Evidences: Jesus, The Historical Evidence

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/jesus-historical-evidence/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><ol><li>Historicity<ol><li>Three possibilities<ol><li>Mythological</li><li>Existed, but the Bible has reinvented him</li><li>Existed, portrayed accurately in the Bible</li></ol></li><li>Jesus (2 BC-33 AD) v. Tiberius (emperor 14-37 AD), within 150 years of their lives.<ol><li>Jesus: 42 sources – 9 secular + 33 Christian</li><li>Tiberius: 10 sources, including Gospel of Luke. (To be fair, there are also dozens of coins of Tiberius, naming him or portraying his image.)</li></ol></li><li>Historical facts accepted by most scholars (whether or not they believe in Christ)<ol><li>Born shortly before 1 BC (date of death of Herod the Great)</li><li>From a large and poor family in the tribe of Judah</li><li>Remained single</li><li>Skilled in manual labor and physically tough (though of normal appearance)</li><li>Critical of established religion, he aroused the wrath of the priesthood</li><li>Executed by crucifixion (virtually no one survived this punishment) under Pontius Pilatus (26-36 AD)</li><li>His first followers believed he’d been raised from the dead, and was the Messiah (anointed one)</li></ol></li></ol></li><li>Insider testimony<ol><li>New Testament<ol><li>Written approximately 50-100 AD.</li><li>Sources of the New Testament (like 1 Cor 15:3-5, as well as various hymns, like Phil 2:5-11 and Eph 5:14, and sayings, like Acts 20:35)</li><li>Numerous aspects argue against fabrication.<ol><li>Conversion of skeptics like James the brother of Jesus and Saul of Tarsus</li><li>Hostile testimony (see below)</li><li>Criterion of embarrassment<ol><li>Admission of ignorance in Mark 13:32</li><li>Rejection by his own family (Mark 3:20; John 7:5).</li><li>Having the Messiah go to the Cross -- a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks!</li></ol></li></ol></li><li>Patristic writings (extrabiblical)<ol><li>1st C: 1 Clement (96 AD)</li><li>2nd C: Ignati