How do we know we can trust the gospels?

by Jun 15, 2011

As we return to Matthew’s gospel at our Sunday morning gatherings, we’re getting into some amazing stories. Jesus healing people with leprosy and paralysis. Jesus stopping storms and demons. Jesus calling himself the “Son of Man,” which means equating himself with God.

C.S. Lewis famously said that in light of Jesus’ actions and words, there are only three ways to view him: as a liar, a lunatic, or as Lord. But since then, many scholars have started questioning not just Jesus, but the sources of the stories we have about Jesus. They would argue that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (or whoever actually wrote the gospels) were passing on legends about Jesus that had grown over time, not facts recorded by firsthand witnesses.

In this video, Dr. Peter Williams, New Testament lecturer at Aberdeen University, presents compelling evidence that the gospels were in fact written by first-hand witnesses. He’s British, so he must know what he’s talking about.

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