https://coldcasechristianity.com/cold-case-christianity-by-j-warner-wallace/

 

During my Tuesday Bible study meeting, the subject came up of the non-Biblical gospels, other later writings about Jesus.  Coincidentally I had been listening to apologist podcasts about this topic.  I felt compelled to share this information so that people will be careful/skeptical of non-Bible Jesus writings.  Books like Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' have confused many by giving equal credibility to the so-called Gospels of Thomas as to that of Mark and John.

I am certainly no expert, or scholar, just an interested party.  The renowned apologist J. Warner Wallace, author of 'Cold Case Christianity' doubts the reliability/authenticity of extraneous Jesus writings. Here are the links for the article and interview.

A Thorough Guide to the Non-Canonical Gospels
https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/a-thorough-guide-to-the-non-canonical-gospels/

What Should We Make of the Non-Canonical Gospels? (Podcast)
https://coldcasechristianity.com/podcasts/what-should-we-make-of-the-non-canonical-gospels-podcast/

As I understand it, the other gospels were written too late to be eye-witness reports, and falsely attributed to Jesus' apostles, and that they sometimes twist the truth to meet their own agenda (such as promoting Gnosticism).  Apparently the non-canonical gospels do have some basis in truth -- supporting Jesus existence, ministry, and impact on the world.

So on the other hand, what makes the traditional gospels special so that they were included in the Bible?  How can we say that they are true accounts?  J. Warner Wallace wrote the book 'Cold Case Christianity' that tells the story of how he as an atheist sought to answer these questions.  This article summarizes his views:

Biblical Reliability
Is the Bible True? The Cumulative Case for the Reliability of the Gospels (Downloadable Bible Insert)
https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/is-the-bible-true-the-cumulative-case-for-the-reliability-of-the-gospels-free-bible-insert/

To find out more, please check out J.Warner Wallace and other apologist such as Lee Strobel and C.S.Lewis.

God Bless!