Can we trust the ? • Pr. 30:5 “Every word of God proves true..”

• Ps. 12:6 “The words of the LORD are pure words”

• Ps. 18:30 “This God-his way is perfect, the word of the LORD proves true.” Areas where the Bible can be tested and observed

• Unique Message • Unity of the Message • Prophetic nature of the Message • Historical reliability of the Message • Accuracy of the copy/Message Historical reliability of the message

• 7 Criteria for determining if a historical document or event is true

– 1. Do we have early testimony? The earlier the sources, the more accurate the testimony.

– 2. Do we have eyewitness testimony? Eyewitness testimony is usually the best means for determining what really happened. • 3. Do we have testimony from multiple, independent, eyewitness sources? True independent sources normally tell the same basic story but with differing details.

• 4. Are the eyewitnesses trustworthy? Should you believe them? Character matters. • 5. Do we have supporting evidence from archaeology or other writers (non-biblical sources)?

• 6. Do we have enemy attestation? If opponents of the eyewitnesses admit certain facts the eyewitnesses say is true, then those facts are probably true. • 7. Does the testimony contain events or details that are embarrassing to the authors? People do not typically like to admit to negative information about themselves.

Early Church Fathers (1st century through 3rd) • Polycarp, Ignatius, Clement, Irenaeus, and many others quoted the early and often

– Over 36,000 times – The were quoted over 19,000 times – Much of the New Testament can be reconstructed from these writings alone.

Eyewitness Testimony

• Book of Acts – has 84 historically confirmed eyewitness details

• Book of John – has 59 historically confirmed or probable eyewitness details

• Remaining New Testament books cite more than 30 people confirmed by secular sources or archeology Historical persons in the new testament

Herod Agrippa I –

Herod Antipas – Mt. 14; Mk. 6; Lk.3,23 – Mt. 27; Mk. 15; Lk. 23; Jh. 18

Caiaphas – Mt. 26; Lk. 3; Jn. 11,18; Mt. 2; Lk. 1

Porcius Festus -26 Extra biblical testimony • 10 ancient non-Christian sources • Historians: Josephus, Tactitus, Suetonius, Thallus, Phlegon

• Government officials: Pliny the Younger, Emperor Trajan, Emperor Hadrian

• Other Sources: The Jewish Talmud, and Greek writer Lucian Josephus (37AD – 100 AD) Jewish Historian

“At this time there appeared , a wise man .For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of people who received the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many and among many of Greek origin. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians, named after him, has not died out.” Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 63 • Josephus also wrote – Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called , whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: Book 20, Chapter 9 of Antiquities of the Jews, Tacitus – (56AD-120AD) Roman Historian

Tacitus spoke how wanted to make the Christians scapegoats for the problems in Rome. Tacitus wrote pertaining to the founder of Christianity,

“Their originator, Christ, had been executed in ’s reign by the governor of , Pontius Pilate.” • Tacitus further stated’

– Nero fastened the guilt ... on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of ... Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome.... Tacitus, Annals 15.44 Pliny the Younger (61AD – 113AD) Roman official under Emperor Trajan They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food – but food of an ordinary and innocent kind. Letters-series 10 Lucian of Samosota (125AD-180AD) was a Greek writer and critic of Christianity

The Christians ... worship a man to this day – the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account.... [It] was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. Lucian, The Death of a peregrine What have we learned about Jesus? • Jesus lived during the time of Tiberius Caesar • He lived a virtuous life • He had a brother named James • He was acclaimed to be the Messiah • He was crucified under Pontius Pilate • His disciples believed he rose from the dead • His disciples were willing to die for their belief • His disciples denied the Roman gods and worshiped Jesus Archaeology The Smithsonian Institution’s Department of Anthropology • Official statement on “THE BIBLE AS HISTORY.” In it they say: – much of the Bible, in particular the historical books of the old testament, are as accurate historical documents as any that we have from antiquity and are in fact more accurate than many of the , Mesopotamian, or Greek histories. These Biblical records can be and are used as are other ancient documents in archeological work. For the most part, historical events described took place and the peoples cited really existed. YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE