Sermon Review I http://www.livingourbible.com I Friday 14th November 2025
Introduction
At Day 2 of The God Summit 2025 at ICGC Christ Temple East, Dr. Benjamin Shaw delivered his fourth keynote presentation, focusing on one of the most important questions in Christian apologetics: How early and reliable are the New Testament writings and the creeds they contain?
Speaking on the topic “The Reliability of the New Testament: Dating and Creeds,” Dr. Shaw gave a clear, evidence-based walkthrough of timelines, historical patterns, and early Christian traditions that demonstrate the New Testament’s remarkable credibility.
Understanding Why New Testament Dating Matters
Dr. Shaw began by noting the importance of investigating when the New Testament documents were written. “Dating is important,” he emphasized, because it helps determine how close the documents are to the events they describe.
He presented widely accepted scholarly dates—drawn even from sceptical scholars like Bart Ehrman—showing that Mark was written around AD 65–70, Matthew and Luke around AD 75–80, and John around AD 95. He described these as “the late dates… but even these are written within the lifetime of the eyewitnesses.”
He also explained that some scholars date the New Testament much earlier, including non-Christians Maurice Casey and James Crossley, who place Mark around AD 40. He referenced a new book titled Redating the New Testament, noting that it argues the entire New Testament was written before AD 70.
Dr. Shaw compared the New Testament to other ancient historical sources, showing that the Gospels were written far closer to the events than biographies of Alexander the Great, Buddhist writings, and even historical accounts of Emperor Tiberius. “Why would we have four Gospels written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses for a Jewish carpenter who was crucified?” he asked.
Paul’s Letters Take Us Even Earlier
Dr. Shaw turned to the Apostle Paul’s writings, which predate the Gospels. “Paul is writing in the 50s… just 20 years after Jesus’ death on the cross,” he explained.
He emphasized that Paul personally knew the central figures of the early Church. “He’s writing to people who were alive during Jesus’s time,” he said, showing that Paul’s work is rooted in firsthand connections.
Early Christian Creeds Bring Us to the Early 30s AD
The most striking evidence Dr. Shaw presented was the early dating of New Testament creeds—oral traditions preserved in Scripture.
He explained that creeds such as 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 were not created by Paul but received by him: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received…”
He highlighted the technical significance of the words delivered and received, noting they were “technical terms for passing off and handing off tradition.”
Paul likely received these creeds around AD 35, based on his meeting with Peter and James in Galatians 1:18—just a few years after Jesus’ death. Dr. Shaw noted: “If he received it, it must have existed earlier still.”
Scholars across the belief spectrum, he said, agree that these creeds are extremely early, with some placing them “within two to three years” of the resurrection.
Conclusion
Dr. Shaw ended by summarizing the combined evidence: the New Testament books are written early, Paul’s letters are earlier still, and the creeds take us back to the earliest Christian proclamation. “These are the exact things you want when looking for ancient historical information,” he said, urging believers to be confident in the reliability of the New Testament.
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