The Reliability of the Gospels

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John serve as crucial accounts of Jesus' life and teachings. Their reliability is central to Christianity, as the belief in Jesus' resurrection hinges on the truthfulness of these accounts. A significant criterion used to assess the trustworthiness of ancient documents is the 'criterion of embarrassment', suggesting that accounts which reveal the flaws or failings of their subjects are more likely to be true. The Gospels are replete with instances where Jesus' followers display incompetence or fail to understand his teachings, lending credence to their authenticity.