Historicity of the

ScripturesRELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE SACRED TEXTS

June 7, 2015

2

Introduction, Context, and Method

The New TestamentBibliographical Tests

External Tests

Internal Tests

Latter Old TestamentBibliographical Tests

Internal Tests

External Tests

Early Old TestamentBibliographical Tests

Internal Tests

External Tests

June 7, 2015

So Far

Manuscripts

The Four Gospels

Dating

• Key to dating the Gospels is dating Acts

• Six arguments, taken in total, make the case for dating

Acts at 62-64 AD (Synoptic Gospels earlier)

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Gospel Christ Audience Ending

Matthew King Jewish Resurrection

Mark Servant Roman Ascension

Luke Son of Man Greek Promise of Spirit

John Son of God Church Promise of 2nd Coming

June 7, 2015

Last Week

The Synoptic Problem

• Literary relationship among the first three gospels

• No clear, accepted solution

Textual Criticism

• Internal Evidence

• External Evidence

READ THE BIBLE!!!!!!

Don’t let scholarly studies shake your faith in the reliability of

the Scripture.

4June 7, 2015

External Evidences

Correlated Biblical people

Non-biblical authors

Archaeology

5June 7, 2015

Correlated Biblical people

Roman Emperors: Caesar Agustus, Tiberius, Claudius

Roman Governors: Pontius Pilate, Serguis Paulus, Gallio,

Felix, Festus

Regional Rulers: Herod the Great, Archelaus, Herod Antipas,

Philip, Herod Agrippa I, Herod Agrippa II, Lysanias, Aretas IV

High Priests: Annas, Caiphas, Ananias

Prominent Biblical Figures: John the Baptist, and James the

Just, and Jesus

Simon of Cyrene

6June 7, 2015

John the Baptist

Limited references

• Gospels

• Flavius Josephus

Josephus

• More about John, than Jesus

• Description of Herodias and Salome

• Herod’s army destroyed by God for John

7June 7, 2015

Non-Biblical Authors

Eusebius

• Confirms the historicity of Mark and Matthew

through primary writings of Papias ( Bishop of

Heirapolis)

Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon (180 AD)

• Confirms the existence and value of the

Canon documents

Polycarp

• A disciple of John, routinely quotes from the NT

8June 7, 2015

Non-Biblical Authors

Flavius Josephus

• Jewish historian and hagiographer

working for the Romans

o From a priestly line, possible Pharisee

o Captured and subsequently freed by

Vespasian

• Key Works

o Jewish Wars (AD 77-78)

o Antiquities of the Jews (AD 94)

• Documents John the Baptist, James

the Just, and Jesus

9May 3, 2015

Archeology Simon the Cyrene Ossuary

• Found in 1941 by Sukenic and Avidaq in Kidron Valley

• Intact with 10 others; Blocking stone in place

• Inscription of one: “Alexander – Son of Cyrene”

The “Pilate Stone”

• Found in 1962

• Dedication Inscription:

To the Divine Augusti [this] Tiberieum

...Pontius Pilate

...prefect of Judea

...has dedicated [this]

10May 24, 2015

More Archeology

Caiaphas Ossuary

• Discovered 1990

• Wealthy Family - Aramaic inscription

“Caiaphas”

Pool of Siloam (John 9)

• Location identified early 20th century as 5th

century Byzantine church

• Pool discovered 2004 below

11May 3, 2015

And More Archeology

Galilean Fishing Boat - 1986

Bethsaida – 1994

Quirinius, proconsul of Syria Coin (Luke 2)

Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene (Luke 3)

Augustus’ census edicts are borne out by an

inscription at Ankara, Turkey.

Nazareth - first-century synagogue inscription at

Caesarea

James Ossuary – 2002

12May 3, 2015

Gospels Historicity

Manuscripts

Dating

Synoptic Problem (Sourcing)

Textual Criticism

Non- Biblical Authors

Archeology

The Gospels are True and Reliable!

13May 3, 2015

Recommended Sources

Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ (Zondervan, 2013)

Steve Cowan and Terry Wilder, In Defense of the Bible (B&H

Academic, 2013)

Barry Cooper, Can I really trust the Bible (The Good Book

Company, 2014)

D. A. Carson and John Woodbridge, eds., Scripture and Truth

(Baker, 1983); idem, Hermeneutics, Authority, and Canon

(Zondervan, 1986)

Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Prolegomena (vol. 1): Part

IV: Revelation (Baker Academic, 2003)

Ned Stonehouse and Paul Woolley, eds., The Infallible Word: A

Symposium by the Members of the Faculty of Westminster

Theological Seminary (P&R, 1946)

14May 31, 2015

Recommended Sources con’t

E. J. Young, Thy Word Is Truth (Banner of Truth, 1963)

John MacArthur, Why Believe the Bible (Regal, 2008)

J.I. Packer, ’Fundamentalism’ and the Word of God (Eerdmans, 1958)

William Whitaker, Disputations on Holy Scripture (Soli Deo Gloria, 2000)

John Owen, The Divine Original: Authority, Self-Evidencing Light, and

Power of the Scriptures , vol. 16 of Owen’s Collected Works (Banner of

Truth, 1988)

Meredith Kline, The Structure of Biblical Authority (Wipf & Stock Pub,

1997)

John Frame, The Doctrine of the Word of God (P&R, 2010)

B. B. Warfield, The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible (P&R, 1948)

15May 31, 2015

Coming Weeks. . .

Jun 14 Hymn Sing

Jun 21 New Testament Letters #1 Clint

Jun 28 New Testament Letters #2 Jon

Jul 5 New Testament Letters #3 Jim

Jul 12 Latter Old Testament #1 Jon

Jul 19 Latter Old Testament #2 Chris

Jul 26 Early Old Testament #1 Clint

Aug 2 Early Old Testament #2 TBD

Aug 9 Early Old Testament #3 TBD

16May 31, 2015

17

Many Questions

May 2, 2015 20

Principles of Internal Evidence

Prefer the shorter reading.

Prefer the more difficult reading.

Prefer the reading that accords best with the

author’s style and vocabulary.

Prefer the reading that best fits the context

and/or the author’s theology

Prefer the less harmonious reading in parallel

passages.

21May 31, 2015

Principles of External Evidence

Prefer the reading attested by the oldest

manuscripts.

Prefer the reading supported in widely separated

geographical areas.

Prefer the reading supported by the greatest

number of text types.

22May 31, 2015

An Overview of the Process

Materials and Methods

• Manuscripts and canons

• Texts

o Hebrew Bible

o New Testament

• Extra-biblical sources

• Writing and reading history

23May 3, 2015

The Overview con’t

Challenges to historicity

• The Hebrew Bible

• New Testament

Schools of archaeological and historical thought

• Overview

• Maximalist – Minimalist dichotomy

• Biblical minimalism

• Biblical maximalism

• Decreasing conflict

24May 3, 2015

Number of NT Manuscripts

~5,700 Greek NT manuscripts in existence (2nd – 16th

centuries)

~10,000 Latin Vulgate NT manuscripts

~8,000 Ethiopic, Slavic, and Armenian

~24,000 total NT manuscripts in existence

“There is no body of ancient literature in the world which

enjoys such a wealth of good textual attestation as the New

Testament” (F.F. Bruce Univ of Manchester author of: The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable)

► >1 million NT quotations from church fathers

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May 10, 2015