Background
My article, The Case for Christ, was condensed from my original research for readability, but the additional information is important. Therefore, I created several pieces so that I could share the extra content with readers. This is one of those articles. Click the link above to see the original post on The Case for Christ.
Note: The following information fills out the content from the various sections in the original paper to give a more complete case. I have not repeated the content, except in limited amounts, unless it was necessary for understanding.
Introduction
The New Testament (NT) is an ancient historical document, and military historian Dr. Sanders offers several tests that can be used to determine if an ancient document is accurate and reliable. We will utilize two of those tests:1
- Bibliographical Test: Since we do not have the original documents (autographs), how reliable and accurate are the copies we have in regard to the number of manuscripts (MSS), and what is the time interval between the original and the copy/copies in existence?
- Internal Consistency Test: What is in the text? Is the text internally consistent?
Bibliographical test
“There is more abundant and accurate manuscript evidence for the NT than for any other book from the ancient world.”2 As of 2001, the sum total of Greek MMS is 5,686, along with an additional 18,600 + in other languages such as Latin, Slavic, and Armenian. The next closest ancient text is Homer’s Iliad with only 643 copies. If we were to conclude that the NT should be discounted as history based on not having the original autographs, but numerous Greek copies (5,686!), then we must also rule out other ancient documents as history of which we do not have the autographs. This would include not only Homer’s Iliad, but also the Roman historian Tacitus’ Annals of Imperial Rome, along with works by Josephus, Demosthenes, Caesar, and Herodotus.
The accuracy of the ancient NT texts is impressive, but do contain some variations. It might seem that having any variation in the text is problematic, “but just the contrary is true, for the larger number of variants supplies at the same time the means of checking on those variants.”3 This means that all of the variations can be compared to each other and concern over them eliminated because they are, in effect, self-correcting.
The following chart gives a small sampling of some of the abundant manuscript evidence:4
The New Testament Manuscripts
| Manuscript | Content | Present Location |
|---|---|---|
| John Rylands Fragment c. A.D. 125 | John’s Gospel 18:31-33, 37-38 | John Rylands Library Manchester, England |
| Bodmer Papyri c. A.D. 200 | Fragments: 40 pgs of John, Jude, Luke, 1 & 2 Peter | Peter Bodmer Library, Cologny, Switzerland |
| Chester Beatty Papyri c. A.D. 250 | Major portions of Matthew, John, Mark, Luke, Acts | C. Beatty Museum, Dublin, Ireland |
| Codex Vaticanus c. A.D. 325 | Most of the Old Testament (OT) and NT | Vatican Library, Rome |
| Codex Sinaticus c. A.D. 340 | Half or OT, most of NT | British Museum, London |
| Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus c. A.D. 350 | All of NT except 2 John and 2 Thessalonians | National Library, Paris |
| Codex Bezae (D) Codex Cantabrigiensis c. A.D. 500 | Four Gospels, Acts, 3 John 11-15 | Cambridge University Library, England |
| Codex Claromontanus c. A.D. 550 | Pauline Epistles, Hebrews | National Library, Paris |
| Codex Coislinianus c. 6th Century | Pauline Epistles | Various Libraries (Paris, Moscow, Kiev) |
The reliability and accuracy of the Biblical MMS, along with the close time span between the original and earliest copy all “bear witness that the NT is the most historically accurate and reliable document from all of antiquity,”5 so that its authenticity is established.
Internal Consistency Test
The internal test determines if the document in question is internally consistent, and applies the following two principles:
1. Consider the language, culture, geography, and history of the time in which the document was written.6
- Language -Because most of the Bible is written in Hebrew and Greek, “we must engage in careful exegesis7 in order to find out what [is] meant in light of contemporary conditions and usage.”
- Culture -We must understand the customs and cultural context. For example, once we know that the Sabbath is a ritual day of rest, we can better understand why Jesus was challenged when he healed people on the Sabbath.
- Geography -Understanding and familiarity with geography. For example, some have questioned Luke’s documentation of ancient history and geography and “whether Luke was a historian who could be trusted to get things right.” But, “it’s extremely significant that Luke has been established to be a scrupulously accurate historian, even in the smallest details. One prominent archaeologist carefully examined Luke’s references to thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, and nine islands, finding not a single mistake.”8
- History -Knowing the history behind a passage will enhance comprehension. In the Gospel of John, the whole key to understanding the interplay between Pilate and Jesus is based on the knowledge of history.
When Pilate came into the land with his emperor worship, it literally infuriated the Jews and their priests. So he was off to a bad start from the very beginning. Then he tried to pull something on the Jews. And when they caught him, they reported him to Rome, and he almost lost his job. Pilate was afraid of the Jews, and that’s why he let Christ be crucified. Why was he afraid? Because he already had a rotten track record, and his job was on the line.9
2. Consider the psychology of testimony.
We can gain insight in understanding the ‘psychology of testimony’, by looking at the work of J. Warner Wallace, a homicide detective who has “interviewed hundreds (if not thousands) of eyewitnesses and suspects”10 and became familiar with the nature of eyewitness statements.
Wallace explains, “The NT accounts repeatedly use words that are translated as ‘witness,’ ‘testimony,’ ‘bear witness,’ or ‘testify.’ ” Wallace also observes, “The apostles saw themselves first and foremost as a group of eyewitnesses, and they understood that their shared observations were a powerful testimony to what they claimed to be true. Over and over again, the apostles clearly identified themselves as ‘witnesses of all the things He [Jesus] did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem’ (Acts 10:39), and used this status as the foundation for everything they taught.”11
Through Wallace’s extensive training, experience, and questioning of eyewitnesses, he came to expect several tendencies in eyewitness testimony. For example, he found that it was sometimes necessary for him to puzzle together statements that might at first appear contradictory. Also, the same event may be described with varying degrees of passion and with divergent details that are simply the result of individual tastes and interests.
Wallace points out that, “We have to remember that an eyewitness account can be reliable in spite of apparent contradictions. While we might complain about two accounts that appear to differ in some way, we would be even more suspicious if there were absolutely no peculiarities or differences. It’s important for people to see that the writers identified themselves as eyewitnesses. They weren’t writing moral fiction. They were recording what they saw with their own eyes, heard with their own ears, and touched with their own hands.”12
Internal Consistency Test Conclusion
Geisler and Bocchino conclude, “In the NT, the Gospel accounts all agree on the significant details that support [items such as] Jesus’ virgin birth, the calling of His twelve disciples, and His teachings about the nature of God, humanity, good and fallen angels, and salvation. They also agree on the reactions of the religious and political leaders, which led to His death. They all agree that Jesus had both a religious and political trial and was sentenced to death by the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. They all agree that Jesus was beaten, crucified, buried, and raised from the dead on the third day after His death.”13
Due to the number of other eyewitnesses still alive at that time that could challenge the accuracy of the NT writers, it was incumbent upon them to not misrepresent the truth. “Consequently, we conclude that the NT passes the internal consistency test.”14
Conclusion
Due to the accuracy, reliability, and sheer number of NT documents, the eyewitness accounts inform both believers and non-believers with testimonies of Jesus that can’t be ignored. This is the kind evidence that expels doubt and demonstrates the truth that we must respond to.
1 Dr. C. Sanders, Introduction to Research in English Literary History, (New York: Macmillan, 1952), 143 ff.
2 Norman Geisler & Peter Bocchino, Unshakable Foundations (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2001), 255
3 Geisler & Bocchino, 258
4 Geisler & Bocchino, 256
5 Geisler & Bocchino, 258
6 Geisler & Bocchino, Summarized pgs 259-261
7 exegesis -critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially of the Bible. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/exegesis, 1/20/21
8 Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998), 97-98
9 John MacArthur, How to Study the Bible (Chicago: Moody, 1982), 72
10 J. Warner Wallace, Cold-Case Christianity (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2013), 17
11 Wallace, 79
12 Wallace, 84, 85. Italics in the original.
13 Geisler & Bocchino, 262
14 Geisler & Bocchino, 264