ARE THE GOSPELS RELIABLE - PART 2

                                            ARE THE GOSPELS                                                RELIABLE?

                                              PART 2



(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 disciples were dead, no one could 
verify their accuracy. But if the New Testament accounts were written while the original 
apostles 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
and 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 the Lord Jesus
Christ and His coming again. We have seen
His Majestic Splendour with our own eyes."
(2nd Peter 1:16)

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 mid 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 21st February