The New Testament histories, the gospels and Acts, all claim to be presenting information, and read that way. However. what if their actual purpose is not to reveal but rather to conceal? Might that difference allow for a greater understanding of the "hard sayings" of both Jesus and Paul, as well as some of the other difficulties, such as who tried to capture Paul in Damascus, Jews or Arabs. and why Nero persecuted Christians in 64?
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The Gospels and Acts are not "histories" in the modern sense, but rather statements of faith, I do not doubt that there was a historical Jesus, but it presumes, for instance, that Jesus was always right and the Pharisees always wrong. So it is in part a polemic. It reflects its time when it talks, for instance, of Jesus casting out demons. The Gospels and Acts are, less history in the modern sense, they are in large part an interpretion of Scripture. Of the realities of Roman occupied Judea we learn far more from Joseohus. There is, of course, historical information--we know that Pilate was a real person. I repeat that these texts are primarily statements of faith, powerful ones that conquered much of the world.
Philip Stern, I fully agree that the Gospels and Acts are not like histories in the modern sense, but then history in the modern sense is 5-600 years old itself. There are many "histories" that are far older, and that are often used to give us insight into history, but like the Gospels and Acts they were written to present a message. So, to what extent should we treat them any differently? Can we legitimately question what they are saying and not use the same criteria for say Josephus, Tacitus and Suetonius, all from close to the same era? Or historians that are even more recent, but still before the adaption of modern standards for writing history, say from the early medieval period?
Around 60 percent of the New Testament is directly historical tracing the roots and historical development of Christianity. The answer to your William Mayor question lies in interpretation. In the case of the New Testament, it is possible for one person to see the teachings as revealing, while another may claim they do indeed conceal true meanings or teachings. This idea, in many religious or philosophical texts, including those of the Torah as suggested in the provided context, is often used to encourage further study, thought, and discussion. Thus, whether seen as concealing or revealing is entirely dependent on an individual's perspective and interpretation.
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