In the AD 30-70 Mediterranean, was true witness-derived Jesus-biography easy to know, or even hard to avoid.
• Witness-based truth always beats legend for 50+ years.
• Warranted Jesus-bio thrived in AD 30-70.
• Gospel content is a subset of what witnesses say.
But no...
• Fabricated Jesus-bio was equally or more rampant, meaning Jesus-bio truths could not have prevailed even if they were common.
Rather than being a later fabrication, the Acts 2:22-39 speech is primitive, dating to c. AD 30..
• In general, Acts 2-4 speeches are primitive.
• It fits themes in Peter’s sermons.
• Luke-Acts didn't invent it.
• The speech matches Jewish sermons.
• Their quoting Joel is mulitply attested.
• The eschatology is primitive.
• Jesus isn’t given theological titles.
The Jerusalem church (led by Jesus’s apostles) was the gathering of most of the key witnesses to Jesus’s ministry and life. .
• 1st church members were Jesus-bio witnesses.
In general, early Christians were honest when reporting on Jesus's life and deeds.1
• In general, early Christians were honest.
• They desired to report honestly.
• Wouldn’t invent the Jesus-bio as we see it.
• ECs relayed witness testimony.
But no, Plausibly…
• Counterexamples to Christian-honesty abound.
In the AD 30 Jerusalem area, witnesses of Jesus’s life (Mary, Peter etc.) would efficiently learn of and be able kill false rumors about themselves?.
• 1st church strove to adopt witness Jesus bio.
• Witnesses strove to install into 1st church their testimony.
• 1st church strove to reject unvetted Jesus-bio.
• 1st church members were Jesus-bio witnesses.