PROVING THE PAGES MAKING THE HISTORICAL CASE FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT

QUICK REVIEW LAST TIME’S GOAL: Prove Jesus was a man of history WE LOOKED AT: Thallus Mara-Bar-Serapion Cornelius Tacitus Plinius Secundus Suetonius The Talmud Flavius Josephus

WE LEARNED Jesus was a man of history just like Plato, Napoleon, & Abraham Lincoln Existence does NOT mean deity Jesus’ existence means the New Testament is reliable TO THAT END

THE ELEPHANT Can you use the Bible to study with someone who doesn’t believe in the Bible? How do you respond to someone who thinks the Bible is not…. -accurate? –inspired? –true?

WHAT IS FAITH? F A I T H acts ctions ndividual rust ope

PRESENTING THE BIBLE… So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. -Romans 10:17 When asked we say the NT is a reliable source of history that presents facts & evidence for the claims of Christ! The New Testament itself speaks to itself!

OUR DEPENDENCE ON THE NEW TESTAMENT It is the foundation of belief John 17:20 John 19:35 John 20:30-31 John 20:24-29 Luke 1:1-4 Its our only portrait of the character, teachings, & deity of Christ!

MYTH OR REALITY? NO! NT written in Historical contexts with real People, times, places, events that can be verified outside the Bible as well

CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTATION Acts 11- Agabus & the Famine Bible says famine prophesied by Agabus that took place in the days of Claudius Josephus confirms there was a famine during the reign of Claudius in years (Antiquities 20:2,6)

CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTATION Acts 12- Death of Herod Vs. 20ff details death of Herod by God Josephus (Antiquities ) details the same event

CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTATION Sergius Paulus – Acts 13 Converted by Paul Stone near Paphos bears his name & inscription from the year AD 47

CONTEXT Definition The parts of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect The set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc…

CONTEXT Letters of Paul Some of the earliest NT writings Written & circulated BEFORE 60 AD Gives many historical references bound in doctrine

LETTERS OF PAUL GALATIANS 1-2 Events of his conversion through 17 years after as proof of apostleship 500 people that saw Jesus alive after crucifixion These people still alive & available for confirmation- 1 st Cor. 15:5-6

LETTERS OF PAUL References to People Known by Readers Romans 16:1-23; 1 st Cor. 1:14, 16:17, 19; Eph. 6:21; Phil. 4:2-3; Col. 1:7; 1 st Tim. 1:20; 2 nd Tim. 1:5, 15-16, 4:9-15, etc… References to sister churches Romans 15:25-27;1 st Cor. 16:1-6 References Macedonian Situation 2 nd Cor. 8:1-7

LETTERS OF PAUL We see context of… People Places Events Time Contemporary Culture Moral, Religious, Political Conditions None of this could have been invented and still been read as credible

GOSPELS & ACTS Title of Theophilus- Luke 1 Title used 3 other times in Acts Birth of Jesus Set in context of 1 st Cent. Palestine (Luke 2:1-7) Ministry of John the Baptist Life, characteristics, habits recorded Locations Tetrarch Herod knew of him & had certain respect for him

GOSPELS & ACTS Life & Ministry of Jesus Took place among great masses of people Records people, places, events, weddings, temples, valleys, mountains, rivers, feasts, cities, etc… Details of culture can be verified by other documents from same time period

GOSPELS & ACTS Beginning & Spread of the Church of Christ Beginning & spread traced from Rome Opposed by Jewish hierarchy Involves Roman officials like Sergius Paulus, Gallio, Felix, & Festus Imperial Decrees (Acts 18:12) Rioting over Christianity’s threat to idolatry in Greece (Acts 19) Establishment of a new religion referred to as a sect spoken against everywhere (Acts 28:22)

CONCLUSION OF CONTEXT How could someone fabricate the events of Christianity then have an entire generation believe it when they knew better? “Didn’t you know that Neil Armstrong led the Japanese in an attack on Long Beach, CA in 1942?!?” Until proven otherwise, these documents must be received as historically accurate & reliable!

THE ACID TEST Christianity & Rome were NOT friendly in the first century 64 AD- Persecution under Nero AD- Persecution under Domitian Cont’d well into 3 rd cent. Why would people who were alive during the time of events die if there weren’t true!?!?!

THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS WHO?!?!?! Men who sat at the feet of the Apostles or sat at the feet of those who did Collection of writings from AD Wrote to churches & Christians to be faithful; quoted from nearly EVERY book of the NT

THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS Epistle of Barnabas, the Didache, letter from Clement of Rome Contains quotations from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1 st Corinthians, Ephesians, Titus, Hebrews, 1 Peter definitively- 100 AD Letters from Ignatius Matthew, John, Romans, both Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, both Timothys, & Titus- 115 AD

THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS Letter from Polycarp to Corinthians Quotes from first 3 Gospels, Acts, Romans, both Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 2 nd Thessalonians, both Timothys, Hebrews, 1 Peter, & 1 st John- 120 AD Clement of Rome, Bishop of Rome Quotes from Titus, Acts, 1 st & 2 nd Peter, Hebrews, 1 st Corinthians, Romans, James, Matthew, Mark, Luke- 80 AD

WHY THEY’RE IMPORTANT 1.Fact that they’re quoted speaks as to the reliability of the New Testament as authoritative 2.Due to persecution, if the New Testament was unreliable it’s unreasonable to believe early Christians would have ordered their lives around it 3.The NT was nearly if not complete AND in circulation by 100 AD 4.Viewed as accurate by those who lived in just one generation removed from Jesus

LISTEN & SEE