Was Jesus Christ a True Figure of History? http://www.webedelic.com/church/figuref.

htm Introduction: The central question for investigation in this study is, Was Jesus Christ a true figure of History? The question can, and must be, answered affirmatively for a considerable number of reasons. First and foremost, the four Gospels themselves can be demonstrated to be valid, trustworthy historical documents. That is, using the historical method fairly, as one would use the method on any other ancient document, one would discover that the four Gospels have better attestation than any other writing of antiquity. [1] However, this paper will dismiss the Gospel evidence, as solid as it is. Furthermore, this paper will dismiss the Epistles of the New Testament, some of which even critical scholars accept as written by the traditional writers during the traditional periods of time. For example, I Corinthians, accepted by nearly all NT scholars as written by the historical person, Paul, [2] contains numerous references to Jesus Christ (a contemporary of Paul's). By avoiding the evidence of the New Testament, this paper will mute the cumulative testimony of 40,000 manuscripts - although one would be justified in submitting them first as the best evidence available. Finally, this paper will refrain from engaging the statements made about Jesus by very early Christian writers who lived within the first century and one half after Jesus lived. This includes statements preserved from Clement of Rome (fl.ca .96), Ignatius (ca. 35-ca. 107), Papias (ca. 60-130), Polycarp (ca. 69-ca. 155), the Didache (late 1st, early 2nd c.), The Epistle of Barnabas (between A.D. 70&135), Quadratus (fl.ca. 124), Aristides (mid2nd c.), Justin Martyr (ca. 100-ca.165), Hegesippus (2nd c.), Iranaeus (ca. 130-ca. 200), Tertullian (ca. 160-ca. 225), and Origen (ca. 185-ca. 254). [3] Note that there is no good reason to dismiss these statements. Just because these sources are all Christian does not invalidate them as witnesses. People sympathetic to a Person or cause are well capable of passing along accurate information. This is especially true when one considers two facts: (1) the above people all lived to within about a one-hundred and fifty years of Jesus Christ, and (2) they present the inquirer with a significant plurality of witnesses. If these same conditions were met by evidences of any other historical figure, the historical existence of that person would be unquestioned. Thus, a considerable quantity of historical evidence will be discounted here, for the sake of the most hardened skeptic. Removing the New Testament, as well as early Christian writers, from consideration leaves the historical inquirer with two basic sources of information: secular Greek and Roman writers, and Jewish rabbis. Note, then that the sources we engage are manifold and varied in background, including both neutral and hostile witnesses. A hostile witness is especially important in establishing the existence of a historical figure. This paper will ultimately seek to answer the question, What can be known about Jesus if the entire New Testament did not exist?

I. The Secular Greek and Roman Writers A. Julius Africanus (ca. 160-ca. 240), a Jerusalem-born Christian writer, recorded something written by the Samaritan-born historian, Thallus (ca. A.D. 52). Africanus, addressing the darkness during the crucifixion, states, "Thallus, in the third book of his histories, explains away this darkness as an eclipse of the sun - unreasonably, it seems to me." [4] 1. The reason Africanus saw Thallus' explanation as unreasonable was because the Passover occurred during the full moon (there can be no solar eclipse, with the sun behind the moon when the moon is full, which necessitates the sun shining on the moon). 2. Note that Thallus did not deny the existence and crucifixion of Jesus . He was only trying to explain away the supernatural element in the crucifixion. 3. Finally, Thallus dates the crucifixion to the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar (about A.D.29). B. Africanus and Origen both mention the Chronicles (volumes of history) written by a man named Phlegon. Africanus says Phlegon refers to the same eclipse, saying, "he records that in the time of Tiberius Caesar at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth. [5] Origen (ca. 185-ca. 254), defending a historical view of the earthquake and the darkness, said he was, "adducing the testimony of Phlegon, who relates that these events took place at the time when our Savior suffered." [6] 1. Note that both Africanus and Origen have knowledge of secular documents attesting to the historical crucifixion, together with written accounts of the earthquake and darkness. 2. A later, sixth century writer, Philopon, also states, "about this darkness . . . Phlegon recalls it in the Olympiads" [the title of Phlegon's history]. [7] C. Flavius Josephus (ca. 37-ca. 100) was a native of Palestine, who became the most significant Jewish historian in the first century. There are two passages in Josephus that merit our attention. 1. In Josephus' The Antiquity of the Jews, book 18 paragraph 3 reads, Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works - a teacher 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 suggestion of the principle men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day . . . and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. [8]

a. Note that the vocabulary and style of this paragraph are consistent with other passages in Josephus. b. Even so, some question numerous segments of this statement, and contend that Josephus said part of it, and later Christians added the decidedly Christian portions. Even if this is true, historical Earle Cairnes notes that, "most scholars agree that this basic information just mentioned [that Jesus was a 'wise man' condemned to die on the cross by Pilate] is most likely a part of the original text." [9] 2. Josephus says that Aranus (Ananias], assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [10] D. Pliny the Younger (62-ca. 113), was the governor of the Roman province of Bithynia. In about A.D. 112, he wrote a letter of inquiry to the emperor, Trajan. The letter requested the proper administration of handling cases involving Christians that came under his care. The letter is quite lengthy, so this paper will cite only the most crucial passages. [11] 1. Meanwhile, this is the course that I have adopted in the case of those brought before me as Christians. I ask them if they are Christians. If they admit it, I repeat the question a second and third time, threatening capital punishment; if they persist I sentence them to death. 2. All who denied that they were or had been Christians I considered should be discharged . . . especially because they cursed Christ, a thing which, it is said, genuine Christians cannot be induced to do. 3. [Those who denied their faith] all worshiped your image and the statues of the gods and cursed Christ. 4. [Christians declared] that on an appointed day they had been accustomed to meet before daybreak, and recite a hymn antiphonally to Christ, as to a god. 5. Trajan's response has also been preserved (he basically approved of Pliny's method). E. Cornelius Tacitus (ca.60-ca.120) was a senator under the reign of Vespasian, and from 112-112 was proconsul of Asia. In his Annals, he explains how Nero handled the rumor that he himself set fire to Rome in A.D. 64: "And so, to get rid of this rumor, Nero set up as the culprits and punished with the utmost refinement of cruelty a class hated for the abominations, who are commonly called Christians. Christus, from whom the name is derived, was executed at the hands of the procurator Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius. Checked for the moment, this pernicious superstition again broke out, not only in Judea, the source of the evil, but even in Rome. . . ." [12]

a. The label, "pernicious superstition" can surely be taken as indirect and unconscious testimony to the belief of the early Church that Jesus rose from the dead. F. Suetonius (ca. 75-160) was a Roman historian and annalist of the Imperial House. Writing in about A.D. 120, he addressed the expulsion of Jews and Christians from Rome under the reign of Claudius in A.D. 49 (see Acts 18:2): 1. Since the Jews were continually making disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome. [13] a. "Chrestus" is undoubtedly a variant of Christus. b. The "disturbances" were probably the bickering between Jews and Christians. 2. Suetonius also addresses Nero's persecution of Christians: "punishment was inflicted on the Christians, a set of men adhering to a novel and mischievous superstition. . . ." [14] G. Lucian of Samosata was a Greek satirist. Writing in about A.D. 170, Lucian said: The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day - the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account. . . . You see, these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. [15] H. Finally, the Syrian Mara Bar-Serapion, probably a Stoic philosopher, wrote from prison to this son sometime after A.D. 70. His letter endeavored to encourage his son to pursue wisdom. The complete paragraph is rather extended, but worth quoting at length: What advantage did the Athenians gain from putting Socrates to death? Famine and plague came upon them as a judgment for their crime. What advantage did the men of Samos gain from burning Pythagoras? In a moment their land was covered with sand. What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise King? It was just after that that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged these three wise men: The Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea; the Jews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates did not die for good; he lived on in the teaching of Plato. Pythagoras did not die for good; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise King die for good; he lived on in the teaching of what he had given. [16] II. The Jewish Rabbis

Introduction: There are a number of statements in the Talmud directed against Jesus. (The Talmud is a collection of rabbinical teachings collected over the centuries, with one version being completed about A.D. 400-425 (the Jerusalem Talmud), and another version completed about A.D. 500-550 (the Babylonian Talmud). [17] A. In the Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a, we find this statement, It was taught: On the eve of Passover Yeshua (the Nazarene) was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, "He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf." [18] 1. Later in Sanhedrin 43a one finds this comment about Jesus: "Our rabbis taught: Yeshua had five disciples - Mattai, Nakkai, Netzer, Buni, and Todah." [19] Although much has been confused, what has been preserved is that Jesus was known by his Aramaic name, Yeshua, and that he had disciples. The commentary proceeds to develop elaborate puns, using the five fictitious names as a springboard (this explains why the names to not match up). B. In the Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 107b we find, One day he (Rabbi Joshua) was reciting the Shema (Deut. 6:4) when Jesus came before him. He intended to receive him and made a sign to him. He (Jesus) thinking that it was to repel him, went up, put up a brick, and worshiped it . . . . And a Master has said, "Jesus the Nazarene practiced magic and led Israel astray." [20] 1. Note that both of these passages provide the name, "Jesus the Nazarene." 2. Note that rather than denying Jesus' miracles, these sources attribute them to magic (see Mark 3:22; Matt. 9:34; 12:24). 3. Note that these witnesses attest to Jesus' crucifixion ("hanged") on the eve of the Passover. C. The Talmud also contains a number of stories centering on one Ben Pandera, according to which Jesus was the son of the Roman mercenary Pandera, "who begot a child with Joseph's adulterous wife, Mary, during her menstrual period." [21] Note that both of Jesus' parents are mentioned by name. D. The Tosefta, a rabbinical document published about A.D. 220-230, says, "It happened with R. Elazar ben Damah, whom a serpent bit, that Jacob, a man of Kefar Soma, came to heal him in the name of Yeshua ben Pantera; but R. Ishamel did not let him." [22] E. A couple of different rabbinical baraitot [23] state, "When King Janneus slew our Rabbis, Rabbi Joshua [ben Perahia] and Jesus fled to Alexandria of Egypt" where Jesus

was later excommunicated and condemned for worshiping an idol (b. Sanh. 107b; b.Sota 47a). [24] (See the flight to Egypt in Matt. 2:13-15). F. The rabbis express the hope that they will "not have a son or a disciple who burns his food in public [i.e., teaches heresy], like Jesus the Nazarene" (b. Sanh. 103a; b. Ber. 17ab). G. Rabbi Abbahu (late 3rd, early 4th century) is said to have warned, "If a man says to you, 'I am God,' he is a liar; or 'I am the son of man,' in the end he will regret it; or 'I will go up to heaven' - he that says it will not perform it" (y. Ta'an. 2.1). H. Rabbi Aha (4th century) declares: "there was a man, the son of a woman, who would rise up and seek to make himself God, and cause the entire world to err . . . . If he says that he is God, he lies; and in the future he will cause to err - that he departs and returns in the end. He says, but will not do . . . . Alas, who shall live of that people that listens to that man who makes himself God?" (Yal. Simeoni on Num 23:7). I. Explaining the resurrection of Jesus, one manuscript states, "He then went and raised Jesus by incantation" (b. Git. 57a). III. Conclusion A. Before formulating any conclusions, we must note that there are numerous other allusions to Jesus Christ, in both secular and sacred sources. For example, scholars are generally agreed that ancient rabbis referred to Jesus as "so-and-so," in order to show their contempt for him and avoid mentioning him by name. These references were not included in the above survey. Moreover, many times information about Christ can be known simply by observing what is said about Christians in the first two centuries. These references were also avoided in the above survey. Furthermore, a great deal is said about Jesus in quasi-Christian sources, such as the Gnostic writings found in Nag Hammadi Egypt in 1945 (which date back to the late 3rd, or early 4th centuries). Finally, the entire body of literature known as the Agrapha, New Testament Apocrypha, and New Testament Pseudepigrapha has been consciously neglected here. In other words, there is a wealth of information available that provide additional attestation of Jesus' life. B. At the beginning of this study we posed the question, "What can be known about Jesus if the entire New Testament did not exist?" Limiting oneself just to the historical documents surveyed in this study, one can learn the following things about Jesus: 1. Jesus' natural parents were Joseph and Mary. 2. Jesus had cause to flee to Egypt. 3. Jesus was known to have originated in Nazareth, and thus was called, Jesus the Nazarene (he was also known by his Aramaic name, Yeshua, and by his Greek name, Christ).

4. Jesus had a brother, whose name was James. 5. Jesus had disciples who followed him, much like other rabbis of the time. 6. Jesus claimed to be God, and called himself by the title, Son of Man. 7. Pontius Pilate was the governor in charge of Jesus' trial, which took place during the reign of Tiberius Caesar. 8. Jesus was crucified on the eve of the Passover. 9. During the crucifixion, there was an earthquake and a darkening of the sun. 10. Jesus had followers who could not be induced to curse his name, even upon threat of death. 11. By the end of the first century, Jesus' followers were singing hymns in worship to him as God. 12. Jesus' followers would pray for people to be healed in the name of Jesus. 13. Rumors were circulating that this Jesus came back to life from the dead. 14. Secular writers scoffed at Jesus' followers, because they thought the followers were superstitious. C. One cannot conclude this study, however, without stating what should be obvious by now. If a Christian encounters a skeptic who refuses to believe Jesus was a genuine figure of history, the Christian should ask two questions: 1. What other religious leader has more hard evidence of his historical existence? and 2. What other ancient personality from any background has more evidence of his historical existence? 3. There is no way to avoid the conclusion that there is more evidence for the historical genuiness of Jesus Christ than any figure of the ancient world. If we are going to discount Jesus' existence, we have no alternative but to take a position of total historical skepticism.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------NOTES:

[1] See, "Why Should I Listen to Stories about Jesus Instead of to Other Sacred Texts," pp. 4.1-4.24 in these notes. Also, see John W. Montgomery, History and Christianity: A Vigorous, Convincing Presentation of the Evidence for a Historical Jesus (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1955). [2] See Gordon Fee, "The First Epistle to the Corinthians," NICNT, 15. [3] For a partial listing of early patristic citations, see Josh McDowell and Bill Wilson, He Walked Among Us: Evidence for the Historical Jesus (Nashville,: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1993), chapter 4. [4] Julius Africanus, Chronography 18.1, quoted in Josh McDowell and Bill Wilson, He Walked Among Us, 35. [5] Africanus, Chronography 18.1, quoted in Josh McDowell and Bill Wilson, He Walked Among Us, 36. [6] Origen, Against Celsus 2.59, McDowell and Wilson, 36. [7] McDowell and Wilson, 36. [8] The Works of Josephus, translated by William Whiston (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1987) 480. [9] Quoted by McDowell and Wilson, 45. [10] Josephus, Antiquities, 20.9.1, Whiston, 538. [11] From Henry Bettenson, ed. Documents of the Christian Church (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1963) 3-4. [12] Bettenson, Documents, 2. [13] Ibid. [14] Bettenson, Documents, 2. [15] Lucian, The Death of Peregrine 11-13, quoted by McDowell and Wilson, 53. [16] Quoted from a Syriac manuscript in the British Museum by McDowell and Wilson, 54. [17] Craig A. Evans, Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1992) 126.

[18] Edwin M. Yamauchi, "Jesus Outside the New Testament: What Is the Evidence?" Jesus Under Fire, Michael Wilkins and J.P. Moreland, Eds. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995) 214. [19] McDowell and Wilson, He Walked Among Us, 65. [20] Yamauchi, "Jesus Outside the New Testament," 214. [21] Ibid. [22] McDowell and Wilson, He Walked Among Us, 66. [23] A baraita (singular, baraitot plural) was a rabbinical writing separate from the Mishna, the body of rabbinical writings published about A.D. 200. The word baraita is Aramaic for, "standing outside." In a reference (e.g. b. Sanh.), the 'b.' stands for baraita. [24] Evans, Noncanonical Writings, 144. All of the following citations step from this source, pp. 144-146.