Historicity Of Jesus Lesson 2- Reliability Of The New Testament Records

Review There are critics of biblical history that are trying to prove that Jesus is a mythological figure. - Dan Brown, Dan Barker, Timothy Freke, and Peter Gandy We can use the same historical critique that we use on other historical figures.

Review We looked at what is called hostile sources. Tacitus – Wrote “ Annuls” Suetonius – Wrote “ The Lives Of The Caesars”. Pliny the Younger – Wrote about the early church.

Review Josephus - Wrote on the early church. Responsible for reporting to the Roman government.

Review We looked at the implications of not believing. And the implications of His resurrection.

Review How do we know that Abraham Lincoln existed? Or George Washington?

The New Testament The gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke,and John) and the other 23 books provide more information about Jesus than any other source. Are they reliable historical documents ? What about the rest of the New Testament?

Proof in the numbers Number of Greek manuscripts stands at 5,748. Oldest reference dates back to a papyrus writing that contains parts of John 18 written in the reign of Hadrian A.D A.D. 138.

Other ancient documents *Homer’s “Iliad” 643 copies *Julius Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” 10 copies *Livy’s 142 books of Roman history 35 have survived. *Tacticus’ “Annals” 2 manuscripts exist. *The History of Thucydides and Herodotus around 8 manuscripts each.

New Testament is not…… The New Testament does not claim to be a historical account of the first century. It does claim that the historical data within the text is factual. No margin of error. 2 Timothy 3:16,1 Acts 1:1-3.

The Pilate Inscription All four gospel accounts give reference. Addressed the crowd about the innocents of Jesus. ( John 18:38 19:4, 6 ) Pilate is known for delivering Jesus Christ to be scourged and crucified.

The Pilate Inscription For 2,000 years there stood the biblical record on Pilate and an occasional ancient reference. That would change in 1961.

The Pilate Inscription Archaeologists uncovered a Roman theater in Caesarea. They discovered a 2 X3 foot slab with the inscriptions that included the name “Pontius Pilate”. The stone could of come from some sort of temple dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius. Luke 3:1

Luke’s accounts Acts 17:5-8 Rulers of city. Greek= “Politarchas” Critics claim that Luke’s account is in error. Politarchas not found in Greek literature. Common phrase would be strateegoi.

Luke’s accounts inscriptions found in Thessalonica. Roman arch torn down to repair a city uncovered the inscription “In the time of the Politarchas”. Time frame – 30 B.C.- A.D. 143.

Luke’s accounts Luke specifically documents cities, places, names and titles. Sergius Paulus Acts 13:1-7 Called “Proconsul”. *Question 1. Was Cyprus & Paphos ruled by a proconsul? *Question 2. Was Sergius Paulus real?

Sergius Paulus Historical tradition would say that Cyprus was an imperial province and under a Propraetor not a Proconsul.

Sergius Paulus In 22 B.C. Augustus transferred Cyprus to the Roman Senate. It would be ruled by Proconsuls. Archeologists have found copper coins from the region that refer to Proconsuls.

Sergius Paulus Uncovered inscriptions in Solis, north coast of Cyprus, refer to a Paulus that is a Proconsul. Greek inscriptions from Kythraia refer to a Quintus Sergius Paulus as Proconsul.

Sergius Paulus Latin inscriptions have been found that refer to Lucius Sergius Paulus “one of the curators of the bank of Tiber during the reign of Claudius.” “this man later became Proconsul of Cyprus and should be connected to Acts 13”. – Sir William Ramsay

Acts 18 & Gallio Again there is specific reference to an official. Acts 18: Gallio was proconsul of Achaia. Inscriptions from the Greek city Dephi include a letter from Emperor Claudius to Gallio.

Letter to Gallio “Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, of tribunician authority for the twelfth time, imperator twenty – sixth time…… Lucius Junius Gallio, my friend, and the proconsul of Achaia.”

Accuracy The New Testament has far better textual support than do the works of Plato and Aristotle. N.T. documents have always been public like the Declaration Of Independence.

Accuracy “The Bible is the most scrutinized book ever written. If the New Testament can be proven to be historically accurate, than the testimony regarding Jesus Christ must be accepted as accurate and legitimate”. Kyle Butt & Eric Lyons