新约文献的可靠性

核心论证 Core Argument

新约圣经是古代世界中文献证据最充分的著作。我们拥有超过5800份希腊文手稿、10000多份拉丁文手稿，以及大量其他语言的译本和早期教父的引用。最早的手稿片段（如P52）可追溯到公元125年左右，距原作仅数十年。相比之下，凯撒的《高卢战记》最早的手稿距原作约1000年。新约各卷书写成于目击证人仍在世时（公元50-90年代），这使得虚构传说的发展在时间上几乎不可能。

The New Testament is the best-attested work from the ancient world. We possess over 5,800 Greek manuscripts, more than 10,000 Latin manuscripts, plus numerous translations in other languages and extensive patristic citations. The earliest manuscript fragment (P52) dates to around AD 125, mere decades from the original. By comparison, the earliest manuscript of Caesar's Gallic Wars is about 1,000 years removed. The NT books were written while eyewitnesses were still alive (AD 50s-90s), making legendary development virtually impossible within the timeframe.