Changes

Other relevant creeds which predate the texts wherein they are found that have been identified are 1 John 4:2:,"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God",<ref>Cullmann, ''Confessions'' p. 32</ref> 2 Timothy 2:8, "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, this is my Gospel",<ref>Bultmann, ''Theology of the New Testament'' vol 1, pp. 49, 81; Joachim Jeremias, ''The Eucharistic Words of Jesus'' translated Norman Perrin (London: SCM Press, 1966) p. 102</ref> Romans 1:3-4, "…regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.",<ref>Wolfhart Pannenberg, ''Jesus – God and Man'' translated Lewis Wilkins and Duane Pribe (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1968) pp. 118, 283, 367; Neufeld, ''The Earliest Christian Confessions'' (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964) pp. 7, 50; C. H. Dodd, ''The Apostolic Preaching and its Developments'' (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1980) p. 14</ref> and 1 Timothy 3:16, "He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory," an early creedal hymn.<ref>Reginald Fuller, ''The Foundations of New Testament Christology'' (New York: Scriner's, 1965) pp. 214, 216, 227, 239; Joachim Jeremias, ''The Eucharistic Words of Jesus'' translated Norman Perrin (London: SCM Press, 1966) p. 102; Neufeld, ''The Earliest Christian Confessions'' (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964) pp. 7, 9, 128</ref>

Other relevant creeds which predate the texts wherein they are found that have been identified are 1 John 4:2:,"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God",<ref>Cullmann, ''Confessions'' p. 32</ref> 2 Timothy 2:8, "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, this is my Gospel",<ref>Bultmann, ''Theology of the New Testament'' vol 1, pp. 49, 81; Joachim Jeremias, ''The Eucharistic Words of Jesus'' translated Norman Perrin (London: SCM Press, 1966) p. 102</ref> Romans 1:3-4, "…regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.",<ref>Wolfhart Pannenberg, ''Jesus – God and Man'' translated Lewis Wilkins and Duane Pribe (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1968) pp. 118, 283, 367; Neufeld, ''The Earliest Christian Confessions'' (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964) pp. 7, 50; C. H. Dodd, ''The Apostolic Preaching and its Developments'' (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1980) p. 14</ref> and 1 Timothy 3:16, "He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory," an early creedal hymn.<ref>Reginald Fuller, ''The Foundations of New Testament Christology'' (New York: Scriner's, 1965) pp. 214, 216, 227, 239; Joachim Jeremias, ''The Eucharistic Words of Jesus'' translated Norman Perrin (London: SCM Press, 1966) p. 102; Neufeld, ''The Earliest Christian Confessions'' (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964) pp. 7, 9, 128</ref>

 

=== Early Church Fathers ===

=== Early Church fathers ===

Early Christian sources outside the New Testament also mention Jesus and the historical details of his life.  Important texts from the Apostolic Fathers are, to name just the most significant and ancient, Clement of Rome’s ''Letter to the Corinthians'' (''c.'' 100), Ignatius of Antioch’s many epistles (''c.'' 107-110), Justin Martyr’s second century apologetic works, and others.  But perhaps the most significant Patristic sources are the early second century references of Papias and Quadratus (of Athens).  They both mention disciples of Jesus – eyewitnesses who testified to his life and miracles – who were still alive at the time they wrote.  Papias, in giving his sources for the information contained in his (now lost) gospel commentaries, stated:

Early Christian sources outside the New Testament also mention Jesus and the historical details of his life.  Important texts from the Apostolic Fathers are, to name just the most significant and ancient, Clement of Rome’s ''Letter to the Corinthians'' (''c.'' 100), Ignatius of Antioch’s many epistles (''c.'' 107-110), Justin Martyr’s second century apologetic works, and others.  But perhaps the most significant Patristic sources are the early second century references of Papias and Quadratus (of Athens).  They both mention disciples of Jesus – eyewitnesses who testified to his life and miracles – who were still alive at the time they wrote.  Papias, in giving his sources for the information contained in his (now lost) gospel commentaries, stated:

: ''…if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders should come my way, I inquired about the words of the elders &mdash; [that is,] what [according to the elders] Andrew or Peter said, or Philip, or Thomas or James, or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and the elder John, the Lord’s disciples, were saying.''<ref>translation by Richard Bauckham in his ''Jesus and the Eyewitnesses'' (Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2006), pp. 15-16.</ref>

: ''…if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders should come my way, I inquired about the words of the elders &mdash; [that is,] what [according to the elders] Andrew or Peter said, or Philip, or Thomas or James, or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and the elder John, the Lord’s disciples, were saying.''<ref>translation by Richard Bauckham in his ''Jesus and the Eyewitnesses'' (Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2006), pp. 15-16.</ref>

Other early Christian texts mention Jesus is in detail.  The Didache, for example, is a collection of teachings based on the apostolic witness, which itself was based on Jesus’ doctrine.  Many of these texts, however, are too late (dating to the second half of the second century) to be used as proper historical sources, at least not without much caution, and they cannot establish the same claim to eyewitness authority as can the other writings mentioned above.

Other early Christian texts mention Jesus is in detail.  The Didache, for example, is a collection of teachings based on the apostolic witness, which itself was based on Jesus’ doctrine.  Many of these texts, however, are too late (dating to the second half of the second century) to be used as proper historical sources, at least not without much caution, and they cannot establish the same claim to eyewitness authority as can the other writings mentioned above.

=== Pseudo-Christian ===

=== Pseudo-Christian Sources ===

An early heretical section known as gnosticism produced texts that purported to contain information about Jesus, generally his (enigmatic) sayings.  They are very dubious sources, dating to the second half of the second century at the earliest, and lacking a historical connection to the disciples (despite their claims).  They are perhaps most useful in reminding us of how good the earlier (and orthodox) gospels are, by presenting us with an example of what an inaccurate source concerning Jesus really looks like.  Furthermore, the gnostic texts show a general disinterest in the historical details of Jesus’ life, and they fail to present a standard historical narrative, giving only a list of sayings framed in the structure of an alleged secret revelation.

An early heretical section known as gnosticism produced texts that purported to contain information about Jesus, generally his (enigmatic) sayings.  They are very dubious sources, dating to the second half of the second century at the earliest, and lacking a historical connection to the disciples (despite their claims).  They are perhaps most useful in reminding us of how good the earlier (and orthodox) gospels are, by presenting us with an example of what an inaccurate source concerning Jesus really looks like.  Furthermore, the gnostic texts show a general disinterest in the historical details of Jesus’ life, and they fail to present a standard historical narrative, giving only a list of sayings framed in the structure of an alleged secret revelation.