Do you believe that a historical Jesus exist, whether you believe the bible or not?

Answer 1

Of course. I believe in the bible, and I believe that Jesus existed, ergo, I believe that a historical Jesus existed.

Answer 2

From my understanding of history there is at least as much proof coming from sources other than the church that some person as Jesus existed to accept his reality at face value. Although when historians piece together what they can from what survives of the period there's probably more proof of another famous guy who died on a cross about a hundred years before Christ,let see who figures that one out first,it should be easy if you have any historical knowledge. That said I seriously doubt his impact in his own time,nor much of what is attributed to him later is true. Had a man risen from the grave and walked amongst his followers in any time that would be the biggest news of the day,and rather than only the Biblical record we would also be buried under the sheer weight of scraps and pieces from writings coming from the secular community if there had been anything resembling proof that this event happened. And it doesn't sound like he was hiding so there would have been proof,yet nothing. He may have had alot of wisdom,after all he was groomed for this life as a teacher for about 30 years by his family and most likely some other very great teachers of the time,for much evidence suggests he was not the pauper some believe,except by choice perhaps once his ministry began. So I'm reasonably sure he existed,and may have even had good teachings,too bad his followers don't seem to think so.

Answer 3

There is not one word written about Jesus at the time he was said to live. Furthermore, the only words written about the life of Jesus were written in the gospels, which were written some 40-80 years after his supposed death. There are not any historical records of a person named Jesus ever existing outside what is written in the bible. There are similarities between the Jesus myth and many other mystery cults which were known to exist at the time, wherein miracles attributed to Jesus were said to have been performed by other persons. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that the story of Jesus is merely another of these myths.

Answer 4

No other person in the history of mankind has had so much written about him. There are more books written about Jesus (good and bad) than any other subject.
For some one today to say that there was not a real Jesus walking this earth 2000 years ago would be like saying there was never a such thing as an airplane.

Answer 5

There is evidence that the passage from Josephus quoted by Jim B was not the original statement by Josephus, but instead modified later by Christians. This is the problem with relying on any writings that old. All copies of books were done by hand. There is very clear evidence that scribes often made changes -- we have old historical documents of supposedly the same text with different passages. Much of the copying was done by Christian scribes, who may have been motivated to "correct" what Josephus said in order to match what they "knew to be true".

See the works for Bart Ehrman.

Answer 6

The only real historian of that era in the area of the middle east was Josephus. He gave the following account... Jim

About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.
- Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63
(Based on the translation of Louis H. Feldman, The Loeb Classical Library.)

Answer 7

I believe Jesus exists, and I believe the Bible. The Bible isn't the only book that tells of Jesus.

Answer 8

Yes, Jesus actually is a historical figure.
A Roman historian mentions Jesus in his writings as he recorded events in Jerusalem and Palestine. At the time, Palestine was part of the Roman Empire, and under Roman Authority. That's one of the reasons the Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah, because they were looking for a mighty ruler to free them from Roman oppression. They definitely were not looking for a carpenter.

Josephus Flavius is the historian's name and you can find his work in Christian Libraries, or your public library.

Flavius' brief coverage of Jesus is enough to varify that Jesus was an actual person who lived.

Answer 9

It doesn't matter what I believe. A historical Jesus is irrelevant, because there is more evidence for you to find in the present that He existed than in the past. Read through a hymn book. Someone very real touched these peoples lives. I hope He touches yours.

Answer 10

Nope, nobody wrote a word about the guy during the time he was supposed to be alive. In spite of his living around major regional centers of scholarship and supposedly doing all manner of noteworthy things.