Authority and AuthenticityThree Ways to Know Who Wrote What

James Patrick Holding

Tekton Apologetics Ministries

Objections Answered,Rogues Refuted

www.tektonics.org

jphold@earthlink.net

Books in Question

MatthewMarkLukeJohnActs

Romans1 Corinthians2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation

Cornelius Tacitus

•Author of the Annals and the Histories

•Lived 55-117 AD

•Considered accurate but sometimes biased

•Little is known of his life, but he was a politician.

Matthew•Author of the Gospel According to Matthew

•Lived c. 30 AD

• Said to be a former tax collector, called by Jesus, likely to serve as a scribe

“Thomas”•NOT considered to be the author of the Gospel of Thomas

• This book is generally regarded as a product of Gnostics

Criteria #1: Internal Evidence (Attribution)

Criteria #1: Internal Evidence (Attribution)

Internal Evidence (Attribution)

Tacitus

Matthew

Thomas

Criteria #2: External Evidence (Attribution)

• His publisher says so

• Book reviews say so

• Personal witnesses say so

• No one says NO!

Tacitus’ Annals: External Evidence

Essentially…. NONE!

There are some good indirect indications…but no “Tacitus wrote this” at any early period.

Matthew’s Gospel: External Evidence

Numerous church writers from the second century onward verify Matthew as the author

“Thomas”

It isn’t mentioned much, but…all who do mention it agree it is a forgery!

Internal Evidence (Attribution)

Tacitus

Matthew

Thomas

External Evidence (Attribution)

Criteria #3: Internal Evidence (Content)

The Scribal Caveat

Because of the ancient use of scribes, style can be a “plus” – but it is not always a minus.

Internal Evidence (Attribution)

Tacitus

Matthew

Thomas

External Evidence (Attribution)

Internal Evidence (Style)

Messing with Matthew

“Burrito” problems

1. Matthew knows about the war against Rome

2. “To this day”

3. Versus Judaism after 70 AD

“Thomas”

“Jesus” doesn’t sound like Jesus…he sounds like THIS guy:

For Further Reading

• http://www.tektonics.org/ntdocdef/gospdefhub.html

• http://www.tektonics.org/qt/thomasgospel.html