Transcript L02-Reliability-of

Historicity Of Jesus
Lesson 2- Reliability Of The
New Testament Records
Review
• There are critics of biblical history that
are trying to prove that Jesus is a
mythological figure.
- Dan Brown, Dan Barker, Timothy Freke, and Peter Gandy
• We can use the same historical critique
that we use on other historical figures.
Review
• We looked at what is called
hostile sources.
• Tacitus – Wrote “ Annuls”
• Suetonius – Wrote “ The Lives Of The Caesars”.
• Pliny the Younger – Wrote about the
early church.
Review
Josephus - Wrote on the early church.
Responsible for reporting to the
Roman government.
Review
We looked at the implications of
not believing.
And the implications of His resurrection.
Review
How do we know that Abraham Lincoln
existed?
Or George Washington?
The New Testament
The gospel accounts
(Matthew , Mark , Luke ,and John) and
the other 23 books provide more information
about Jesus than any other source.
Are they reliable historical documents ?
What about the rest of the New Testament?
Proof in the numbers
Number of Greek manuscripts stands at 5,748.
Oldest reference dates back to a papyrus
writing that contains parts of John 18
written in the reign of
Hadrian A.D. 117- A.D. 138.
Other ancient documents
*Homer’s “Iliad” 643 copies
*Julius Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” 10 copies
*Livy’s 142 books of Roman history
35 have survived.
*Tacticus’ “Annals” 2 manuscripts exist.
*The History of Thucydides and Herodotus
around 8 manuscripts each.
New Testament is not……
The New Testament does not claim to be a
historical account of the first century.
It does claim that the historical data within
the text is factual. No margin of error.
2 Timothy 3:16,1 Acts 1:1-3.
The Pilate Inscription
• All four gospel accounts give reference.
• Addressed the crowd about the
innocents of Jesus. (John 18:38 19:4, 6)
• Pilate is known for delivering Jesus Christ
to be scourged and crucified.
The Pilate Inscription
For 2,000 years there stood the biblical
record on Pilate and an occasional
ancient reference.
That would change in 1961.
The Pilate Inscription
Archaeologists uncovered a Roman
theater in Caesarea. They discovered
a 2 X3 foot slab with the inscriptions that
included the name “Pontius Pilate”.
The stone could of come from some sort
of temple dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius.
Luke 3:1
Luke’s accounts
• Acts 17:5-8
• Rulers of city . Greek= “Politarchas”
• Critics claim that Luke’s account is in error.
• Politarchas not found in Greek literature.
• Common phrase would be strateegoi.
Luke’s accounts
• 1960- 32 inscriptions found in Thessalonica.
• Roman arch torn down to repair a city
uncovered the inscription
“In the time of the Politarchas”.
Time frame – 30 B.C.- A.D. 143.
Luke’s accounts
Luke specifically documents cities, places,
names and titles.
Sergius Paulus Acts 13:1-7
Called “Proconsul”.
*Question 1. Was Cyprus & Paphos ruled
by a proconsul?
*Question 2. Was Sergius Paulus real?
Sergius Paulus
Historical tradition would say that Cyprus
was an imperial province and under a
Propraetor not a Proconsul.
Sergius Paulus
In 22 B.C. Augustus transferred Cyprus to
the Roman Senate.
It would be ruled by Proconsuls.
Archeologists have found copper coins
from the region that refer to Proconsuls.
Sergius Paulus
Uncovered inscriptions in Solis , north
coast of Cyprus, refer to a Paulus
that is a Proconsul.
Greek inscriptions from Kythraia refer
to a Quintus Sergius Paulus as Proconsul.
Sergius Paulus
Latin inscriptions have been found
that refer to Lucius Sergius Paulus
“one of the curators of the bank of Tiber
during the reign of Claudius.”
“this man later became Proconsul of
Cyprus and should be connected to
Acts 13”. – Sir William Ramsay
Acts 18 & Gallio
Again there is specific reference to an
official. Acts 18:12-17.
Gallio was proconsul of Achaia.
Inscriptions from the Greek city Dephi
include a letter from Emperor Claudius
to Gallio.
Letter to Gallio
“Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus
Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, of
tribunician authority for the twelfth time ,
imperator twenty – sixth time…… Lucius
Junius Gallio, my friend, and the proconsul
of Achaia.”
Accuracy
The New Testament has far better textual
support than do the works of
Plato and Aristotle.
N.T. documents have always been public
like the Declaration Of Independence.