The Credibility of the New Testament Writers

1. The Principle of Embarrassment as Evidence of Reliability

Historians use the “Principle of Embarrassment” to assess the credibility of ancient texts. According to this principle, any embarrassing or unflattering details about key figures in a narrative are likely to be true because authors typically avoid presenting themselves or their leaders negatively.

• In the New Testament, the apostles and disciples are not portrayed as flawless heroes; instead, their weaknesses and failures are candidly recorded:
  • Peter’s cowardice: He publicly denies Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75).
  • The disciples’ desertion: They flee when Jesus is arrested (Mark 14:50).
  • Jesus rebuking Peter: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23).
  • The disciples’ doubt: Even after seeing the risen Jesus, some doubted (Matthew 28:17).
  • The testimony of women: Women, whose testimony was not legally credible in 1st-century Jewish culture, were the first to discover the empty tomb and proclaim the resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).
• If the story were fabricated, the writers would have likely presented themselves and the disciples as courageous and heroic rather than highlighting their flaws and failures.

2. Embarrassing Accounts About Jesus Himself

Not only did the New Testament writers include details that cast them in an unfavorable light, but they also recorded events and statements about Jesus that could have been seen as problematic or embarrassing.

• Examples include:
  • His brothers’ disbelief: “For even his own brothers did not believe in him” (John 7:5).
  • Accusations of deception: “Some said, ‘He is a good man.’ Others replied, ‘No, he deceives the people’” (John 7:12).
  • Desertion by many followers: “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66).
  • Accusations of madness and demon possession: “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” (John 10:20).
  • Accusations of gluttony and drunkenness: “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners’” (Matthew 11:19).
  • Attempts to stone him: “At this, they picked up stones to stone him” (John 8:59).
• If the New Testament writers were inventing a story to present Jesus as a perfect, sinless, divine figure, they would have omitted such accusations and misunderstandings. Instead, their inclusion demonstrates their commitment to recording events truthfully, even when they could be seen as unfavorable.

3. The High Ethical Standards of Jesus

The teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament, set extremely high moral and ethical standards that are difficult or even impossible for humans to follow without divine assistance.

• Examples from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7):
  • Loving enemies: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
  • Avoiding lust: “Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
  • Rejecting retaliation: “Do not resist an evil person” (Matthew 5:39).
• If the New Testament writers were fabricating a religion for their own benefit, they would likely have invented teachings that were easier to follow and more in line with human inclinations rather than presenting such challenging standards.

4. Precision in Distinguishing Jesus’ Words

Despite the absence of quotation marks in ancient Greek, the New Testament writers meticulously distinguished Jesus’ words from their own commentary.

• If they were fabricating their accounts, it would have been convenient to attribute words to Jesus that would resolve theological debates of the 1st century, such as issues regarding:
  • Circumcision.
  • Adherence to the Mosaic Law.
  • Women’s roles in the church.
• The fact that they refrained from doing so demonstrates their integrity in faithfully recording only what Jesus said.

5. Inclusion of Details That Could Not Be Fabricated

The New Testament contains events that the writers could not have invented if they were fabricating the story:

• Joseph of Arimathea buried Jesus. Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the council that condemned Jesus to death (Mark 15:43).
• Women as the first witnesses to the empty tomb: Given the low credibility of women’s testimony in 1st-century Jewish society, such a detail would not have been included in a fabricated story.

6. Historical Figures and Events

The New Testament includes names of well-known and historically documented figures, such as:

• Pontius Pilate.
• Caiaphas, the High Priest.
• Herod Antipas.

The mention of these figures enhances the historical credibility of the texts.

7. Apparent Differences Support Eyewitness Accounts

The variations between the Gospels, such as the number of angels at Jesus’ tomb (Matthew 28:2 vs. John 20:12), are not contradictions but reflect the independence of eyewitness accounts.

• Differences in minor details are consistent with genuine testimony. Identical accounts would raise suspicions of collusion.

8. Encouragement to Verify Facts

The New Testament writers encouraged readers to verify their claims. For instance, Paul reminded the Corinthians of the miracles he performed among them:

• “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works” (2 Corinthians 12:12).

Such a statement would have destroyed Paul’s credibility if the Corinthians had not witnessed those miracles.

9. The Realistic Tone of Miraculous Accounts

Unlike legendary or mythical narratives, the New Testament describes miracles with a striking lack of embellishment.

• Example: The resurrection accounts are concise and factual. The Gospel writers did not describe Jesus physically rising from the grave in exaggerated detail, which would have been expected in a fabricated story.

10. The Willingness to Die for the Truth

The New Testament writers abandoned their long-held Jewish traditions, endured persecution, and faced martyrdom for their testimony:

• Peter: Crucified.
• James: Stoned.
• Paul: Beheaded.

If they had fabricated the story, they would not have chosen to die for what they knew was a lie.

Conclusion

The combination of embarrassing details, historical accuracy, unwavering commitment to the truth, and willingness to suffer for their testimony provides overwhelming evidence for the credibility of the New Testament writers. Their accounts reflect a steadfast dedication to truth rather than a fabricated or manipulated narrative.