Is there any historical proof outside of the Bible of Jesus Christ?

Question

Surely there has to be some records in Roman history about a man going around healing the sick giving sight to the blind etc.

Answer 1

try ancient historians: tacitus, pliny, lucian, seutonius, josephus, also the Jewish talmud. God bless.

Josephus Antiquities 18.3.3 - first quoted specifically by Eusebius in the fourth century - has come down to us as follows:
"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 the 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." [ja]

Answer 2

There is nothing about miracles. But there is a reference by the historian Josephus. It is generally accepted that 1) the reference has been "heavily edited" after the original entry and 2) Josephus also reported seeing various fabulous monsters. All in all, it's highly like there was at least one person corresponding to the historical Jesus. But no, there are no records of the various cures, resurrections, etc.

Answer 3

First of all, I don't understand why people discount the Bible as evidence. These men wrote accounts of their interactions with this man. These biogrophies were also written while there were still people around to argue that the stories were not true. But some places Jesus is mentioned are the Talmud, the letters of Ignatius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars.

You know, these men in the Bible gave their lives for what they knew to be true. Had they been lying, they would not have been willing to see it to the end. They saw Jesus in life, they saw him crucified and He came to them after He had been raised from the dead. They were writing about a first-hand experience, and they died for it.

Answer 4

One would think so, right? But amazingly, there appears to be little or no historical proof of Jesus, Himself, outside of the Bible. However, there HAVE been found some proofs that others who lived at the same time, and are in the Bible, existed.

Answer 5

There is no evidence of Jesus outside the bible, and its attendant writings.

You'd think that such a trouble maker would have been written about extensively somewhere considering what good record keepers the Romans were. But no, there's nothing.

Answer 6

The Talmud affirms that Jesus did miracles, it just says he was a sorcerer.

I don't see why people don't accept the Christian gospels as any evidence. As a historian that is the greatest kind of evidence I want. If I read about William Penn, I want to read things written by those who knew Penn his whole life and were friends with him. If I read about George Washington, I want to read it by those who knew him best.

The logic of many people seems to be, "I want to read a historical document about Jesus..... by someone who never met Jesus..... who did not believe he was God..... and who did not believe in Gods at all."

All the people who met Jesus either thought he was divine and good, or a deceiver and wicked person. There is really no one who ever claims he was just a good person and that's it.

Notice this though, the Jews did not question the existence of Jesus, his performing of miracles, or the missing body.

Answer 7

There is no real contemporary evidence. All the scriptures, canonical and non, were written long after Jesus alleged death. Historians, as sited by one user above, wrote, decades after Jesus was gone and were relying on information from documents written after any possible witnesses were gone as well.

Paul, the most prolific writer preserved in the New Testament never saw Jesus.

Answer 8

No one wrote about Jesus while He was alive. All historical text about Him, save the Bible (if you believe it is an historical account), were written decades if not centuries after He died.

Answer 9

Nope! There was one line by Josephus but even that has been demonstrated fake.

There are no secular writings from the time and even better then that, St Paul (that all the gospels are based on) never once stated Jesus was ever a human and resided on earth.

Answer 10

Nothing on official records. The name "Jesus" appears in some other manuscripts, but when dealing with old writings it's hard to validate. Too many alterations, etc.

Here's an interesting read

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/scott_oser/hojfaq.html