Did the New Testament authors actually provide a reliable account about Jesus?

In Part 25 of this Introduction to Apologetics series we continue our consideration of the historical reliability of the New Testament by reviewing some reasons that can be given in support of the claim that the New Testament authors actually did provide a reliable account about Jesus. Three general categories of evidence for New Testament reliability are considered. First there is what sometimes goes by the name "signs of credibility" (or sometimes also "marks of authenticity"). Here we see that much of what the New Testament reports about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus meets the criteria historians use when evaluating the historical reliability of a source. Then we consider confirmation of the New Testament from non-canonical sources. Here we look at ancient sources, Christian and non-Christian, that corroborate some of the central claims of the New Testament. Finally, we have a brief look at how archaeology has added support to the general historical reliability of the New Testament. Here we consider ways in which archaeological discoveries have contributed to the credibility of some New Testament reports.