You Can Handle The Truth About John!
Is John's Gospel late and unhistorical? Kathy Afzali invited me to discuss evidence that presents it as an authentic first-hand account of Jesus' life written during the crucial eyewitness period.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Gospel of John has long been dismissed by some scholars as the “latest and least historical” of the four Gospels. But new evidence is challenging that view. In this episode of You Can Handle the Truth, we welcome back Shane Rosenthal, host of The Humble Skeptic podcast, to explore why many scholars now believe John was written much earlier than once thought — possibly even before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can trust the Gospel accounts of Jesus, this conversation will strengthen your confidence in Scripture. To WATCH this episode, click the image above, or use the following links to LISTEN via Apple or Spotify.
Why Are NT Scholars Changing Their View of John?
A paradigm shift is currently taking place among NT scholars worldwide related to the Fourth Gospel. For example, Princeton scholar James Charlesworth recently wrote in his book Jesus As Mirrored in John that:
“John is not a late composition…I am convinced that the earliest edition of John—the first edition—may antedate 70 CE. Why? It is because the author knew Jerusalem intimately, providing many architectural details which only thirty years ago we imagined were literary inventions…All the reasons that require a late date for the Gospel of John (sometime after 90 CE) have vanished. There is no longer a consensus regarding the date of John…Is it possible, then, to observe a paradigm shift? …Yes.”
To read additional quotes along these lines from a variety of contemporary scholars, see A Paradigm Shift on the Date of John’s Gospel and The Date of John’s Gospel, Revisited.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Related Articles
Authenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane Rosenthal
The Authenticity & Genuineness of the Fourth Gospel, J.B. Lightfoot
A Paradigm Shift on the Date of John’s Gospel? Shane Rosenthal
The Date of John’s Gospel, Revisited, Shane Rosenthal
John 5:2 “There is in Jerusalem…”, Shane Rosenthal
The Implications of 70 AD, Shane Rosenthal
A Pre-70 Date for the Gospels & Acts, Shane Rosenthal
A Pre-70 Date for Revelation? Shane Rosenthal
Water Into Wine? Shane Rosenthal
Related Episodes
Is John’s Gospel Late & Unreliable? Episode #51 with Daniel Wallace
The Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony, Episode #48 with Richard Bauckham
Questioning The Fourth Gospel, Episode #49 with Richard Bauckham
Who is Theophilus? Episode #79 with Peter G. Bolt
Did Josephus Ever Mention Jesus? Episode #77 with T.C. Shmidt
Stories of Jesus: Can They Be Trusted? Episode #61 with Peter J. Williams
Are The Gospels History or Fiction? Episode #52 with John Dickson
Related Books
Redating the New Testament, John A.T. Robinson
Rethinking the Dates of the New Testament, Jonathan Bernier
Redating Matthew, Mark & Luke, John Wenham
Can We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. Williams
Jesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard Bauckham
Luke’s Key Witness? Shane Rosenthal
What They’re Saying About The Humble Skeptic…
“This is hands down one of the best apologetic programs I have heard!” — Mike from Etown
“I stumbled on this podcast and was blown away by the practical and interesting knowledge shared by the host and guests. I continue to recommend it to all my friends and family.” — KWS
“Having spent 14 years in a closed, cultish church environment, my world has expanded immensely through The Humble Skeptic podcast. My faith has grown substantially as I have found a freedom to explore what I believe.” — Jeremy
TOP 25 Episodes of The Humble Skeptic podcast
01 Is Faith Irrational? — New to the #1 Slot!
02 The Pilot Episode
03 Is Faith A Feeling?
04 Is Faith Blind?
05 How Did Jesus View the Old Testament?
06 Did the Exodus Ever Happen?
07 Christian Narcissism
08 Faith Founded on Facts
09 Locating Golgotha
10 What Did the Earliest Christians Believe?
11 In The Beginning Was the Word
12 The Angel of Yahweh
13 Did Josephus Ever Mention Jesus? — New to the Top 25!
14 Faith & Experience
15 Dealing with Doubt
16 Reconciling the Resurrection Accounts
17 The Intersection of Church & State
18 Death, Ghosts & Views of the Afterlife
19 Which John Wrote John?
20 Signs of the Messiah
21 Decoding the Prophecies of Daniel
22 Greg Koukl on Blind Faith
23 Authenticating the Book of Acts
24 The Sinai Inscriptions
25 The Galatian Controversy
Who Is Theophilus?
In his famous prologue, Luke indicates that his Gospel is addressed to a “most excellent Theophilus.” As others had done, Luke decided to write an orderly account about the things Jesus had accomplis…