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Misquoting Jesus Podcast

Consensus Scholarship and the Life of Jesus

May 6, 2025 · 39 min · Watch on YouTube →

Bible ScholarshipJesus

Show notes

Episode Outline:
— Introduction: Is scholarly consensus a conspiracy?
— What does “scholarly consensus” mean?
— How does consensus form in biblical studies?
— How new evidence can challenge consensus
— Why scholars are not trying to suppress new ideas
— What scholars think about Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem
— Why scholars doubt the Bethlehem birth tradition
— Could new evidence change the consensus?
— How early Christians used Jesus’ birth stories
— How modern Christians make meaning from the Nativity
— Later infancy gospels and stories about Jesus’ childhood

Episode Description
If you’ve ever done any research on the Bible - and if you’re listening to this podcast, you probably have - you might have noticed that most biblical scholars agree with each other on a lot of basic points. These include the dating of texts and whether specific events recorded in the Bible are historical, among other things. Why is that, and is it some kind of conspiracy? Today, Dr. Chris Frilingos joins me to talk about the academic consensus, the gospel stories of Jesus’ early life, and how early Christians made meaning from them.

Also watch these episodes:
Boy Jesus: Growing Up Judean in Turbulent Times
Boy Jesus: Growing Up Judean in Turbulent Times Featuring Joan Taylor

The Real Mary: History vs. Christmas Legend
The Real Mary: History vs Christmas Legend

The Real Story Behind the Virgin Birth in Christianity
The Real Story Behind the Virgin Birth in Christianity

Go deeper on this topic

Online course Did the Christmas Story Really Happen? The Birth of Jesus in History and Legend We all know the stories of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, the Virgin birth, and the wise men as portrayed in the gospels of the New Testament. But what do historians… Bart Ehrman · 4 lessons Free courseFree Did Jesus Really Exist? The evidence that Jesus existed, in two free lectures. The perfect first step. Bart Ehrman · 2 lessons

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