Jesus and the Eyewitnesses

Last updated on: September 2, 2017 at 5:52 am by Frank Viola

Jesus and the Eyewitnesses 2017-08-23T10:23:56-04:00 Frank Viola

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We live in a day when countless Millennials are ignorant of the overwhelming support for the reliability of the Bible, especially the New Testament. So it’s easy for them to accept unsound arguments which seek to convince them that Scripture isn’t true nor accurate.

Ever since the writings of F.F. Bruce, there has been accessible research, showing clearly that Jesus was not only a historical person, but the New Testament presents Him accurately and reliably.

Richard Bauckham’s new book does the same thing, only in spades.

Jesus and the Eyewitness argues that the four Gospels are closely based on the eyewitness testimony of those who knew Jesus. The author challenges the assumption that the accounts of Jesus circulated as ‘anonymous community traditions’, asserting instead that they were transmitted in the name of the original eyewitnesses.

To drive home this controversial point, Bauckham draws on internal literary evidence, the use of personal names in first-century Jewish Palestine, and recent developments in the understanding of oral tradition. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses also taps into the rich resources of modern study of memory, especially in cognitive psychology, refuting the conclusions of the form critics and calling New Testament scholarship to make a clean break with this long-dominant tradition.

Bauckham challenges readers to end the classic division between the ‘historical Jesus’ and the’Christ of faith’, proposing instead the ‘Jesus of testimony’ as presented by the Gospels. Sure to ignite heated debate on the precise character of the testimony about Jesus, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses is a groundbreaking work that will be valued by scholars, students, and all who seek to understand the origins of the Gospels.

This momentous book argues that the four Gospels are closely based on the eyewitness testimony of those who personally knew Jesus.

One reviewer put it this way:

The four Gospels are not hazy, much-massaged recollections, decades later and heavily altered by local churches to fit their own circumstances and peculiar beliefs. They are the written record, by reliable writers, of the accounts of Jesus life provided by–eyewitnesses. Peter, perhaps Matthew, the physician Luke, the apostle John. They told their stories, over and over, for years, to many gatherings of believers, to many new converts. The gospels are the transcript of those testimonies, by first-hand hearers. As such, they provide a resounding “Yes!” to FF Bruce’s book title, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? As John said, “These are written that you may believe…” This book will add significantly to that outcome.

Some hefty endorsements:

First Things
“Bauckham’s proposal is both path-breaking and a tour de force.”

Trinity Journal
“As in all of his works, Bauckham has ransacked obscure secondary literature for little-known but immensely helpful information. He has thought creatively about time-worn problems and uncovered possible interpretations of subtle features of ancient testimony — both in the Gospels and about them — with the shrewdness of a good detective.”

Westminster Theological Journal
“Bauckham has delivered a remarkable and insightful volume that is sure to offer a much-needed challenge to the status quo in modern gospel studies.”

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 1, 2017

My Agnostic Friends

Next Post

September 9, 2017 Join Me Live for 3 Events

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Bethel" (where Jacob dreamed) mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Field of Vision Mountain of Light House of God God's Blessing