Many people continue to believe that only a small percentage of the New Testament accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth reflect what he really said and did. The reasons for scepticism may vary over the years, but some arguments have proved remarkably persistent - for example, the Gospels were not written by people in a position to know what Jesus was like, primitive cultures believed in miracles that we know are impossible, theological interest precludes historical accuracy, non-canonical texts disprove the stories in the Gospels, and so on.
Such claims are in fact weakly supported, or have actually been disproved. However, various issues contribute to the complexity of the question of the Gospels' trustworthiness, and disagreements remain. Furthermore, confusion has been compounded by fiction promoted in popular culture, or by eccentric, unrepresentative scholarship.
Since its first appearance in 1987, Craig Blomberg's response to scepticism in The Historical Reliability of the Gospels has been widely appreciated. Fully revised and updated, this new edition takes account of the vast amount of relevant scholarship that has appeared over the last two decades.
Ranging over a wide field - differences between parallel accounts of the same event, the striking contrast between John and the Synoptic Gospels, the theological interests of the evangelists, the miracles of Jesus, the testimony of extrabiblical sources, and critical assessment of historical methods - Professor Blomberg presents a thorough, informed engagement with the main issues in the ongoing debates. Deliberately refusing to appeal to the inspiration of the Bible or to church tradition, he convincingly demonstrates the overall historical reliability of the Gospels.
Many people continue to believe that only a small percentage of the New Testament accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth reflect what he really said and did. The reasons for scepticism may vary over the years, but some arguments have proved remarkably persistent - for example, the Gospels were not written by people in a position to know what Jesus was like, primitive cultures believed in miracles that we know are impossible, theological interest precludes historical accuracy, non-canonical texts disprove the stories in the Gospels, and so on.
Such claims are in fact weakly supported, or have actually been disproved. However, various issues contribute to the complexity of the question of the Gospels' trustworthiness, and disagreements remain. Furthermore, confusion has been compounded by fiction promoted in popular culture, or by eccentric, unrepresentative scholarship.
Since its first appearance in 1987, Craig Blomberg's response to scepticism in The Historical Reliability of the Gospels has been widely appreciated. Fully revised and updated, this new edition takes account of the vast amount of relevant scholarship that has appeared over the last two decades.
Ranging over a wide field - differences between parallel accounts of the same event, the striking contrast between John and the Synoptic Gospels, the theological interests of the evangelists, the miracles of Jesus, the testimony of extrabiblical sources, and critical assessment of historical methods - Professor Blomberg presents a thorough, informed engagement with the main issues in the ongoing debates. Deliberately refusing to appeal to the inspiration of the Bible or to church tradition, he convincingly demonstrates the overall historical reliability of the Gospels.
"This volume offers the most complete, accurate and up-to-date defense of a maximalist approach to the Jesus tradition."--Thomas E. Phillips, Religious Studies Review, September 2008
"If you want an up-to-date, clear and compelling presentation of the evidence for the historical accuracy of the Gospels, this is the book for you!"--Gregory Goswell, New Life, March 6, 2008
"I warmly recommend this book."--Pieter J. Lalleman, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 31.5, 2009
"This new edition provides further interaction with the larger field of scholarship of the past twenty years. Designed for both the informed layperson and theological student/scholar, Historical Reliability sets forth arguments for the gospels as historically sound sources. For the general readership, the central argument is set forth in an engaging and accessible manner. For those more interested in particular issues covered by Blomberg, the footnotes provide access to the context of the discussion. Although not everyone will agree with his conclusions, Blomberg sets forth a compelling case worthy of consideration. For scholar, theological student, and layperson alike, Historical Reliability is a valuable text."--Michael Naylor, The Expository Times, March 2009
