The Historical Reliability of the Gospels

by Craig L. Blomberg

Overview

For over twenty years, Craig Blomberg's The Historical Reliability of the Gospels has provided a useful antidote to many of the toxic effects of skeptical criticism of the Gospels. Offering a calm, balanced overview of the history of Gospel criticism, especially that of the late twentieth century, Blomberg introduces readers to the methods employed by New Testament scholars and shows both the values and limits of those methods. He then delves more deeply into the question of miracles, Synoptic discrepancies and the differences between the Synoptics and John. After an assessment of noncanonical Jesus tradition, he addresses issues of historical method directly. This new edition has been thoroughly updated in light of new developments with numerous additions to the footnotes and two added appendixes. Readers will find that over the past twenty years, the case for the historical trustworthiness of the Gospels has grown vastly stronger.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830898091
Publisher:	IVP Academic
Publication date:	06/06/2014
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	776,923
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Craig L. Blomberg (Ph.D., Aberdeen) is Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Denver, Colorado. His books include Interpreting the Parables, Neither Poverty nor Riches, Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey, The Historical Reliability of John's Gospel, commentaries on Matthew and 1 Corinthians, Making Sense of the New Testament: 3 Crucial Questions and Preaching the Parables.

Craig L. Blomberg (Ph.D., Aberdeen) is Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Denver, Colorado. His books include Interpreting the Parables, Neither Poverty nor Riches, Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey, The Historical Reliability of John's Gospel, commentaries on Matthew and 1 Corinthians, Making Sense of the New Testament: 3 Crucial Questions and Preaching the Parables.

Table of Contents

Foreword to the first edition (1987)
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
1. Traditional approaches to the reliability of the Gospels
2. New methods in Gospel study
3. Miracles
4. Contradictions among the Synoptics?
5. Problems in the Gospel of John
6. The Jesus-tradition outside the Gospels
7. Final questions on historical method
Postscript
Appendix A: Archaeology and the Gospels
Appendix B: Textual Criticism and the Gospels
Bibliography
Author Index
Scripture Index
Ancient sources Index

Editorial Reviews

"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

"I warmly recommend this book."

Pieter J. Lalleman

"This volume offers the most complete, accurate and up-to-date defense of a maximalist approach to the Jesus tradition."

Thomas E. Phillips

"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

"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

"I warmly recommend this book."

--Pieter J. Lalleman, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 31.5, 2009

"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

"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

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