Post by Nathan1 on Feb 12, 2024 6:47:00 GMT
Is there historical evidence of Jesus Christ outside of the Bible?
Yes, there is some limited evidence of Jesus outside the New Testament.
1) Cornelius Tacitus (ca. AD 55–120) was a Roman historian best known for his “Annals” (18 books) and “Histories” (12 books). In each of these, there is at least one reference to Jesus and two to early Christianity. Tacitus links Jesus’ death to both Pilate and the emperor Tiberius.
2) Gaius Suetonius Tranquillas was a Roman historian and chief secretary to emperor Hadrian (AD 117–138). He makes one reference to Jesus and one to Christians relating to the expulsions from Rome under Claudius (AD 41–54) as being caused by disagreements over Christ (Chrestus in the Latinization) and the Christian’s “mischievous beliefs”.
3) Flavius Josephus (AD 37–97) was a Jewish historian who became the court historian for emperor Vespasian. He writes of many persons and events of first century Palestine and makes two references to Jesus, some of which is disputed. Historical facts that can be ascertained - with the disputed portions removed - include that Jesus was known as a wise and virtuous man, recognized for his good conduct and for his “surprising feats”; he had disciples; Pilate condemned him to die by crucifixion; the disciples reported that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them and therefore, they continued to proclaim this teachings. Josephus wrote that ‘perhaps Jesus was the Messiah’, that he was the brother of James, and was called the Messiah by some.
4) Thallus wrote a history of the Eastern Mediterranean world from the Trojan War up to his own time ca. AD 52. Only fragments remain in the citations of others. Julius Africanus (ca. AD 221) used Thallus as a reference for the darkness that occurred on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion which mostly just shows that an account of the crucifixion including that detail was already spread around the Mediterranean within 20 years of Jesus’ death.
5) Pliny the Younger was a Roman official and governor of Bithynia. He doesn’t specifically mention Jesus, but his encounters with early Christianity indicate Christ was worshipped as a deity by early believers because of their “excessive superstition” which may or may not be a reference to resurrection. Christianity’s early inclusiveness, its ethics, worship practices, ‘stubbornness,’ and the existence of church positions by this time period, is attested to by Pliny.
6) The existence of trials for Christians (just because they were Christians) is confirmed by the letters between the emperor Hadrian (AD 117–138) to Minucius Fundanus, Asian proconsul, as well as Pliny. Like Trajan, he advocated temperance unless ‘careful examination’ (which would generally involve torture) proved they were in fact Christians.
7) The Jews handed down a large amount of oral tradition from AD 70 - 200. The Talmudic text says Jesus was “hanged” as were the two males killed at the same time. “Hanged” on a cross was a variant expression for crucifixion. The timing is mentioned twice, and that Jesus was judged guilty of ‘sorcery’ - the accusation, found in the NT, concerning his miracles - is the reason given for his death. They admit the existence of the empty tomb by providing what they saw as more suitable explanations for it. Other Talmudic references are late and questionable, but nowhere does anything indicate anyone thought Jesus was not a real person who had lived and died.
8) Toledoth J. gives the first ‘alternate explanation’ of what happened to Jesus’ body after his death, saying it was moved by the gardener. Compiled in the fifth century, most of what it offers is testimony that there was a body, and that the tomb was in fact later empty.
9) Lucian was a second century satirist who ridiculed Jesus and the early Christians. In his writings he says Jesus was worshipped, and that Jesus had introduced new teachings in Palestine which got him crucified. He lists some of those teachings, that ‘sacred writings’ were already in existence by this time, and that Christians were ‘naively generous’ and easy to take advantage of.
10) A letter from Mara Bar-Serapion, which dates to sometime between the first and third centuries, mentions Jesus as the Jewish ‘king’, that he was a virtuous man, and was executed unjustly which led to the fall of Jerusalem.
11) Gnosticism flourished between the second and fourth centuries. These writers were influenced by the NT, and are theologically provocative. Nevertheless, they provide evidence of what was commonly believed about Jesus’ existence, death, resurrection and deity. None assert Jesus was just a myth, a story made up later, that he hadn’t been a real man who lived, and their theology would have benefitted from such an assertion if they could have justifiably made it.
12) There are several lost works that are referenced in other documents so that we generally accept that they existed at one time, but can’t otherwise place much weight on them. The ‘Acts of Pontius Pilate’ is reported by Justin Martyr (AD 150) as an official document in the archives in Rome containing validation of the details of Jesus’ crucifixion, and his healing miracles, that he, Justin, said he had read. That document was lost to the deteriorating effects of time, or more probably, in one of the sackings of Rome, as so much was, so it cannot be verified.
13) Phlegon is referenced by Origen and by Julius Africanus as testifying to Jesus’ ability to predict the future, and to the earthquakes and darkness - which he incorrectly explains as an eclipse of the sun - which took place at his death.
Much of this is about the beginnings of Christianity and less about Jesus himself, but that begs the question. If there was no Jesus, why was there Christianity? There is no explaining its beginnings - in any plausible, believable manner - that addresses all existing historical facts and leaves out a real Jesus.
14) According to these sources, Jesus was the brother of James (Josephus), with a ministry centered in Palestine (Tacitus, Lucian, Acts of Pilate). Jesus was known as a wise and virtuous man (Josephus, Mara Bar-Serapion) who was reported to have performed miracles (Talmud, Acts of Pilate, Josephus) and made prophecies that were later fulfilled (Phlegm, Josephus). As a result, he had many disciples among both the Jews and the Gentiles (Josephus, Talmud).
15) Gnostics comment on the person of Jesus asking who they thought he was (Gospel of Thomas). They say he was flesh and blood (Gospel of Truth, Treatise on resurrection) and accordingly had the title “Son of Man” (Gospel of Thomas); he was the Son of God (Treatise on resurrection, Gospel of Truth, Gospel of Thomas) the Word (Gospel of Truth) and the “All” (Gospel of Thomas).
16) These are theological, but they are backed by secular sources who report the existence of such beliefs. Jesus was being worshipped as deity (Pliny, Lucian), while some believed he was Messiah (Josephus) and king (Mara Bar-Serapion).
That these were the beliefs about Jesus being held in the first centuries is a matter of historical record. No one, anywhere, reports that Jesus had not been a real person who had recently lived and died.
One can argue whether or not these beliefs were correct, but one cannot argue that they didn’t exist. Out of 17 sources, 11 attest to Jesus’ death by crucifixion, and by normal historical standards, that is sufficient to say it is established historical fact.
If he died, he lived. There is no other reasonable option. Hence the claim that virtually all mainstream scholars agree that Jesus was not a myth.
Jenny Hawkins
Degrees in religion, philosophy, with history and ethics