In yesterday’s devotion I listed five reasons why I believe the New Testament (NT) writers told the truth. Today I will share five more reasons.
- The NT writers included events related to the resurrection that they would not have invented.
The following are just three events that the NT writers would not have invented. One, the burial of Jesus by a prominent member of the Jewish ruling class – Joseph of Arimathea. Two, the fact that women were the first witnesses of the resurrection. And three, the conversion of priests.
2. The NT writers included more than thirty historically confirmed people in their writings.
The NT writers would have blown their credibility by implicating real people in a fictional story, especially men of great notoriety. For example, the NT writers would never have gotten away with telling lies about Pilate, Caiaphas, Festus, or Felix.
3. The NT writers include divergent details.
If all four of the gospels were exactly the same we would be right to conclude that collusion took place. Divergent details actually strengthens the case that they were indeed accurate and trustworthy.
4. The NT writers challenge their readers to check out verifiable facts.
This even includes miracles. For example, in (II Corinthians 12:12) Paul says: “I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.” Paul would have lost all credibility by writing this unless he had really performed miracles for them. And don’t forget that the disciples claimed to be eyewitnesses to the events surrounding Jesus. (II Peter 1:16) says: “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” And (I John 1:1-3) adds: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” These eyewitness accounts could easily be proven false upon investigation if they had not actually taken place.
5. The NT writers describe miracles like other historical events – with simple, unembellished accounts.
Embellished and amazing details are strong evidence that a historical event may be fraudulent. The NT writers seem to describe miracles as simply taking place in the context that made them believable. For example, when Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine, the miracle was simply stated and no great fanfare was made about it.
I hope that these ten reasons will serve to increase your confidence in the New Testament and prove valuable when sharing with skeptics why you believe in the historical accuracy of the Bible.
This iS valuable information Curt, and easy to remember.
Elaine Eno