Why don't Christians admit that Jesus is Just a Theory?

Question

Only "proof" we have Jesus even existed is from a book called the New Testament, which was written several hundreds years after Jesus was supposedly alive. Come on! I could sit down right now rewriting American history based on what I have been told and put in bunches of stuff with what I want people to believe! That's all the Bible is!

The first historic mention of Jesus was in 100 AD by a Roman Historian mentioning a relgion of believers.
Heck, I can historically mention something happening at the end of WW2, doesn't make it true.

Earliest written New Testament materials date from the 4th century AD, you are wrong claiming there is actual written text which survived from the 1st century.

BTW, I never said I thought Jesus DIDN'T exist, I'm just open to possibility a Jesus legend was invented as a type of therapeutic aid for Jewish people coping with the destruction of Jerusalem in 67 AD (which is well documented).
And I would say I only have an untestable hypothesis, but so does everyone else claiming Jesus actually is the son of God.

hmm, mentioning of Josephus is rather interesting. I could argue that Josephus actions indicate he felt Jesus was only a legend, something analogous to Robin Hood. Yes, I do read.

Answer 1

The books of the new testament were written from 30 - 70 years after the events they depict.

However, the only manuscripts that have survived are from the 2nd and 3rd century.

The historicity of jesus is an interesting topic, I think there may have been a 1st century Jewish teacher named jesus but accounts of his life have been greatly exaggerated

Answer 2

First of all, you need to use the word "theory" correctly. To say that someone has a theory is to imply that they have evidence which supports that theory. A theory is not just something someone pulls out of their bum -- that would be called an opinion.

Secondly, most people do not argue that Jesus actually existed. Religious or not, it is likely that a man named Jesus did walk the Earth, did die on the cross (many people did) and did shake things up a little for the Jews and for those who chose follow him.

So I ask you, oh brilliant one, why is the concept of Jesus so hard to swallow when amazing people are born and shake the world up every single day? Again, this isn't just an opinion. It's a fact. One person can change the course of history for the world.

If you are going to be an atheist, you could at least do yourself a favor and know what it is exactly that you are arguing against. Pick up a book, attend a class or two, pay attention to those around you.

Right now, you just sound like a fool.

Answer 3

You're all wrong. The historical Jesus is mentioned by the contemporary Jewish historian Josephus as well as in Roman history (the famous reference to "one Christus"). Secondly, the term theory is scientific, not theological. Evolution is a theory. Salvation by faith in Christ is a theological statement of faith. Finally, the New Testament was not written hundreds of years after Christ, but was written by followers of Him. Paul's works were completed no later than 64 AD at the time of the Neronian persecution at which time Paul was executed. The Revelation has been dated at around the turn of the 1st century. Every other document in the New Testament was written prior to The Revelation. If these writers were bent on fabricating history, then why do they time and again make themselves look ignorant and weak in faith? Here, my friend, is the rub. The Bible is the only ancient work based on history; the history of a people (Israel) and the history of a man (Jesus). The German theologians called it Heilsgeschichte (salvation history). You can reject the theological claims of Christianity if you want, but you cannot disclaim its history without looking like an ignoramous.

Answer 4

no, it was compiled about 300 years after his death, but most of it was written in the first century. Any writings that did not sit well with the Roman Empire were discarded, but the writings that are still there are pretty old. There is no historical evidence for Jesus' existence besides the gospels and the apocryphal (not included in the NT) gospels, but for the first century AD that should count as pretty solid evidence. Also there are first-century mentionings of Christians, so it seems clear something was going on at that time. Sure the certainty Christians have that he existed is too big, but the belief that he existed is itself pretty reasonable.

edit: sorry, but just because the physical text isn't older does not mean you can't have solid indications (in style and historical details) that there wasn't an older copy. Of the ancient greek philosophers hardly any original editions exist, but it would be quite extreme to conclude from that they were written much later.

Answer 5

I am an atheist. My opinions are based on reason. After seeing this question, I viewed several sites that mention sources of evidence of a historical Jesus, apart from the New Testament. While not overwhelming and allowing for the possibility of vested interest, I would say they point to a probability of Jesus being a historical figure. This will now be my position on the matter.

Answer 6

Um, actually the New Testament dates back to between about 60 A.D. and 95 A.D. So it WASN'T written "several hundred years" after Jesus was "supposedly alive." It was written a relatively short time after the fact, actually.

Is eyewitness testimony not valid? Try telling the courts that.

Edit: No, the original texts have not survived. However, archaeologists have surmised that because the books of the New Testament were flung far and wide across the known world at that time, it had had time to spread.
In addition to that, Christianity came into existence within 5 years of Jesus's death and resurrection. Had He not lived, that could not be true.
Furthermore, there are other little hints within the New Testament that show when it was written. For example, the books written by Paul were written in the first person, and he died in about 65 A.D. THIS means that at least his books were written prior to 65 A.D.

These are FACTS, not opinions.

Second edit: And by the way, according to your argument, Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey were not written until the 5th century B.C., because that's when the earliest texts date back to.
Oh, and Plato? Yeah, according to your logic, his writings didn't exist until the 10th century.

Answer 7

Jesus is real. You misinformed or uneducated.
Perhaps instead of sitting down and rewriting history, you might actually sit down and read a history book.
You've made yourself to look pretty foolish.

You STATED in your question: "Why don't Christians admit that Jesus is just a theory?" That looks to me as if you state that Jesus did not exist.
You also said that the ONLY proof is in the Bible. I see several references listed here that prove otherwise.


Have a great day!

I have included several links/resources that describe the life of Jesus.

Answer 8

You completely leave out the experiential knowledge that is obtained by one who follows after Jesus Christ. Countless lies have been changed for the better through Christianity, when nothing else seemed to work. Countless men and women have been inspired to greatness through Christianity. You talk about theories, most of the great scientists and mathematicians have been believers in God. If such logical people can believe in God, then the reason for not believing must be based on something else other than logic.

Answer 9

I disagree with your idea- Jesus could very well have been a person. It's not that incredible.

Here's what IS incredible, though, In order to forgive humanity, God creates Jesus, who has an inhuman willingness to be tortured and killed. Therefore, he somehow solves all of humanity's problems, while not even being a human.

Tell me this, if your dog is missbehaving, do you punish your hamster instead and think that that will save the dog from punishment?

Oh, and a race should not be judged as a whole, but rather, on an individual basis.

Answer 10

You obviously don't know much about Christianity, or Jesus, or the Bible, or history. Christians - and many other people - apparently know more about these things than you do. If you think you could rewrite American history based on what you've been told, you need to find some better resources. I suggest you take some classes, or read a book or two.