Bible Talk Session 3: Establishing the Reliability of Early Christian Writings
2025-03-21
Dr. Ben Shaw
Summary:
The lesson discusses the dating of the New Testament books, emphasizing that most were written within the lifetime of the eyewitnesses, which is crucial for their reliability. The standard scholarly dates place Mark around 65 A.D., Matthew and Luke in the 70s or 80s, and John around 95 A.D. However, some scholars, including non-Christian scholars, suggest that Mark may have been written as early as 40 A.D. This would place all New Testament books within a reasonable timeframe of Jesus’ death (around 30 A.D.), making them reliable historical sources.
The lesson highlights that the New Testament’s proximity to the events it describes makes it far more reliable than other ancient biographies, such as those of Alexander the Great or Buddha, which were written centuries after the events occurred. It also compares the dating of New Testament writings to other historical works, emphasizing that the Gospels are much earlier and written closer to the eyewitnesses, which strengthens their authenticity.
The lesson concludes by underscoring that whether we use earlier or later dates, the key takeaway is that the New Testament writings were produced within the lifetime of the eyewitnesses, making them credible sources of historical information.
Key Points:
• The New Testament was written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses.
• Scholars debate the exact dates but generally agree on the time range (40-95 A.D.).
• The Gospels are far closer in time to the events of Jesus’ life than other ancient biographies.
• Comparisons with works about historical figures like Alexander the Great and Buddha show the New Testament’s relative reliability.