Ten Arguments For The Historical Jesus

TEN ARGUMENTS FOR THE HISTORICAL JESUS

1. MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT SOURCES. The existence of multiple independent sources – the four Gospels, Paul’s letters, and other early Christian writings – that attest to the historical existence of Jesus. There wasn’t just one witness to Jesus, but a large number of eyewitnesses! They hadn’t been told about Him – they saw Him themselves.

2. THE N.T. CONSISTENT WITH HISTORY & CULTURE. The Gospels’ portrayal of Jesus’ life and teachings is consistent with the historical and cultural context of first-century Palestine. Customs, culture, locations, jargon, Roman & Palestinian authorities, etc. all have been found to be accurate to first century Palestine.

3. NON-CHRISTIAN SOURCES VERIFY. The existence of non-Christian sources, such as Josephus, Tacitus, and Suetonius – all of which mention Jesus and the early Christian movement.

a. FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS (born A.D. 37), a Jewish historian, wrote, “Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.” (Antiquities, Book 18, 3:3).

b. TACITUS (c. A.D. 55 - c. A.D. 117) Annals, book XV: “Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular.”

c. SUETONIUS (c. A.D. 69 - c. A.D. 140) Lives of the Caesars - Claudius, sec. 25: “Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome.” Lives of the Caesars - Nero, sec. 16; “Punishment was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition.”

4. NO PLAUSIBLE ALTERNATIVES CAN EXPLAIN. The lack of any plausible alternative explanations for the origin and growth of the Christian movement, which began in the immediate aftermath of Jesus’ death. Nothing else can explain the transformation of the disciples and the rapid spread of Christianity.

5. CRITERION OF EMBARRASSMENT. The existence of the criterion of embarrassment, which suggests that the Gospel writers included details that were potentially embarrassing to the early Christian movement, but which they included anyway because they were historically accurate. Examples: Peter rebuking or denying Jesus; disciples abandoning Jesus; doubting the resurrection; running to the tomb, etc.

6. MULTIPLE ATTESTED MIRACLES.

a. THE JEWISH RULERS of Jesus’ day didn’t dispute that Jesus had performed miracles, rather they tried to question the source of the power He exhibited. “By what authority are You doing these things?” (Matt. 21:23; see also Matt. 9:32-34; 12:22-24, 25:1-4; John 9:15-16). This line of attack -- the “how” of Jesus’ miracles -- continued in the Jewish Talmud. Babylonian Sanhedrin 43a says, “On the eve of Passover they hanged Jeshu (of Nazareth) ... in that he had practiced sorcery and beguiled and led astray Israel.” In the N.T. they said He cast out demons by Beelzebul (Mt. 12:24; Lk. 11:15).

b. PONTIUS PILATE evidently made a record of his procuratorship and sent copies to the imperial archives in Rome. This record included accounts of the Miracles of Christ. When the Christian witness, Justin Martyr, stood trial before Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius in A.D. 150, he appealed to these records when speaking of the miracles of Jesus; “That He performed these miracles you may easily be satisfied from the ‘Acts of Pontius Pilate’” (Apology I:48).

7. WILLING TO DIE HORRIBLE MARTYR’S DEATHS DECLARING IT WAS SO. The fact that Jesus’ disciples were willing to die for their beliefs, suggests that they were convinced of Jesus’ identity, teachings, and mission.

8. EARLY CHRISTIAN CREEDS. The existence of early Christian creeds, which predate the writing of the New Testament documents, and which attest to the belief in Jesus’ historical existence, crucifixion, and resurrection. Examples: 1 Cor. 15:3-7; 11:26; Acts 2:22-36; Rom. 4:25; 10:9; 1:3-4; Phip. 2:6-11; 1 Tim. 2:6, 8; 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:18.