Real people witnessed the resurrection of Jesus then wrote about it. Do the New Testament authors contradict each other or were they prejudiced to make up a resurrection? Find out in this episode!
Real people witnessed the resurrection of Jesus then wrote about it. Do the New Testament authors contradict each other or were they prejudiced to make up a resurrection? Find out in this episode!
0:00 – INTRO
0:56 – CHRISTIANITY DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON JESUS. THE NT IS THE PRIMARY SOURCE ABOUT JESUS.
1:30 – CAN YOU TRUST THE MANUSCRIPTS (Previous eps). TODAY: CAN YOU TRUST THE AUTHORS? HOW TO DETERMINE IF AUTHORS TRUSTWORTHY? 1. CONTRADICT? 2. NUMBER? 3. TRUTHFUL? 4. PREJUDICIAL?
3:30 – 1. CONTRADICT? No! If they were identical, we’d expect collusion. All agree: JESUS CLAIMED TO BE SON OF GOD & DID MIRACLES. CRUCIFIED 30 A.D. ROSE FROM DEAD. DISCIPLES CONVINCED & MORE CONVERTED.
6: 21 – 2. NUMBER? 9 AUTHORS. ALL EYEWITNESSES OR SUPERVISED BY EYEWITNESSES. 6 INDEPENDENT SOURCES WRITTEN 20-40 YEARS AFTER THE RESURRECTION (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter). 1 COR. 15:6 MORE THAN 500 SAW THE RESURRECTED CHRIST
8:02 – 3. TRUTHFUL? ALL OF THE APOSTLES EXCEPT FOR JOHN WERE MARTYRED
9:53 – 4. PREJUDICIAL? APOSTLES WERE NOT PREJUDICED TO BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION. LUKE 24:11 (women run back, apostles don’t believe them). “DOUBTING THOMAS.” HAD NOTHING TO GAIN PERSONALLY.
12:18 – SO WHAT? INTEGRITY OF WRITERS IS BEYOND REPROACH. HONESTY & MANUSCRIPT ACCURACY CONFIRMS HISTORICAL RELIABILITY.
13:22 – WHAT’S YOUR NEXT STEP? PRAY FOR BOLDNESS
15:37 – THANK YOU & WRAP UP
FURTHER RESOURCES:
Geisler, Norman L. “New Testament, Historicity of,” “Witnesses, Hume’s Criteria For,” “New Testament Apologetic Concerns.” In Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (1999). (Updated as The Big Book of Christian Apologetics: An A to Z Guide (2012))
