Did the Gospels Distort Jesus’ Life?

An interview with Craig A. Evans, PhD.
From In Defense of Jesus

How do the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—fare when subjected to a historian’s scrutiny? I asked Evans what he considered to be the best criteria for assessing their reliability.

“One criterion historians use is multiple attestation,” he replied. “In other words, when two or three of the Gospels are saying the same thing, independently — as they often do — then this significantly shifts the burden of proof onto somebody who says they’re just making it up. There’s also the criterion of coherence. Are the Gospels consistent with what we know about the history and culture of Palestine in the 20s and
30s? Actually, they’re loaded with details that we’ve determined are correct thanks to archaeological discoveries.

“Then there’s the dating issue. The Synoptics were written within a generation of Jesus’ ministry; John is within two generations. That encourages us to see them as reliable because they’re written too close to the events to get away with a bunch of lies. And you don’t have any counter-gospels that are repudiating or refuting what they say. We have, then, a treasure trove from any historian’s point of view. Julius Caesar died in 44 BC, and the historian Suetonius is talking about him in 110 – 120 AD. That’s about 155 to 165 years removed. Tacitus, same thing. The Gospels are much better than that.”

“When would you date them?”

“Very cogent arguments have been made for all three Synoptics having been written in the 50s and 60s. Personally, I’d put the first Gospel, Mark, in the 60s. I think Mark had to have been within the shadow
of the Jewish-Roman war of 66 – 70. Jesus says in Mark 13:18, ‘Pray that this will not take place in winter.’ Well, it didn’t. It happened in the summer. This statement makes sense if Mark was published when the war was underway or about to occur. But if it was written in 71 or 72, as some have speculated, that would be an odd statement to leave in place.”

I interrupted. “But whether Mark was written in the 50s or 60s, you’re still talking very early.”

“Absolutely. Jesus died in 30 or 33 AD, and a lot of scholars lean toward 33. That means when Mark’s Gospel was composed, some of Jesus’ youngest followers and disciples would be in their 50s or 60s. Other people in their 30s and 40s grew up hearing stories about Jesus from firsthand eyewitnesses. There’s a density of witness that’s very significant. And, of course, don’t forget that most of Paul’s writings were composed before the Gospels.”

Seeking to clarify a key issue, I said: “When you say Mark was written some thirty-five years after Jesus’ ministry, you’re not suggesting the author had to think back and remember something that happened more
than three decades earlier.”

“No, there’s no one individual who had to try to remember everything. We’re not talking about the story of Jesus being remembered by one or two or three people who never see each other. We’re talking about whole communities, never smaller than dozens and probably in the hundreds, that got together and had connections, villages filled with Jesus people in Judea and in Galilee and immigrating throughout the Jewish Diaspora — lots of people pooling and sharing their stories. People were meeting frequently, reviewing his teaching, and making it normative for the way they lived. The teaching was being called to mind and talked about all the time.”

“Then,” I said, “this would protect the story of Jesus from the kind of distortion we see in the children’s game of telephone, where people whisper something, one to another, until at the end the original message is garbled?”

Evans nodded. “Unlike the telephone game, this is a community effort,” he said. “It’s not one guy who tells it to one other guy, who weeks later tells it to one other person, and on and on, so that with the passage of time there would be distortion. This was a living tradition that the community discussed and was constantly remembering, because it was normative, it was precious, they lived by it. The idea that they can’t remember what Jesus said, or they get it out of context, or they twist it, or they can’t distinguish between what Jesus actually said and an utterance of a charismatic Christian in a church much later — this is condescending.”

Source:

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Leadership and Pressure By David Graves

Several years ago, I read an article by Dan Reiland titled “Leadership and Pressure.” He wrote that every leader faces pressure. “How you handle that pressure matters. Do you attempt to avoid it and let it conquer you, or embrace it and use it to your advantage?”





We all experience pressure in ministry. Let’s look at a few types of pressure in leadership.

I. Internal Pressure - The pressure you put on yourself.
Internal pressure is not always bad; in fact, this kind of pressure helps you get things done. It is the pressure of knowing that Sunday is coming that helps you get your sermon ready. This is a good and healthy thing. However, all too often leaders put too much pressure on themselves — the pressure to perform at 110 percent at all times with little rest, the pressure to make people happy, to meet everyone's needs, to be at all places at the same time, and the pressure to achieve.


We want to do our best for God and the church. The million-dollar question is "How much is too much?" There are questions that may give us clarity.

• Do you take a day off?
• Can you relax and not feel guilty?
• Do you have trouble walking away from your phone, texts, and emails after hours? Do you spend time with your spouse, family, and friends, or are you always too busy? 

If you are not sure, ask your spouse or a couple of close friends or colleagues.
 

II. Transferred Pressure – The pressure to assume others' problems. 
Many times, I found myself unwisely falling prey to this pressure. Someone in the church, for example, tells me about a financial problem he or she is facing. Immediately I care — that is normal — but then something happens inside where I begin to feel responsible to fix it. That kind of transferred pressure is not good or healthy. Imagine if you or I actually had to carry the responsibility of solving everyone's problems! That is not possible! Instead, express your genuine care, offer counsel, and pray. If in that process you sense that you can help, or if the Holy Spirit prompts you to take action, then do it.

III. Peer Pressure – The pressure others put on you.
Most of us remember the peer pressure we felt in middle and high school. It was supposed to end there — just like your face breaking out — but often it does not. Leaders can feel the pressure to attend every event; visit every homebound member; pray more; fast more; preach sermons that are more challenging, humorous, engaging, serious, deeper — and in less time; to be in better physical shape, and the list goes on. The issue at hand may be something good, like praying more. However, when the demands and expectations of others become unrealistic and demanding, it becomes an unhealthy pressure. As a leader, there needs to come a time when you personally prioritize the most important things God wants you to do and be content with having His approval. Listen to God and your close advisors.

IV. Wasted Pressure – The pressure that results from lack of discipline. 
“Wasted" pressure is the most unnecessary and most avoidable. The most common form comes from lack of discipline and procrastination. You might wait until Saturday to start your sermon. You did not mail in a bill that you had for two weeks, and now it has late penalties. You waited until April 14 to do your taxes. Now you endure major pressure. I encourage you to make lists of things you need to accomplish, then discipline yourself to not waste time surfing the internet or looking at Facebook until your tasks are finished. It is not easy, but it can prevent much of this kind of pressure.

V. Personal Pressure – The pressure all families deal with. 
All families face pressure. If you are married, you understand. If you have children, you really get it. Having a good marriage and spending quality time with your children is hard work, but the good news is, you can do it. The reward is great! One of the best ways is to have more fun together. Play more. Enjoy each other! Put effort into fun – everything from playing games to a family vacation. Do not allow the television and electronic devices to steal your family time and create isolation from one another.

We have a high and holy calling that naturally comes with some pressures. However, there is nothing like the presence of God to help us handle the pressures. As you understand what they are and why you are feeling these pressures, do not hesitate to take them to God. 

 Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18.

Source:

Dr. David W. Graves was chosen for the highest elected office in the denomination at the 27th General Assembly held in Orlando, Florida, USA, in 2009. At the time of his election, Dr. Graves was the senior pastor of College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe, Kansas, where he had served since 2006. Prior to College Church, he served as director of Sunday School Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene and had pastoral assignments in Kansas, Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and North Carolina. 

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Encouragement - Who will you encourage today?

Encouragement — Embedded in this word is “courage.”

Aristotle said, “Courage is the mother of all virtues.” One who demonstrated courage was Jesus of Nazareth. He showed courage to be Truth in a broken world, and courage in the face of persecution and death. Courage takes on many challenges, one of the most basic is the courage to change. That same Jesus can help us by doing for us what we can never do for ourselves: save us from ourselves, for His purpose, His glory and for eternal life. Back to the word encouragement.

 Paul says this: “encourage one another and build each other up.”