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!

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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))