The Christian faith is without question the most unique religious faith in history. If there is any religious faith that proves that the thinking that all religions basically teach the same thing and are leading us to the same path is false, it is the Christian faith.
The reasons for that are many, but the greatest reason is this. The Christian faith is based on one single man. Not only that, it is based on the belief that this man, named Jesus, not only lived like every other man and died like every other man, but was crucified for the sins of the world and became the only man in history to be physically raised from the dead. No other religious faith is so completely, totally, dependent on one human being. Take the three major religions of the world. For Muslims, their religion boils down to Allah. For Jews, their religion boils down to God, but for Christians our faith boils down to Jesus.
It doesn’t matter whether or not Jesus Christ was a real historical figure. It doesn’t matter whether He actually was born in Bethlehem, did grow up in Nazareth, or even died in Jerusalem. If He was not who He said He was, the Son of God, and if He did not do what He said He did, die on the cross for our sins and come back from the dead, then the entire Christian faith collapses like a house of cards.
That is why this series is so vitally important. We are calling it “Unearthing Truth.” Since everything we believe about God, and about Jesus, and about salvation is found in the Bible we wanted to take, intellectually speaking, an archeological shovel and dig into the facts about the Bible and dig out the truth of whether or not there is a basis to believe this Bible is God’s word.
Last week we talked about where we got the Bible and why we believe that the book that we hold in our hand contains the same Old Testament that the Jews and Jesus believed in and the same New Testament that the early church believed in.
Today, we are going to dig deeper, because since our faith is based and built on Jesus we have to come to grips with the fact that most everything we know about Jesus specifically comes from four books called “The Gospels.” We believe that every book in the Bible is equally inspired, but we don’t believe that every book of the Bible is equally valuable. It would not be a bridge too far to say there are no more valuable books, in this book, than the four books called “The Gospels. ” The gospels are the only relatively full biographies of this man named Jesus Christ. There is a lot riding on whether or not these four books are historically reliable and deal with facts, not fable.
One out of every three people on this planet, over 2 ½ billion people, claim faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. If the Gospels are just legends, just myths, and have no real historical basis, then 1/3 of the world is either just stupid and won’t face up to the fact they are believing in someone no more real than Mickey Mouse or they are just stubborn and determined to go down with the ship called “Christianity.”
Today, we are going to do what an archeologist does. We are just going to dig down and look for evidence. Keep in mind I can’t give you proof. I can only give you evidence. I can’t prove to you there was a man named George Washington and he really was the first President of the United States, but what I can do is present evidence. Remember that both the trustworthiness of a historical document or the reality of a certain historical event is based on evidence – not proof. Case in point, I can’t prove to you that Henry Ford built the first Ford automobile. You can’t prove to me that he didn’t. When I look at the evidence, it is far more probable that the first Ford was built in Mr. Ford’s plant than that an explosion took place in a junkyard and the first car just came together. I can’t prove to you this world was created. You can’t prove to me that it wasn’t, but there is far more evidence that this world was designed by a grand designer than there is that something was produced when nothing exploded and produced something.
Now we raise the question, “How did we get the Gospels? How did they come into existence? Why should we believe them? Do they bear signs of being historical and does the evidence point to their reliability and their reality?”
Thankfully, at least one of the gospel writers lays out exactly how his gospel came to be. He tells us exactly how the events, the sayings, the teachings, the miracles, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus ended up in a book to begin with. [Turn to Luke 1]. We are going to look today at my favorite gospel – the Gospel of Luke in which I did my PhD dissertation. It is the longest, the most thorough, and complete of all four gospels. In case you don’t know it, he also wrote the Book of Acts, which is the second volume of this two-volume work and the beginning of Luke and the end of Acts spans more than 60 years.
Luke tells us more about Jesus than any of the gospels. It has 1,151 verses and 568 of those are simply the words of Jesus. Do you want to know what Jesus said then read Luke’s gospel, because roughly half of this gospel just quotes verbatim exactly what Jesus said. Taking Luke and Acts together, Luke wrote more of the New Testament than anyone else, including Paul. It isn’t how much Luke wrote; it is why he wrote it, and how he wrote it, that makes his books so very important and also why it makes it golden dirt for the archeological shovel.
We are going to look at the first four verses. You have probably read these verses many times and paid little attention to them and yet they are some of the most important verses, not just in the four gospels, but in all of the New Testament. Let’s read them together and then I will tell you why.
“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:1-4, ESV)
Believe it or not, those four verses are one long sentence in the Greek language. Unlike most of the New Testament which was written in what is known as Koine Greek, the common Greek language of the street, these four verses make up the most beautiful, excellent, classical Greek found anywhere, not just in the New Testament, but anywhere in the Ancient World. Only the very educated, sophisticated writers wrote in this style of Greek.
This is what we call a prologue. Luke’s gospel actually begins in verse 5, but whenever a philosopher, an educator, or historian in the Ancient World that was high quality wanted his work to stand on the shelf with the classics and be given the greatest respect he would always start his writing with a prologue. All of the great Greek and Roman historians did this.
Luke is laying down a challenge. He is claiming a place for the gospel as a serious literary and historical volume. He is claiming a place for his book as a work of literary, historical worth that invites analysis and study of the most sophisticated and highly educated Gentile or Greek leader. In other words, he is saying this book can stand its historical ground with anybody.
The Gospels are intended to be history. The Gospels are of the literary genre of historical writing. They are not of the genre of mythology, fiction, or fable. This is important to understand. Luke makes it plain he is writing a historical account about real people, real places, and real events.
That is why you get so much geographical detail in the Gospels. The story of Jesus doesn’t take place in some Neverland, some mythical location far, far, away. It happened in places you can still visit today: Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem. He doesn’t just go to a wedding. He goes to a wedding in Canaan. He doesn’t just talk to a woman at a well. He talks with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. He doesn’t just walk on water; He does it on the Sea of Galilee. He is not just baptized, but baptized in the Jordan River. Here is the run. You can write about real people and real places, but it doesn’t mean that what you said really happened. We are asking the same question that a man named Theophilus evidently was asking 2000 years ago, because Luke says in verses 3 and 4 that he is writing to this “Theophilus” so that he would have certainty concerning the things he has been taught about in Christianity.
We need to answer two questions about the gospels. First of all, are they historically reliable? Based on the evidence is there probable cause to take what they say at face value? Even more, are they historically real? The gospels may be historical, but are they true? You may record accurately that somebody said things about Jesus or you may record accurately that Jesus supposedly said certain things, but that is different than saying that those things really were said and what was said was really true. Luke is basically saying to us, “Bring it!” He wants us to see how he compiled his gospel and then let the evidence speak for itself.
Luke does not just what a good doctor would do, but what a great lawyer would do. He takes the three steps necessary to lay out the best case possible.
I. Carefully Investigate the Evidence
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us.” (Luke 1:1, ESV)
Luke was not the first person to attempt to write about Jesus. The word for “narrative” is a technical term that was used by ancient historians for different kinds and sources of historical recounting. It was a word that was used for a narrative of many events primarily historical events.
As you are going to see, Luke was kind of a combination between a PhD student and an investigative reporter. He is digging with every shovel that he has and digging as deeply as he can. One of the things that makes a PhD dissertation worthy of a doctoral degree is it is original research into a topic that uses every available source that can be found germane to that topic. Just like today, ancient historians who wanted to be taken seriously wanted to let their readers know they had done their homework and they had searched out any other account that had been written before theirs.
There are two sources scholars are very sure that Luke pulled from. One is the Gospel of Mark and one is the Gospel of Matthew, because both had already been written. In fact, remember that Luke was a companion of Paul and traveled with Paul on many of his missionary journeys. Without question, he certainly met Mark, who had accompanied Paul on one of his journeys, and Luke traveled in Jerusalem and probably met Matthew, so it is not far-fetched to say the three of them actually compared notes.
The simple point that is to be made here is that Luke wants us to know he is doing meticulous research. He is pouring over every source he can find on the life of Jesus that has already been written down. That is why he goes on to say in verse 3 that he has, “Followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you…” (Luke 1:3, ESV)
Luke has turned over every rock. He has opened every door. He does not include anything in his gospel he cannot trace back to a reliable source. He did what all of us should do when we are trying to find the truth about something – he carefully investigated the evidence. Then he takes the second step of a great historian.
II. Carefully Interrogate the Witness
There are two basic ways you can be convinced that something is true. One, you can see it and here it for yourself and then draw your own conclusions or you can have someone who did see and hear something give you a firsthand account of it. In other words, either you can witness something or you can listen to an eyewitness of something.
Luke digs deeper and now tells us about first-hand eyewitness accounts he had of the life of Jesus.
“Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us.” (Luke 1:2, ESV)
These eyewitnesses were with Jesus from the very beginning, which probably refers to his baptism by John the Baptist. The word “delivered” is a technical term that was used in the ancient world for the passing down of first generation traditions by oral storytellers. Luke wants us to know that what he wrote down was verified by people who were actually there and heard and witnessed the events.
You need to remember that most people in that day were illiterate and perhaps only 5-10% of men were literate and even less than that percent would be true for woman. Most things were passed on through oral tradition. They took their job very seriously.
There are those who question the accuracy of the Gospels, because for a few years the only record of what happened was verbal and they used the childhood game of “telephone” as an example of how things can get garbled up as they pass from one person to the next. It is a poor analogy for several reasons. First, people today don’t have the kind of well-trained memories that was possessed by people who lived mainly in oral cultures.
Furthermore, these stories were not whispered. They were spoken out loud in front of many others who were also familiar with the tradition and could corroborate the accuracy of what was told. Third, the sayings of Jesus were very memorable and phrased in a way that facilitated memorization. The parables that Jesus told were very short, very relevant, and again easily committed to memory.
In 1st century Palestine, the ability to memorize and retain large amounts of oral tradition and information was a highly prized and highly developed skill. From the earliest age, children in the home and the school and the synagogue were taught to memorize many, many scriptures.
Luke is letting us know that he has done his homework. He has been an investigator, a detective, and a reporter. He has compared what others have written with first-hand eyewitness accounts of what was said and has carefully corroborated the two to make sure that they match. Remember, all of this took place just a few years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The best historian always takes the last step which makes one a great historian.
III. Carefully Inscripturate the Results
Having gathered all of his facts Luke now says, “It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.” (Luke 1:3, ESV)
Luke knows that the window of opportunity for writing the most accurate historical account of Jesus is closing. It is about 30 years after Jesus has gone to heaven. Eyewitnesses are starting to die off and he has got to get this in writing now. It has been well said that the weakest ink is better than the strongest memory. Some things should be written down so we won’t ever forget them.
There was an elderly couple who were getting ready for bed one night and the wife said, “I am just so hungry for ice cream, but there isn’t any in the house.” The husband said, “I’ll go out and get some.” She said, “You are so sweet. Please get vanilla with chocolate sauce.” He said, “Okay.” She said, “Now, write it down or you will forget it.” He said, ‘I won’t forget.” She said, “Also get some whipped cream on top.” He said, “Okay, you want vanilla with chocolate sauce and whipped cream on top.” She said, “And a cherry!” He said, “Got it.” She said, “Please write it down. I know you will forget.” He said, “No, I won’t. Vanilla with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on top.”
He went out and by the time he got back she was already in bed. He walked in proudly and handed her the paper bag. She opened it and there was a ham sandwich. She said, “I told you to write it down. You forgot the mustard!” [1]
Luke has given us his written account of the life of Jesus. Now we get down to the crux of the matter, because there are still two issues we have to settle. First of all, how do we know that the document we have today is what Luke actually wrote down? Second, how do we know that Luke’s gospel is historically reliable so that we can believe what he reported is true?
As to the first question, of all of the ancient documents in history, the New Testament has by far and away the most and the oldest manuscripts to support it by far.
Here is an example. We believe in Julius Caesar, yet there are only 10 manuscripts that mention Julius Caesar and the oldest one is 1000 years after he lived. We believe in Plato. We only have 7 manuscripts referring to him and the earliest one was written 1200 years after he lived. We believe in Aristotle. There are only 5 manuscripts that mention him and the earliest one was written 1400 years after he lived. In comparison, we have over 5,700 manuscripts of the New Testament, 2000 of which contain part or all of the gospel. The number of gospel manuscripts is about 20 times larger than the average number of manuscripts of comparable writing. Furthermore, the oldest manuscript containing a fragment of John’s gospel goes back to 125 A.D., which is only about 35 years after the New Testament was completed.[2]
All of that is to say the text of the New Testament including the Gospel of Luke that we have today is almost exactly the same as the text as it was originally written. Of the approximately 138,000 words in the New Testament, only about 1,400 remain in doubt. In other words, the text of the New Testament is about 99% established.
This only proves half the point. It is one thing to say that Luke’s gospel is historically reliable. It is another thing to say it is historically accurate.
I could have the text of Aesop’s Fables established at 99% accuracy and that would do nothing to show that what Aesop wrote anything more than fables. Now, let’s look at why Luke was writing this gospel.
“That you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:4, ESV)
There was a man named Theophilus who evidentially was a new convert to Christianity and he had simply gone on what other witnesses had told him, but he was beginning perhaps to have doubts or getting questions. Luke wanted him to know that he had a firm foundation to believe what he was told. He wanted to have certainty, because Christianity is not just a philosophical system. It is more than just a religious faith. It is a historical reality. It is built on the historical Jesus dying a historical death and experiencing a historical resurrection. What we are looking for is not just historical reliability, but historical reality.
Theophilus was asking the right question, “Is what I have been told real?” Have you really told me the truth of what really happened? Did this Jesus really die? Did He really come back from the dead?” For Luke, the Christian faith is not a leap into the dark and not a hope for the best. It is a rigid faith that rests on the solid foundation of the most historically reliable facts.
Since we are unearthing truth, I wish I had the time to tell you of all the ways this unbelievably tremendous historian named Luke has been verified time and time again by the archeological spade. Many use to ridicule Luke, because of his mention of Pontius Pilate, until in 1961, when the first archeological evidence concerning Pilate was unearthed in the town of Caesarea. It was an inscription of the dedication bearing his name and his title.
In 1990, the actual tomb of Caiaphas, the high priest who presided over Jesus’ trial was discovered south of Jerusalem. Sir William Ramsey of Oxford University, one of the great archeologists of the last century started out as a very harsh critic of the New Testament and specifically the Gospel of Luke. He thought Luke was foolish for giving so many specific names, locations, places and dates knowing they would be easy to check out and refute and he assumed he could do just that. After over 30 years of study, research, and archeological excavations, Dr. Ramsey increasingly realized that Luke got it right time after time after time. He later summarized what he found this way,
“Luke is a historian of the first rank….this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”[3]
Another renowned archeologist, Nelson Glueck, who was once featured on the cover of Time Magazine, because of his extraordinary work said this, “No archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference.”[4]
You have to make up your mind not just about Luke, but also about Jesus. Remember, what this book and what the gospels are all about is what He said in verse 1, “The things that have been accomplished among us.” (Luke 1:1, ESV)
The gospels are not just a story about a man named Jesus. It is a story about what God did through His son named Jesus. That word “accomplished” is an intensive compound Greek word and it literally means “the complete fulfillment of something.” That fulfillment is of a Savior that God promised in the Old Testament.
You do what Luke did. You dig deep into his gospel and into the Gospels and into this book and when you do your shovel will hit the same rock that Luke hit with his shovel – the rock of a resurrected Jesus.
[1] Cited by Peggy Noonan, When Character Was King, (Viking Press: New York, 2001) pp 237-238.
[2] See Further, Mark Roberts, Can We Trust The Gospels, (To be added later per Pastor)
[3] Sir William Ramsey, The Bearing Of Recent Discovery Of The Trustworthiness Of The New Testament, (London: Hotter and Stoughton, 1915), p.222.
[4] Nelson Glueck, Rivers In The Desert: A History of Negev (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Cudahy, 1959), p. 136.