The historical reliability of the New Testament Gospels is a subject of extensive scholarly debate, though most modern experts view them as useful historical sources that provide a fairly reliable picture of Jesus’ life, particularly when scrutinized through critical methodologies. While historians differ on the historicity of specific events, there is almost universal agreement on two facts: Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and was crucified by order of Pontius Pilate.
Watch this brief video for a summary of this extensive scholarly debate.