So give me your best proofs of jesus?

Question

As some of you know I do not believe in a historical jesus. So I would like to take this opportunity to see if you can convince me. Send me whatever links you want and I will read them. I have done quite alot of research on this subject so I am sure I have seen most of them.

Please don't bother with the Josephus quote as it has been proved to be altered.

If you are going to quote the bible (which I would prefer you wouldn't) please only use the original hebrew tanakh as to say the least I am suspicious of the Septuagint and all of it's "offspring" translations.

The NT does not count.

Bonus points to anyone who can provide me with anything pre Paul and his epistles.

Good Luck

Consider the following list. These are the historians and writers who DID live within Christ's alleged lifetime or within a hundred years of it, after the time:

Apollonius Persius
Appian Petronius
Arrian Phaedrus
Aulus Gellius Philo-Judaeus
Columella Phlegon
Damis Pliny the Elder
Dio Chrysostom Pliny the Younger
Dion Pruseus Plutarch
Epictetus Pompon Mela
Favorinus Ptolemy
Florus Lucius Quintilian
Hermogones Quintius Curtius
Josephus Seneca
Justus of Tiberius Silius Italicus
Juvenal Statius
Lucanus Suetonius
Lucian Tacitus
Lysias Theon of Smyran
Martial Valerius Flaccus
Paterculus Valerius Maximus

eatonwrite-you didn't follow the rules, and yes many have debated the "geneology of jesus". Even many biblical historians who accept a less literal version of the jesus story debate this "geneology".

Answer 1

Is there any historical proof that Jesus existed?
The ancient historical record provides examples of writers, philosophers and historians who lived during or not long after the time Jesus is believed to have lived and who testify to the fact that he was a real person. We will look at what some of these people have said.

Cornelius Tacitus
Tacitus lived from A.D. 55 to A.D. 120. He was a Roman historian and has been described as the greatest historian of Rome, noted for his integrity and moral uprightness. His most famous works are the Annals and the Histories. The Annals relate the historical narrative from Augustus’ death in A.D.14 to Nero’s death in A.D. 68. The Histories begin their narrative after Nero’s death and finish with Domitian’s death in A.D. 96. In his section describing Nero’s decision to blame the fire of Rome on the Christians, Tacitus affirms that the founder of Christianity, a man he calls Chrestus (a common misspelling of Christ, which was Jesus’ surname), was executed by Pilate, the procurator of Judea during the reign of the Roman emperor Tiberias. Tacitus was hostile to Christianity because in the same paragraph he describes Christus’ or Christ’s death, he describes Christianity as a pernicious superstition. It would have therefore been in his interests to declare that Jesus had never existed, but he did not, and perhaps he did not because he could not without betraying the historical record.

Lucian of Samosata
Lucian was a Greek satirist of the latter half of the second century. He therefore lived within two hundred years of Jesus. Lucian was hostile to Christianity and openly mocked it. He particularly objected to the fact that Christians worshipped a man. He does not mention Jesus’ name, but the reference to the man Christians worship is a reference to Jesus.

Suetonius
Suetonius was a Roman historian and a court official in Emperor Hadrian’s government. In his Life of Claudius he refers to Claudius expelling Jews from Rome on account of their activities on behalf of a man Suetonius calls Chrestus [another misspelling of Christus or Christ].

Pliny the Younger
Pliny was the Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor (AD. 112). He was responsible for executing Christians for not worshipping or bowing down to a statue of the emperor Trajan. In a letter to the emperor Trajan, he describes how the people on trial for being Christians would describe how they sang songs to Christ because he was a god.

Thallus and Phlegon
Both were ancient historians and both confirmed the fact that the land went dark when Jesus was crucified. This parallels what the Bible said happened when Jesus died.

Mara Bar-Serapion
Some time after 70 A.D., Mara Bar-Sarapion, who was probably a Stoic philosopher, wrote a letter to his son in which he describes how the Jews executed their King. Claiming to be a king was one of the charges the religious authorities used to scare Pontius Pilate into agreeing to execute Jesus.

Answer 2

Jesus' Miracles Testify that He is God Matt. 1:23; Mark 1:27,35 - Jesus was conceived in the virginal womb of the Blessed Mother. Matt. 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; John 1:32 - God's Spirit descends upon Jesus and the Father declares Jesus to be His Son. Matt. 4:23-24; 9:35;15:30; Mark 1:34; 3:10; 6:5; Luke 4:40; 7:10; 13:13; 14:4; John 4:52 - Jesus miraculously cures illness and disease. Matt. 7:35 - Jesus cures a deaf person with a speech impediment. Matt. 8:3; Mark 1:41; Luke 5:13; 17:14 - Jesus cures leprosy. Matt. 9:21-22; Mark 5:27-34; Luke 8:44 - the hem of Jesus' cloak cures the woman with the hemorrhage. See also Matt. 14:36. Matt. 8:13; 9:7; Mark 2:9; Luke 5:25 - Jesus cures those who are paralyzed. Matt. 8:15; Mark 1:31; Luke 4:39 - Jesus cures Peter's mother-in-law's fever. Matt. 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24 - Jesus calms the storm. Even the wind and sea obey Him. Matt. 8:32; 9:33; 12:22; 15:28; 17:18; Mark 1:26,34; 3:11; 5:13; 7:30; 9:26; Luke 4:35,41; 8:33; 9:42; 11:14 - Jesus has power over demons. Matt. 9:4; 12:25; Luke 6:8; 11:17 - Jesus knows people's thoughts. Matt. 9:25; Mark 5:24; John 11:44 - Jesus raises people from the dead. Matt. 9:30; 12:22; 20:34; 21:14; Mark 8:25; 10:52; Luke 7:21; 18:42; John 9:11 - Jesus cures the blind. Matt. 12:13; Mark 3:5; Luke 6:10 - Jesus cures the man with the withered hand. Matt. 14:19-20; 5:36-37; Mark 6:41-42; 8:7-8; Luke 9:16-17; John 6:11 - Jesus multiplies the loaves and fish and feeds the crowd of thousands. Matt. 14:26; Mark 6:48; John 6:19 - Jesus walks on water. Matt. 15:21; 16:21; 17:9,22; 20:18-19; 26:2; Mark 10:33-34; Luke 9:44; 17:25; 18:32-34 - Jesus predicts His passion. Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:29 - Jesus is transfigured in glory. Matt. 17:27 - Jesus miraculously has a shekel appear in the mouth of a fish. Matt. 21:2-3; Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30 - Jesus predicts that a colt would be available for Him. Matt. 21:19; Mark 11:14,20 - Jesus curses the fig tree and it withers. Matt. 24:34; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:32 - Jesus predicts the fall of Jerusalem which occurred in 70 A.D. Matt. 26:21-25; Mark 14:18-20; Luke 22:21; John 13:21,26 - Jesus predicts Judas' betrayal. Matt. 26:26-28; Mk. 14:22,24; Luke 22;19-20; 1 Cor. 11:24-25 - Jesus changes bread and wine into His body and blood. Matt. 26:34; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:34; John 13:38 - Jesus predicts Peter's denial. Matt. 27:51-54; Mark 15:38-39 - supernatural events occur at Jesus' death. Matt. 28:9; Mark 16:9,12,14; Luke 7:14-15; 8:54-55; 24:5,31,36; John 20:14,19,26; 21:1-14 - Jesus rises from the dead. Mark 14:13; Luke 22:10 - Jesus predicts that a man carrying a jug of water will show them the furnished room for the Passover. Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51 - Jesus ascends into heaven. Luke 2:13-14 - the angels praise Jesus' birth. Luke 5:7; John 21:6 - Jesus directs the miraculous catch of fish. Luke 24:31 - Jesus has the ability to vanish out of sight. John 2:9 - Jesus changes water into wine. John 13:36; 21:18 - Jesus predicts Peter's death. Peter was martyred in Rome around 67 A.D. John 20:19,26 - Jesus has the ability to appear even when the doors are locked.

Answer 3

Hey there,
You can download Mario Forever for free here: http://j.mp/1p0vO0s

Mario Forever is the restructured edition of the traditional arcade game Super Mario Bros. The gameplay is much like the same with the original Super Mario, in which you have to defeat the boss and bring the princess from his dungeon castle. In the last part of the stage is an evil dragon who is responsible for kidnapping the princess.
It's a great game.

Answer 4

Proof? Sorry. But there are a few interesting things to think about.

The Gospel of Matthew traces Jesus'ancestory very specifically back to Abraham, through David and Solomon, and while this does not completely make sense in light of the belief that Jesus was born to a virgin, it is a very detailed and specific geneoloty. The geneology in Luke is slightly different, and goes back to Adam.

I find it curious that no one has ever challenged this geneology, so we must allow for the possibility that it is authentic.

Something else that has struck me is that Judaism has not produced a Prophet since Jesus' time---there have been many learned Rabbis, people like Bal Shem Tov, a few false prophets and con men here and there, but no additional Hebrew prophets since Jesus (alleged) life. Seems curious to me.

Finally, the story just seems like it hangs together somehow, even with the absurdities and miracles and contradictions---it just seems like the kind of answer that the God of Abraham would give to those who prayed to him---a very Jewish answer. They want a descendant of David to restore Israel to it's military heyday, throw off the yoke of Roman occupation, and make the world perfect, and they get a pacifistic priest-king who consorts with sinners, harlots, Samaritans, even Roman Centurians! He blasts the clergy of his time, tells evocative parables that are still easily understood today, instructs his followers to practice forgiveness, then rides a donkey into Jerusalem and allows himself to be tortured to death.

Maybe I just want to believe what I was raised to believe. I would invite you to read Matthew 5-7, the famous "Sermon on the Mount" and judge for yourself if (if there is a God) this is the kind of message that God would want to deliver to the Jews, and later the larger world.

Answer 5

There is no way you could come to saving faith of Jesus. It is only by the work of God that you would beleive. Natual man does not have the spiritual eyes to see. Only someone who God has chosen to save can possibly believe. It is these people whom God will regenerate by giving them a new heart. You will know you are one of these people if you one day see your own sin before an all holy God and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. btw God commands all the world to repent and come to Christ. All others will be found guilty for there transgressions agains Him.

Answer 6

By my faith and obedience in Jesus, I can give you my own experiences. Before I started to belive in Jesus and what he did for me, I was in all sorts of trouble and was in a bad motorcycle accident at 18. At 30, I started to belive in him and understand what he did for us, then I received the holy spirit and started to experience a force from above. So, if you belive me or not, Jesus has a lot do with it.

MY EXPERIENCES

I experienced God many of times, when you fellowship with him. I received the Holy Spirit one day before I came to the church that I am attending now. The power of the Holy Spirit was so powerful that it was a force that rippled from my feet through my body and up to my head. It removed the pain and depression that I had at the time and it caused a great sensation of peace (to this day, I was never water baptized). He will be there for you; he knows your needs and wants. One night after doing the will of God (ministering to someone against the book of James) I was driving back home and I continued to fall asleep on the fwy. On the third time, my ears popped opened, like a loud explosion, I felt a rush of pins and needles swirling around the inside of my head, I felt pins and needles from my elbows to my hands and then I was wide awake, like I had slept for days. I knew it was God and I drove all the way home and when I got into the driveway I started to fall a sleep again. Once he picked me and my motorcycle up, while riding in the mountains after I was about to crash. I blacked out and when he set me back on the path, I woke up. Once he sent an angel down to stop me from doing something stupid, this angel looked like a human but when I turned away for a second and then back he vanished. I can go on and on. Have faith, sit in a church and learn God's word. You need to find a home church, be obedient, follow his word, be baptized with the holy spirit, show your self approved and do the will of God (Mark 16: 15 - 18)

Answer 7

The Spirit told me He lives. Not to mention I have the Book of Mormon which records His post resurrection visit to America.

Answer 8

I went in my room.I said Jesus I am a sinner.Jesus I believe You died on the cross for my sins.Please forgive my sins.Jesus Come into my heart and BAM Jesus filled me with so much peace and love I thought I was going to explode with joy knowing that I am going to live with Jesus Forever.

Answer 9

Just take a look at your calendar.

It begins with Christ, and it will end with Christ.

Your mileage may vary.

Answer 10

if Jesus is a placebo does that mean the FDA should approve placebos as real medicine ..... my perspective of the veracity of some of these supposed proofs ...