Jesus Christ
It is significant that Christ is not only spoken of in the Bible, but also in historical sources outside the Bible.
Cornelius Tacitus (born about 52 A.D.) was a Roman historian, who was also a Governor of Asia in 112 A.D. He mentioned Christ at least three times, --in fact, while writing about the reign of Nero, Tacitus mentions the death of Christ ("Christus") as well as the presence of Christians in Rome:
"But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties that the prince could bestow, nor all the atonements which could be presented to the gods, availed to relieve Nero from the infamy of being believed to have ordered the conflagration, the fire of Rome. Hence, to suppress the rumor, he falsely charged with the guilt, and punished with the most exquisite tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also (Annals, XV. 44).
(ref: The Best of Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, by Josh McDowell,
Here's Life Publ., San Bernardino, CA, 1990, p.198)
Flavius Josephus (born in 37 A.D.) was a Jewish Historian, who became a Pharisee when he was 19, was the commander of Jewish forces in Galilee in 66 A.D. When Roman forces captured Josephus, he was conscripted to the Roman headquarters. In about the year 105 A.D., Josephus writes:
"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 among 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 in 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, xviii. 33).
(ref: The Best of Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, by Josh McDowell,
Here's Life Publ., San Bernardino, CA, 1990, p.199)
A good number of ancient and secular sources refer to Jesus. There are allusions to Christ in the writings of such ancient authors as:
Philo of Alexandria (20 BC - 50 AD)
Galen of Pergamum (ca 130-201 AD)
Celsus (True Discourse, c.170)
Mara Bar Serapion (pre-200?)
Lucian (mid-2nd century)
Even the Jewish Talmud and Midrash mention Jesus
Other ancient historians who mention Christ in their writings are:
Thallus, a Samaritan (wrote about in about 52 A.D.)
Seutonius, who was on the staff of Emperor Hadrian, wrote about Jesus in about 120 A.D. ("Lives of the Caesars," c. 125).
"Plinius the Younger," a Governor of Bithynia in Asia-Minor in about 112 A.D., who wrote the following about the Christians:
"They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god (Epistles, X. 96).
(ref: The Best of Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, by Josh McDowell,
Here's Life Publ., San Bernardino, CA, 1990, p.200)
At Caesarea: Center Line is "[Po]ntivs Pilatvs"
...or, Pontius Pilatus.
Pontius Pilate
It is quite interesting that various authorities and "experts" maintained for a number of years that Pontius Pilate was not substantiated as an actual historical figure, and was therefore most probably a fictional embelishment added to the story about Jesus.
However, this present author has personally seen a slab of stone (about 15 inches by 30 inches, picture at left) unearthed by archaeologists in Caesarea by the Sea, Israel, which includes the name of "Pontius Pilate" ("Pontivs Pilatvs," with the letter "u" shaped like a "v") in the inscription on it. This find substantiates the historical reality of one of the central figures in the gospel accounts of the trial of Jesus.
New Testament
With regard to the New Testament, archaeological support is excellent, as F.F. Bruce remarks, "Where Luke has been suspected of inaccuracy, and accuracy has been vindicated by some inscriptional evidence, it may be legitimate to say that archaeology has confirmed the New Testament record."
("Archaeological Confirmation of the New Testament", Revelation and the Bible, R.F. Bruce, Grand Rapids, 1969, p.331)
.
Widespread Agreement
Few archaeologists and scholars doubt that the people mentioned in at least the latter part of the Old Testament (such as Nebuchadnezzar, David and Jeremiah), as well as through most of the New (Jesus, Peter and Paul), were people who really existed.
William R. Albright, professor of Semitics at Johns Hopkins University, became one of the most prominent and respected archaeologists of modern times, and after working at many sites in and around Israel, he states: "Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition of the value of the Bible as a source of history."
(Randall Price, The Stones Cry Out (Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House, 1997), p.10.)
Yale archaeologist Millar Burrows maintains, "On the whole, however, archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the scriptural record. More than one archaeologist has found his respect for the Bible increased by the experience of excavation in Palestine."
(What Mean These Stones?, Burrows, New York, 1965, p.1).
Concerning the text of the Bible itself, Burrows says, "Such evidence as archaeology has afforded thus far, especially by providing additional and older manuscripts of the books of the Bible, strengthens our confidence in the accuracy with which the text has been transmitted through the centuries."
(same as last citation, p.42)
Because of abundant historical facticity of the Biblical accounts, the field of Biblical archaeology is so big that there are whole journals and university departments dedicated to its study in various places around the world.
The archaeological confirmation of the historicity of much of what the Bible records is very extensive and solid, and grows constantly.
It is significant that Christ is not only spoken of in the Bible, but also in historical sources outside the Bible.
Cornelius Tacitus (born about 52 A.D.) was a Roman historian, who was also a Governor of Asia in 112 A.D. He mentioned Christ at least three times, --in fact, while writing about the reign of Nero, TacituTacitus mentions the death of Christ ("Christus") as well as the presence of Christians in Rome:
"But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties that the prince could bestow, nor all the atonements which could be presented to the gods, availed to relieve Nero from the infamy of being believed to have ordered the conflagration, the fire of Rome. Hence, to suppress the rumor, he falsely charged with the guilt, and punished with the most exquisite tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also (Annals, XV. 44).
(ref: The Best of Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, by Josh McDowell,
Here's Life Publ., San Bernardino, CA, 1990, p.198)
Flavius Josephus (born in 37 A.D.) was a Jewish Historian, who became a Pharisee when he was 19, was the commander of Jewish forces in Galilee in 66 A.D. When Roman forces captured Josephus, he was conscripted to the Roman headquarters. In about the year 105 A.D., Josephus writes:
"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 among 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 in 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, xviii. 33).
(ref: The Best of Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, by Josh McDowell,
Here's Life Publ., San Bernardino, CA, 1990, p.199)
A good number of ancient and secular sources refer to Jesus. There are allusions to Christ in the writings of such ancient authors as:
Philo of Alexandria (20 BC - 50 AD)
Galen of Pergamum (ca 130-201 AD)
Celsus (True Discourse, c.170)
Mara Bar Serapion (pre-200?)
Lucian (mid-2nd century)
Even the Jewish Talmud and Midrash mention Jesus
Other ancient historians who mention Christ in their writings are:
Thallus, a Samaritan (wrote about in about 52 A.D.)
Seutonius, who was on the staff of Emperor Hadrian, wrote about Jesus in about 120 A.D. ("Lives of the Caesars," c. 125).
"Plinius the Younger," a Governor of Bithynia in Asia-Minor in about 112 A.D., who wrote the following about the Christians:
"They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixe