Many of our Muslim friends just accept that the New Testament has been corrupted without taking the time to investigate the New Testament for themselves. This is particularly true when it comes to the historical details recorded in the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament.
Of course, if the historical details recorded in the New Testament were shown to be wrong, the details of Jesus’ death and resurrection could be claimed to be inaccurate. However, the New Testament has been shown to be amazingly accurate in light of archaeological findings.
Of particular note are the writings of Luke, namely his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, due to the density of historical references and the fact that his writings make up over a quarter of the New Testament. If we can trust his history, we can trust what he tells us about Jesus. Luke refers to 114 identifiable places and 25 political, military, social or religious events all known to history, two key events, (the famine in Judea in Acts 11 and the expulsion of the Jews from Rome in Acts 18, both recorded in other 1st century texts), and 117 names of people living at the time, many well-known to history.
Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’ This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. The Spirit told me to go with them without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, who is called Peter, who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptised in water, but you will be baptised in the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave to them the same gift as us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!” They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord. Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius. As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. Acts 11
One prominent archaeologist who affirmed the accuracy of Luke’s history is Sir Charles William Ramsay (1851–1939). Initially in his studies under Ferdinand Baur he accepted the view that the New Testament could not be relied on as an historical document. However, ‘after half a century researching in the land of Paul’s travels’ (modern Turkey), Ramsay concluded that Luke wrote, ‘with such judgement, skill, art and perception of truth as to be a model of historical statement... I set out to look for truth on the borderland where Greece and Asia meet, and found it there [in Acts] … You may press the words of Luke in a degree beyond any other historian’s and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment’1.
One further consideration is the fact that Luke and the other Gospel and New Testament writers record not just details that put the disciples in a favourable light, but also in a negative light. Examples from Luke are the disciples of Jesus arguing about who would be greatest in Jesus’s kingdom, recorded not just once in Luke 9, but also in Luke 22. Alongside this is Peter’s denial of Christ, and even Paul openly sharing his weaknesses and struggles in 2 Corinthians. This is known as the Criterion of Embarrassment.
He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey—no staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money. Don’t have two tunics each. Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.” They departed and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News and healing everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. Herod said, “I beheaded John, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” He sought to see him. The apostles, when they had returned, told him what things they had done. He took them and withdrew apart to a desert region of a city called Bethsaida. But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them of God’s Kingdom, and he cured those who needed healing. The day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms and lodge and get food, for we are here in a deserted place.” But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.” For they were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” They did so, and made them all sit down. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. They ate and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over. As he was praying alone, the disciples were near him, and he asked them, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?” They answered, “‘John the Baptiser,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” But he warned them and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.” He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self? For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. But I tell you the truth: There are some of those who stand here who will in no way taste of death until they see God’s Kingdom.” About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling. Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said. While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great multitude met him. Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only born child. Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams; and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely. I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldn’t.” Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. They were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while all were marvelling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.” But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. An argument arose amongst them about which of them was the greatest. Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side, and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least amongst you all, this one will be great.” John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.” Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.” It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem and sent messengers before his face. They went and entered into a village of the Samaritans, so as to prepare for him. They didn’t receive him, because he was travelling with his face set towards Jerusalem. When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky and destroy them, just as Elijah did?” But he turned and rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are. For the Son of Man didn’t come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” They went to another village. As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, “I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord.” Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another, “Follow me!” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce God’s Kingdom.” Another also said, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say good-bye to those who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.” Luke 9
It is worth contrasting the errors that the Quran and Hadith texts make when reporting facts of history. Examples are the mixing up of Mary the mother of Jesus and Miriam, the sister of Aaron in Quran 19.27-28, and Haman from the book of Esther, living at the same time as Moses and being a servant to Pharaoh in Quran 40.23-24. There are many other examples, see Islam's Problematic Historyfor a detailed consideration of the historical issues in Muslim sources.
It is common for Muslims to focus on apparent contradictions in the New Testament, with entire publications and websites given over to cataloguing what seems to Muslims to be clear inconsistencies2. However, what seem to be contradictions are easily explained by noting the viewpoint or intention of the author. One example would be the differences between the genealogies in Matthew and Luke. Another example would be Luke’s mention of Quirinius as the governor of Syria in Luke 2:1-2 when Josephus claims that Sentius Saturninus was administrative governor. Quirinius, however, was the senior military governor in a duumvirate (dual control) with Sentius Saturninus during the two censuses. However, there are no archaeological findings that disprove the New Testament’s historical record.
Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Luke 2:1-2
This is a good opportunity to show your Muslim friends that the New Testament is a document that can withstand scrutiny. Our Muslim friends are actively discouraged from questioning Islam, even when things don’t make sense to them. However, Luke in presenting his Gospel doesn’t want us to blindly accept what he writes, but wants us to be certain of his account of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Luke leaves us with a model to follow, to be those who “carefully investigated everything”. When your Muslim friend asks difficult questions that you cannot answer, show them that it is okay to ask this type of question, but be ready to model to them how to get answers.