Many answers here quote the Bible, but does history show unequivocally that it is a true document?

Question

In my searching I can't find historical proof for many events occurring in the Bible. The census that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, for example, was ordered by Quinirius. The problem is that historical records show this census occurred 10 years prior to Christ's birth. And why would people be required to return to their ancestral home and not their place of current residence? This is one of the several things I cannot reconcile after thorough reading of the Bible and other historical books. For crying out loud, I can't find any other historical evidence outside of the Bible that Christ existed...or that if he did...it was a small cult that followed him. Mature discussion only, please. Thank you!

For those of you who rely on Josephus, there is ample evidence that his remarks about Christ were forged into his writings. His statement about Christ is not within the context of the subject matter written before or after the entry. It's as if it was planted there. Please cite references if your answer directs me to "look in the library" or to "check it out for myself." Thank you.

Answer 1

Yes it is.

And yes there is historical evidence for the existence of the MAN Jesus. Josephus and other jewish historians wrote of him. They never acknowledged his divinity of course, but from at least a historical standpoint they wrote of his existence.

PS: If you want to find out for yoruself about the bible's authenticity... devote some time to a reading of the book of Daniel and then comparing it with the actual historical events it foretold.

PPS: Besides Josephus, centuries after Jesus' death, the writers of the Jewish Talmud continued to credit Jesus with miraculous powers. According to the book Jewish Expressions on Jesus, they dismissed him as being one who "followed the practices of magic." Would such a comment have been made if it was even remotely possible to dismiss Jesus' miracles as mere myth? So did the writers of the Talmud acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. of course not, but they certainly acknowledged that he existed.

Answer 2

There is no evidence that supports the bible being an accurate historical document.

Many christians will claim that the places described in the bible existed in history. Although this is true, it is similar to claiming that Huck Finn is a true story because it mentions the Mississippi River, a true river, from a historical standpoint.

To be considered an accurate historical document, the document needs to be internally consistent. The bible is far from that.

Answer 3

You seem to like the idea of study but you fail in seeing the historical truthfulness.

example: During the time of Christ and until Christianity was allowed to be a practiced "religion" extreme persecution was performed.
Once a Christian was caught he/she was cruicified/death.

One cannot believe a Christian would actually sign an epistle or place his/her name on a Christian book.

You get the idea now?

After AD400 emperor Constantine allowed Christianity to become a favored religion among the Roman people.
Over ten years would follow before the pagan gods would be removed from the great City...
Yes, paganism was still notable throughout Rome even after Christianity was allowed.
Over 300 years of sifting through old Christian writings and vague historical epistles while creating an authentic time line was a huge undertaking.

We are blessed that any of these precious writing were saved.

Yes, the followers of Chist were a small group, all frightened and scared that they too would be killed.
Read the story of Peter, His most trusted Apostle even denied Him three times; Romans were vicious people!

The Romans conquered the known World from Northern Britian to Southern Africa for over 2000 years.

One must also realize that the neighboring lands under Roman rule would not accept Christianity, the latter lands favored paganism.

Around AD500 the neighboring lands swarmed into Rome creating such havoc and desolation that imperial Rome sank into hopeless decay and ruin; the dark ages would follow.

Essentially, Rome disintegrated from within because of the neighboring lands that opposed Christianity.

Imagine, a Roman emperor finally allowing Christianity and the majority of people still favoring paganism.
Similar to Jesus trying to give us an authentic God and through our ignorance turning away...

Answer 4

There may have been another census whose order is lost to history other than what theNT records.

That said, many events in the bible have archaeological proof...going back to the fall of Jericho and beyond. Not all the events have proof, but recordings of history were sketchy back then an usually itwas the winner who wrote the history.


BTW: as for Jesus being mentioned by Josephus....this passage in Josephus has been known to be a forgery for over 1600 years.

Answer 5

Well how does your question relate to Jewish history? A lot of their history is based on the Old Testament. So according to some people like Moses and Abraham didn't exist because they were in the bible.

Answer 6

I'm still waiting for them to find the remains of a unicorn. The Bible mentions unicorns 11 times.

Answer 7

That is the reason the Jews are here today - to prove the authenticity of the Bible.

If you have trouble accepting it then that's entirely up to you.

Answer 8

you need to visit a library
and a scholars collection
of past event of history and time

Answer 9

Josephus said he existed, and he is a reliable historian.

Answer 10

The answer to the first one is apparently due to the fact that the census records are somewhat confused in the historical records as are the times that people held offices because some held an office for a while then were sent somewhere else and then were reappointed to the original office.

The accounts written in the Bible were written to people who lived during the times following Jesus and were written by people who lived when Jesus was here and after He went back to Heaven. It isn't like there was some conspiriicy hundreds of years later where people made up accounts and put them all together in a book under false names of people who had lived before them in order to get people to believe a lie. One of the reasons many of the gnostic gospels were not included in the Bible is for that very reason. People put together stories that they titled things like The Gospel of Thomas claiming that it was written by "doubting Thomas" one of Jesus' disciples but in reality it was just cobbled together information and 10th hand accounts that had been changed as the stories got passed around.

Look at the introductions to the 2 letters written by Luke for example.

Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Luke wrote this before the book of Acts where in chapter 16 he apparently joined the Apostle Paul who died some time in the 60's AD. He went around interviewing eyewitnesses just like a newspaper reporter of today would do. His intent was to compile an accurate historical record and to send it to a friend. This is one of the strongest types of historical evidence that can be found.

Luke didn't have any idea that his letters would survuve to be included in a book that would continue on for thousands of years. He wanted to share the results of his investigations with other people who had heard about Jesus and the new sect of Judaism that claimed that the promised Messiah had really come.

Acts 1:1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

3 To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."