Gospel Authenticity, Part 1

By Sal Ciresi
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of 6/26/03)

This is the first in a two-part series on the authenticity of the Gospels.

The four Gospels are essential for explaining and defending the Catholic Faith. Within the scope of apologetics, it is fitting to demonstrate that these New Testament writings are credible; worthy of belief. The apologist who upholds Gospel credibility is expounding certain truths from the Catholic Magisterium via 1964’s Sancta Mater Ecclesia (The Historicity of the Gospels) II, 3; 1965’s Dei Verbum (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation) 18 and 19; and 1997’s Catechism of the Catholic Church 107 and 136. Let us sketch this apologia for the Gospels; beneficial not only for apologetics, but also with respect to evangelization and catechesis.

The strategy that demonstrates Gospel credibility begins by treating these writings as common historical documents. Certainly, a Christian treasures the divine inspiration of Scripture, taught in passages such as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:20-21. However, Gospel credibility does not rely exclusively on this theological truth of biblical inspiration. The apologist is merely trying to show, at the outset, that these compositions warrant consideration by human reason apart from faith. This method and its distinct terms are found in standard texts such as Alexander’s College Apologetics 45-78; Duggan’s Beyond Reasonable Doubt 87-115; Mirus’ Reasons for Hope 65-84; Sheed’s Catholic Evidence Training Outlines 167-176; and Sheehan’s Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine 74-83. This apologetic isn’t a novelty; it is part of Catholic tradition, and supports the Pauline and Petrine texts regarding inspiration.

Theological precision is important; we must define the key phrase "historical document." Schmidt’s Faith and Reason: A First Course in Apologetics provides a helpful definition: a "document" is an original or official paper relied upon as the basis, proof, or support of anything else (p. 178). A document is "historical" if is a faithful narrative of a past event; a writing that can be brought forward to prove a fact. With these terms before us, we examine the Gospels as historical documents for three characteristics: authenticity (i.e. genuineness); integrity (i.e. intactness); and reliability (i.e. trustworthiness). Any historical document that possesses these characteristics deserves attention; particularly writings that make bold salvific claims as found in the Gospels.

The first characteristic under discussion is "authenticity." A text that is not authentic is a forgery, fake, or spurious document. For our concern, a Gospel is authentic if written by the author to whom it is ascribed. Within apologetics, Gospel authenticity depends upon apostolic authorship: Matthew and John from "the Twelve" (cf. Mt 10:1-4) and their associates Mark and Luke (cf. 2 Tim 4:11). This authenticity is affirmed by "external" evidence (i.e. data outside the Bible) and confirmed by "internal" evidence (i.e. data within the Bible). External evidence is our present focus, taken from the early theologians: the Church Fathers.

A key witness for Gospel authenticity is St. Papias, whose death occurred as early as A.D. 130 or as late as A.D. 160. He was the bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor. Interestingly, St. Irenaeus asserts in his Second Century treatise Against Heresies 5.33 that St. Papias was a friend of St. Polycarp (d. A.D. 155), who was a listener of St. John the Apostle. This close association of St. Papias with the Apostolic era adds weight to his testimony: "When Mark became the interpreter of Peter, he wrote down accurately whatever he remembered, though not in order, of the words and deeds of the Lord. He was neither hearer nor follower of the Lord; but such he was afterwards, as I say, of Peter, who had no intention of giving a connected account of the sayings of the Lord, but adapted his instructions as was necessary. Mark, then, made no mistake, but wrote things down as he remembered them; and he made it his concern to omit nothing that he had heard nor to falsify anything therein… Matthew, indeed, composed the sayings in the Hebrew language" (Explanation of the Sayings of the Lord; A.D. 130). This important citation appears in Eusebius’ History of the Church 3.39 (A.D. 300-325).

The Muratorian Fragment, dated before A.D. 200, is another important piece of evidence for Bible authenticity. This incomplete document, discovered in 1740 at the Ambrosian Library in Milan, Italy, reads in part: "The third book of the Gospel is that according to Luke, the well-known physician, which, after the ascension of Christ, Luke wrote in his own name from what he had learned when Paul associated him with himself as a companion of his journey. Nor did he himself see the Lord in the flesh; but inasmuch as he was thus enabled to proceed, he began his account with the birth of John. The fourth Gospel is by John, one of the disciples." This valuable fragment, coupled with the text from St. Papias, offers essential information for the four Gospels.

Copyright ©2003 Arlington Catholic Herald.  All rights reserved.