"One simple reason that the New Testament writings about Jesus are considered more reliable is that they are earlier. Jesus' birth is generally dated about 6 or 5 BC and his death in AD 30 or 33 (we think the latter date somewhat more likely). Most scholars date Paul's epistles in the 50s and early 60s, the four Gospels from 60s through the 90s, and most if not all of the rest of the New Testament writings also in the first century. By contrast, scholars date most or all of the noncanonical 'gospels' and similar texts in the second century or later. The one potential exception to this generalization is the Gospel of Thomas, which has been dated as early as the mid-first century and as late as the end of the second century. However, current scholarship heavily supports a range of likely dates for the Gospel of Thomas in the second century. The early church quickly and rightly settled on the New Testament books as the earliest and best sources for what Jesus said and did as well as for what the earliest Christian leaders taught about him."1
Courage and Godspeed,
Chad
Footnote:
1. Robert M. Bowman and J. Ed Komoszewski, The Incarnate Christ and His Critics: A Biblical Defense, p. 32.
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