8. Are the Witnesses Honest? (4)

Internal criteria	External criteria
(1) Did he know what he was talking about?	(1) Motive for falsification?
(2) Are there specific irrelevant details?	(2) Confirmation from other sources?
(3) Self-damaging information?	(3) Confirmation from archaeology?
(4) Are the document consistent?	(4) Could contemporaries verify the testimonies?
(5) Is there evidence of exaggeration?

 

Are there any other sources from outside the Bible which corroborate the accounts and/or which substantiate the genuineness of the documents? Confirmations from extra-Biblical sources will enhance the credibility significantly. Contradictions from other sources would, however, be devastating to the trust factor. It takes considerable effort to build respect and credibility with other people, it however only takes one mistake to lose it completely.

As we have already studied,[1] there are more than a dozen non-Christian writers confirming various details and events in the gospels and Paul’s writings. And perhaps even more important, none of these sources ever contradict any of the accounts. As these writings are from neutral or most often from unfriendly sources to Christianity, the weight of their testimonies is significant.

We have already met Flavius Josephus and his extensive confirmations of the Biblical accounts. Because of its far reaching importance, following is Josephus extensive quotation about Jesus (emphasis added):

Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.[2]

The text is obviously an amazing confirmation from a Jewish contemporary of the apostles, who was not a Christian, but still confirms Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ) and the resurrection. However, it is too good to be true. It is just unlikely that a man like Josephus (not a Christian) would write this about Jesus. Therefore the vast majority of scholars agree that the basis of the text is genuine and originally from Josephus, but that likely over the centuries Christian sources have added the statements about Christ and the resurrection. The text accepted as original is underlined in the above quotation, and it still confirms that:

• Jesus was a wise man, a teacher and a “doer of wonderful works”.
• Jesus attracted both Jews and Gentiles to be His followers.
• He was condemned to the cross by Pilate at suggestion of the Jews.
• His followers are now called Christians and they are “not extinct at this day”.

Even in its “reduced” form, this text from this non-Christian Jew is an invaluable confirmation of the reliability and truth of the gospel accounts.

Additionally, the writings of the Early Church Leaders confirm the early existence and circulation of the New Testament books as well as their authorship.

 

Start reading about the next criterion: (3) Confirmation from archaeology?

 

Internal criteria	External criteria
(1) Did he know what he was talking about?	(1) Motive for falsification?
(2) Are there specific irrelevant details?	(2) Confirmation from other sources?
(3) Self-damaging information?	(3) Confirmation from archaeology?
(4) Are the document consistent?	(4) Could contemporaries verify the testimonies?
(5) Is there evidence of exaggeration?