Questions about Jesus: 1. Is the account of Jesus reliable?
Is the account of Jesus reliable?
How can we be sure that events that took place such a long time ago were recorded accurately as well as their record being preserved without distortions to it? The integrity and purity of any old manuscript depends on, and can be proved by, the number of documented manuscripts and fragments of manuscripts that still exist.
Classic texts from history, like those of Plato, Caesar, and even Homer’s Iliad, that we trust and accept without hesitation, all have ancient manuscripts to show their authenticity. The New Testament alone has 24,000.
The account of Jesus can be trusted because its record is extensive, accurate and pure. The historians, who largely are not Christians, have found and verified the documents. There is no question that the gospel accounts of Jesus are true and reliable.
Respected theologian FF Bruce commented, ‘There is no body of ancient literature in the world which enjoys such a wealth of good textual attestation as the New Testament’.
If you would like a fuller answer I suggest reading:
Why Trust the Bible? by Amy Orr-Ewing, IVP, Leicester, 2005
The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by FF Bruce, Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1981
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