Exploring the New Testament: Origins, Dating, and Preservation

Dive deep into the historical journey of the New Testament, uncovering its origins, understanding its timelines, and exploring the methods of its preservation.

Insights into the New Testament's Journey

Jesus Christ vs. Julius Caesar: What do we really know?

by Stephen Mitchell | October 10, 2025 | Jesus and History, New Testament, New Testament origins | 0 Comments

Were the New Testament (NT) documents written close enough to the events that they record to be used. In a recent Facebook discussion regarding the latest work on Josephus’ report of Jesus, some claimed that Josephus’ writings are not useful. Why? Because Josephus...

Recognizing fakes

by Stephen Mitchell | October 9, 2025 | Jesus and History, New Testament origins, New Testament Reliability | 0 Comments

In an age of AI and with scams seeming to be everywhere, we are very aware that everything is not what it claims to be. Are you good at recognizing scams and counterfeits. In the early centuries of the church, they also had to be able to recognize writings that were...

Nine Points that show how Christians recognized the New Testament

by Stephen Mitchell | October 7, 2025 | Jesus and History, New Testament, New Testament origins | 0 Comments

How did we get the New Testament? Christians claim that God became human in the person of Jesus Christ. If this is true, perhaps we would expect that God would go to great lengths to ensure that Jesus’ words were preserved in some miraculous way. Perhaps He might...

Chain of Testimony vs. Heretics

by Stephen Mitchell | September 30, 2025 | Jesus and History, New Testament, New Testament origins | 0 Comments

From its earliest times, there have been people who challenged the teachings established by Jesus and His apostles. Jesus’ teachings were radically new and different. They centered on His deity. Many have tried to re-interpret it or blend it with other views. Yet the...

Timelines and the New Testament: Seeing how history unfolded helps grow trust

by Stephen Mitchell | September 1, 2025 | Jesus and History, Jesus in History base, New Testament, New Testament origins, New Testament Reliability | 0 Comments

Let's test the New Testament. Lots of questions can be answered by posting all available relevant information on a timeline. Even questions not conclusively ansered can be discussed more knowledgeably by understanding chronologically what is known.What do ancient...

How early were the New Testament Gospels written?

by Stephen Mitchell | August 28, 2025 | Jesus and History, New Testament, New Testament origins | 0 Comments

The New Testament contains four books that tell the story of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are named for the authors ascribed to them by the early church. The books themselves don’t say who wrote them, but there are some internal clues and significant...

Is eyewitness testimony important?

by Stephen Mitchell | August 27, 2025 | Church Fathers, Jesus and History, New Testament origins | 0 Comments

Some suggest that the people of the first century were eager gullible people who really did not worry about verifying facts. There have always been gullible people. What do we know about the early Christian believers and the way they demanded truth? Did they care?...

Who was Jesus in the earliest New Testament records? Did the early believers invent Christianity?

by Stephen Mitchell | October 16, 2020 | Jesus in History base, New Testament, New Testament origins, New Testament Reliability | 0 Comments

The New Testament books were written over a period of about 65 years. Did Jesus become Christ as the church changed over time? Look at the first 5 books written…

Examining the Gospel of Mark

by Stephen Mitchell | May 6, 2020 | New Testament origins, New Testament Reliability | 0 Comments

Who wrote it and when?

Examine the Book of Luke

by Stephen Mitchell | April 20, 2020 | New Testament origins, New Testament Reliability | 0 Comments

Who wrote Luke? When? Is it to be trusted?

Explore New Testament Topics

Historical Context

Examine the cultural and historical backdrop of the New Testament era.

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Textual Criticism

Delve into the analysis and evaluation of New Testament manuscripts.

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Preservation Techniques

Learn about the methods used to preserve the New Testament texts over centuries.

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Dating the Texts

Investigate the timelines and chronology of the New Testament writings.

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Authorship

Explore the authors behind the New Testament books and their contributions.

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Archaeological Discoveries

Discover how archaeology supports and informs New Testament studies.

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Theological Insights

Understand the theological implications and interpretations of New Testament texts.

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Translation History

Trace the history and evolution of New Testament translations across languages.

Common Inquiries About the New Testament

Explore answers to frequently asked questions regarding the New Testament’s history and preservation.

How was the New Testament compiled?

The New Testament was compiled over several centuries, with early Christians selecting texts that were widely used and respected within the community.