authority and authenticity three ways to know who wrote what james patrick holding tekton...
TRANSCRIPT
Authority and AuthenticityThree Ways to Know Who Wrote What
James Patrick Holding
Tekton Apologetics Ministries
Objections Answered,Rogues Refuted
www.tektonics.org
Books in Question
MatthewMarkLukeJohnActs
Romans1 Corinthians2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
Cornelius Tacitus
•Author of the Annals and the Histories
•Lived 55-117 AD
•Considered accurate but sometimes biased
•Little is known of his life, but he was a politician.
Matthew•Author of the Gospel According to Matthew
•Lived c. 30 AD
• Said to be a former tax collector, called by Jesus, likely to serve as a scribe
“Thomas”•NOT considered to be the author of the Gospel of Thomas
• This book is generally regarded as a product of Gnostics
Criteria #2: External Evidence (Attribution)
• His publisher says so
• Book reviews say so
• Personal witnesses say so
• No one says NO!
Tacitus’ Annals: External Evidence
Essentially…. NONE!
There are some good indirect indications…but no “Tacitus wrote this” at any early period.
Matthew’s Gospel: External Evidence
Numerous church writers from the second century onward verify Matthew as the author
The Scribal Caveat
Because of the ancient use of scribes, style can be a “plus” – but it is not always a minus.
Internal Evidence (Attribution)
Tacitus
Matthew
Thomas
External Evidence (Attribution)
Internal Evidence (Style)
Messing with Matthew
“Burrito” problems
1. Matthew knows about the war against Rome
2. “To this day”
3. Versus Judaism after 70 AD
For Further Reading
• http://www.tektonics.org/ntdocdef/gospdefhub.html
• http://www.tektonics.org/qt/thomasgospel.html