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NTBF: The Ancient Verdict on New Testament Authorship: Why It Should Not, and Cannot, Be Historically Overturned

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There are multiple reasons why – for historical, not theological reasons – the ancient verdict on New Testament authorship deserves to be preferred over modern opinions on the subject.

Or, should it be framed as “…should not be ignored, and cannot be overturned.”

Reasons Why the Ancient Historical Verdict Should Stand
  • Historical Practice: The principles of historiography. Sources closest in time and place to the subject being studied, all other things being equal, should be given greater weight.
  • Access to Evidence: The ancients had so much more evidence at their disposal than moderns – both external and internal.
  • Expert testimony versus lay testimony: If we accept what ancient Jews handed down to us, why shouldn’t we accept what ancient Christians handed down to us?
  • The ancients who handed down to us the texts are the same ancients who told us who the authors were. If we think they got the authors right, why should we believe they got the texts right?
  • Modern critical scholars can’t say who wrote it – only who might have written it.
  • The ancients were just as interested in rooting out forgeries as we are.
  • The only way the ancients could have all come to the same answer is if it was the right answer.
  • A conspiracy of that magnitude is unthinkable.
  • Some flaw in their methodology or corruption in their process.
Reasons Why the Ancient Verdict Cannot Be Overturned
  • DNA is not going to save the day.
  • Like old Coke and new Coke.
  • Not re-writing history
  • The ancients are dead – they cannot do what a lower court does when it is reversed.
Where You Stand
  • If you give up and say “I don’t know,” you have made your choice. Agnosticism.