Foreword by Gary R. Habermas
Foreword
Gary R. Habermas
Many books, articles, and public presentations over the last few decades have addressed the reliability of the New Testament (NT) writings. Available in all sizes, some of these defenses have defended the entire NT, a collection such as the four Gospels or Paul’s epistles, or a single canonical volume. Others, particularly more technical journal articles or word studies, have concentrated on a single passage, verse, or even just a key word.
Careful arguments have been presented across different sides of the spectrum, including detailed evidences that address the challenges to the Christian faith from both scholarly and non-scholarly attacks alike. Some of these writings have been comparatively brief, whereas others have taken hundreds of pages to do the requisite work. Some specialize in the Greek texts, while others treat chiefly a single language such as English. There is no one-size-fits-all solution that meets every need, and strong volumes exist within each of these categories. Thus, many personal libraries contain works that are directed to one or more themes.
When enumerating the advantages of the NT as a trustworthy document, most scholarly presentations typically begin (with good reason) by emphasizing the textual dominance of this work versus other religious writings in the ancient world. Such an approach starts with the large number of Greek manuscripts (with the available Latin copies increasing the total numbers significantly) that support the NT as a whole. Adding to this amount is the early composition dates of these writings and hence their close proximity to the originals. In comparison, other ancient writings lag incredibly far behind in both of these crucial categories of manuscripts and dates—even hundreds of years—as critical scholars acknowledge freely. Given that a plethora of early copies makes it much easier for scholars to ascertain the original text as a result, this initial reason plus its subpoints is a very powerful indicator that the NT text can be reassembled reliably. Unfortunately, some presentations do not proceed much beyond this step, with these considerations often being treated as individual arguments.
Yet having this huge amount of information leaves a significant issue unsolved. Even with scholars being able to determine a large percentage of the original NT words, what indications are there that the factual accounts recorded in them are each true? In other words, even if it were possible to arrive at almost all of the original words, it would still need to be ascertained that the accounts themselves were true, especially regarding the most central areas such as the nature of the gospel proclamation. How could it be determined today that these data happened as recorded?
This is one of the chief ways that the uniqueness of Ben Shaw’s volume is revealed, as signified by the title Trustworthy: Thirteen Arguments for the Reliability of the New Testament. It begins with Shaw’s entire approach, which indicates that this work is proceeding well beyond this first argument. The multiplicity of textual considerations above, as powerful as they are, only counts as a single opening salvo for Shaw, without enumerating the subpoints as separate segments. The ensuing “baker’s dozen” approach set forth in this succinct book makes it one of a kind in providing such a large number of multiple angles in order to answer the second, more specific question—namely, that there are a variety of indications that the NT record of events is accurate as well. This subject may be considered the chief contribution of Shaw’s entire work.
For example, the majority position among recent critical scholars is that the four canonical Gospels are Greco-Roman bioi, a genre that is a generally factual means of narration rather than simply storytelling or recounting the great feats of past heroes. In the ancient world, this genre provided the background direction for a historical treatment. Next, Shaw compares the dates of the four Gospel compositions as indicators that they were composed in the proper part of the world at times that are not only sufficiently close to the events themselves but are far closer to Jesus’ life than the accounts of the major founders of the other foremost religions of the world.
Further, it is also acknowledged by critical scholars that the NT Epistles, in particular, contain oral creedal teachings that clearly predate them, from the very earliest phase of Christianity. These traditions existed prior to both the epistles in which they were recorded and the Gospels. Most often, critical scholars hold that these usually quite brief statements are dated originally to the 30s AD. Their veracity is confirmed by comparing them to the most reliable sources, both in the NT as well as elsewhere.
Next, Shaw discusses Gospel authorship and background considerations that lie behind these four canonical works, comparing pointers to their veracity that are provided by non-NT statements. Historical criteria supply yet another angle on the reliability of the Gospels, providing major and minor tests that may contribute to the likelihood that the events in these volumes actually occurred. They include standards that may serve as keys for recognizing historical events, such as having the testimony of eyewitnesses, or multiple textual attestation from several sources.
Undesigned coincidences describe the confirmation that arises largely between Gospel accounts when often commonplace details in one story supply precisely the answers to questions by filling in the particulars in another report, though both were written independently. While archaeology generally does not cover large amounts of material, its narrow foci frequently help verify individual aspects that may be quite crucial in an overall investigation or even in establishing a minute point.
More than a dozen non-Christian sources provide helpful outside information from unbelievers regarding Jesus and the beginnings of Christianity. Christian sources from beyond the canon supply still more data. The dates from both of these categories begin from just prior to the close of the canonical material.
Contrary to much popular opinion and criticism, the NT canon of books was not accepted or recognized as inspired because it was chosen by a church council centuries later, and only after much debate. Rather, the very earliest post-NT writings immediately used by far the two largest sections of material in the NT—the Gospels and the epistles of Paul—teaching that they were both authoritative and inspired.
Last, the NT taught, and believers confirmed down through the ages, that personal benefits result from reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on Scripture. These existential effects are fully capable of stirring the soul time and again at a very deep, personal level. This may include being thoroughly and newly enlightened even when having read the exact same passage a brief time before may not have provided such a personal blessing. Such confirmation reaches beyond the scientific, historical, logical, and other more rational levels by providing a final deep stirring of the soul.
The last of Shaw’s evidences for the reliability of Scripture is the minimal facts argument. It builds on a solid historical foundation that is supported by very heavy cognate information from independently established scholarly data. Though a subordinate point, virtually all critical scholars acknowledge the facticity of this material. The thrust here is that this lowest-common-denominator approach provides enough historical firepower to establish the central gospel message of the deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even if there are concerns regarding other arguments, this final point sufficiently grounds the core of Christianity.
This brief outline hints at what has been termed here a “baker’s dozen” of indications that the NT is a trustworthy guide to what Christians have long concluded is God’s book of love written to us. These arguments combine to proceed way beyond the initial textual considerations, showing that these NT writings are reliable. As Ben Shaw asserts, this conclusion encompasses both cerebral as well as heartwarming benefits for the reader.