Some scholars say the New Testament writers invented many of the details of Jesus’ life and sayings and that they put words in His mouth. Is this true?
Answer: Some modern scholars are inclined to dismiss much of the New Testament, especially the Gospels, as inventions of the authors rather than real history. Many people embrace this idea because they don’t want to be under the authority of what Jesus said, and so they claim His words were not His words at all, but invented by the Gospel writers to meet some social or political need. But what does the evidence show?
In the writings of the New Testament the authors give no hint they are trying to invent anything, but just the opposite:
If the biblical writers invented their accounts, then they were the cleverest liars on earth; yet their writings have inspired many to great honesty and noble conduct. Surely it takes more faith to believe they were liars than that they were telling the truth!