 Did Jesus Exist?
If people are to believe that Jesus is alive now, they must believe
that he actually existed. There are various sources that can be drawn
upon to show that Jesus Christ is not a fictitious character. The
examples quoted below are of particular interest because they are the
writings of Non-Christians. This first quote is taken from the work of
Josephus (as translated by William Whiston).
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 principal 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, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, Ch. 3.3
Michael Smith provides the following insight into Josephus:
Josephus, the Jewish historian, was born in A.D. 37 of a priestly family. He was well educated, and followed the Pharisaic form of Judaism. In A.D. 64 he visited Rome as a member of a Jewish embassy... After the end of the Jewish revolt (A.D. 66-70), he went to Rome with Titus, and lived there until his death about A.D. 100. Josephus became a close friend of the Emperors Vespasian and Titus, and took their family name, Flavius. Josephus did all his writing at Rome. His works include "The Jewish Wars" and "The Antiquities of the Jews".
Based on Smith's report, Josephus was born about three years after the
crucifixion of Jesus. His proximity in time to the events leading up
to Jesus' death is similar to the proximity to World War 2 for a
person who was born in 1948. There is ample evidence that the life
and times of Jesus Christ was a hot topic in Jerusalem well after he
departed from the Earth.
Josephus would no doubt have heard many stories about Jesus. As a
Pharisee, it would be expected that he would be an opponent of Christ.
It was the Pharisees who organised the execution of Jesus because he
spoke against them. Jesus spoke against the Pharisees because of
their tendency to promote technicalities at the expense of care for
people:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.Matthew 23:23, NIV
Ross Clifford in his book "Leading Lawyers look at the resurrection" notes that the Jewish Talmud (civil and ceremonial law) mentions
Jesus...
The Jewish Talmud notes Jesus' execution, that he was not accepted by Jewish authorities, that he hung on a tree on Passover eve and that he did 'miracles'.Sanhedrin 43a and Yeb. IV 3:49a.
Clifford believes that the recognition of Jesus in the writings of the
Talmud is the most significant because it's writers were bent on
discrediting Jesus.
Clifford also notes that a Roman historian's reports acknowledges
Jesus' existence...
Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman historian, in A.D. 112, stated Jesus was put to death by Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius.Cornelius Tacitus, Annals XV 44.2-8.
This is an overview of the external evidence of Jesus' existence. The
book "Leading Lawyers look at the resurrection" (by Ross Clifford)
provides further information for those who are interested.
This evidence is put forward to demonstrate that Jesus actually
existed. To accept that he existed is not to accept that he is the
son of God and that he rose from death on the third day. The
following evidence is provided to support these claims.
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