There are some areas that have been so thoroughly traversed that to say much on them would border on plagiarism. In conversation I have no problem putting out dates and times, facts and figures, but in this format I have found I haven't got much to say in an original way. At the end of this post are two links that I hope you will follow if the question of the "Gospels as Fairy Tale" at all enters your mind.
So far, I have attempted to paint a clearer picture of the Gospels as representing historical fact, rather than an invented narrative, or "fairy tale." In this article, I will address the assumption that the figure of Jesus of Nazareth changed- through passage of time and multiple transmissions- into the legendary character we see him as today.
When we read the teachings of Jesus, it is safe to believe that he used the traditional rabbinical method when instructing his followers. When a teacher taught his disciples, he did so in a certain form. This was to ensure the transmission of his words would remain faithful to its original content. As Jesus taught his disciples, we can be sure he did so thoroughly, and that they were faithful to his message. The oral tradition among the Hebrew people was sacred, and any violation of its integrity by one would have been quickly snuffed out by the others.
This at least ensures that the message of Christ was preserved faithfully. As to his deeds? When faced with a text that claims historicity, the skeptic will almost certainly dismiss the claims of supernatural acts as mythical embellishment, or legend. "Yes," he/she will say, "Jesus may have existed, but these stories of healing sick people, raising the dead, walking on water, they're all just added in by leaders in the early church in order to make him seem like more than he really was."
Here's where I sit, for months trying to figure out a new and interesting way to say something that so many people have said before. I can plead for lack of motive, I can plead for strength of conviction, I can offer the criterion of embarrasment, or I could even argue intuitively that the Gospels are true because they have the ring of truth to them throughout (suspending the pre-supposed lack of God's existence) but when it comes down to it, I can do no better a job really offering textual criticism than the leading experts out there.
If you are at all interested in the facts behind the accounts of Jesus' life, as laid out by his closest followers, here are two resources I can offer:
This is an article detailing the work of Gary Habermas, who has made it his life's work to lay out what he calls "The Minimal Facts Approach." He surveys what scholars believe, finds the areas in which there is an incredibly strong consensus, and builds his case upon that.
J. Warner Wallace is another excellent resource on this subject. He is a cold-case homicide detective who actually used his expertise in the field to study the claims laid out in the Bible, and came out the other side a believer.
If you have questions, please know that you can always ask them. There are many people out there who are committed to offering you answers if you are willing to hear them. As always, thanks for reading and feel free to comment below.
No comments:
Post a Comment