Historical reliability of the Gospels--External criterion #2
There are numerous sources from the first and second centuries that quote extensively from the Gospels, Acts and the Epistles. Many of these writers clearly validate the authors of the Gospels. We can also ascertain some things about Jesus from secualr authors such as: Thallus from the mid first century; Tacitus (55-120 AD); Pliny (beginning of the second century); Suetonius (early second century). There are also some references from the Jerusalem Talmud .(The Jerusalem Talmud is not to be confused with the Babylonian Talmud that was written between the third and fourth centuries. The Jerusalem Talmud was written by the Chroniclers and Scribes of ancient Israel. The Babylonian Talmud is a product of the antichrist NEW rabbinical Judaism that was establised after the destruction of the Temple.
I think it would be helpful at this point if we quoted from one of the many Church Fathers who wrote during the first and second centuries. Polycary was chosen for two reasons. First to demonstrate the unbroken Christian heritage that was passed from the original Aposltes to the next generation of Church leaders. Polycarp and Ignatius became Christians as young men and were trained by St. John the Apsotle.
And secondly to show that the Gospels and Epistles were frequently quoted from by these early Church Fathers during the end of the first and the beginning of the second century. I chose the first two paragraphs of his first epistle at random to demonstrate the frequent use of New Testament documents during this early period. We can also see that the purity and integrity of the Gospel is maintained as it is passed from the first generation of Christians to the second.
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INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO THE EPISTLE OF POLYCARP TO THE
PHILIPPIANS.
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"[a.d. 65-150.] The Epistle of Polycarp is usually made a sort of preface to those of Ignatius, for reasons which will be obvious to the reader. Yet he was born later, and lived to a much later period.
They seem to have been friends from the days of their common pupilage under St. John; and there is nothing improbable in the conjecture of Usher, that he was the "angel of the church in Smyrna," to whom the Master says, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." His pupil Irenaeus gives us one of the very few portraits of an apostolic man which are to be found in antiquity,
in a few sentences which are a picture: "I could describe the very place in which the blessed Polycarp sat and taught; his going out and coming in; the whole tenor of his life; his personal appearance; how he would speak of the conversations he had held with John and with others who had seen the Lord. How did he make mention of their words and of whatever he had heard from them respecting the Lord." Thus he unconsciously tantalizes our reverent curiosity. Alas! that such
conversations were not written for our learning. But there is a wise Providence in what is withheld, as well as in the inestimable treasures we have received."
The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians1
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Polycarp, and the presbyters2 with him, to the Church of God sojourning at Philippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, be
multiplied.
Chapter I.-Praise of the Philippians.
I have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye have followed the example3 of true love [as displayed by God], and have accompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fitting ornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect of God and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of in days4 long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] "whom God raised froth the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave."5 "In whom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; "6 into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that "by grace ye are saved, not of works,"7 but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.
Chapter II.-An Exhortation to Virtue.
"Wherefore, girding up your loins,"8 "serve the Lord in fear"9 and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and "believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus
Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory,"10 and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things11 in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the
dead.12 His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him.13 But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise14 up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,"15 or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: "Judge not, that ye be not judged;16 forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you;17 be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy;18 with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;19 and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God."20
1 The title of this Epistle in most of the mss. is, "The Epistle of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and
holy martyr, to the Philippians."
2 Or, "Polycarp, and those who with him are presbyters. "
3 Literally, "ye have received the patterns of true love."
4 Phil. i. 5.
5 Acts ii. 24. Literally, "having loosed the pains of Hades."
6 1 Pet. i. 8.
7 Eph. ii 8, 9.
8 Comp. 1 Pet. i. 13; Eph. vi. 14.
9 Ps. ii. 11.
10 1 Pet. i. 21.
11 Comp. 1 Pet. iii. 22; Phil. ii. 10.
12 Comp. Acts xvii. 31.
13 Or, "who do not obey him."
14 Comp 1 Cor. vi. 14; 2 Cor. iv. 14; Rom. viii. 11.
15 1 Pet. iii. 9.
16 Matt. vii. 1.
17 Matt. vi. 12, 14; Luke vi. 37.
18 Luke vi. 36.
19 Matt. vii. 2; Luke vi. 38.
20 Matt. v. 3, 10; Luke vi. 20. |
