Scripture & Tradition
The Historical Reliability of the New Testament
The New Testament documents meet and exceed the standards historians normally apply to ancient texts, being far better attested in manuscripts and closer to the events than most classical works accepted as reliable history.
Catholic teaching
The Church holds that the books of the New Testament were written by the apostles and their associates within living memory of Christ, and that they faithfully hand on what Jesus did and taught, without denying the human, literary character of the composition process. Divine inspiration does not exclude the ordinary work of human authors using sources, testimony, and editorial judgment; rather, God acted through these means so that the Scriptures teach without error the truth God wanted put into sacred writing for our salvation.
Biblical foundation
Luke explicitly describes his historiographical method, saying he investigated everything carefully from eyewitnesses and ministers of the word so as to write an orderly account. John claims to write as an eyewitness whose testimony is true, and Peter explicitly denies that the apostles followed 'cleverly devised myths,' insisting they were eyewitnesses of Christ's majesty. Paul appeals to public, checkable facts about the resurrection appearances rather than private religious experience alone.
Scripture references
Historical evidence
The New Testament survives in nearly 5,800 Greek manuscripts, with fragments such as the John Rylands papyrus (P52) dated to within a few decades of the original composition of John's Gospel—an interval of textual attestation unmatched by any other ancient work, most of which survive in only a handful of manuscripts copied many centuries after composition, such as Caesar's Gallic Wars or Tacitus's Annals. Archaeology has repeatedly confirmed incidental details in Luke and Acts, such as the titles of local officials that changed by region and period, details a later forger would be unlikely to get right, corroborating Luke's reputation as a careful historian even among many secular scholars.
The Church Fathers
“Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews... Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also handed down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter.”
“Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately, though not in order, whatsoever he remembered of the things said or done by Christ.”