Bart Ehrman posed it as a hypothetical question: What if the canon had ended up containing the Gospels of Peter, Thomas, and Mary instead of Matthew, Mark, and Luke? I put that question to Dr. Greg Lanier, who has just written a GREAT BOOK on the Apocryphal Gospels. His answer is that the scenario has no historical basis, and that if you actually had only those three, you'd have no coherent story of Jesus at all. Dr. Lanier's argument throughout is that the Apocryphal writings are downstream of the canonical Gospels, not competitors with them.

CHECK OUT: Greg's channel: https://youtube.com/@GregLanier-d5r

CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give)

READ: Apocryphal Gospels: Separating the Real Jesus from Fan Fiction (https://amzn.to/4qqO3nM)

CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell)

*Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf)

*USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM)

*See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK)

FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en

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Timestamps 0:00 — Do these writings threaten the historical Jesus? 0:51 — Responding to Ehrman's what-if 3:36 — Why write a book on fake gospels? 6:42 — What "apocryphal" actually means 11:08 — Sayings, fragments, and full compositions 16:57 — Peter, Mary, Thomas, and Judas 22:28 — How much history is in them? 27:04 — Why scholars now say they're downstream 31:11 — From the Jesus Seminar to the Da Vinci Code 33:33 — The Jesus Wife fragment 41:56 — Bad apologetics on both sides 44:05 — The Infancy Gospel of Thomas 52:15 — The Protoevangelium of James 57:16 — Your nativity scene isn't in Matthew or Luke 1:00:07 — How the apocryphal gospels argue for the four 1:07:19 — What the church fathers actually said 1:12:04 — Why he does this work

Bart Ehrman posed it as a hypothetical question: What if the canon had ended up containing the Gospels of Peter, Thomas, and Mary instead of Matthew, Mark, and Luke? I put that question to Dr. Greg Lanier, who has just written a GREAT BOOK on the Apocryphal Gospels. His answer is that the scenario has no historical basis, and that if you actually had only those three, you'd have no coherent story of Jesus at all. Dr. Lanier's argument throughout is that the Apocryphal writings are downstream of the canonical Gospels, not competitors with them.
CHECK OUT: Greg's channel: <a href="https://youtube.com/@GregLanier-d5r">https://youtube.com/@GregLanier-d5r</a>
CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (<a href="https://seanmcdowell.org/give)">https://seanmcdowell.org/give)</a>
READ: Apocryphal Gospels: Separating the Real Jesus from Fan Fiction (<a href="https://amzn.to/4qqO3nM)">https://amzn.to/4qqO3nM)</a>
CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (<a href="https://logos.com/mcdowell)">https://logos.com/mcdowell)</a>
*Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (<a href="https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf)">https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf)</a>
*USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (<a href="https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM)">https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM)</a>
*See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (<a href="https://bit.ly/448STKK)">https://bit.ly/448STKK)</a>
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter: <a href="https://x.com/Sean_McDowell">https://x.com/Sean_McDowell</a>
TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en">https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/">https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/</a>
Website: <a href="https://seanmcdowell.org">https://seanmcdowell.org</a>
Timestamps 0:00 &mdash; Do these writings threaten the historical Jesus? 0:51 &mdash; Responding to Ehrman's what-if 3:36 &mdash; Why write a book on fake gospels? 6:42 &mdash; What "apocryphal" actually means 11:08 &mdash; Sayings, fragments, and full compositions 16:57 &mdash; Peter, Mary, Thomas, and Judas 22:28 &mdash; How much history is in them? 27:04 &mdash; Why scholars now say they're downstream 31:11 &mdash; From the Jesus Seminar to the Da Vinci Code 33:33 &mdash; The Jesus Wife fragment 41:56 &mdash; Bad apologetics on both sides 44:05 &mdash; The Infancy Gospel of Thomas 52:15 &mdash; The Protoevangelium of James 57:16 &mdash; Your nativity scene isn't in Matthew or Luke 1:00:07 &mdash; How the apocryphal gospels argue for the four 1:07:19 &mdash; What the church fathers actually said 1:12:04 &mdash; Why he does this work

Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. Sean is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. On this channel he tackles some of the biggest questions about God, morality, and contemporary culture. Visit www.seanmcdowell.org for more posts and info.

The Sean McDowell Show

Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. Sean is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. On this channel he tackles some of the biggest questions about God, morality, and contemporary culture. Visit www.seanmcdowell.org for more posts and info.

The "Lost" Gospels Are Back. What Do They Really Say About Jesus?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/455d93d3-d3e9-4658-ab52-b4b8014fcb0e/transcript