The Humble Skeptic Truth Isn't Afraid of Questions

According to John Dickson, “Christianity is unlike other religions in that it gambles its plausibility on supposed historical events. Christians,” he writes, “don’t merely say otherworldly things like ‘Heaven is open to all,’ but they also say things like, ‘Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate,’ and statements of this kind aren’t immune from historical scrutiny.” So, what are the considerations involved in assessing the historical value of the Gospels? How can we be sure these ancient texts really are what they claim to be? On this episode, Shane talks with Undeceptions host, John Dickson, who received a PhD in the field of ancient history, and who is the author of Is Jesus History?
• The clip in which John Dickson mentioned his openness to an earlier date for the Fourth Gospel appeared on Episode 126 of his Undeceptions podcast.
• The quote from Princeton scholar, James Charlesworth was taken from his book, Jesus As Mirrored in John. You can find additional quotes by Charlesworth and other advocates of an earlier date for John here.
• To read Shane’s recent article mentioned at the end of this episode featuring an archaeological discovery related to Joanna & Theophilus, click here.
SHOW NOTES
Related BooksIs Jesus History? John DicksonA Doubters Guide to Jesus, John DicksonA Doubters Guide to the Bible, John DicksonCan We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. WilliamsRedating the New Testament, John A.T. RobinsonRethinking the Dates of the New Testament, Jonathan BernierJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamJesus As Mirrored in John, James Charlesworth
Related ArticlesJoanna: Obscure Disciple, or Luke’s Key Witness? Shane RosenthalJohn 5:2 “There is in Jerusalem…”, Shane Rosenthal & othersThe Authenticity & Genuineness of the Fourth Gospel, J.B. LightfootIs Luke a Trustworthy Historian, Sir William RamsayAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalOutside The Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus? Shane RosenthalWater Into Wine? Shane RosenthalOn Faith & History, Shane RosenthalScribes of the New Covenant, Shane RosenthalThe Identity of the Beloved Disciple, Shane RosenthalCan We Trust Luke’s History of the Early Jesus Movement? Shane RosenthalSimon of Cyrene: An Intriguing Archaeological Discovery, Shane RosenthalThe Mormonization of American Christianity, Shane Rosenthal
Other Related ResourcesThe Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony, Humble Skeptic #48The Jesus of History, Humble Skeptic #12The Gospel Creed, Humble Skeptic # 9New Evidence for the Gospels, Peter J. Williams (video)Are the Gospels Reliable? Peter J. Williams & Bart Ehrman (video)
Info & Events• Some clips from this interview with John Dickson were previously featured on episodes 2, 15 & 16 of The Humble Skeptic podcast.
• If you’re a fan of the show, consider writing a brief review to let others know what you like about it (preferably via the Apple Podcast app since their reviews can be seen in other podcast portals). The more positive reviews we get, the more exposure we get!
• Shane will be speaking at the ReThink315 College Camp which will take place on the campus of St. Louis University, July 16-19, 2024.
• On Wednesday, Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at an event in Cedar City, Utah (more details coming soon).
• On Friday, Oct. 18th, Shane will be the keynote speaker at the ReThink315 fundraising dinner, which will take place at the Missouri Athletic Club in Des Peres, Missouri. For more information, or to purchase tickets for this event, click here.
• For more information, or to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your next event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM. 
We Need Your Help!Consider supporting The Humble Skeptic podcast by making a one-time gift or upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack ($5.95 per month, $59 per year). Click here for more information about giving options.


Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.h

May scholars over the past century have claimed that John’s Gospel is the least historically reliable since it was written in the late first century. Essentially, they’ve argued that this text tells us more about the beliefs of the church in that period than it does about the historical Jesus. On this episode, Shane talks with New Testament scholar Daniel Wallace about evidence that points to a much earlier date, along with other matters related to the historical reliability and faithful transmission of the Fourth Gospel. Note: A few clips of this interview were featured on episode 16, but here we’re presenting the entire conversation.
SHOW NOTES
Recommended BooksRevisiting the Corruption of the New Testament, Daniel WallaceRedating the New Testament, John A.T. RobinsonThe Priority of John, John A.T. RobinsonRethinking the Dates of the New Testament, Jonathan BernierRedating Matthew, Mark & Luke, John WenhamNICNT Commentary on The Gospel of John (1995), Leon MorrisConcordia Commentary: John 1:1-7:1, William WeinrichCan We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. WilliamsThe Testimony of the Beloved Disciple, Richard BauckhamJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamGreek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Daniel Wallace
Recommended ArticlesJohn 5:2 & The Date of The Fourth Gospel, Daniel WallaceJohn 5:2 (Part 2) & John 5:2 (Part 3), Daniel WallaceThe Gospel of John: An Introduction, Daniel WallaceJohn 5:2 “There is in Jerusalem…”, Shane Rosenthal & othersAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalWater Into Wine? Shane RosenthalThe Identity of the Beloved Disciple, Shane RosenthalOutside The Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus? Shane RosenthalCan We Trust Luke’s History of the Early Jesus Movement? Shane RosenthalSimon of Cyrene: An Intriguing Archaeological Discovery, Shane RosenthalThe Authenticity & Genuineness of the Fourth Gospel, J.B. Lightfoot
Other Related ResourcesHas the Bible Been Miscopied or Mistranslated? Daniel Wallace, WHI #1377Which John Wrote John? Humble Skeptic #50 Questioning The Fourth Gospel, Humble Skeptic #49The Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony, Humble Skeptic #48The Jesus of History, Humble Skeptic #12New Evidence for the Gospels, Peter J. Williams (video)Are the Gospels Reliable? Peter J. Williams & Bart Ehrman (video)An Interview with D.A. Carson, WHI #1456The Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel, Craig Blomberg, WHI #1462
Upcoming Events• Shane will be speaking at the ReThink315 College Camp which will take place on the campus of St. Louis University, July 16-19, 2024.
• On Wednesday, Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at an event in Cedar City, Utah (more details coming soon).
• On Friday, Oct. 18th, Shane will be the keynote speaker at the ReThink315 fundraising dinner, which will take place at the Missouri Athletic Club in Des Peres, Missouri. For more information, or to purchase tickets for this event, click here.
• For more information, or to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your next event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM. 
Write a Positive ReviewIf you’re a fan of the show, consider writing a brief review to let others know what you like about it (preferably via the Apple Podcast app since their reviews can be seen in other podcast portals). The more positive reviews we get, the more exposure we get!
We Need Your Help!Consider supporting The Humble Skeptic podcast by making a one-time gift or upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack ($5.95 per month, $59 per year). Use the button below for more information about giving options.


Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

On this episode, Shane walks through some of the internal and external evidence related to his investigation of The Identity of the Beloved Disciple. This builds on some of the ideas introduced on the last episode with Richard Bauckham, but this discussion of the authorship of the Fourth Gospel takes a significantly deeper dive. As you’ll see, the result of this exploration has surprising implications for the authenticity and historical reliability of all four Gospels—and, of course, John in particular.
SHOW NOTES
Recommended BooksThe Witness of St. John to Christ, Stanley Leathes (FREE)The Testimony of the Beloved Disciple, Richard BauckhamJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamThe Identity of John the Evangelist, Dean FurlongThe New Testament in Its World, N.T. Wright & Michael BirdThe Gospel of St. John: A Newly Discovered Commentary, J.B. LightfootJohn The Son of Zebedee, The Life of a Legend, Alan CulpepperThe Johannine Question, Martin Hengel
Recommended ArticlesThe Identity of the Beloved Disciple, Shane RosenthalAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalWater Into Wine?, Shane RosenthalOutside The Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus?, S. RosenthalCan We Trust Luke’s History of the Early Jesus Movement?, S. RosenthalSimon of Cyrene: An Intriguing Archaeological Discovery, S. RosenthalScribes of the New Covenant, Shane RosenthalThe Parable of Lazarus, Shane RosenthalWhy Should We Believe The Bible?, Shane Rosenthal
Other Related ResourcesQuestioning The Fourth Gospel, Humble Skeptic Ep. #49The Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony, Humble Skeptic Ep. #48The Jesus of History, Humble Skeptic Ep. #12Fake or Authentic?, Humble Skeptic Ep. #10Authenticating the Book of Acts, Humble Skeptic Ep. #24Faith Founded on Facts (1), Humble Skeptic Ep. #15Faith Founded on Facts (2), Humble Skeptic Ep. #16This above episode makes a case for an earlier dating of John’s Gospel
Upcoming Events• Shane will be discussing the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at Third Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama on Sunday, April 28th at 11 am. For directions, visit the church website: thirdpca.org.
• Shane will be speaking at the ReThink315 College Camp which will take place on the campus of St. Louis University, July 16-19, 2024.
• On Wed. Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at an event in Cedar City, Utah (more details coming soon).
• For more information, or to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your next event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM. 
Write a Positive ReviewIf you’re a fan of the show, consider writing a brief review to let others know what you like about it (preferably via the Apple Podcast app since their reviews can be seen in other podcast portals). The more positive reviews we get, the more exposure we get!
We Need Your Help!Consider supporting The Humble Skeptic podcast by making a one-time gift or upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack ($5.95 per month, $59 per year). Use the button below for more information about giving options.



Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

Many scholars over the centuries have questioned the historical value of John’s Gospel. Since it is assumed to be very late, it’s often argued that John’s narrative contains “theology, not history.” Richard Bauckham argues that the author of this text should be seen as a credible eyewitness of the events he reports, but that a careful look at both the internal and external evidence reveals that this Gospel was written by a lesser-known figure named John the Elder. Shane discusses this with Professor Bauckham and interacts with other scholars (including D.A. Carson, Craig Blomberg, Andreas Kostenberger, and Lydia McGrew) who take the traditional view of authorship.
SHOW NOTES
Recommended BooksThe Testimony of the Beloved Disciple, Richard BauckhamJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamMagdala of Galilee: A Jewish City, Richard BauckhamThe Identity of John the Evangelist, Dean Furlong
Recommended ArticlesThe Identity of the Beloved Disciple, Shane RosenthalAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalWater Into Wine?, Shane RosenthalOutside The Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus?, S. RosenthalScribes of the New Covenant, Shane RosenthalWhy Should We Believe The Bible?, Shane RosenthalJesus & The Eyewitnesses: A Review, Shane Rosenthal
Other Related ResourcesThe Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony, Humble Skeptic Ep. #48The Jesus of History, Humble Skeptic Ep. #12Fake or Authentic?, Humble Skeptic Ep. #10Authenticating the Book of Acts, Humble Skeptic Ep. #24Faith Founded on Facts (1), Humble Skeptic Ep. #15Faith Founded on Facts (2), Humble Skeptic Ep. #16This above episode makes a case for an earlier dating of John’s Gospel
Upcoming Events• Greg Koukl, Shane Rosenthal & Jeremy Smith will be speaking on apologetics-related topics at The Fellowship of Wildwood in the St. Louis area on April 7, 2024. While in town, Greg Koukl will also be speaking at the Creating Confident Ambassadors conference at First Baptist Church—St. John on Saturday, April 6th in St. Louis.
• Shane will be discussing the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at Third Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama on Sunday, April 28th at 11 am. For directions, visit the church website: thirdpca.org.
• Shane will be speaking at the ReThink315 College Camp which will take place on the campus of St. Louis University, July 16-19, 2024.
• On Wed. Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at an event in Cedar City, Utah (more details coming soon).
• For more information, or to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your next event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM. 
Write a Positive ReviewIf you’re a fan of the show, consider writing a brief review to let others know what you like about it (preferably via the Apple Podcast app since their reviews can be seen in other podcast portals). The more positive reviews we get, the more exposure we get!
We Need Your Help!Consider supporting The Humble Skeptic podcast by making a one-time gift or upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack ($5.95 per month, $59 per year). Use the button below for more information about giving options.


Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

Many New Testament scholars argue that the Gospels were told orally for the better part of a century before they were finally written down, and as such, they tell us more about later Christian beliefs than they do the life of Jesus. Cambridge scholar Richard Bauckham has argued that this entire approach to Jesus research has officially reached a dead end and that the Gospels are rooted in reliable eyewitness testimony. Shane discusses these claims with Dr. Bauckham.
SHOW NOTES
Recommended BooksJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamJesus: A Very Short Introduction, Richard BauckhamThe Testimony of the Beloved Disciple, Richard BauckhamGospel Women, Richard BauckhamCan We Trust The Gospels?, Peter J. WilliamsTestimonies to the Truth, Lydia McGrew
Recommended ArticlesThe Gospels as Authentic Testimony, Richard BauckhamIs Luke a Trustworthy Historian?, William RamsayJohn 5:2 There is in Jerusalem, Shane RosenthalOutside The Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus?, Shane RosenthalScribes of the New Covenant, Shane RosenthalCan We Trust Luke’s History of the Early Jesus Movement?, S. RosenthalWater Into Wine?, Shane RosenthalOn Faith & History, Shane RosenthalWhy Should We Believe The Bible?, Shane RosenthalAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalJesus & The Eyewitnesses: A Review, Shane RosenthalConsidering Alternatives to the Resurrection, Shane Rosenthal
Other Related ResourcesIs John’s Gospel Late & Unreliable?, Humble Skeptic #51The Jesus of History, Humble Skeptic Ep. #12Faith Founded on Facts, Humble Skeptic Ep. #15Fake or Authentic?, Humble Skeptic Ep. #10Authenticating the Book of Acts, Humble Skeptic Ep. #24New Evidence for the Gospels, Peter J. Williams (video)Evidence for the Resurrection, Peter J. Williams (video)Are the Gospels Reliable?, Peter J. Williams & Bart Ehrman (video)
Upcoming Events• Shane will be speaking at the ReThink315 College Camp which will take place on the campus of St. Louis University, July 16-19, 2024.
• On Wed. Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at an event in Cedar City, Utah (more details coming soon).
• For more information, or to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your next event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM. 
Write a Positive ReviewIf you’re a fan of the show, consider writing a brief review to let others know what you like about it (preferably via the Apple Podcast app since their reviews can be seen in other podcast portals). The more positive reviews we get, the more exposure we get!
We Need Your Help!Consider supporting The Humble Skeptic podcast by making a one-time gift or upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack ($5.95 per month, $59 per year). Use the button below for more information about giving options.


Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

What did ancient Jews believe about the mission of their Messiah? Were they expecting a kind of warrior king who would defeat the Gentiles and reign as king over all the earth, or one who would atone for sin through his own sacrificial death? On this episode, Shane discusses these questions as he interacts with a variety of texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls and other sources that give us insight into the way Jews before and after the time of Jesus attempted to interpret some of the messianic prophecies recorded in the pages of the Old Testament.
To download a PDF copy of the lecture slides for this presentation, use the link below:
SHOW NOTES
Related ArticlesSprinkled Nations & Speechless Kings, Shane RosenthalA Dead Sea Scroll Hymn on the Suffering Servant, Shane RosenthalFinding Christ in All The Scriptures, Shane RosenthalProof of the Gospel, Quotes from Eusebius, Augustine & othersWhy Should We Believe The Bible? (PDF), Shane RosenthalDid Palm Trees Grow in Jerusalem at the Time of Jesus?, Shane RosenthalWhere Was Jesus Crucified?, Shane RosenthalConsidering Alternatives to the Resurrection, Shane RosenthalRelated BooksHolman Quicksource Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls, Craig EvansA Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, Craig EvansA Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Gospels, Craig EvansJosephus, Jewish War Vol. III, (This edition includes some Slavonic material)Josephus’ Jewish War and its Slavonic Version, Henry & Kate LeemingThe Gospel According to Isaiah 53, Darrell Bock & othersThe Jewish Gospels, Daniel BoyarinThe Jewish Annotated New Testament, Daniel Boyarin & others“Son of Man” in Early Jewish Literature, Richard BauckhamThe Jewish Targums & John’s Logos Theology, John RonningThe Angel of the Lord. Doug Van Dorn & Matt ForemanThe Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy, Rydelnik & BlumThe Life & Times of Jesus The Messiah, Alfred EdersheimProof of the Gospel, Eusebius of Caesarea
Related AudioJewish Views of the Messiah, with Daniel BoyarinWhat Did the Earliest Christians Believe?, Humble Skeptic #25The Earliest Gospel, Humble Skeptic #45 Were Jews Expecting a Divine Messiah?, WHI 1243 with Craig EvansThe Gospel Creed, Humble Skeptic #9Locating Golgotha, Humble Skeptic #17What Child Is This?, a bonus episode of the Humble Skeptic
Upcoming Events• Shane will be the keynote speaker at The Cross & Resurrection conference in the greater Memphis region on March 22-24, 2024 (click here for more info or to register).
• On Wed. March 27th at 6:30 pm, Shane will be discussing “Objections to the Resurrection” at Christ Presbyterian Church in St. Charles, MO.
• Greg Koukl, Shane Rosenthal & Jeremy Smith will be speaking on apologetics-related topics at The Fellowship of Wildwood in the St. Louis area on April 7, 2024. Greg Koukl will also be speaking at the Creating Confident Ambassadors conference at First Baptist Church—St. John on Saturday, April 6th in St. Louis.
• Shane will be discussing the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at Third Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama on Sunday, April 28th (more info will be available soon).
• Shane will be one of the speakers at the ReThink315 College Camp which will take place on the campus of St. Louis University, July 16-19, 2024.
• On Wed. Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at an event in Cedar City, Utah (more details coming soon).
• For more information, or to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your next event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM. 
Write a Positive ReviewIf you’re a fan of the show, consider writing a brief review to let others know what you like about it (preferably via the Apple Podcast app since their reviews can be seen in other podcast portals). The more positive reviews we get, the more exposure we get!
We Need Your Help!Consider supporting The Humble Skeptic podcast by making a one-time gift or upgrading to a paid subscription v