External Evidence Test

The Second Test is the Internal Evidence. The bibliographical test has determined only that the text we have now is what was originally recorded. One has still to determine whether that written record is credible and to what extent.

At this point the literary critic still follows Aristotle’s dictum (maxim): The benefit of the doubt is to be given to the document itself, and not arrogated by the critic to himself. In other words, one must listen to the clams of the document under analysis, and not assume fraud or error unless the author disqualified himself by contradictions or known factual inaccuracies. The purpose of the historian is not to construct a history from preconceived notions and to adjust it to his own liking, but to reproduce it from the best evidence and to let it speak for itself. Internal and external criteria are be expressed by a series of questions which historians typically ask of ancient documents.

Was the author in a position to know what he or she is writing about? Does the text claim to be an eyewitness account, or based on an eyewitness account? Or is it based on hearsay?

If the document doesn’t even claim to be an eyewitness account or based on eyewitness, or at least written from an eyewitness perspective, its value is probably less than if it did make such a claim – though making the claim is not of course itself sufficient to prove the claim is true.

Luke who is not an eyewitness tells us that he is using eyewitness sources and that his is seeking to write an orderly and truthful account of the things he records. Luke 1:1-4 reads, “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us. Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitness and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you most excellent Theophilus so that you many know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”

John tells us he is an eyewitness in John 19:35, which reads, “The man who saw it has given testimony and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth and he testifies so that you also may believe.” The other two Gospels, Mark and Matthew, are both written from the perspective of an eyewitness, though they don’t come out and explicitly claim this: they just assume it. Other sources in the early second century confirm that the authors of the Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (A.D. 180. Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyran, who had been a Christian for 86 years, and was a disciple of John the Apostle) wrote: “Matthew published his Gospel among the Hebrews in their own tongue, when Peter and Paul were preaching the gospel in Rome and founding the church there. After their departure, Mark the disciple and interpreter of Peter himself handed down to us in writing the substance of Peter’s preaching. Luke the follower of Paul set down in a book the gospel preached by his teacher. Then John the disciple of the Lord who also leaned on his breast himself produced his Gospel, while he was living at Ephesus in Asia.” See also II Peter 1:16, I John 1:3 and Luke 3:1

This closeness to the recorded accounts is an extremely effective means of certifying the accuracy of what is retained by a witness. The historian however, also has to deal with the eyewitness who consciously or unconsciously tells falsehoods even though he is near to the event and is competent to tell the truth.

The New Testament accounts of Christ were being circulated within the lifetimes of those alive at the time of his life. These people could certainly confirm or deny the accuracy of the accounts. In advocating their case for the gospel, the apostles had appealed to common knowledge concerning Jesus. They not only said, “Look we saw this” or “We heard that…” but they turned the tables around and right in front of adverse critics and said, “You also know about these things….You saw them, you yourselves know about it.” One had better be careful when he says to his opposition, “You know this also,” because if he isn’t right in the details, it will be shoved right back down his throat.

Acts 2:22 – “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know…” See also Acts 26:24-28. We'll pick it up next week with the next question within the external evidence test.