Apart from the Bible, is there ANY PROOF that Jesus existed?

Question

Remember that from the same period in time, there were statues going up all over the place for various kings and gods. Were there any for Christ?

Answer 1

Yes, there are other historians that were not Christians that wrote about Jesus. Josephus, Tactius, Pliny the younger, and some others. As far as the statues go, Jesus had better. Men who were skeptics knew Jesus had risen from the dead and became believers and went to their deaths preaching the gospel. If He didn't exist then no one would have died in His name. People don't sacrifice their lives for a myth.

Answer 2

certain, there are dissimilar secular (non non secular) archives that corroborate the existence of Jesus. it is the important data that persuaded me to offer up atheism and grow to be born again. i presumed the Bible grow to be a call of myths. I had no theory that there grow to be a lot data outside of the Bible that supported the biblical claims. Jesus lived in what's now Israel at a time at the same time as that area of the international grow to be ruled through the Roman Empire. hence, there are Jewish historians and Roman historians who wrote about Jesus. no longer in trouble-free terms do their writing help Jesus' existence, yet in addition they help the reality that He done miracles and so that they help the reality that He grow to be crucified yet looked in public to 1000's of persons 3 days later. highly compelling, isn't it?

Answer 3

Flavius Josephus was a Jewish priest at the time of the Jewish Revolt of A.D. 66. He was captured by the Romans, imprisoned, set free and then retired to Rome where he wrote a history of the Jewish Revolt called the "Jewish War." Later he wrote "Antiquities" as a history of the Jews. It is in Antiquities that he mentions Christ. The mention is called the Testimonium Flavianum (Ant. 18.63-64; see below). Josephus was born in Jerusalem around 37 A.D. He died around the year 101.
The problem with the copies of Antiquities is that they appear to have been rewritten in favor of Jesus as they are very favorable, some say too favorable to have been written by a Jew. Add to this that the Christians were the ones who kept and made the copies of the Josephus documents throughout history and you have a shadow of doubt cast upon the quotes.
However, all is not lost. First of all, there is no proof that such insertions into the text were ever made. They may be authentic. The Testimonium is found in every copy of Jesusphus in existence. Second, Josephus mentions many other biblically relevant occurrences that are not in dispute (see outline below). This adds validity to the claim that Josephus knew about Jesus and wrote about Him since he also wrote about other New Testament things. Nevertheless, though there may be some Christian insertions into the text, we can still reconstruct what may have been the original writing.
Two researchers (Edwin Yamauchi and John P. Meier)1 have constructed a copy of the Testimonium with the probable insertions in brackets and underlined. The following paragraph is Yamauchi's:

“About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man [if indeed one ought to call him a man.] For he was one who wrought surprising feats 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 Christ.] When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing amongst us, had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him. [On the third day he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had prophesied these and countless other marvelous things about him.] And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.”

Though this may be a correct assessment of the Testimonium, we should note that an Arabic version (10th Century) of the Testimonium (translated into English) is in basic agreement with the existing Josephus account:

"At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them after his crucifixion and that he was alive; accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders."

Noted Oxford expert on literature and myths, C. S. Lewis, the Oxford expert on literature and myths, said, "I have been reading poems, romances, vision-literature, legends, myths all my life. I know what they are like. I know that not one of them is like this [the Gospels]."2
Regarding the gospel of Mark. "A date before a.d. 50 leaves no time for mythological embellishment of the records. They would have to be accepted as historical."3
"New Testament books appeared within the lifetime of eyewitnesses and contemporaries. Luke was written by about 60, only twenty-seven years after Jesus’ death, before Acts in 60–62 (see Hemer, all). First Corinthians was written by 55–56, only twenty-two or twenty-three years after Jesus’ death (cf. 1 Cor. 15:6-8). Even radical New Testament scholar John A. T. Robinson dates basic Gospel records between 40 and 60...there is no time or way for a legend to develop while the eyewitnesses were still alive to refute the story."4

Answer 4

There are records a Jesus lived...I think Jesus did live, how else did the Christians get power to split the Roman empire in two, as for his events, Imagine a book that has lived for years...why wouldn't an 'Empire Religion' (Rome/Middle ages, British, American) such as Christianity change things to better the situation

Answer 5

Here are just a few...

Josephus
Tacitus
Suetonius
Julius Africanus
Origen
Pliny the Younger

Answer 6

Lay aside the records of Josephus and Secular Roman Records and consider that a dozen men suffered persecution and execution for refusing to deny Jesus. No one not even a dummy dies for a lie.
I Cr 13;8a

Answer 7

Biblical Archaeology Review revealed that a stone ossuary (bone receptacle) has an inscription reading "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." If authentic, this would be the earliest archaeological find that corroborates biblical references to Jesus.

Answer 8

There are historians who wrote of Christ. There were over 500 witnesses to Christ being on earth. The calendar was changed from B.C. to A.D. because of His birth. The Church was established for Christ and is still the most powerful force on earth. What other proof do you need?

Answer 9

Sir nothing will be said to change your opinions; scrolls from red sea, robes of Jesus, apostles testimonies I could go on and on today facts, past events, even something as simple as looking at your calendar! You will not acknowledge, make a simple step into faith due to you stubborn fear.

Answer 10

Jesus existed. Not sure how true the bible it. In my opinion, the bible was written by the rich to control the poor. I wouldn't believe or apply everything it says...