Expert: Brenda Martin - 3/25/2004

Question
I was raised Presbyterian and never had an interest or belief in any of it. People are always arguing over why someone isnt a christian and on they just have to convert you.

I want to know where are to cold hard facts that Jesus Christ ever existed. Wheres his body? But people say oh you'll never find it because he ascended to heaven. Ok to me thats an excuse. I, like all the other non believers want scientific evidence. Does anyone have in a museum actual belongings from him that I've never heard of? I dont believe "well the bible says so" Thats no more believable than any other writing passed down through the centuries. And its been translated so many times no one knows what in it is even correct. To me its all hearsay, wheres the proof?

Thanks Lianne :)

Answer
Hi Lianne, you asked--"FACTS THAT JESUS CHRIST EVER EXISTED."

Strangely, some say that Jesus never lived—that he is, in effect, a creation of some first-century men. Answering such skeptics, the respected historian Will Durant argued: “That a few simple men should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality, so lofty an ethic and so inspiring a vision of human brotherhood, would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the Gospels.”

Ask yourself: Could a person who never lived have affected human history so remarkably? The reference work The Historians' History of the World observed: “The historical result of [Jesus'] activities was more momentous, even from a strictly secular standpoint, than the deeds of any other character of history. A new era, recognised by the chief civilisations of the world, dates from his birth.”

Yes, think about it. Even calendars today are based on the year that Jesus was thought to have been born. “Dates before that year are listed as B.C., or before Christ,” explains The World Book Encyclopedia. “Dates after that year are listed as A.D., or anno Domini (in the year of our Lord).”

Critics, nevertheless, point out that all that we really know about Jesus is found in the Bible. No other contemporary records concerning him exist. But is this true?

Although references to Jesus Christ by early secular historians are meager, such references do exist.

Cornelius Tacitus, a respected first-century Roman historian, wrote: “The name [Christian] is derived from Christ, whom the procurator Pontius Pilate had executed in the reign of Tiberius.”

Suetonius and Pliny the Younger, other Roman writers of the time, also referred to Christ.

In addition, Flavius Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, wrote of James, whom he identified as “the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ.”

"EVIDENCE IN MUSEUM?"

The first-century Jewish historian Josephus referred to the stoning of “James, the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ.” (THE JEWISH ANTIQUITIES, JOSEPHUS, BOOK XX, SEC. 200)

Tacitus, a Roman historian who lived during the latter part of the first century C.E., wrote: “Christus [Latin for “Christ”], from whom the name [Christian] had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.”—THE COMPLETE WORKS OF TACITUS (NEW YORK, 1942), “THE ANNALS,” BOOK 15, PAR. 44.

With reference to early non-Christian historical references to Jesus, THE NEW ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA states: “These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus "(1976), MACROPÆDIA, VOL. 10, P. 145.

As it did with the Hebrew Scriptures, archaeology has brought to light many interesting artifacts in support of the inspired record contained in the Christian Greek Scriptures.

For instance –

Pontius Pilate Inscription. It was in 1961 that the first archaeological find was made with reference to Pontius Pilate. ( the person who put Jesus to death) This was a stone slab located at Caesarea, which bore in Latin the name of Pontius Pilate

To mention only one, as there are literally hundreds of artifacts relating to everything Jesus said and did. All the people Jesus mentioned, there is proof they existed, all the places he said he visited, there is proof these places did exist, and so on.

To put is simply, if we are to doubt the historicity of Jesus, we must also doubt the historicity of ones like, Alexander the Great and Napoleon, as there is more evidence of Jesus existence than of theirs.

"BIBLE ALL HEARSAY, WHERES THE PROOF?"

You have obviously never studied the bible, because if you did you would see why so many people have complete faith that it is the "Word of God" and despite it being translated again and again there are no additions, mistakes or errors.

I for one would not just put my faith and trust in any old book, I have studied it for 30 years now and believe me, it is not "hearsay" here are some examples of why I believe it is the word of God—

1. It is filled with prophecies reflecting detailed knowledge of the future—something impossible for humans.

2. Its contents are scientifically sound on matters that human researchers discovered only at a later date

3. Its internal harmony is significant

This is especially so in view of the fact that the books of the Bible were recorded by some 40 men as diverse as king, prophet, herdsman, tax collector, and physician. They did the writing over a period of 1,610 years; so there was no opportunity for collusion. Yet their writings agree, even in the smallest detail. To appreciate the extent to which the various portions of the Bible are harmoniously intertwined, you must read and study it personally.

How can we be sure the Bible has not been changed?

“In the number of ancient MSS. [manuscripts] attesting a writing, and in the number of years that had elapsed between the original and the attesting MSS., the Bible enjoys a decided advantage over classical writings [those of Homer, Plato, and others]. . . . Altogether classical MSS. are but a handful compared with Biblical. No ancient book is so well attested as the Bible.”—The Bible From the Beginning (New York, 1929), P. Marion Simms, pp. 74, 76.

A report published in 1971 shows that there are possibly 6,000 handwritten copies containing all or part of the Hebrew Scriptures; the oldest dates back to the third century B.C.E. Of the Christian Greek Scriptures, there are some 5,000 in Greek, the oldest dating back to the beginning of the second century C.E. There are also many copies of early translations into other languages.

In the introduction to his seven volumes on The Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, Sir Frederic Kenyon wrote: “The first and most important conclusion derived from the examination of them [the papyri] is the satisfactory one that they confirm the essential soundness of the existing texts. No striking or fundamental variation is shown either in the Old or the New Testament. There are no important omissions or additions of passages, and no variations which affect vital facts or doctrines. The variations of text affect minor matters, such as the order of words or the precise words used . . . But their essential importance is their confirmation, by evidence of an earlier date than was hitherto available, of the integrity of our existing texts.”—(London, 1933), p. 15.

Now I can understand you being put of religion, I certainly was and left, but don't let the way religion is make you believe the bible is not true or that Jesus never existed. Religion is in a total mess today because the DON'T apply the bible, not because the bible is wrong.

There is masses of evidence to prove Jesus existed and masses of evidence to prove the bible is the inspired word of God, if you would like to discuss any of these at length I will be happy to answer any further questions you have.

All the best Brenda