What the Gospels Say About Jesus? (Matthias Press 2009) is a great place to start (only 32 pages!)
Gospel Truth The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Can We Trust The Gospels? IVP (Nottingham) IVP (Nottingham) Crossway (Wheaton, IL) 2012 2000 2007

Barnett, Paul Bruce, FF Roberts, Mark D.

More academic
Bauckham, Richard Blomberg, Craig Wright, NT Jesus and the Eyewitnesses The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (2nd ed) The Resurrection of the Son of God Eerdmans (Grand Rapids) 2006 IVP (Nottingham) SPCK (London) 2007 2003

Useful Websites
Be Thinking Bible & Church Mark D Roberts website Theology Network Run by UCCF: a wealth of articles on all kinds of apologetic questions, esp. Bible & Jesus section http://www.bethinking.org/bible-jesus/ A growing site with various lectures (incl. on the Bibles http://www.bibleandchurch.com historicity) from Tyndale House, Cambridge Much of the material (and more) included in his book is http://www.markdroberts.com/htmles/ available here - including great photos and links resources/gospelsreliable.htm UCCFs companion site for more academic levels of theology http://www.theologynetwork.org/biblicalstudies/

Mark Meynell (http:markmeynell.wordpress.com)

October 2013