Jesus I Know but Who Are You?
The bear witness is overwhelming. Jesus Christ Actually Existed.
Did Jesus Really Exist? Where is the proof from not-Bible sources that he is real?
These questions and others like information technology are frequently asked by Bible skeptics and atheists akin. This commodity volition testify that non only is in that location historical prove (from secular sources likewise as Christian) that Jesus Christ was real and existed, but likewise that Jesus Christ is the most documented and historically verifiable figure in artifact.
Historical Testify of Jesus Christ's Being From Sources Outside the Bible
Not Biblical sources
Jospehus did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. But he wrote nigh him.
There are many secular historians who lived in the century after the expiry of Jesus Christ who confirmed his existence. Here are some of them:
Flavius Josephus
According to his Wikipedia entry: "Titus Flavius Josephus (37 – c. 100), was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century Advert and the Offset Jewish–Roman War, which resulted in the Destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in seventy."
His most important works were The Jewish War (c. 75) and Antiquities of the Jews (c. 94). The Jewish War recounts the Jewish revolt against Roman occupation (66–70). Antiquities of the Jews recounts the history of the world from a Jewish perspective for an ostensibly Roman audience. These works provide valuable insight into 1st century Judaism and the groundwork of Early on Christianity.
Josephus was a Jew who did not believe in Jesus Christ every bit the Son of God or Christianity. In The Antiquities of the Jews, book 18, chapter three, paragraph 3 the famous historian Flavius Josephus writes:
"Now, in that location was well-nigh this time Jesus, a wise human being, if it be lawful to phone call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a instructor of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the proffer of the principal men among the states, had condemned him to the cantankerous , those that loved him at the commencement did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive once again the third twenty-four hours, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, then named from him, are non extinct at this twenty-four hours." (source)
After Josephus writes:
"Only the younger Ananus who, as we said, received the high priesthood, was of a assuming disposition and exceptionally daring; he followed the party of the Sadducees, who are severe in judgment above all the Jews, equally we have already shown. As therefore Ananus was of such a disposition, he idea he had at present a practiced opportunity, equally Festus was now dead, and Albinus was however on the road; and then he assembled a council of judges, and brought earlier information technology the brother of Jesus the and so-called Christ, whose name was James, together with some others, and having accused them equally police-breakers, he delivered them over to exist stoned." (source)
Josephus considered i of the greatest historians of artifact, independently provides proof and evidence that Jesus was a existent person who did exist and besides confirms the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross under the orders of Pontius Pilate, thus confirming the Biblical business relationship too.
Tacitus
Cornelius Tacitus was a Roman Historian who lived from 55-120AD. In 115 AD, P. Cornelius Tacitus wrote the following passage that refers to Jesus (chosen "Christus," which means "The Messiah") in book 15, chapter 44 of The Register afterward a six-day burn burned much of Rome:
"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, chosen Christians past the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the farthermost penalization during the reign of Tiberius at the easily of 1 of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a nearly mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, once more bankrupt out not only in Judaea, the offset source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every role of the globe notice their centre and get popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; so, upon their data, an immense multitude was convicted, not and then much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired." (source)
Despite the fact the clearly despised Christianity as a "mischievous superstition", Tacitus no less confirms once more the existence of Jesus and His crucifixion on the cross, information technology also states Pontius Pilate as the procurator who oversaw the crucifixion once more giving non-Biblical proof of Jesus' existence equally recorded in the Bible.
Pliny The Younger
Pliny The Younger wrote of his persecution of Christians.
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, (61 Advert – ca. 112 AD) : "ameliorate known equally Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Aboriginal Rome. According to Wikipedia: "Pliny is known for his hundreds of surviving messages, which are an invaluable historical source for the time menstruum. Many are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such every bit the historian, Tacitus. Pliny himself was a notable effigy, serving equally an majestic magistrate under Trajan (reigned Advertising 98–117). Pliny was considered an honest and moderate man, consistent in his pursuit of suspected Christian members according to Roman police, and rose through a serial of Imperial ceremonious and military offices, the cursus honorum."
In his correspondence with the emperor Trajan (Epistulae X.96) he reported on his actions against the followers of Christ. He asks the Emperor for instructions dealing with Christians and explained that he forced Christians to expletive Christ under painful torturous inquisition:
"They were accustomed to run across on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ equally to a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath, non to whatsoever wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of a meal–but ordinary and innocent food." (source)
So non merely was Pliny aware of Jesus Christ, he also provides description of the activities of the early church. In a later writing he details persecution confronting Christians:
"Even this practice, even so, they had abandoned subsequently the publication of my edict, by which, according to your orders, I had forbidden political associations. I therefore judged it so much more the necessary to extract the real truth, with the assist of torture, from ii female slaves, who were styled deaconesses: but I could notice nothing more than depraved and excessive superstition.
In the meanwhile, the method I have observed towards those who have denounced to me as Christians is this: I interrogated them whether they were Christians; if they confessed it I repeated the question twice once again, adding the threat of death sentence; if they nonetheless persevered, I ordered them to be executed. For whatever the nature of their creed might be, I could at to the lowest degree experience not doubt that contumacy and inflexible obstinacy deserved chastisement. In that location were others possessed of the same folly; but because they were Roman citizens, I signed an order for them to be transferred to Rome." (source)
So hither we come across that not just did Pliny non follow the Christian religion, he was torturing Christians and threatening death against them. And he even records that under threat of execution (just for believing in Jesus Christ every bit God) the early church building members refused to deny their faith in Jesus. This is remarkable testify of Jesus' existence outside of the Bible.
Julius Africanus and Tallus
Sextus Julius Africanus (c.160 – c.240) was a Christian traveller and historian of the belatedly 2nd and early 3rd century AD. He is of import chiefly considering of his influence on Eusebius, on all the later writers of Church building history among the Fathers, and on the whole Greek school of chroniclers
Julius Africanus quotes the writings of Tallus, who was a beginning century non-Christian historian. In his Chronicles, Africanus quoting the historian Tallus, explains the reason for it being so dark during the day time on the twenty-four hours of crucifixion of Jesus Christ:
"An eclipse of the sun'unreasonably, as information technology seems to me (unreasonably of course, because a solar eclipse could not take place at the time of the full moon, and it was at the season of the Paschal full moon that Christ died." Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18.
The importance of this quote is two fold as it shows: 1) not-Christian proof of Jesus' existence and 2) yet another confirmation of the Bible'south business relationship of Jesus' crucifixion. The Bible states in reference to the time Jesus was put on the cross: "Now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the country unto the ninth hr" The "sixth hour" is noon and the ninth hour is 3:00PM. Thus we run across that the historian Thallus was trying to explicate the odd occurrence of the sky being nighttime at noon during the crucifxion of Jesus as an eclipse. Africanus also quotes the secular scholar Phlegon, a Greek Historian who lived in the 2nd century AD and also wrote of an eclipse occuring on the day Jesus was crucified. This again provides proof from a not-Christian source that confirms the business relationship of Jesus being a real person who lived besides as confirming the account of His crucifixion straight from the Bible.
Lucian of Samosate
Lucian (Built-in 115 AD) was a well-known Greek satirist and traveling lecturer. More than 80 works bear his name. He mocked Christians in his writing, just at the same time provided evidence that Jesus really did exist:
"He was second only to that ane whom they nonetheless worship today, the human in Palestine who was crucified considering he brought this new class of initiation into the world."
"Having convinced themselves that they are immortal and will live forever, the poor wretches despise death and well-nigh willingly give themselves to information technology. Moreover, that first lawgiver of theirs persuaded them that they are all brothers the moment they transgress and deny the Greek gods and brainstorm worshiping that crucified sophist and living past his laws."
"They scorn all possessions without distinction and treat them as community property. They accept such things on religion lonely, without any evidence. And so if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to have advantage of a state of affairs comes among them, he tin can make himself rich in a brusk time."
Then once more, fifty-fifty though Lucian does non mention Jesus by name, there is no doubt he is speaking of the Jesus every bit he confirms: i) that he was crucified in "Palestine" (the name of Israel at that time), 2) had followers who believed in eternal life and 3) that they were all equal in Jesus Christ. Lucian even mentions that Christians deny all other gods and believe on "faith alone." This once more is all in accordance with the Bible's articulate statements about the Christian faith and provides fifty-fifty more testify from outside of the Bible that Jesus, the "man in Palestine" did actually be.
Seutonius
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus commonly known every bit Suetonius (ca. 69/75 – after 130), was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era. His most important surviving piece of work is a set of biographies of twelve successive Roman rulers, from Julius Caesar to Domitian, entitled De Vita Caesarum. The description of his writings states:
The emperor Claudius reigned 41 to 54 AD. Suetonius reports his dealings with the eastern Roman Empire, that is, with Greece and Macedonia, and with the Lycians, Rhodians, and Trojans. He then reports that the emperor expelled the Jews from Rome, since they "constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Christ" (Judaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantis Roma expulit). The name appears in manuscripts of Suetonius every bit Chrestus, a form too used past the Roman historian Tacitus to refer to Chrestiani. (source)
Skeptics volition point to the unlike spelling to say "that'due south not Jesus he'south talking well-nigh!" simply over again, with the totality of show, information technology's very obvious that followers of Jesus in the Roman Empire were persecuted by Roman regime. So information technology certainly falls in line with the other historical accounts. And there are a number of sources the back up the history of Christians in the Roman empire who followed Jesus Christ and being punished for it.
The Bible is Historical Proof That Jesus Existed
The corporeality of New Testament manuscript bear witness of Jesus Christ is greater than any other effigy in antiquity.
There is a great logical fallacy among Bible skeptics, atheists and those who like to claiming Christianity that says when discussing the historical aspects of the Bible "you lot can't utilize the Bible as proof that Jesus existed. You lot must apply not-Bible sources!!" To which this writer says, "why not?" The 4 Gospels of the Bible are bibliographical accounts of the life of Jesus. The normal objective measure of the reliability of historical documents is: 1) The number of available copies of ancient manuscripts and 2) the time bridge between the original version and the date of those copies still in existence today. When examined under this standard, the Bible proves to provide a treasure trove of proof and evidence that Jesus actually existed.
Some of the earliest manuscript fragments of the New Testament are the John Rylands Fragment, Chester Beatty Papyrus and the Bodmer Papyrus which were written between 50-100AD. Copies of these papyri were reproduced in 125-200AD, meaning that the time span between the originals and the copies notwithstanding in being today is 29 years to 130 years, putting all these manuscripts beings written anywhere from 50-100 years after the expiry of Jesus Christ. At present some may object and say "Hold on! These manuscripts were written years after Jesus died. There'south no way they could be reliable!" But any skillful on aboriginal documents would disagree.
Allow'south look at some of the more famous and universally accepted historical documents and see how they match up with the Bible:
Plato — Plato wrote his works from 427-347 BC. The earliest manuscript re-create of Plato's writing in beingness today was written in 900 Ad. That is one,200 years after Plato'south death! And there are only two copies of these manuscripts in existence. (source)
Julius Caesar — 1 of the most historic and trusted historical figures. Caesar lived from 100-44 BC and the earliest manuscript copy of his writings dates back to 900 Advertizing, putting our best testify of Caesar ever existing one,000 years after his expiry. And in that location are ten copies of aboriginal manuscripts of Caesar'due south Gallic Wars. (source) So if you question the Bible based on when it was written, being "translated and so many times" (information technology was non – nosotros however take the same Greek manuscripts today) and notwithstanding question whether Jesus existed, and then you must also be really certain that Julius Caesar and Plato were completely fictional characters and never really existed.
Homer — Homer, who historians are not even sure ever really existed even today, is credited with writing the Iliad in ca 900 BC. The earliest manuscript copy of the Iliad dates to 400 BC. Meaning the only proof of Homer or the Iliad beingness accurate is from 500 years after the death of Homer. Additionally at that place are 643 copies of aboriginal manuscripts of the Iliad written over the centuries that when compared confronting each other by experts accept a 95.3 consistency and accuracy, making it one of the near reliable and proven documents of antiquity. (source)
That is of form, until you compare it to the New Testament. The New Attestation manuscripts appointment to less than 100 years after the death of Christ. Additionally there are over v,600 ancient manuscript copies of the New Testament giving information technology more copies to a degree that dwarfs any other figure of ancient history (to view actual copies of some of these aboriginal manuscripts, see here). And they have a 99% accuracy when compared to each other. The evidence is not even comparable. And information technology all points to Jesus Christ. The record of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has more bear witness and proof than any other person from antiquity.
The Proof and Prove is Clear – Jesus Christ Really Existed
The nigh amazing conclusion in all of this is non that Jesus really existed — it is that He even so exists. And He sits in Sky at the right hand of God offering forgiveness to those who volition not just believe He was a regular human, but that He as the Son of God, gave His life on that same cantankerous that so many historians knew nearly, to take the punishment for sins that all of humanity has committed. Information technology just takes faith and trust in that sacrifice to receive him. Jesus said: Behold, I stand up at the door, and knock: if whatsoever man hear my vox, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am prepare down with my Begetter in his throne. – Revelation 3:20-21.
Jesus wants usa to believe in Him so we tin can be freely forgiven of the sins we have committed in our lives, have eternal life and reign with Him. So at present that information technology is established that He existed, why not take the time to get to know Jesus Christ and who He said He is from His historically-verifiable perspective? Your eternal life may depend on it.
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Source: https://beginningandend.com/jesus-exist-historical-evidence-jesus-christ/
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