The Bible For Normal People
[Bible] Episode 263: Bart Ehrman - The Gospels & Historical Reliability
Feb 12, 2024
Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar, joins Pete and Jared to discuss the historical reliability of the Gospels, highlighting the roles of oral tradition, authorial bias, and contradictions within the texts. They explore the criteria historians use to evaluate ancient written accounts and the impact of ancient historical consciousness on accuracy. They also discuss how the gospels were shaped by community beliefs and interpretations, as well as explore birth narratives, contradictions, and arguments against the mythicist belief.
45:43
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Quick takeaways
- The gospels are not intended to be historically accurate records, but rather proclamations of the good news, emphasizing the unique perspectives and messages each author wanted to convey about Jesus.
- The reliance on oral tradition, coupled with the intent to emphasize certain aspects of Jesus' character or teachings, contributes to the variations and adaptations seen in the gospel accounts, dispelling the misconception that memorization ensures accuracy in oral cultures.
Deep dives
The Gospels and Historical Reliability
The podcast episode discusses the gospels and their historical reliability, featuring Bart Ehrman, a distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina. The gospels, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were written decades after the events they narrate and are not anonymous. Matthew and Luke are known to have used Mark as a source. The differences and contradictions between the gospels are crucial in understanding the unique perspectives and messages each author wanted to convey about Jesus. The episode emphasizes that the gospels are not intended to be historically accurate records, but rather proclamations of the good news.
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