The Testimony of Mutawatir (Consecutive Transmission)

History tells us that the eminent scholars of religion, who were contemporaries of the apostles or their successors in the care of the church, quoted from the sacred books, particularly the Gospels, in their sermons and writings. This was due to their conviction that these books were divine and inspired by God, with no falsehood in them. Among these scholars were: – **Clement**, Bishop of Rome, who worked with the Apostle Paul, as mentioned in Philippians 4:3. – **Dionysius**, Bishop of Corinth, who died in 100 AD. – **Hermas**, a contemporary of Paul, who authored a book in three volumes containing many quotes from the New Testament. – **Ignatius**, appointed as Bishop of Antioch 37 years after Christ’s ascension. – **Polycarp the Martyr**, a disciple of John the Apostle, who became the Bishop of Smyrna and was martyred in 166 AD. Although only one of his letters survives, it is filled with references from the four Gospels. Moreover, the prominent scholars of the second century also quoted from the divine scriptures to support their teachings, including: – **Papias**, Bishop of the Church in Hierapolis, Phrygia, around 110 AD. He met Polycarp and authored a six-volume commentary on the Bible. Papias stated that the Gospels were circulated in the churches in Greek and testified that Mark, the evangelist, accompanied Peter, and his Gospel was widely circulated among Christians. – **Justin Martyr**, born in 89 AD, was a philosopher before converting to Christianity. His search for truth led him to Christianity, and he wrote several books defending the Christian faith, relying on the four Gospels. He mentioned visiting churches in Rome, Alexandria, and Ephesus, observing Christians worshipping by reading the Gospels. – **Hegesippus**, who rose to prominence thirty years after Justin, traveled from Palestine to Rome and saw many bishops. He noted that Christians everywhere taught consistent doctrines based on the Law, the Prophets, and the Lord Jesus Christ. – **Irenaeus**, a Greek from Asia Minor, born in 140 AD, was a disciple of Polycarp. He was based in Lyon, where he became a bishop after Pothinus, who was martyred in 177 AD. Irenaeus authored a letter filled with Gospel quotes, asserting that salvation was only received from those who delivered the Gospel they first preached and later documented by God’s will and command. He elaborated that after Christ’s resurrection, God granted the apostles the power of the Holy Spirit, enabling them to know everything fully. The apostles then went to the ends of the earth, preaching the blessings of heavenly peace with the Gospel of God in hand. Matthew wrote his Gospel for the Jews while Peter and Paul preached in Rome, establishing the church there. After their departure, Mark, Peter’s disciple and companion, wrote the Gospel, which summarized Peter’s preaching. Similarly, Luke, Paul’s companion, wrote the Gospel according to Paul’s preaching, and later John, the disciple who leaned on the Lord’s chest, wrote his Gospel in Ephesus. Irenaeus also stated that the teachings of the apostles spread worldwide, and anyone seeking the truth would find that every church preserved these teachings as sacred. He added that they could list the bishops appointed by the apostles and their successors up to the present day, ensuring the continuity of the church’s traditions and the teachings of the truth as preached by the apostles. – **Clement**, Bishop of Alexandria, sixteen years after Irenaeus, testified that all churches believed in the four Gospels. He frequently referenced the Gospels in his teachings and writings, affirming their credibility. – **Tertullian**, born in 160 AD and died around 220 AD, stated that the apostles, John and Matthew, taught us the faith, while their companions, Luke and Mark, refreshed us. He listed the churches founded by Paul in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, and those founded by John, including the church in Rome, established by Paul and Peter. Tertullian emphasized that the four Gospels were in the church’s possession from the beginning and that Christians gathered to read the divine scriptures, nourish their faith, elevate their hope, and confirm their trust with the holy word. From the above, we conclude: 1. The eminent Christian scholars, both those who were contemporaries of the apostles and those who succeeded them, quoted from the sacred books and referenced them in their speeches. 2. Their reliance on and citation of these scriptures indicate their conviction that these books were the final authority in all disputed matters. 3. They read the scriptures in their public religious gatherings and explained them. 4. They wrote commentaries on these scriptures in numerous volumes, affirming the agreement of the evangelists in what they wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit. 5. All Christians, from the beginning, believed in these sacred books despite their diverse peoples and sects.