Undesigned coincidences are one of many evidences that show that the New Testament is early and authentic. But what are they?

If two historical documents go into the same subject, but in a manner that makes it unlikely that one copied from the other, for example by one source leaving a gap with details could be further explained, and a different one gives the answer to those questions by supplying missing information, without really intending to do so, then we have an undesigned coincidence. Such tend to show up in genuine documents, not in forgeries. I would like to start with a made up example, just to demonstrate how they work.

Imagine you have a friend who works as a barista. Your friend one day makes the remark that "Today was unusually slow. Usually the cafe is packed around noon, but today there was hardly anyone there".

The next day you talk to a different friend, who in passing mentions that they had an awesome burger yesterday. Your friend mentions some event, with the best food trucks in town gathered in one spot, and all of town seemed to be there to enjoy all the good food.

Now, if you trust your friends, you'll probably take their words at face value either way, but notice how casually mentioned details line up, and make sense of the other person's story. The barista didn't even seem to know there was an event, but was surprised of the slow day at the cafe. The other friend show no signs of being aware of the goins on at the cafe. Thus, they both corroborate each other, without inteding to, or being aware of doing so.

Is it possible that your friends are colluding, and are both in on trying to trick you into thinking that you missed out on a chance to munch on some awesome burgers? Sure, but if they were, it would make a lot more sense for them both to just tell you about the event itself. Why go through elaborate schemes, to put out non-obvious clues that you could even end up missing? No, this kind of casual details lining up in not as obvious ways, is far more expected to occur in truthful statements.

Could such coincidences be just that, coincidences? Could they seem to confirm each other by accident? Sure, for a single one, that could be the case. Maybe even for a couple. But not when there are multitudes, as we shall see are the case with the New Testament.

So, to dive into one from the Bible, let's go to Matthew 14:1-12.

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

How did Matthew know what was going on at the court of Herod? Seems weird, doesn't it? There's no explanation for why in his own gospel. But if we go to Luke 8:1-3, the following is mentioned in passing:

Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

Oh, would you look at that? The Apostles had a friend at the court! Suddenly it makes a lot more sense.

This is one example of an undesigned coincidence in the New Testament. I will get into more of them in coming posts. Stay tuned!