The Gospels: A Reliable History

The Gospels: A Reliable History

The Gospel According to Matthew
50’s-60’s

“Matthew put together the oracles in the Hebrew Language, and each one interpreted them as best he could” (Papias, 120)

“Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and paul were preaching at Rome” (Irenaeus, 180)

“We will begin with Matthew, who is reported by tradition to have published his Gospel before the others. He wrote it to the Hebrews, namely, those of the circumcision who believed”
(Origen, 228)

The Gospel According to Mark
50’s-60’s

“Having become the interpreter of Peter, Mark wrote down accurately whatever he remembered. However, he did not relate the sayings or deeds of Christ in exact order. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwords, as I said, he accompanied Peter.” (Papias, 120)

“After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also handed down to ous in writing what had been preached by Peter” (Irenaeus, 180)

“In order that thereby they might be able to commit to memory what was spoken by Peter, Mark wrote entirely what is called the Gospel according to Mark” (Clement, 195)

The Gospel According to Luke
60’s

“Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded the Gospel in a book” (Irenaeus, 180)

“By the style of writing, Luke may be recognized both to have composed the Acts of the Apostles and to have translated Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews” (Clement, 195)

“The third book of the Gospel is that according to Luke” (Muratorian Fragment, 200)

The Gospel According to John
80’s-90’s

“The fourth Gospel is that of John… it was revealed to Andrew that John should narrate all things in his own name, as they called them to mind” (Muratorian Fragment, 200)

“What a mind, then, we must have to enable us to interpret this work in a worthy manner. This is so even though it has been committed to the earthly treasure house of common speech” (Origen, 228)

The Fourfold Gospel
Late 100’s

“The Ebionites, who use only Matthew’s Gospel, are refuted out of this very same work…But Marcion, mutilating the Gospel according to Luke, is still proved to be blasphemous…from those passages which he still retains. Those, again, who separate Jesus from Christ…prefer the Gospel of Mark. However, if they read it with a love of truth, they would have their errors rectified. Those persons, moreover, who follow Valentinus, make copious use of the Gospel according to John to illustrate their conjuctions. However, they, too, will be proved to be totally in error…It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number that they are. For, there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds…it is fitting that she should have four pillars” (Irenaeus, 180)

“The Gospel of Luke that we are defending with all our might has stood its ground…the same authority of the apostolic churches will afford defense of the other Gospels also…I mean the Gospels of John and Matthew—while that which Mark published may be affirmed to be Peter’s, who interpreter Mark was. For men usually ascribe Luke’s form of the Gospel to Paul” (Tertullian, 207)

“Concerning the four Gospels which alone are uncontroverted in the church of God under heaven… Matthew was written first. The second one written was that according to Mark, who wrote it according to the instruction of Peter… Third was the one according to Luke…This is the Gospel commended by Paul. Last of all, there is the one according to John” (Origen, 245)

Testing the Eye-Witness Evidence

1. The Intention Test – Did the NT authors intend to write factual history?
Yes (Luke 1:1-4, John 20:30-31, Detail Specific)
2. The Ability Test – Did the oral tradition survive for 2-3 decades?
Yes (Oral Culture, Poetic Form, Flexible Memorization Standards)
3. The Character Test – Were the NT authors men of integrity?
Yes (10 of 11 Disciples died for their faith)
4. The Consistency Test – Aren’t there contradictions in the 4 Gospels?
No (Uniformity would provoke suspicion, seeming contradictions explainable)
5. The Bias Test – Didn’t they have a vested interest in skewing the data?
No (Disciples had little to gain except criticism, ostracism & martyrdom)
6. The Cover-Up Test – Didn’t they just make their faith more attractive?
No (Embarrassing Facts & Hard Sayings were included)
7. The Corroboration Test – Do the details survive archaeological scrutiny?
Yes (Archaeology has consistenly confirmed Scripture)
8. The Adverse Witness Test – Did people in the know reject their testimony?
No (Antagonistic Witnesses do not deny the facts, but re-interpret them)


AUTHOR/BOOK-------DATE------OLDEST COPY-------# OF COPIES
Homer’s Illiad----------800BC---------400AD----------------643
Plato-------------------400BC---------900AD------------------7
Julius Caesar-----------44BC-----------900AD-----------------10
Tacitus-----------------100AD---------1100AD----------------20
Pliny-------------------100AD----------850AD-----------------7
New Testament--------40-100AD------60’sAD (debated)-----5,686
-----------------------------------------130AD (fragments)
-----------------------------------------200AD (whole books)
-----------------------------------------250AD (most of NT)
-----------------------------------------325AD (complete NT)

Similarity b/w 2 most 'different' texts: 99.5%
In Addition, even if we had 0 NT manuscripts, we could reproduce 99% of the NT just from the quotations of the church fathers.

***Statistics gathered from Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel & F.F. Bruce***