Where can I find scientific/historic evidence that Jesus did in fact exist.?

Question

When people question me about my beliefs, I really have nothting to back it up with other than the Bible. I am not saying the Bible is not good it is just that they come back and ssay "Whose to say the Bible isn't just another book that people wrote?" Then I do not know what to say. I am looking for ways to prove or explain to them why I believe what I believe.

Serious answers only please. If you don't believe that's your choice but please keep your comment to yourself.

Answer 1

Read "The Case for the Creator" and the "Case for Christmas." by Lee Strobel. Also anything by C. S. Lewis. He was once an atheist and wrote extensively about why he changed his mind. The NIV Bible publishers just came out with an Archaeological Study Bible. It has a lot of sidebars on historical records that backup much of what is found in scripture.

Remember though. Religion is a matter of Faith not persuasive ability... If someone does not want to believe.... they'll read the exact same paragraph as you and see it as foolishness when you see it as proof. That's why the Lord stressed that we should teach by example, not words. Our faith should make such a difference in our lives that people would notice and therefore seek God themselves.

There's nothing wrong with telling your friends that you believe because you choose to believe, that your belief gives you comfort and that its worth trying. That is, after all, the definition of faith.

Answer 2

Of all these authors that are from the so called time of christ and after AND are from the general region, not one of them writes about the supposed historic Jesus. They write enough to make a small library
Josephus
Philo-Judæus
Seneca
Pliny Elder
Arrian
Petronius
Dion Pruseus
Paterculus
Suetonius
Juvenal
Martial
Persius
Plutarch
Pliny Younger
Tacitus
Justus of Tiberius
Apollonius
Quintilian
Lucanus
Epictetus
Hermogones Silius Italicus
Statius
Ptolemy
Appian
Phlegon
Phædrus
Valerius Maximus
Lucian
Pausanias
Florus Lucius
Quintius Curtius
Aulus Gellius
Dio Chrysostom
Columella
Valerius Flaccus
Damis
Favorinus
Lysias
Pomponius Mela

Answer 3

First of all, there is no question whether Jesus existed or not. It is the same as saying "give me proof Christopher Columbus existed." It is written in history that he existed.

The question is, "Is Jesus who he really claimed to be"? For Christians, we believe he was truly the Son of God. For Jews, he was a prophet but not the Messiah. For others, he was simply a crazy man.

Jesus existed just as George Washington, Harriet Tubman or any other person you can find in a History book.

Answer 4

pah! good luck! But think about it...do you honestly think that you could find proof that Tony the camel salesman did in fact exist? He was around 2000 years ago and he was apparently alive just like Jesus. It's impossible to find proof.

Answer 5

I, too, have thought about this, but I have always come up short (I guess I should actually try to research). I have always thought that the Bible is all I need, and even though it was written and compiled by people, I know it was inspired by God, and thats always helped me. As for helping others, I've always tried to explain what I just said, and if they do not believe, I pray for them.

Answer 6

In the De Vinci code. It leaves alot of clues.
Jophesus, a roman jew of Jesus's time who wrote about him.

Note: You can't prove anything to anyone if they don't want to be convinced. You could shoot holes in any evidence about any belief.

So don't bother trying, your wasting your time proving anything.

Answer 7

Look online Ask a Pastor

Answer 8

The Shroud of Turin

Answer 9

There's probably some Roman transcripts or records proving his existence somewhere. Whatever documents there are, we know he existed. The problem is proving what he DID.

Answer 10

The book written by Josephus (historian alive during that time)