WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
PART TEN
(copied from
Y-Jesus.com)
Here Was A Man
So, do historians believe Jesus was a man or a myth ?
Historians regard both Jesus Christ and Alexander the Great as real men. Yet the manuscript evidence for Jesus is far greater and hundreds of years closer to His life than the historical writings for Alexander are to his. Furthermore, the historical impact far exceeds that of Alexander.
Historians cite the following as evidence for
Jesus' existence:
* Archaeological discoveries continue to verify
the Gospel accounts of people and places they
record, the latest being Pilate Caiaphas, and
the existence of first-century Nazareth .
* Thousands of historical writings document
Jesus' existence. Within 150 years of Jesus' life, 42 authors mention Him in their writings,
including nine non-Christian sources. During that same time period, only nine secular authors mention Tiberius Caesar, only five report the conquests of Julius Caesar. Yet no
historian denies their existence.
* Historians, secular and religious, readily
acknowledge Jesus Christ has influenced our
world more than any other person.
After investigating the Christ-myth theory, the great world historian, Will Durant concluded that
unlike the gods of mythology, Jesus was a real person.
Historian, Paul Johnston states that all serious scholars acknowledge Jesus as real.
Atheist historian Michael Grant writes: "To sum up, modern critical methods fail to support the Christ-myth theory. It has again and again been answered and annihilated by first-rank scholars.
Perhaps the non-Christian historian, H.G. Wells, put it the best, regarding Jesus Christ's existence :
"
Here was a man. This part of the tale could not have been invented.
"
Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead ?
The eyewitnesses to Jesus Christ actually spoke and acted as though they believed He really rose from the dead, after His crucifixion. No god of mythology or any other religion ever had followers of such fervent conviction.
But must we take the resurrection of Jesus Christ by faith alone, or is there solid historical evidence ? Several skeptics began investigations into the historical record to prove the resurrection account false. What did they discover ?
(see Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead?)
already posted a little while ago.
next post 2nd September
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
PART NINE
(copied from
Y-Jesus.com)
Myth Versus Reality
Whereas mythical gods are depicted as super heroes, living out human fantasies and lusts, the Gospels portray Christ as a man of humility, compassion, and impeccable moral character. His followers present Him as a Real Person for Whom they willingly gave their lives.
The non-Christian scientist, Albert Einstein, stated, "No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His Presence pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life ....... No man can deny the fact that Jesus existed, nor that His sayings are beautiful."
Is it possible, Jesus' death and resurrection was plagiarised from these myths? Their case against Jesus was presented in the You Tube movie Zeitgeist, where author Peter Joseph boldly claims,
"
The reality is Jesus was ... a mythical figure ....
Christianity, along with all other theistic belief systems is the fraud of the age.
"
As one compares the Jesus of the Gospels with the gods of mythology, a distinction becomes obvious. In contrast to the reality of Jesus revealed in the Gospels, accounts of mythological gods depict unrealistic gods with elements of fantasy.
* Mithra was supposedly born out of a rock.
* Horus was depicted with the head of a falcon.
* Bacchus, Hercules and others were flown to
heaven on the horse Pegasus.
* Osiris was killed, chopped up into 14 pieces
and reassembled by his wife Isis, and brought back to life.
But could Christianity have copied Jesus' death and resurrection from these myths ?
His followers didn't think so. They willingly gave their lives, proclaiming that the account of Jesus' Resurrection was true. (See Did Jesus Rise From The Dead).
Furthermore, "accounts of a dying and rising god, that somewhat parallel the story of Jesus' Resurrection appeared at least 100 years after the reports of Jesus' Resurrection. "
In other words, accounts of Horus, Osiris and Mithra dying and rising from the dead were not in their original mythologies, but were added after the Gospel accounts of Jesus were written.
T.N.D. Mettinger, professor at Lund University writes : "The consensus among modern scholars
- nearly universal - that there were no dying and rising gods that preceded Christianity. They all post dated the first century. "
According to most historians there really are no true parallels between any of these mythical gods and Jesus Christ. However, as C.S. Lewis observes, there are some common themes that speak to man's desire for immortality.
Lewis recounts a conversation he had with
J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. "The story of Christ, " said Tolkien, " is simply a true myth : a myth ........ with this tremendous difference that it really happened."
New Testament scholar
F.F. Bruce, concludes:
"Some writers may toy with the fancy of a Christ-myth, but they do not do so on the grounds of historical evidence.
The historicity of Christ is as axiomatic for an unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar. It is not historians who propagate the
"Christ-myth" theories..
next post 31st August
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
PART EIGHT
(copied from
Y-Jesus.com)
Historical Impact
Myths have little, if any, impact on history. The historian Thomas Carlyle said: "The history of the world is but the biography of great men."
There is no nation or regime which owes its foundation or heritage to a mythological person or god.
But, what has been the impact of Jesus Christ?
The average Roman citizen didn't feel His impact until many years after His death. Jesus marshalled no army. He wrote no books and changed no laws. The Jewish leaders and Roman Caesars had hoped to wipe out His memory, and it appeared that they would succeed.
Today, all we see of ancient Rome are ruins. Caesars mighty legions and the pomp of Roman imperial power have faded into oblivion. Yet, how is Jesus remembered today ? What is His enduring influence ?
* More books have been written about Jesus than any other person in history.
* Nations have used His Words as the bedrocks of
their governments. According to Durant, "The triumph of Christ was the beginning of democracy."
* His sermon on the mount established a new
paradigm in ethics and morals.
* Schools, hospitals, and humanitarian works, have been founded in His Name. Over 100
grand universities - including Harvard, Yale,
Princeton, Dartmouth, Columbia and Oxford -
were begun by His followers.
* The elevated role of women in Western culture
traces its roots back to Jesus' teachings.
(Women in Jesus' day were considered inferior
and virtual non-persons until His teaching was followed.)
* Slavery was abolished in Britain and America,
due to Jesus' teaching that each life is valuable.
Amazingly Jesus made all this impact as a result of just a three year period of public ministry. When noted author and world historian, H.G. Wells,
was asked who has left the greatest legacy on history, he replied, "By this test Jesus stands first."
Yale historian, Jaroslav Pelican writes: "Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about Him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries....
it is from His birth that most of the human race dates its calendars.
It is by His name that many curse.
And it is by His Name that many Pray.
If Jesus didn't exist one must wonder how a myth could so alter history.
next post 28th August
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
PART SEVEN
(copied from
Y-Jesus.com)
The New Testament
Skeptics like Ellen Johnson also dismiss the New Testament as evidence for Jesus, calling it biased. However, even most non-Christian historians consider ancient New Testament documents as solid evidence for Jesus' existence. Cambridge historian, Michael Grant, an atheist, argues that the New Testament should be considered as evidence in the same way as other ancient history.
"
If we apply to the New Testament, as we should, the same sort of criteria as we should apply to other ancient writings containing historical material, we can no more reject Jesus' existence, than we can reject a mass of pagan personages,
whose reality as historical figures is never questioned.
"
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are
primary accounts of Jesus' life and words. Luke begins his Gospel with these words to Theophilus;
"Since I myself have carefully examined everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you most excellent Theophilus."
Noted archaeologist, Sir William Ramsey, originally rejected Luke's historical account of Jesus. However, he later acknowledged ,"Luke is a historian of the first rank..... this author should
be placed along with the very greatest historians ..... Luke's history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness."
The earliest accounts of Alexander were written 300 years after him. But how close to the life of Jesus were the Gospels written ? Would eyewitnesses to Jesus have still been alive, or was there enough time for a legend to have developed?
In the 1830s, German scholars argued that the New Testament was written in the 3rd century, much too late to have been written by Jesus' apostles. However, manuscript copies, discovered in the 19th and 20th centuries, by archaeologists proved these accounts of Jesus were written much earlier.
William Albright dated all the New Testament books "between a.d.50 and a.d.75."
John A.T. Robinson, of Cambridge, dates all New Testament books by a.d.40-65.
Such early dating means they were written when eyewitnesses were alive, much too early for a myth or legend to develop.
After C.S. Lewis read the Gospels, he wrote: "Now as a literary historian, I am perfectly convinced that .... the Gospels are ... not legends.
I have read a great deal of legend and I am quite clear that they are not the same sort of thing."
The quantity of manuscripts for the New
Testament is enormous.
Over 24,000 complete or partial copies of its books exists, putting it far above all other ancient documents.
No other ancient, historical person , religious or secular, is backed up by as much documentation as is Jesus Christ. Historian Paul Johnson remarks: "If we consider that Tacitus for example, survives, in only one medieval manuscript, the quantity of early New Testament documents is remarkable.
next post 27th August
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
PART SIX
(copied from
Y-Jesus.com)
Historical Facts About Jesus.
These early non-Christian sources provide the
following facts about Jesus Christ:
* Jesus was from Nazareth
* Jesus lived a wise and virtuous life
* Jesus was crucified in Judea under Pontius
Pilate, during the reign of Tiberius Caesar, at
Passover time, being considered the Jewish
king.
* Jesus was believed by His disciples to have
died and to have risen from the dead three
days later.
* Jesus' enemies acknowledged that He performed unusual feats
* Jesus disciples multiplied rapidly, spreading
as far as Rome
* Jesus' disciples lived moral lives and worshiped Christ as God.
This general outline of Jesus' life agrees perfectly
with the New Testament.
Gary Habarmas notes; "In total, about one-third
of these non-Christian sources date back from the first century; a majority originate no later than the mid-second century." According to Encyclopedia
Britannica "These independent accounts prove that in ancient times, even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus."
Early Christian Accounts
Early Christians wrote thousands of letters, sermons and commentaries about Jesus. Also creeds, which speak of Jesus, appeared as early
as five years after His crucifixion.
These non-biblical writings confirm most New Testament details about Jesus, including His crucifixion and resurrection.
Incredibly, more than 36,000 complete or partial
such writings have been discovered. Some from the first century. These non-biblical writings could reconstruct the entire New Testament except for a few verses.
Each of these authors writes of Jesus as a real person. Christ-mythers discard these accounts as biased. But, the question they must answer is:
"How could a mythical Jesus have so much written about Him within a few decades of His life?"
next post 26th August
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
PART FIVE
(copied from
Y-Jesus.com)
Roman Historians: Early Roman historians
wrote primarily of people and events important to their empire. Since Jesus wasn't of immediate importance to the political or military affairs of Rome, very little Roman history referenced Him. However, two important historians, Tacitus and Suetonius, do acknowledge Jesus as a real Person.
"
Tacitus (a.d. 55-120), the greatest early historian, wrote that Christus (Greek for Christ) had lived under the rule of Tiberius and suffered under Pontius Pilate, that Jesus' teachings had already spread to Rome; and that Christians were considered criminals and tortured in a variety of ways, including crucifixion.
Suetonius (a.d. 69-130) wrote of Chrestus as an intigator. Most scholars believe this is a reference to Christ. Suetonius also wrote of Christians having been persecuted by Nero in a.d. 64.
Roman Officials: Christians were considered enemies of Rome, because of their worship of Jesus as Lord rather than Caesar. The following Roman government officials, including two Caesars, wrote letters from their perspective, mentioning Jesus and early Christian origins.
"
Pliny the Younger was an imperial magistrate under Emperor Trajan. In a.d. 112, Pliny wrote to Trajan of his attempts to force Christians to renounce Christ, Whom they "worshiped as a god."
Emperor Trajan (a.d. 56 -117) wrote letters mentioning Jesus and early Christian origins.
Emperor Hadrian (a.d.76 - 136) wrote about Christians as followers of Jesus.
Pagan Sources: Several early pagan writers, briefly mention Jesus or Christians prior to the
end of the second century. These include Thallus, Phlegon, Mara Bar-Serapion and Lucian of Samsosate. Thallus' remarks about Jesus were written in a.d.52, about twenty years after Christ.
In total, nine early non-Christian secular writers
mention Jesus as a real Person, within 150 years of His death. Interestingly, that is the same number of secular writers who mention Tiberius Caesar, the Roman Emperor, during Jesus' time . If we were to consider Christian and non-Christian sources, there are forty-two who mention Jesus compared to just ten for Tiberius.
next post 25th August
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
PART FOUR
(copied from
Y-Jesus.com)
Early Non-Christian Accounts
Skeptics like Ellen Johnson cite the "lack of secular history," for Jesus, as evidence that He did not exist.
Yet there is very little documentation for any person from the time of Christ. Most ancient, historical documents have been destroyed through the centuries by wars, fires and pillaging, or simply through weathering and deterioration.
According to E.M. Blaiklock, who has catalogued most of the non-Christian writings of the Roman Empire, "practically nothing exists from the time of Christ," even for great secular leaders such as Julius Caesar, yet no historian questions Caesar's existence.
And since He wasn't a great political or military leader, Darrell Bock notes; "It is amazing and significant that Jesus shows up at all in the sources we have."
So, who are these sources Bock mentions? Which early historians who wrote of Jesus did not have a Christian agenda? First of all let us look to Jesus' enemies.
Jewish Historians: The Jews had the most to
gain by denying Jesus's existence. But they
always regarded Him as real. "Several Jewish writings refer to Him as a real person whom they opposed."
Noted Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, wrote of James, "the brother of Jesus, the so-called Christ."
If Jesus wasn't a real person why wouldn't Josephus have said so?
In another somewhat controversial passage, Josephus speaks more extensively of Jesus;
"At this time, there was a man called Jesus. His conduct was good and He was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and other nations became His disciples. Pilate condemned Him to be crucified, and He died. And those who had become His disciples did not abandon His discipleship. They reported that He had appeared to them three days after His crucifixion and that He was alive. Accordingly, He was thought to be the Messiah."
Although some of his words are in dispute, Josephus' confirmation here of Jesus' existence is widely accepted by scholars.
Israeli scholar, Shlomo Pines writes; "Even the most bitter opponents of Christianity never expressed any doubt that Jesus lived."
World historian, Will Durant, notes that no Jew or Gentile from the first century ever denied the existence Jesus.
Next post 24th August
WAS JESUS A REAL PERSON?
But must we take the resurrection of Jesus Christ by faith alone, or is there solid historical evidence ? Several skeptics began investigations into the historical record to prove the resurrection account false. What did they discover ? 
