Notes from Dr. Craig Evans Lectures

Every year, United Theological Seminary hosts the Heck Lectures and this year, the featured speaker was Dr. Craig Evans who spoke on the topic, "Jesus Outside the Bible." I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Evans at the seminar and I told him that his books and research have been a great resource to me in my pastoral ministry.

If you follow New Testament scholarship, you have probably heard of The Jesus Seminar which includes a group of New Testament scholars who have come to the conclusion that only 18% of the biblical sayings of Jesus are most likely authentic words of the historical Jesus. Dr. Evans, along with a host of other scholars from a wide range of theological spectrums and backgrounds offer a very different view on what we can know about the historical Jesus. Dr. Evans argues that an understanding of 1st century Palestine and studying Jesus in his historical context as a 1st century Jew in Palestine offers us evidence that suggests that the four New Testament Gospels are historically reliable.

The purpose of Dr. Evans's lectures on what we can know about Jesus outside the canonical Gospels is important to New Testament research especially since a minority of scholars argue that there are gospels not included in the New Testament that offer a more accurate picture of the historical Jesus. In a nutshell, Dr. Evans disagrees with these minority scholars on the very early dating of the non-canonical gospels and concludes that the New Testament Gospels are our best sources for the historical Jesus.

Below are the raw notes that I took during his two lectures.

Heck Lectures - Craig Evans - 4/14/10

1st Lecture:
Gospels of Thomas & Peter
Codices found at Nag Hammadi

Thomas is queen of non-canonical Gospels.
Thomas
Egerton Papyrus 2
Secret Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Peter
Gospel of Mary

The Jesus Seminar - Authenticity of sayings of Jesus. Used different beads. 82% of sayings of Jesus are doubtful according to seminar.

Criticism of JS - Too much reliance on apocryphal Gospels.

Thomas - 114 sayings of Jesus.
Peter - Portion of gospel (passion and resurrection.)

Thomas - 3 Greek fragments - Date range - 220-280 CE
Nag Hammadi - 340 CE

Coptic
Egyptian language
Written with mostly Greek letters.

Thomas legend - John's Gospel Supporters (And their dating for these sources) - Crosson, Pagels
Stephen Patterson - 70s
April DeConick - As early as 30-50 & later in stages.
Elaine Pagels - 90s (A lot of scholars agree with date.) A Thomas vs. John community.

Focus on Stephen Patterson.

What's the best explanation? Thomas is a 2nd century source, not 1st century!
1. Coherence with Syrian traditions - 100-150 CE 2. Acquaintance with much of the NT
3. Acquaintance with the Diatessaron etc. (Harmony of the Gospels)
4. Lateness of references to Thomas.
5. No evidence of significant evolution of the text of Thomas.
6. Lack of historical-cultural verisimilitude

Coherence with late Syrian traditions - 2nd and 3rd centuries
Esoteric perspective.
Anti-materialism - 2nd century (parable changed to focus on money)
Vegetarianism
Celibacy (sex is bad) - Syrian focus!
Thomas knows more than 1/2 of NT!
Presence of post-Markan editing in Thomas.
Thomas and Taitian - 1st and 2nd person language.
References to Thomas are late - 220 CE. Gospels are a lot earlier by church fathers.

How can Thomas be under radar for 150 years? And no evidence of evolution of Thomas.

Thomas is poor fit with 1st century Palestine.

If all we had was the Gospel of Thomas would we know that Jesus was a Jew? - Larry Hurtado, 2009

Afternoon Lecture - Gospel of Peter Found in 9th Century
Begins with Pilate washing hands.
End of 2nd century - Fragments

Supporters - Crossan & Dewey

Problems:
Ignorance of Jewish customs
Ignorance of 1st cent. Palestine
Influenced by Matthean redaction
Surreal and anti-Semitic material

Exaggerated Apologetic

Jesus & Witness of Outsiders
Synoptics
Paul refers to them.
Papius - refers to 80s and 90s
2nd century ms fragments of Gospels - John

Discrepancies in New Testament? New Testament Manuscripts
4 dozen predate 300 Greek NT
Most of NT comes before the Council of Nicea in 325.
5,800 Greek NT mss; 2.6 million pages of text.

I John 5:7-8 (Bart Ehrmann misleads by citing this passage as one of the discrepancies.)

Attestation of Historical Jesus Outside of the New Testement (This was impressive!)
Roman Writers - Tacitus
Annals (110-120 CE) - Christus
Suetonius (110-120 CE) Life of Emperor Claudius - Chrestus
Pliny Jr. (110 CE) to Trajan - Chrestus & Christians.
Celsus in True Doctrine (150 CE) - Refers to Jesus
Lucian - (160 CE) -
The Syria Mara bar Serapion -
Josephus (95 CE) - Outlines life of Jesus. Refers to Jesus' messianism. The Rabbis -
The Qur'an

Robert E. Van Vorst - Best book on topic.

Attestations
The Jesus Cup (Jesus is written on front of cup) - (1st century) This could be the earliest artifact that has an inscription of Jesus on it, but the dating is still a question mark, even though archaeologists are giving it a 1st century dating during this early stage.

Panel Discussion - Scholars offered summary comments on Dr. Craig Evans' book, "Fabricating Jesus." One of the scholars included Dr. David Barr, professor of Religion at Wright State University who considers himself a secular historian but who offered complimentary words regarding Dr. Evans.