Did the New Testament Authors Tell the Truth?
The Fourth "E": Embarrassing Testimony
In the original post in this series I outlined The Five E’s and Three C’s of New Testament Reliability. In this fourth post we will examine the fourth “E,” Embarrassing Testimony, and how it furthers the case in favor of the reliability of information given to us by the New Testament authors.
Imagine a scenario wherein a witness takes the stand before a jury of his peers in a high profile case. Many people in the courtroom are watching and countless more are reading about, or listening to news reports concerning, the progress of the trial. An eyewitness to the murder of a woman is now being cross-examined by the prosecutor and he isn’t being very cooperative at first. Why? He doesn’t want to admit that he was there at the scene because he was having an affair with the woman. Finally, under pressure, he admits that he witnessed the murder even though it probably just cost him his marriage and definitely gave him a great deal of public shame. How reliable is his testimony? Highly. It was personally injurious for him to admit he saw what he did and that injury makes his testimony far harder to undermine by the defense attorneys of the accused.
The New Testament also contains certain details and claims that are Embarrassing to either the New Testament authors, their associates, the Christian community, or even to Jesus (from a certain perspective at least). If the story of Jesus was a mere myth constructed for the sake of gaining some men power and wealth (as has sometimes been claimed) then it would seem unlikely that certain details which are present in the New Testament documents would have made the cut. In fact, the only reason to relate some details which these authors do relate is because they are just being honest (even if it hurts).
The New Testament Authors Often Admit Embarrassing Details
The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are replete with examples of Jesus’ closest followers making mistakes and looking foolish.
The apostles constantly admitted to being ignorant and dense in their understanding of Jesus’ teaching.
Mark 9:30-32 is one good example of this:
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Similarly, Luke 18:31-34 states,
And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
The apostles present themselves as having acted irresponsibly towards Jesus at times.
At the most stressful point of Jesus’ ministry, leading up to the crucifixion, he takes time to pray in the garden and he asks his closest friends to stay near him and keep watch, but they couldn’t even stay awake to do what he asks. Mark (whom we noted earlier in this series was the scribe for Peter’s Gospel) records the account:
And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”1
The apostles also admit to having done nothing to recover Jesus’ body after his crucifixion, allowing an outsider from their group to do what they should have. Joseph of Arimathea, who was a member of the Sanhedrin who condemned Jesus (although he was probably not personally involved in that decision) is the one who took responsibility for Christ’s body and burial. Again Mark admits this point writing, “Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”2
Peter is constantly acknowledged to make grievous mistakes throughout the New Testament.
Again Mark (Peter’s scribe) records:
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”3
But it’s not just Jesus who has to rebuke Peter (widely acknowledged to be one of the most important early leaders of the Christian church), but Paul also had to rebuke him for his behavior.
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Peter is often portrayed as one who acts before thinking. John records Simon Peter’s rash actions in his Gospel when Jesus was being arrested. “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?’”4 Luke’s account adds “But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.”
It shouldn’t go without mentioning that Peter cowardly denied even knowing Jesus while Christ was on trial.
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.5
The apostles doubted Jesus’ resurrection despite being constantly told by Jesus it would happen.
Jesus tells his disciples, numerous times, that he will die and rise again from the dead.
So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.6
Jesus told them this again in John 3:14-18; and it is also recorded numerous times in Matthew’s Gospel (12:39-41; 17:9, 22-23). Even so, when the first reports came to the apostles about the resurrection, they didn’t believe it! Luke tells us:
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.7
Additionally, John records this about the apostle Thomas’ reaction to the news that Jesus has been seen risen from the Dead:
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”8
Most amazing of all, however, is Matthew’s admission at the very close of his Gospel, right before Jesus gives his famous “Great Commission” Matthew wrote these words: “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.”9 This is the “eleven disciples” meaning the 12 main apostles of Jesus minus Judas the betrayer. Despite all of their time with Jesus during his ministry, despite him preparing them for the fact that he would die and rise again, despite them seeing him publicly crucified, and despite them seeing him alive again in a glorified state (not barely surviving a crucifixion but powerful and whole) they are still struggling with some doubts. That’s some real honesty right there.
Women were acknowledged as the first witnesses of the resurrection.
Matthew records this about the first witnesses of the risen Jesus:
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Why is this an embarrassing detail? It may be harder to understand for many today in contemporary western society, but the opinion of women has not always counted for much in a lot of cultures. In first century Israel women’s testimony was considered unreliable and was rarely admitted in an actual court proceeding. That this is true is actually seen in the attitude of Jesus’ own apostles in the earlier quoted passage from Luke’s Gospel.
Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
Though Christ’s teaching (and his apostles) helped to raise the status of women in society in many ways, still, at that time, they would not likely have invented the story that it was women who were the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection because such a report would do them no favors in their contemporary society. So why say it? Because it was true, it was what happened.
The New Testament authors recorded embarrassing sayings and actions of Jesus
Jesus said some things that were hard to understand and also some things that were pretty unpopular. Not only this, Jesus did some things that to many in his day would have seemed shady. Examples abound, let’s just look at a few.
Though the New Testament authors tell their readers that Jesus is God in flesh, they also record some difficult things to reconcile with that:
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”10
“And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.”11
“And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”12
Jesus also was associated with what his contemporaries thought to be the worst of society. In one instance he allowed himself to be touched by a prostitute.
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”13
Some scholars suggest that the nature of her actions could have been interpreted by many as a sexual advance (read the book of Ruth and consider carefully). Nevertheless, the incident is recorded and, of course, Jesus rebukes the hard hearts of those who would so interpret the situation. This, however, would not have stopped many people from looking askance at the situation.
Jesus is also recorded as having said some very hard things to accept. The most classic example of this is probably the case in John’s Gospel.
So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.14
Apparently Jesus never read Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, because if he had he might have held off on telling people to eat him. How was it received when Jesus said it?
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father. After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.15
Concluding Thoughts
Other such examples could be given of embarrassing or hard to understand and accept situations, statements, and actions, among the disciples of Christ and concerning Jesus himself. If one were to posit the skeptical theory that the whole of Christianity were a farce just to gain power and influence, one might have to really take some time to think about why anyone would add these kinds of details if they wanted to convince people to follow them? These unflattering details are not the kind one adds into a story meant to make you, or your boss, look as good as possible. Men who make up stories tend to create unrealistic pictures of themselves with flawless behavior, courageous heroism, wise sayings that are pithy and automatically resonate, and which will not rub your intended audience the wrong way. True stories, on the other hand, will often appear messier, and will have some embarrassing facts in them.
Imagine writing your own biography. What would you want to leave out? What would you have to put in if you really told it all like it was? Would your true story look more like the New Testament whereas your idealized story would look more like a 1940’s Superman comic? Yeah, mine too. It seems pretty obvious that these details included by the New Testament authors are another good reason to believe that they told us the truth about what happened and not merely what people would have wanted to expected to hear.
In the next segment of this series we will move on the fifth E of New Testament Reliability, Excruciating Testimony. I’ll leave you for now with one question. Would you be willing to die for something you knew wasn’t true?
Mark 14:32-42
Mark 15:43
Mark 8:31-33
John 18:10-11
Matthew 26:69-75
John 2:18-22
Luke 24:1-12
John 20:24-25
Matthew 28:16-17
Matthew 24:36
Mark 6:5
Luke 18:18-19
Luke 7:36-39
John 6:41-59
John 6:60-66