“How do we know the Gospels are Reliable???”

Main Point: The Gospels (including Acts) are reliable, eye-witness accounts of actual events

 Opening

• Are the Gospel accounts reliable? Are they true?
  • WHEN were they written?
  • WHO wrote them?
  • Did the information change over time?
• We have to use what we know for sure about history to determine the validity of the Gospels

 Main Points

• When were the Gospels written?
  • The biggest historical event = Siege of Jerusalem 66-69AD, Temple Destruction 70AD
    • Neither event is described in the Gospels or in any of Paul’s letters
    • Paul was executed in Rome in 64AD, Peter in 65AD
    • Luke wrote Acts after his Gospel - Acts didn’t mention Paul, Peter or James death 62AD
      • So Acts was written before 62AD, and Luke’s Gospel was written PRIOR to that
    • Paul quoted Luke’s Gospel in 1Tim 5:17/18 in around 63AD, as if it were common knowledge at that time (Luke 10:7)
    • Paul quoted Luke’s Gospel again in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (Luke 22:19-20)
      • So Luke’s Gospel had been around for a while at this time
    • Luke quotes Mark and Matthew repeatedly in his Gospel (hundreds of times) which leads us to believe those Gospels pre-date Luke’s Gospel by a handful of years at least
    • Matthew/Mark 45-50AD, Luke’s Gospel 50-53AD, Paul’s letters 53-57AD, Acts 57-60AD, John 85-95AD
    • This early dating is crucial because it tells us that time for Legend to build was not enough and also passing on a tale/story like this during these times would have been impossible given the skeptical nature of people in this area during this time in history
  • WHO wrote the Gospels?
    • The Gospels were written anonymously, unlike Paul’s letters, which was normal/expected
    • If the Authors were going to be “made up”, then why these guys?
    • Did anyone else ever claim to be an Author of these writings?
    • Why no author for Hebrews?
    • Why say women saw the empty tomb? Why tell everyone what Jesus said on the Cross?
  • Did the information change over time? (chain of custody)
    • Significant number of copies helps us with this
    • People did try to corrupt the scriptures but the fakes were easily caught throughout history
    • Fortunately, the Gospel writers students left us more documents and evidence about how the information was passed down.
    • John taught Ignatius and Polycarp – they taught Irenaeus who taught Hippolytus, all of whom left us corroborating evidence of the Gospel accounts and chain of custody
    • Paul taught Linus and Clement of Rome – who taught Evaristus & Pius – Pius and Justin Martyr, Justin was the first Apologist who left us great works detailing the validity of the Gospels.
    • Peter taught Mark, the first Gospel writer, who taught: Anianus, Avilius, Kedron, Primus and Justus. Justus taught Pantaenus who taught Clement of Alexandria who taught Origen who’s work was adopted by Pamphilus of Caesarea who taught Eusebius who lived to 339AD!
    • This alone leads us right up to the Council of Laodacia

 CONCLUSION:

• The Gospels, Acts & Paul’s letters were written early and are interwoven
• There is literally no reason to list the Gospel writers as such if they were not
• The teaching was passed down as carefully as it could have been, chain of custody is clean
• LETS PRAY----->>>>>>>
• Father, I pray for