In Search of Royal Purple

For Mother’s Day I coerced my 19-year-old son, Chris, into an overnighter in Orange County. Once he turned 19, between college, work and his active social life, he has become a ghost in our home. As part of our excursion, we were hitting Pep Boys looking to for a synthetic oil called “Royal Purple” for his much beloved 240SX. Because of its popularity store after store were out of it, and time after time, I sat in the car seeing that grimace on his face become more intense in disappointment.

Why do I bring this up with you? Because I eyewitness my son’s life just the same way the apostles walked and talked with Jesus on the face of the earth. Those who witnessed the teaching of Jesus knew his extraordinary presence had to be recounted for generations to come.

According to Craig Blomberg, author of The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, the biographies of Jesus, which are called the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were written and verbally recounted within the lifetimes of various eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus, including hostile eyewitnesses who would have served as a corrective if false teaching about Jesus were going around.

How soon after the crucifixion were the reports of Jesus’ life reported? It is believed that Jesus was put to death in A.D. 30 or 33. In The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, Blomberg has authenticated Paul’s conversion about the year 32. His first meeting with the apostles in Jerusalem would have been about A.D. 35. At some point Paul was given a creed that was being used in the early church. In this creed are the key facts about Jesus’ death for our sins plus a detailed list of those to whom he appeared in resurrected form—all dating back to within two to five years of the events themselves! It is believed that Mark was written no later than about A.D. 60, maybe even the late 50s--only a 30-year gap.

Beyond the historical significance of the gospels, the relevant teaching, transforming qualities and moving philosophies have impacted much of humanity throughout the ages. When open to the precepts set before us by these witnesses and authors of the gospels, even with our imperfections, we are called to become living icons of God’s grace to others.