Are the Gospels considered to be historical documents?

Question

Please provide links to support your answer

http://www.everystudent.com/features/bible.html#4
I found this one that names a few historians

Answer 1

If you consider historical as having importance in or influence on history, (which I do) then yes, the Gospels absolutely are historic documents.

Any sight on church history, effects of christianity or any other religion, and even most atheist sights will indicate how religion, and therefore the gospels have effected history.

Answer 2

The Gospels reflect the agendas of the authors.

For example: the Gospel According to Mark is anonymous, undated, and has no direct information about the historical, social, or political context in which it was written. Because specific and direct information about where this gospel comes from is absent, scholars have had to act like detectives in order to figure out what, if anything, might be said about it with some authority.

The Gospel of John is a unique perspective of the life of Jesus Christ. It varies from the other three gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke (also known as the synoptic gospels), by focusing more on spiritual themes rather than historical events.

Answer 3

For those who would say the Bible is not the Word of God, or that the Bible contains numerous errors I would say this: Paul could say in 2nd Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." That's the Greek word, "theopneustos" meaning "God-Breathed." Every single word was given from God to 40 different men, and 2nd Peter 1:21 adds: "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." Now that was the Old Testament. The New Testament wasn't in existence when Paul used these verses. He was telling the churches in his letters what had happened in the past, but in John 16:12-13, Jesus talked about the coming of the New Testament. He says, "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."
That's the New Testamant. And we can say with John 17:17, "Your Word is Truth." Today, we have 66 books written by 40 different individuals on 3 continents covering a period of 1,500 years and there's not one mistake, regardless of what some of the critics say. They haven't studied God's Word enough to know the truth. Among the writers we had kings, poets, philosophers, prophets, scholars and fisherman. And I want you to know we have all of the Word of God today. Someone says, "Yes, but we don't have the original manuscripts" Who said so?
We have copies totalling 24,800. Now, how do we know that they're right? Well, if you take 20 items and you compare them and 19 state one thing and one doesn't, then the one is in error. We've got 24,800 manuscripts that exist today to compare one against another and we have another 80,000 quotations from the church fathers, enough to put the entire Bible together with the exception of 11 verses. Take the 80,000 quotations from the church fathers and the 24,800 manuscripts for a total of 104,800 and you have all of God's Word dozens and hundreds of times. This is so because God's Word is literally flawless. After computers have compared millions, or even billions, of letters in analyzing the 104,800 manuscripts the texts are basically flawless. So, don't listen to the critics.

Answer 4

Well apparently people from the National Geographic and History channels believe the Bible has a lot of historical fact to it or they wouldn't use it for so much of their programming.

Scientists KNOW of the historical authenticity of the Bible, that's why THEY use it to teach.

Check out the new Archaeological Study Bible (NIV). It's packed with historical information!

God bless!

Answer 5

Primoa has it.
I don't give too much credibility to the things you can dig up on a computer...I have seen every manner of contradiction used from whatever site to back up or disprove arguments, particularly religious ones.
The Gospels, being scripture, are inspired. They are historical documents, yes.

Answer 6

No

Nothing about the bible is considered historical to any rational human being who understands that the bible is just a book based on the mythology of previous religions. Those who follow the bible/gospels say it's historically accurate, but then..... they're not historians so that doesn't mean anything.

Answer 7

Only Christians imagine the Gospels are historical documents. The rest of the human race is smart enough to ignore them.

Answer 8

100%

Answer 9

I don't have any links but.....

The gospels come from eyewitness accounts and from the mouth of God Himself.

To me....that spells historical document

Answer 10

Here is one site.