I have asserted that the writings of the apostles were immediately recognized as Scripture (e.g., 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:15–16; 2 Tim. 3:16). And further, that Galatians refers to something like Matthew’s Gospel, which was “previously written” prior to Paul’s first visit to Galatia. Here is my translation of…
In Acts 18 and 19, we continue to highlight the essential role which Matthew’s Gospel played in Paul’s evangelistic endeavors. But first, let’s recap some of our prior observations and assertions: Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1–17) In Corinth, Paul could once again be found every Sabbath reasoning in the synagogue…
I have argued that during his first missionary journey, Paul grounded his ministry in the use of a published Gospel—whether he was preaching and teaching or strengthening and encouraging the churches. Now, in this blog post, we consider three encounters between Paul and those in Macedonia and Achaia during his…
In this “new insights into Acts” series, we are re-examining the text of the New Testament under the premise that Matthew was published coincident with the events of Acts 10–11, and that Mark was published shortly thereafter. Further, that these texts were immediately accepted as authoritative Scripture, as having been…
Tillemont was born in Paris in 1637 and became a priest in 1676. Shortly thereafter he retired to an abbey near Paris, but subsequently moved to his family estate (Tillemont) near Paris, where he completed two masterful works, one on ecclesiastical history and the other on the history of the…
Theologians of the 1800s wrote with a flowing eloquence and style which is foreign to the ears of our present generation. Upham begins chapter three, “The Received Date of the Gospels,” with a rebuke not only against unbelieving skeptics, but also against orthodox religious leaders, who undermine the Gospels not…
Trustworthy: Thirteen Arguments for the Reliability of the New Testament. By Benjamin C. F. Shaw. Forward by Gary S. Habermas. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2024, xiii + 142 pp. Benjamin Shaw’s Trustworthy is a welcome addition to a subgenre which aspires to provide confidence in the biblical text, while targeting…
Elsewhere, I have argued that Matthew was published for the benefit of the Jews, coincident with the events of Acts 10–11, as Peter and Paul began preaching in Rome, the empire. And further, that Mark was published shortly thereafter, leveraging both Matthew’s Gospel and the sermons of Peter, at the…
Am starting to frame-up some ideas for another paper. The tentative question: If Matthew’s Gospel was indeed the first Gospel to be published, while the sequence of events was relatively fresh in the minds of many of its readers, then would Matthew not have been particularly concerned with presenting the…
What is being taught to students of the Bible, to future pastors and Christian teachers, concerning when the first Gospel was published? First, here is what is taught by some of the apologetic works which are addressed in my book: Bauckham (2017): Mark was published in the 60s CE, thirty…