AN UNDESIGNED COINCIDENCE Between Acts and Archaeology

 I recently learned a new undesigned coincidence while watching a documentary. The documentary ("The Last Apostle"--included with Amazon Prime) features a modern-day William Ramsay named Dr. Mark Fairchild. Fairchild is professor of New Testament at Huntington University in Huntington, Indiana. And the documentary follows Fairchild on a two-week trip through Turkey, following the footsteps of Paul. Very interesting and worth the two hours.

Anyways, in Acts 13:4ff, Paul and Barnabas meet the proconsul Sergius Paulus on the island of Cyprus and he becomes a believer. After they leave Cyprus, they sail to Perga and from there make the 3-4 week trek by foot to Pisidian Antioch. Towards the end of the documentary, Fairchild begins to talk about this event as they head towards Pisidian Antioch. And he says (in a rather matter-of-fact way) that after the proconsul Sergio Paulus is converted, he asks Paul and Barnabas to go to Pisidian Antioch to bring the Gospel to his friends and relatives. 

I didn't remember reading that, so I turned to Acts 13 and found that Acts says nothing about such a conversation--not even a hint. So I'm a little confused at this point. (Maybe I missed something Fairchild said, as I was doing something else as I was watching.) At any rate, after Fairchild reaches Pisidian Antioch, he heads to the local museum where they are housing a recently discovered inscription bearing the name Sergius Paulus! So Fairchild concludes rather confidently that Sergius Paulus is from Pisidian Antioch and that the reason that Paul and Barnabas travel to Pisidian Antioch is because Sergius Paulus pleads with them to do so. This makes good sense in light of the recent find of this inscription of Sergius Paulus at Pisidian Antioch--yet Luke does not even hint at it in Acts.

This is an interesting way in which archaeology fills in information that Acts does not give us but which makes perfect sense in light of what Acts does tell us. This does not happen with fiction. This happens with reliable eyewitness accounts. 

Check out this excellent article from Bible Archaeology Report that not only has a photo of the Sergio Paulus inscription featured in Fairchild's documentary but also another found near Pisidian Antioch and others from Cyprus (where Paul met Sergius Paulus in Acts 13).

Also, here is the link to The Last Apostle documentary where I first learned about this.

To learn more about what an "undesigned coincidence" is, why it is such a powerful evidence of reliable eyewitness testimony and to see many more examples....see my article here.

Elymas the sorcerer is struck blind before Sergius Paulus. Painting by Raphael. Public domain.

Why Peter Objected to Eating Animals That God Had Made Clean

Yesterday, I was thinking about one of the worn out arguments used by skeptics, who ask why Christians object to homosexuality yet eat shrimp, etc. (as commands about both are found in the book of Leviticus). And I was pondering how these skeptics are very uninformed about the Bible and have apparently never considered the impact of Acts 15, Acts 10 and Mark 7--which quite explicitly answer this very question. As I did so, an undesigned coincidence occurred to me. (If you are not familiar with the idea of undesigned coincidences, see my blog page on them.)

In Acts 10, the apostle Peter is up on a roof praying and has a vision in which he is confronted by a voice from heaven. A sheet is lowered down from heaven which contained all kinds of animals that God had said in the Old Testament were unclean for Jews to eat. Then this voice from heaven tells Peter to take them and eat them. Peter refuses and says that he has never eaten anything unclean. The voice speaks a second time and says: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15). The Greek word translated "made clean" is in the aorist form, that is in the past tense. So the voice is explicitly saying that at some time in the past God made all these animals clean.

But when did God make all these things clean? It most certainly was not anywhere in the Old Testament. Neither was it at the time that the sheet was being lowered down. If so, it would make no sense for Peter to refuse to eat the animals in the sheet and say: “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean” (Acts 10:14). The voice from heaven speaks as if Peter should know that these animals had been made clean, so why does Peter respond as if he does not know?

It had to have been something previous in Peter's experience that he had not yet fully processed.

This could be one of those unanswered mysteries, in which we just don't have enough information to answer that question. But in chapter 7 of the Gospel of Mark, there is an editorial comment inserted after Jesus' teaching about his disciples not washing their hands when they eat. Jesus' teaching on the matter is summed up in Mark 7:15: "Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." 

Then, when the disciples are alone with Jesus, they ask him to explain. He responds to them in Mark 7:18-19: "Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” Immediately following these words, we have this editorial comment from Mark: "(In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)"

The words quoted above are the New International Version's attempt to translate the Greek. But the word "declared" is not in the Greek. The only verb here is the same one translated "made clean" in Acts 10:15: καθαρίζω, katharizō, "make clean." Literally, this editorial comment in Mark 7:19 reads: "...making all things clean." 

When did God make all things clean? He did it when Jesus spoke these words recorded in Mark 7. But he did not do so explicitly and Peter had not yet fully processed Jesus' words, bringing them to their logical conclusion. He does not do so until after confronted by the voice from heaven in Acts 10.

This is just one more interesting little "undesigned coincidence" that confirms that the Biblical writers are writing down things that actually happened and not simply manufacturing stories on the fly.

But wait, there's more! Curiously, though Jesus' teaching about washing hands is recorded in Matthew 15, only Mark records this editorial comment that Jesus was making all foods clean. Why is that interesting? Because Mark is recording the testimony of Peter and it is Peter who is confronted by the voice from heaven. Evidently, this confrontation with the heavenly voice brought Jesus' words about washing hands to mind and it all made sense. And so, this editorial comment reflects the impact of that interaction in Peter's experience. And by the way, guess who asks Jesus to explain the parable. Yep, Peter (Matthew 15:15). And he does it at Peter's house (see Howson's remarks below).

So this not only becomes another small piece of evidence in our overwhelming cumulative case for the historicity of the Gospels but also for the traditional authorship of the Gospel of Mark as passed on to us by the apostolic father Papias (that Mark is recording Peter's testimony). 

*******
Below is the full text of John Saul Howson's remarks on the this undesigned coincidence in his book Horæ Petrinæ: or, Studies in the Life of St. Peter (London: 1883), p.35:

Among the sayings uttered by our Lord which may be truly termed parables, though not always formally classed under that designation, was this: "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man."1 The first part of this sentence, though only referring to outward things, carries with it large and far-reaching spiritual meanings. Hence it may correctly be termed a parable.

These words, too, like those with which we were occupied in the preceding chapter, were spoken at Capernaum. The Lord had come back from across the lake; and certain Pharisees, with some scribes from Jerusalem, visited Him, and found fault with His disciples for eating with unwashen hands. This led to a stern rebuke of formality and hypocrisy, and of that religion which consists of an observance of externals. And now the Lord, having finished with the Pharisees and scribes, "called all the people," and spoke the words above quoted, with one emphatic addition which made them more memorable: "Hearken unto Me every one of you, and understand: If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."'
1 Mark vii. 15.

Now we come to the point of special connection with St. Peter. In order to see it distinctly, we must put together the accounts of St. Matthew and St. Mark. Both these evangelists tell us that the disciples afterwards privately asked the meaning of the parable. But one of them informs us of the place where this conversation occurred; the other tells us who asked the question that led to Christ's answer. St. Mark says that it was "when He was entered into the house from the people" that this private conversation took place. That was the house of Simon and Andrew. But St. Matthew tells us of something still more definite and personal: "Peter said unto Him, Declare unto us this parable." Peter is, as usual, ready with his words; and while, doubtless, honestly eager for instruction, by no means retires behind the others into the background. We have to thank his impetuosity, if we may reverently say so, for a very important result. For, after our Lord has explained that what goes into a man's mouth merely follows physical laws, and has no necessary effect on his character, He declares to us the solemn truth that the evil thoughts and foul desires which come from within do defile him morally and spiritually. After this statement, St. Mark adds, according to the true reading of the manuscripts: "This He said, cleansing all meats," pronouncing all food pure. 1 Matt. xv. 1-20; Mark vii. 1-23.
This is not the place for any remarks in detail on the critical question here involved. But the fact of the true reading, which has been very curiously preserved, may be stated very confidently.1 And from this fact the mind passes, by a rapid process of thought, to another occasion on which St. Peter was afterwards concerned with the same subjects. Can we doubt that a remembrance of his Lord's words came into St. Peter's mind in connection with the case of Cornelius, if not with the flash of a sudden conviction, yet with a gradual, and, in the end, irresistible persuasion, during the vision at Joppa, or in conversation at Caesarea? The Lord had spoken the words in answer to a pointed question; and the question had been asked in Peter's house and by Peter himself. We should note, too, that the identical Greek word for "cleansing," or "declaring pure," is used in the two cases. It is a most expressive word, which, besides teaching the lesson for the moment of the worthlessness of all merely external observances, proclaims all caste to belong to temporary states of society, and to be out of harmony with the true spirit of the Gospel. This link of connection between Capernaum and Caesarea, between a parable, at first obscure, and the broad, luminous teaching of the universality of the religion of Christ, is full of interest, and has not been observed so carefully as it deserves.

HISTORICAL RELIABILITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: Resources for Study

Atheist historian Will Durant on the Old Tes:tament

"The discoveries here summarized have restored considerable credit to those chapters of Genesis that record the early traditions of the Jews. In its outlines, and barring supernatural incidents, the story of the Jews as unfolded in the Old Testament has stood the test of criticism and archaeology; every year adds corroboration from documents, monuments, or excavations.... We must accept the Biblical account provisionally until it is disproved."

Durant, Will. Our Oriental Heritage, 1963, MJF Books; p. 300

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below are resources on the historical reliability of the Old Testament. I have tried to divide them into the various historical periods covered by the Old Testament:

GENERAL (Resources Covering the Whole Old Testament)

*Audio: "Reliability of the Old Testament Documents" (61 minutes) by Peter Gentry
*Essay/Book Chapter: "Reversals of Old Testament Criticism" by N.H. Ridderbos. FREE!
*Article: "Modern Old Testament Study" by Peter J. Williams
*Article: "Is the History of the Old Testament Accurate?" by Meredith G. Kline
*Article: "Bibliographic Test for the Old Testament" by James M. Rochford
*Book: On the Reliability of the Old Testament by K.A. Kitchen
*Book: Evidence That Demands A Verdict (2017 edition), Part III: "Evidence for the Old Testament" by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell.
*Book: In Defense of the Bible by Terry L. Wilder and Steven B. Cowan, editors. I highly recommend this book. Top experts cover the spectrum of issues for both the Old and the New Testaments.
*Book: The Old Testament Documents: Are They Reliable and Relevant? by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.
*Book: A Survey of Old Testament Introduction by Gleason Archer
*Book: Old Testament Introduction: General and Special, by John Howard Raven (New York: Revell, 1906). "Consists mostly of conservative response to liberal criticism of the Old Testament books." FREE!
*Book: Historical Evidences of the Truth of the Scripture Records (1860?) by George Rawlinson. Download it for FREE! here.
*Books: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil and Delitszch (KD). Available for FREE many places but this link will take you to the STEP Bible (which is FREE online and also to be downloaded). This is an old work but still one of the best. And they soundly answered many of the questions skeptics continue to ask today.
*Study Bible: Apologetics Study Bible published by Holman
*Book: A Scientific Investigation Of The Old Testament (1926) by Robert Dick Wilson. FREE! From a review of the book: "First, some words about the author. Robert Dick Wilson (February 4, 1856 – October 11, 1930) was an American linguist and Presbyterian scholar who made major contributions in verifying the reliability of the Hebrew Bible. In his quest to determine the accuracy of the original manuscripts, Wilson eventually learned 45 languages, including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, as well as all the languages into which the Scriptures had been translated up to 600 AD. About the book: Whoever wants to know what a true scientific approach to the Old Testament study reveals, should read this book. It examines the arguments of the "Higher Criticism" about the authorship and the dating of these documents (especially the Pentateuch) in the light of the text itself, the Hebrew grammar, the vocabulary, the analogy in the documents of the nations that surrounded the Hebrews and other factors. The book contains some irrefutable arguments,which establish the trustworthiness and the historicity of the Old Testament documents,beyond any doubt.I believe it is a must read for everybody who is looking to find the truth about the book that describes itself as "The Word of God". (Bear in mind that it is a difficult book to read, since it is not a popularized scientific work)"

*Web Page: "Historicity of the Old Testament" at Theopedia
*Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study: Much more here! :)

GENESIS (Creation to the Patriarchs)
*Essays: "Who Wrote the First Five Books of the Bible?": "A collection of extracts from writings of Edward Young, Merrill Unger, William Green, Gleason Archer, and Oswald Allis. FREE!
*Blunt's Undesigned Coincidences and Paley's Horae Paulinae (1874). FREE!. The two most important books on undesigned coincidences currently available. See "Part I: The Veracity of the Books of Moses" (pages 1-109).
*Book: Essays on the Patriarchal Narratives. Alan R. Millard and Donald J. Wiseman, editors. 223 pages available to read for FREE online.
*Article: "The Tablet Theory of Genesis Authorship" by Curt Sewell
*Article: "Getting Over a Hump: Does the Lack of Camel Bones Disprove the Historicity of the Biblical Patriarchs?" by Ted Wright
*Article: "Is the Story of Joseph in the Bible a True Story?" by  Charles F. Aling
*Articles: "Joseph in Egypt" (a 6-part series at Associates for Biblical Research). Part II. Part III. Part IV. Part V. Part VI.
*Books: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil and Delitszch (KD). Available for FREE many places but this link will take you to the STEP Bible (which is FREE online and also to be downloaded). This is an old work but still one of the best. And they soundly answered many of the questions skeptics continue to ask today. If you are looking for answers related to a specific passage of Scripture, you are likely to find a solid answer here.
*Articles: Dozens of articles on the period of the Genesis Flood available at Associates for Biblical Research
*Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study: Much more here! :)

EXODUS TO DEUTERONOMY (The Exodus & Wilderness Wandering)
*Video: "Patterns of Evidence: Exodus." (119 minutes) An excellent documentary on the evidence for the book of Exodus. Also available on Netflix streaming video.
*Blunt's Undesigned Coincidences and Paley's Horae Paulinae (1874). FREE!. The two most important books on undesigned coincidences currently available. See "Part I: The Veracity of the Books of Moses" (pages 1-109).
*Book: Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition by James K. Hoffmeier
*Book: Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition by James K. Hoffmeier
*Essays: "Who Wrote the First Five Books of the Bible?": "A collection of extracts from writings of Edward Young, Merrill Unger, William Green, Gleason Archer, and Oswald Allis. FREE!
*Articles: Dozens of articles on the Patriarchal Period available at Associates for Biblical Research
*Books: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil and Delitszch (KD). Available for FREE many places but this link will take you to the STEP Bible (which is FREE online and also to be downloaded). This is an old work but still one of the best. And they soundly answered many of the questions skeptics continue to ask today. If you are looking for answers related to a specific passage of Scripture, you are likely to find a solid answer here.
*Articles: Dozens of articles on the Exodus from Egypt available at Associates for Biblical Research
*Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study: Much more here! :)

JOSHUA (The Conquest of Canaan)
*Blunt's Undesigned Coincidences and Paley's Horae Paulinae (1874). FREE!. The two most important books on undesigned coincidences currently available. See "Part II: The Veracity of the Historical Scriptures": Sections I-IV (pages 110-123).
*Books: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil and Delitszch (KD). Available for FREE many places but this link will take you to the STEP Bible (which is FREE online and also to be downloaded). This is an old work but still one of the best. And they soundly answered many of the questions skeptics continue to ask today. If you are looking for answers related to a specific passage of Scripture, you are likely to find a solid answer here.
*Articles: Dozens of articles on the Conquest of Canaan available at Associates for Biblical Research
*Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study: Much more here! :)

JUDGES & RUTH (The Period of the Judges)
*Videos: "Judges: Forgotten History" (7-part video series) by Bryant Wood of Associates for Biblical Research (6 to 11 minutes each)
*Blunt's Undesigned Coincidences and Paley's Horae Paulinae (1874). FREE!. The two most important books on undesigned coincidences currently available. See "Part II: The Veracity of the Historical Scriptures": Sections I-IV (pages 109-123).
*Books: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil and Delitszch (KD). Available for FREE many places but this link will take you to the STEP Bible (which is FREE online and also to be downloaded). This is an old work but still one of the best. And they soundly answered many of the questions skeptics continue to ask today. If you are looking for answers related to a specific passage of Scripture, you are likely to find a solid answer here.
*Articles: Dozens of articles on the period of Israel's judges available at Associates for Biblical Research
*Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study: Much more here! :)

1 SAMUEL TO 2 CHRONICLES, THE PROPHETS & PSALMS (The Period of the Kings)
*Article: "Evidence for Inerrancy from an Unexpected Source: OT Chronology" by Rodger C. Young
*Books: The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings by Edwin R. Thiele. A summarized version of this book: A Chronology of the Hebrew Kings.
*Blunt's Undesigned Coincidences and Paley's Horae Paulinae (1874). FREE!. The two most important books on undesigned coincidences currently available. See "Part II: The Veracity of the Historical Scriptures": Sections V-XXVIII (pages 123-219) and "Part III: The Veracity of the Prophetical Scriptures" (pages 220-253).
*Books: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil and Delitszch (KD). Available for FREE many places but this link will take you to the STEP Bible (which is FREE online and also to be downloaded). This is an old work but still one of the best. And they soundly answered many of the questions skeptics continue to ask today. If you are looking for answers related to a specific passage of Scripture, you are likely to find a solid answer here.
*Article: "Does Archaeology Prove Chronicles Sources?" by Robert North
*Articles: Dozens of articles on the United Monarchy available at Associates for Biblical Research
*Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study: Much more here! :)

NEHEMIAH, ESTHER & THE PROPHETS (The Period of Exile)
*Article: "2,500 Year Old Evidence of Jewish Life in Babylonian Exile Found" at Rose Publishing blog
*Article: "Judah in Exile"
*Books: Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Keil and Delitszch (KD). Available for FREE many places but this link will take you to the STEP Bible (which is FREE online and also to be downloaded). This is an old work but still one of the best. And they soundly answered many of the questions skeptics continue to ask today. If you are looking for answers related to a specific passage of Scripture, you are likely to find a solid answer here.
*Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study: Much more here! :)



STILL LOOKING?....
*Much more at Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament: Resources for Study....
OR Archaeological Confirmation of the New Testament: Resources for Study....
OR New Testament Reliability: Resources for Study
OR Contradictions in the Bible?....Interpreting Scripture: Resources for Study

"Moses Smashing the Tablets of the Law" (1659) by Rembrandt

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

THE SO-CALLED SYNOPTIC PROBLEM: Resources for Study

Image from Wikiversity/Creative Commons

The synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark and Luke. And the word synoptic is a Greek word that means "seen together" and refers to the way in which the similarities between these Gospels allow them to be "seen" (-optic) together (syn-), because they tell so many of the same things about Jesus and often in very similar ways. The Gospel of John shares some things in common with these three but also a significant amount of additional material not found in the synoptics.

When we talk about the "Synoptic Problem," it is important to note that it is not really a problem or a difficulty in the sense that it makes it difficult to believe the Bible. The word problem is being used more in the same way that you would talk about a math problem. It is a puzzle to be solved. It brings up interesting questions that we would like to have answers for: Which Gospel came first? Did Matthew use Mark or did Mark use Matthew? Etc.... Below are some of the best resources available for understanding and exploring the issue:

WEBSITES:
*The Synoptic Problem Website by Stephen Carlson
*The Case Against Q by Mark Goodacre
*Jerusalem Perspective: "A Groundbreaking Attempt to Reconstruct the Conjectured Hebrew Life of Yeshua.....Under the direction of David Bivin, Jerusalem Perspective has launched an attempt to reconstruct the account of Jesus’ life which, according to church tradition, was written in Hebrew by Jesus’ disciple Matthew. Although this ancient eyewitness account is no longer extant, we believe that significant portions of this source have been preserved in the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. If this theory is correct, then the first three canonical Gospels are the grandchildren or great-grandchildren of that conjectured Hebrew biography, which we refer to as the Hebrew Life of Yeshua. An attempt also has been made to reconstruct the first Greek translation of the Hebrew Life of Yeshua, a more immediate ancestor of Matthew, Mark and Luke."

VIDEO
*"What Are the Synoptic Gospels and Where Do They Come From?" (9 minutes)

*"Everybody Says Mark Was the First Gospel, But Was It?" with David Alan Black (41 minutes)

*"The Synoptic Phenomenon (not The Synoptic Problem according to Dr. Weston Fields)" from Lanier Theological Library (49 minutes)

AUDIO
*Lecture #6: "Form and Source Criticism" of Michael Kruger's FREE! Gospels course. You can also access it at Reformed Theological Seminary's iTune page or by using their Android app available at Google Play.
*The first 3 lectures of Robert Stein's FREE! online course "New Testament Survey -- Gospels" (35-40 minutes each)

ARTICLES

*"On Dispensing With Q" by John Kloppenborg. A response to Mark Goodacre's book The Case Against Q.

*"Why Four Gospels?" by David Alan Black
*"The Synoptic Problem and Q" at Blue Letter Bible

*Last Seminary hosts five articles on "Q & the Synoptic Problem" that can be download for FREE--with brief abstracts for each.

BOOKS
*Redating Matthew, Mark & Luke: A Fresh Assault on the Synoptic Problem by John Wenham
*Is There a Synoptic Problem?: Rethinking the Literary Dependence of the First Three Gospels by Eta Linnemann. (Linneman was a leading liberal critic who told her readers to throw away all of her books when she got saved!)
*Three Views on the Origins of the Synoptic Gospels edited by Robert L. Thomas (contributors: Grant R. Osborne, Matthew C. Williams, John H. Niemela, and F. David Farnell)
*The Synoptic Problem: Four Views edited by Stanley Porter and Bryan Dyer (conributors: Craig Evans, Mark Goodacre, David Peabody, Rainer Riesner)
*The Synoptic Problem: A Way through the Maze by Mark Goodacre. Website for the book. Download the book for FREE!
*The Synoptic Problem and Statistics by Andris Abakuks
*Horae Synopticae: Contributions to the Study of the Synoptic Problem (1909) by John C. Hawkins is FREE!
*The Case Against Q by Mark Goodacre
*Rethinking the Synoptic Problem by David Alan Black
*Why Four Gospels: The Historical Origins of the Gospels by David Alan Black


STILL LOOKING?....
An excellent Annotated Bibliography can be found at Stephen Carlson's website....
Also check out the lists of Bibliographia, Websites, Books and Articles, Q Web Materials, and Reviews at The New Testament Gateway: Part of a large directory of academic internet resources, though sadly lacking in some of the best evangelical scholarship.

PAGAN PARALLELS TO JESUS?: Resources for Study

Are the four Gospels of the New Testament really historical accounts or is the story of Jesus just a copycat myth based on older pagan myths?....

First, the Gospels are historical in genre (not myth); and they are shown to be reliable, based on eyewitness accounts, and confirmed by loads of other ancient documents. (See my bibliography on the historical reliability of the New Testament.) 

Second, there are no good parallels to the Gospels that are older than the Gospels. In other words, the only parallels that have any weight at all came after the Gospels were written. Therefore, if there is any copying, it is the pagan myths that are copying the Gospels. (See the bibliography below.) 

Third, even if there were older mythical or fictional parallels to the Gospels, that would still not mean that they are fictional. (See Michael Licona's excellent 2-minute video and a brief Wikipedia article laying this out in print. Or see this excellent spoof on the idea...which proves that Isaac Newton did not exist!)

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
Click on the title links to find the great resources listed below 
(and then check out my growing MASTER LIST OF APOLOGETIC RESOURCES)....

INTRODUCTORY
Videos
*Lutheran Satire. "Horus Ruins Christmas." (5 minutes) A hilarious debunking of the claim that Jesus is based on the pagan Egyptian god Horus...or Mithras...or....
*Sharp, Mary Jo. "Challenge: Did Jesus Exist?" (6 minutes)
*Craig, William Lane. "Did Greco-Roman Myths About Dying and Rising Gods Influence the Gospel Accounts about the Resurrection?" 
*Inspiring Philosophy. "Jesus vs. Horus" (4 minutes)
*Inspiring Philosophy. "Jesus vs. Krishna" (5 1/2 minutes)
*Inspiring Philosophy. "Jesus vs. Mithra" (4 1/2 minutes)
*Sharp, Mary Jo. "Is The Story of Jesus Just Like Horus?" The "One Minute Apologist" interviews Mary Jo Sharp. (under 2 minutes)
*Wallace, J. Warner Wallace. "Is Jesus a Copycat Savior?" The "One Minute Apologist" interviews famous L.A. cold-case detective, J. Warner Wallace. (under 4 minutes)

Articles (& Book Chapters)
*Strobel, Lee and Edwin Yamauchi. Q & A on BibleGateway. Popular apologist and award-winning legal journalist Lee Strobel responds to a question by presenting a concise version of his interview with expert historian Edwin Yamauchi (based on a chapter from Strobel's book The Case for The Real Jesus. (Listen to the audiobook version of the book for FREE!)
*Komoszewski, J. Ed, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel B. Wallace. Reinventing Jesus, "Part 5: Stealing Thunder: Did Christianity Rip Off Mythical Gods?", pages 219-258.
*Del Rosario, Mikel. "Was Jesus' Death and Resurrection Copied from Krishna?"

INTERMEDIATE
Videos
*Sharp, Mary Jo. Lecture from SALT 2013 conference. (40 minutes)

Articles
*Nash, Ronald. "Was the New Testament Influenced by Pagan Religions?"
*Marshall, David: "Bart Ehrman Finds Jesus in Poland (Baal Shem Tov)"
*Marshall, David. "Bart Ehrman Scams His Students (Jesus vs. Apollonius of Tyana)"
*Miller, Glenn. "Was Jesus Christ Just a CopyCat Savior Myth?"
*"Jesus Christ and Mythology: Copy Cat Savior?" In spite of some occasional typos, this article offers some excellent corrections and information.
*Evidence for Jesus and Parallel Pagan "Crucified Saviors" Examined


Books
*McIlhenny, Albert. Cut and Paste Jesus: Is Jesus a Copy of Other Gods?: by one of the foremost experts on Jesus mythicism
*Nash, Ronald. The Gospel and the Greeks: Did the New Testament Borrow from Pagan Thought? 
*Strobel, Lee. The Case for The Real Jesus. Listen to the audiobook version of the book for FREE! In "Challenge #4" in this book, award-winning legal journalist Lee Strobel interviews expert historian Edwin Yamauchi on this issue (beginning on page 157).
*Marshall, David. Why the Jesus Seminar Can't Find Jesus, And Grandma Marshall Could. In the second section of this book, Marshall explores 50 characteristics of the Gospels; and in the third section, he uses these 50 characteristics to show how they are not at all like pagan myths or any of the other comparisons that have been made.
*Eddy, Paul Rhodes and Gregory Boyd. The Jesus Legend. Primarily about the historical evidence for Jesus but it does touch on the issue of pagan parallels.
*Porter, Stanley and Stephen J. Bedard. Unmasking the Pagan Christ.


RELATED PAGES ON MY BLOG
*Jesus' Historicity

*Jesus Mythicism
*So-Called Lost Gospels (Gnostic Writings)
*The Historical Reliability of the New Testament
*Archaeological Confirmation of the New Testament
*Undesigned Coincidences: A unique and underutilized internal evidence for the historicity of the Bible. I have tried to make this bibliography as exhaustive as possible.
*EhrmanProject.com. A collection of resources in response to popular skeptic Bart Ehrman. Also, see this,
*Contradictions in the Bible?: A list of several excellent resources for dealing with seeming contradictions in the Bible.
*The So-Called Synoptic Problem: A brief but helpful bibliography with a link to a more detailed bibliography.



STILL LOOKING?....
*Check out this excellent bibliography from my friend Stephen J. Bedard, an expert on so-called pagan parallels and co-author of Unmasking the Pagan Christ....
OR....Another excellent list of resources by my friend Larry Lund....
OR....or this extensive list....
OR....the resource list at Christian CADRE.

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THE HISTORICAL RELIABILITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: Resources for Study

The New Testament is historically reliable, confirmed by many other ancient documents and other evidence, based on eyewitness accounts of Jesus, and written under the supervision of men who were commissioned by Jesus to speak for him (apostles).

Click on the title links to find the great resources listed below 
(and then check out my growing MASTER LIST OF APOLOGETIC RESOURCES)....


SPECIFIC ISSUES
*Archaeological Confirmation of the New Testament
*Undesigned Coincidences: A unique and underutilized internal evidence for the historicity of the Bible. I have tried to make this bibliography as exhaustive as possible.
*EhrmanProject.com. A collection of resources in response to popular skeptic Bart Ehrman. Also, see this,
*Pagan Parallels to Jesus?: Is Jesus really a myth based on earlier pagan myths? An extensive collection of resources dealing with this issue.
*Contradictions in the Bible?: A list of several excellent resources for dealing with seeming contradictions in the Bible.
*The So-Called Synoptic Problem: A brief but helpful bibliography with a link to a more detailed bibliography.
*So-Called Lost Gospels (Gnostic Writings)
*Jesus' Historicity
*Jesus Mythicism


INTRODUCTORY
Videos

*Turek, Frank. "Is The Bible Historically Accurate?" Frank Turek is interviewed by the "One Minute Apologist." (2 minutes)

*Wallace, J. Warner. "Haven't the Gospels Been Altered?" Famous L.A. cold-case detective is interviewed by the "One Minute Apologist." (3 minutes)

*Keener, Craig. "Dr. Craig Keener on the Historicity of the Book of Acts." (11 minutes) Dr. Keener is probably the greatest living scholar on the book of Acts. He has recently completed a four-volume commentary on Acts that totals nearly 5000 pages and has over 45,000 references from ancient extrabiblical documents. (See below.)

Articles

*Last Seminary hosts 18 articles on the historical reliability of the New Testament that can be download for FREE--with brief abstracts for each.

Books
*Blomberg, Craig L. The Historical Reliability of the New Testament. (816 pages) Hot off the press in late October 2016!

*Bruce, F.F. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Download for FREE! here. A classic by one of the greatest New Testament scholars of the 20th Century. An easy read and only 124 pages.

*Wallace, J. Warner. "Cold-Case Christianity." My top pick for anyone new to apologetics. 

*"Equipped," the Journal of the Christian Apologetics Alliance (multiple authors). "Evidence for the Reliability of the Bible." A FREE! electronic journal.

*Is the Bible Relaiable? by John Piper: a FREE! 13 page booklet

INTERMEDIATE
Videos

*Williams, Peter. "Lecture by Dr. Peter Williams: New Evidences The Gospels Were Based on Eyewitness Accounts." (62 minutes) Highly recommended.

*McGrew, Tim. "The Gospels and Acts as History." (106 minutes) Highly recommended.

*Inspiring Philosophy. An excellent series of 7 videos (11 to 19 minutes each)

Articles (& Book Chapters)

*McGrew, Lydia. "The Annotated Rawlinson." Historical accuracy of the Gospels.
*Moreland, J.P. "The Historicity of the New Testament."
*McRay, John. "Archaeology and the Book of Acts." (14 pages)
*Geisler, Norm and Frank Turek. I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be An Atheist, Chapter 11: "The Top Ten Reasons We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth" (p.275-298).

Audio

*Bock, Darrell. "Can We Trust the Bible?" (73 minutes). Includes slides and notes.

Books

*Wilder, Terry L. and Steven B. Cowan, editors. In Defense of the Bible. I highly recommend this book. Top experts cover the spectrum of issues for both the Old and the New Testaments.

*Blomberg, Craig. Can We Still Believe the Bible?

Online Course

John PIper, Craig Blomberg & Bill Mounce. "Why I Trust My Bible." (20 hours) FREE!

ADVANCED

Articles

*Habermas, Gary. "Recent Perspectives on the Reliability of the Gospels."

Books
*Hemer, Colin. The Book of Acts in Its Hellenistic Setting. The definitive book on the subject.

*Rawlinson, George. Historical Evidences of the Truth of the Scripture Records. (1860?) Download it for FREE! here.

*Evans, Craig. Jesus and His World: The Archaeological Evidence.

*Blomberg, Craig. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels.

*Robertson, A.T. Luke the Historian in the Light of Research. (1920) FREE! here.
*Ramsay, William. St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen. (1895, 1907) FREE! here.
*Keener, Craig. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary. Dr. Keener is probably the greatest living scholar on the book of Acts. This recently completed (October 2015) four-volume commentary on Acts totals nearly 5000 pages and has over 45,000 references from ancient extrabiblical documents.

Still looking?.... Check out this excellent list of resources from my friend Eric Chabot .....or this excellent bibliography.....or this long list of links....or The New Testament Gateway: a large directory of academic internet resources, though sadly lacking in some of the best evangelical scholarship.

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