| Title: | Can We Trust the Gospels? |
| Published: | November 30, 2018 |
| ISBN-10: | 1-4335-5295-7 |
| ISBN-13: | 978-1-4335-5295-3 |
| Category: | Apologetics |
| Retail Price: | $14.99 |
| Binding: | Paperback |
| Trim: | 5.25 in x 8.0 in |
| Page Count: | 160 |
The Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell the story of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ while he was on earth. But how do Christians know if they are true? What evidence is there that the events actually happened? This accessible introduction to the historical and theological reliability of the four Gospels, written by New Testament scholar Peter J. Williams, presents evidence from a variety of non-Christian sources, assesses how accurately the 4 accounts reflect the cultural context of their time, compares different accounts of crucial events, and considers how these texts were handed down throughout the centuries. Written for the skeptic, the scholar, and everyone in between, this book answers common objections raised against the historicity of the Gospels in order to foster trust in God's Word.
Author:
Peter J. Williams (PhD, University of Cambridge) is the principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge, the chair of the International Greek New Testament Project, and a member of the ESV Translation Oversight Committee. He is the author of Can We Trust the Gospels? and Early Syriac Translation Technique and the Textual Criticism of the Greek Gospels.
Product Details
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
Introduction
1. What Do Non-Christian Sources Say?
2. What Are the Four Gospels?
3. Did the Gospel Authors Know Their Stuff?
4. Undesigned Coincidences
5. Do We Have Jesus's Actual Words?
6. Has the Text Changed?
7. What about Contradictions?
8. Who Would Make This All Up?
General Index
Scripture Index
Endorsements
“The wild and unscholarly yet widely accepted assertion by Richard Dawkins that the only difference between The Da Vinci Code and the Gospels is that the Gospels are ancient fiction while The Da Vinci Code is modern fiction deserves a measured and scholarly response. There is no one better qualified than Peter Williams to provide it, and this book is a masterly presentation of a compelling cumulative case that ‘all of history hangs on Jesus.’”
John C. Lennox, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford
“This much-needed book provides a mine of information for Christians wanting to know more about the historical background to the Gospels and offers a series of challenges to those skeptical of what we can know about Jesus. Peter Williams has distilled a mass of information and thought into this short and accessible book, and it deserves careful reading both inside and outside the church.”
Simon Gathercole, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, University of Cambridge
“Despite the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, Christians today find themselves unwilling to testify to their faith, as much from confusion as from fear. To this puzzled, anxious flock, Peter Williams offers liberation in the form of a concise yet complete education. His powerful instruction manual on the reliability of the Gospels escorts the ‘faithful seeking understanding’ through a series of historically responsible explanations for questions they have and questions they never imagined. This highly detailed, accurate, and eminently readable volume—rich in charts and tables—strikes a chord so resonant, Christians and skeptics alike can profit. An up-to-date apologia and superlative guide—unbelievers, beware!”
Clare K. Rothschild, Professor of Scripture Studies, Lewis University; author, Luke–Acts and the Rhetoric of History; Baptist Traditions and Q; and Hebrews as Pseudepigraphon; Editor, Early Christianity
“With his expert knowledge and skill, yet in a remarkably easy-to-follow way, Williams, one of the world’s leading authorities on the text of the New Testament, takes the reader through various lines of evidence supporting the historical reliability of the Gospels. This books shows why it is rational to trust the Gospels.”
Edward Adams, Professor of New Testament Studies, King’s College London
“This book is superb, a simply wonderful resource. I have bought five copies and will buy more to give away. Clear, insightful, scholarly, thought provoking—just the kind of book to give to believers and skeptical friends.”
Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence, Tyndale House, Cambridge; author, The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary
“I am amazed how much helpful material is packed into this slender volume. Well done!”
Rick Warren, Pastor, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California