ARE THE GOSPELS RELIABLE - PART TWO

                                        ARE  THE GOSPELS           RELIABLE ?

     PART TW0 

     (copied from
      Y-Jesus.com)

Lost in Translation

So, what does the evidence show?  We begin with two simple questions. When were the original documents of the New Testament written?  And who wrote them?

The importance of these questions should be obvious. If the accounts of Jesus were written after the eyewitnesses were dead, no one could verify their accuracy. But if the New Testament accounts were written while the original disciples were still alive, then their authenticity could be established. Peter could say of a forgery in his name: "Hey, I didn't write that. "  And Matthew, Mark, Luke or John could respond to questions or challenges aimed at their accounts of Jesus.

The New Testament writers, claimed to be rendering eyewitness accounts of Jesus. The apostle Peter stated it this way in one letter : "We were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and His coming again. We have seen His majestic splendor with our own eyes." 

 ( 2nd Peter 1:16 NLT)

A major part of the New Testament is the apostle Paul's 13 letters to young churches and individuals. Paul's letters, dated between the 40's and mid 60's (12 to 33 years after Christ), constitute the earliest witnesses to Jesus' life and teaching.  

Will Durant wrote of the historical importance of  Paul's letters, "The Christian evidence for Christ begins with the letters ascribed to Saint Paul, .. No one has questioned the existence of Paul, or his repeated meetings with Peter, James and John, and Paul enviously admits that these men had known Christ in the flesh. "

next post  tomorrow 15th July