Why are there no writings from Jesus?

Question

My husband is a history major and says that he learned there is no historical evidence in Jesus (no writings or artifacts from him). How can I convince him otherwise?

Answer 1

Many are vaguely aware that Jesus Christ's birth, life and death were prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament. But few are aware of the sheer number of predictions and the astonishingly precise details foretold up to thousands of years in advance. These predictions are a powerful confirmation of the accuracy of Bible prophecy.

The Jewish New Testament lists 52 prophecies fulfilled in Christ's birth, life and death as stated in 81 passages in the Old Testament (pp. xxv-xxix). In many ways the Old Testament pointed forward to Christ's first and second comings. All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible discusses not only hundreds of specific prophecies, but many events, people, rituals and sacrifices recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures that foreshadowed the life, death, ministry and return of Jesus Christ (Herbert Lockyer, 1973).

What were some of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled? Let's notice a few:

• He would be a descendant of King David (Isaiah 11:1-5; Matthew 1:1, 6).

• He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1).

• One would precede Him who would announce His coming (Isaiah 40:3, 5; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:1-3).

• His own people would reject Him (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11).

• A friend would betray Him (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18-30).

• The price for His betrayal would be 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15).

• The 30 pieces of silver would buy a potter's field (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:3-10).

• Wicked people would pierce His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; Luke 23:33; 24:38-40).

• He would suffer execution but without the breaking of any of His bones (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33-36).

• Others would cast lots for His garments (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24).

• He would be buried with the wealthy (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60).

• God would resurrect Him from the grave (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:30-32).

Jesus Himself could not have controlled how these prophecies were fulfilled. No one can control the circumstances of His own birth, who his ancestors are and where he is born. Nor could He control the actions of others in betraying Him, putting Him to death and laying His body in the unused tomb of a wealthy man. Yet the prophets had written these remarkable details in advance up to 1,000 years earlier. King David predicted even details of Christ's death by crucifixion hundreds of years before the practice of crucifixion became common as a method of execution.

The four Gospels abound with accounts of how many Messianic prophecies were fulfilled, but Christ's closest followers didn't recognize their fulfillment at the time. Only in hindsight were they able to recognize many specific prophecies recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures and how they had been fulfilled.

Many prophecies regarding Jesus Christ are yet to be fulfilled. The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy lists more than 200 prophecies of the Messiah, most of which are yet to come to pass (Barton Payne, 1996, pp. 665-670). Just as the many precise details of Christ's birth, life, death and resurrection came to pass exactly as foretold, so will the many prophecies that relate to His second coming be fulfilled exactly as spelled out in God's Word.........Who needs writings from Jesus?

Answer 2

You can't. History is valid. Close-minded religiousity is not.

The Bible is written by several nomadic prophets and a couple of kings (David and Solomon). Not Jesus. Jesus didn't leave any artifacts or writings. That's just the way it is. Check your history, and know that the world does not rotate around the Bible.

Answer 3

your husband is correct. jesus, like paul bunyan, is a legend, a myth, an amalgam of the type of fanatical religious dingbats that abounded in that time and place. he did not exist as a real person and this explains why there was NOTHING written about him until he was invented 80 - 100 years after the events which describe his supposed life.

so instead of wasting your time trying to convince a person who obviously knows of what he speaks, try letting him convince YOU about the truth of this matter...as the saying goes, "the truth shall set ye free"...

Answer 4

All we have is the Gospel of Thomas, the sayings gospel, that in all probability Jesus wrote himself. It is zen-like in its approach to describing psychological transcendence of the conditioned identity. Very similar to what you will find in other religious traditions, but unique in its calling for 'absolute ego' death/transcendence in order to achieve unity with external reality.

It begins, "these are the words written by Judas Didymous Thomas," with Didymus/Thomas being Greek and Hebrew for twin and Judas as derivitive of Judaea (son of) which can be understood as his earthbound self. Also 'Doubting Thomas' and 'Judas the Betrayer' can be understood psychologically as aspects of his own internal ego battle.

Answer 5

There is historical evidence,no teacher would say that.We have not proved it yet but many believe Jesus was with the Essenes and did write some of the dead sea scrolls.

Answer 6

Message of Jesus was supposed to be for only 600+ years, later Islam continued message of Jesus through last Testament Quran. So, it was not necessary to preserve.

Answer 7

If you want the specific words from the mouth of Jesus, then get a red letter bible, but Jesus is the Word of God.

Answer 8

He's right. Not even the religious folk claim that we have anything written *by* Jesus, nor even at the same time he supposedly existed. One reason might be that he never actually existed at all. Another reason might be that he did exist (though he was just a normal man, of course) and provided some small nugget of truth upon which a vast religious fiction was based.

Isn't Rae's answer brilliant? The lack of evidence for something is apparently a good reason to believe it! Excellent. Since there is no evidence whatsoever that Meg Ryan loves me and wants me all to herself, that must be a good reason for me to believe it :-)

Catholic Crusader has a good point, except that we have a great deal of *contemporary* evidence for Rameses (done in his lifetime).

Answer 9

Think about it. What would He write with? Pencils and pens hadnt been invented yet. Still, physical evidence of His existence, sad to say, to date, is between slim and done.

Answer 10

Why don't you just accept him for who is is and not try to change him or convince him his belief is wrong, the same way he shouldn't try to make you an atheist but disproving something you hold dear.