Is there actually any actual factual proof Jesus ever existed ?

Question

I mean really, undeniable, true, proof that he ever existed ? In my thinking he is just a rebel commander or, at the most, a personification of martyrdom against the roman occupation force.

Answer 1

No. Just stories written after the fact. The first stories (Paul, circa 40 CE) didn't mention an earthly life of Jesus at all. He seemed to be just some spiritual element, though he did die and resurrected, perhaps in a spiritual sense.
The first life story written for him was done by Mark, no earlier than 70 CE and probably closer to 90 CE.
Any other mention of Jesus other than by later believers was by people referring to the story told by believers. There are no contemporary writings about Jesus, despite extraordinary events that should have been recorded (Herod ordering all male children executed, The Jewish high council meeting on Passover evening for a trial, etc.)

Answer 2

I think St Nicholas of Myra existed. Most of us don't believe he comes down our chimneys with sacks of presents at Xmas time. ~~ The trouble with Tacitus (and also Pliny) is that they mention Christians - so we can assume there were Christians about (though Tacitus gets the word wrong). But: if they had both also mentioned the followers of the much more numerous Mithras cult, we could assume there was Mithraism about. But Mithras was legendary. Josephus may have mentioned Jesus, but not all of what he wrote is convincing, it looks as if it was 'improved' a little at some point. There are about seven independent sources which do claim knowledge of Jesus of Nazareth, in the Gospels and fragmentary texts. There are also accounts of people claiming to be his relatives, (James the Just), and a clear dispute over succession. That seems to indicate an historical Jesus.

Answer 3

YES HE DID EXIST: http://www.bede.org.uk/price8.htm
NO HE DID NOT: http://www.ffrf.org/news/2006/debunkingJesus.php

Yes he did includes an analysis of academic sources for a historical Jesus, while No he did not features an article and a list of works against a historical Jesus.

Should be a good starting point to see both sides. Note that each source has an obvious bone to pick with the bede site run by moderate Christians and the FFRF site run by atheists. In fact finding works by someone without a dog in the fight is hard indeed.

Answer 4

He was a historical figure. There is no doubt at all of his existence. He was a Jewish rabbi who popped out of who-knows-where ( it is strongly believed that the stories of his birth were made up after he became known as an adult preacher ).
His ideas and preachings were in conflict with the accepted Jewish church. This turned the rabbis against him. When he began to hint that he was the Messiah, that finished him with the Jews.
He went around shooting off his mouth about having powers greater than the Roman Emperor. That was an offense that called for the death penalty. He was executed by the Romans as called for by Roman law.

Answer 5

No, there is not any.
In spite of all the claims to the contrary there is not a single shred.
If it was not for the Catholics from 324 until about 1400 burning or otherwise destroying every non christian record they could find we might have been able to answer the question of where the Christ idea came from. As it is we only have a few later Christian claims and a few Christian forgeries inserted into one of the few texts they chose to save as propaganda.

The one text that the believers like to trot out is Josephus Flavius. He was a Roman Historian who wrote about the Jewish war. Even the Catholic Church admits that the passage about Jesus was created and inserted by Bishop Eusebius.

Answer 6

Yes, historically speaking there has been undeniable proof that a man named Jesus walked the earth.

That has never been a question among believer or non. The question has always remained, WHO was this man. Was he a leader, a revolutionist, of the Son of God.

Answer 7

There is, it's just that God keeps it for those who trust Him. I'm being serious. In John 16 Jesus talks about the "Comforter" or Counselor". He said that He would come after Jesus ascended. And He did. He is supposed to work not only with believer's, but also unbeliever's. (I'll leave you to read it yourself and spare you the cut and paste.)

I have received that Spirit, and He guides me to know what I know and learn about the Bible, Jesus, and whatever else He wants me to know.

I know that you want evidence, as if you can pick it up and examine it, but the closest I can get to that is to tell you where to look, like John 16. If those who wrote John told the truth about what Jesus said, and they reported what Jesus said accurately, and Jesus told the truth, then there is a Spirit of God that works in us, especially the believers.

What I am telling you is that I have found that those words are true because I have had and still have experiences with that Holy Spirit. It was that Holy Spirit that responded to me when I got saved. I didn't have an uneventful conversion from Agnosticism.

So your evidence is there to discover IF you trust God. From my experience, only those who trust God through Jesus Christ get to see that evidence. God is selective about who gets it, and who does not get it.

Answer 8

George Washington almost certainly existed. Is there any hint of proof [or belief] that he chopped down a cherry tree or threw a silver dollar across the Potomic?

Answer 9

There is more than substantial proof a man named Jesus, son of the carpenter, did in fact walk the earth. The proof can be found through other sources than the Bible indicating the Jesus Christ existed. The question is really whether he was who he said he was.

Answer 10

You could probably google a few articles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus
and there also was a letter preserved by the Church in Messina from the Blessed Virgin who wrote it during St. Paul's mission showing her support of his work. In it, she mentions Jesus.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10216a.htm
(a little history of Messina)
(there may still be things to unearth there, since no one dug everything up after the earthquake the city experienced in the 1700's.)

"A letter written by the Blessed Virgin Mary to the City of Messina where St. Paul the Apostle preached the gospel, which has been preserved in the Reliquary of the great altar.
"I, Mary Virgin, servant of God, very humble mother of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Almighty and Eternity, to all who are in Messina, health and benediction in our Lord. You have learned by the ambassadors who have been sent to you. You received the gospel and you acknowledged that the Son of God has become man, and has suffered the passion and death for the salvation of the world, and that He is Christ and also the true Messiah. I beseech you to persevere, promising to you, and all your posterity, to assist you in the presence of My Son."
Mary Virgin, very humble servant of God"