It's commendable you're searching. Yes! Our Lord Jesus is real! "NO, IT WAS NOT BY FOLLOWING ARTFULLY CONTRIVED FALSE STORIES THAT WE ACQUAINTED YOU WITH THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BUT IT WAS BY HAVING BECOME EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAGNIFICENCE." – 2 PETER 1:16
Bear a couple things in minds – 1) Archaeology works within a framework – so beggers can't be choosers 2) Absence of proof is not proof of absence. It is quite ironic, that a lot the vocal dissenters are not only ignorant to how experts understand history but, also will have no problem accepting the existence of Kings and Queens and figures where there is virtually nothing but a name and maybe a brief story several centuries afterwards.
The Bible provides outstanding evidence, that Jesus Christ was a real person though. The Bible speaks of Christ Jesus as real and historical and, describes much of his life in great detail (1 Peter 1:16). Individuals in the first century could cross reference his genealogy with the gospel account of Matthew and Luke. There were actually eight different of these writers – and they were contemporaries to Christ Jesus himself. One of these eight individuals investigated Jesus' life and interviewed eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-4). At least, five knew Jesus personally, some actually being close relatives e.g., two were his younger half-brothers and three of the writers were of Jesus chosen "12 apostles" that he himself selected. The details in their writings testify to their First Century origin (the city of Jerusalem was destroyed about 37 years after his death). These different writers provided differing glimpses into the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. To the haters out, some of the oldest of these manuscripts were dated by scholars to be about approximately 25-50 years after they were to originally written. That alone speaks volumes in the validity or historicity of person Jesus Christ. You would be quite hard-pressed to that amount MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE for a lot other individuals widely-accepted as historical. – (SEE: GREENLEAF'S TESTIMONY)
THE 27 BOOKS OF THE "NEW TESTAMENT" ALONE PROVIDES DOCUMENTATION FROM 8 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN THE FIRST CENTURY TO JESUS CHRIST.
1) – “MATTHEW” – MATTITHYAHU LEWI BEN ALPHAEUS – (one of the 12 Apostles) – The Gospel of Matthew – (Papyri 104 located at the Ashmolean Museum which is dated to circa 150 C.E.)
2) – “MARK” – YEHOHANAN MARCUM – The Gospel of Mark.
3) – “LUKE” – LOUKAN – The Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. – (Papyri 4 dated presently located at the National Library of France which is dated to circa 175-250 C.E.)
4) – “JOHN” – YEHOHANAN BEN ZEBEDEE (a relative of Jesus and one of 12 Apostles) – The Gospel of John, The books of 1st 2nd and 3rd John and the book of Revelation... – (See the Rylands Papyrus 457 (P52) dated to circa 125 C.E.)
5) – “PAUL” – SHA'UL HAT-TARSI (PAULUS) – The books of Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews.
6) – “JAMES” – YA‛AQOV BEN YOSEF (brother of Jesus) – The book of James.
7) – “JUDE” – YUDAH BEN YOSEF (brother of Jesus) – The book of Jude.
8) – “PETER” – SHIMON ('KEPHAS' – 'PETROS') BAR YONAH (one of the 12 apostles) – The books of 1st and 2nd Peter.
“MEN OF ISRAEL, HEAR THESE WORDS: JESUS THE NAZARENE WAS A MAN PUBLICLY SHOWN TO YOU BY GOD THROUGH POWERFUL WORKS AND WONDERS AND SIGNS THAT GOD DID THROUGH HIM IN YOUR MIDST, JUST AS YOU YOURSELVES KNOW.” – ACTS 2:22
EXTRABIBLICAL: After the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E. many of the non-Christian eyewitnesses of Christ Jesus died; numerous records, some possibly even referring to Jesus, were no doubt lost and destroyed. Following that a large-scale genocide where many of the Jews were slaughtered occurred. However, even still glimpses that attest to the historicity of Christ Jesus still emerge from outside of Bible. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: would it be logical for these writers to depicted an individual they supposedly made up? Why would do so? and why would they include elements like his baptism, washing the feet of his disciples, enduring a humiliating execution on a torture stake?
The Early Christian disciples not only just acknowledged Jesus but actively proclaimed Christ Jesus' teaching, life, death and resurrection and doing that knowing so it was most likely lead to their death sentence. Additionally, early Christians did not participate in warfare (unlike Islam) therefore governments hated them, the Roman emperors and orthodox Jewish leaders both hated them. So what convinced them?
The Encyclopædia Britannica, 2002 Edition, says: “These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time and on inadequate grounds at the end of the 18th, during the 19th, and at the beginning of the 20th centuries.”
– FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS – (YOSEF BEN MATITYAHU) – (37 C.E. – Circa 100 C.E.) Flavius Josephus' name was originally Yosef ben Matityahu, he was not only a man of great prominence among the Romans but was an extremely knowledgeable and prominent Kohanim Jew (the means a Levitic priest – a descendant from Aaron brother of Moses), his father was a prominent Kohan (A Levitic priest – a descendant from Aaron brother of Moses) and his mother was Jewish noblewoman. Remember Jesus' life was cut short (at the age of 33) Josephus was not knowledgeable but, he was also a contemporary to the most of the people who were alive during Jesus' day, including some of the remaining Apostles. – See the what scholars called the, "Testimonium Flavianum". Josephus in addition to mentioning Jesus' himself, (in his work the Book, Jewish Antiquities, Book 18, chapter 3, par. 3.) also mentions many of the political leaders of Jesus' day, John the baptist (in work his book Jewish Antiquities, Book 18, chapter 5, par. 2) and James the brother of Jesus (Jewish Antiquities, Book 20, chapter 19). – (Remember Jerusalem was destroyed about 37 years after Jesus' death. The virtually every single one of documents from ancient Israel during the time of Jesus' were found not in Jerusalem but in the arid desert caves Quram – the Dead Sea Scrolls. These scrolls were carefully concealed in tall jars within the caves after being carefully wrapped in linen. Sadly most were deteriorating shape even considering.)
– PUBLIUS CORNELIUS “TACITUS” – (56 C.E. – 117 C.E.) Tacitus was a Roman historian. "Tacitus was certainly among Rome’s best historians" – Lawrence Mykytiuk. References Jesus Christ in his work, “the Annals”, Book 15, chapter 44.
– PAPIAS – (Circa 60 – 130 C.E) seems to have been a disciple of the Apostle John and a friend of Polycarp.
– MARA BAR-SERAPION – (Circa 73 C.E.) – Talks about Romans killing the "King of the Jews" on a stake. – DISCLAIMER: It is unconfirmed if this references Jesus or someone else. He was a Stoic philosopher from the Roman province of Syria. He is noted for a letter he wrote in Syriac to his son, who was also named Serapion.
– GAIUS “SUETONIUS” TRANQUILLUS – (69 C.E. – 122 C.E) – Suetonius was a Roman historian, references the early Christians in his work, Lives of the Twelve Caesars.
– POLYCARP – (Circa 69 – 155 C.E) An early so-called "Church Father" from 2nd-century.
– PLINY THE YOUNGER – Roman governor of Bithynia-Pontus (now in modern Turkey) wrote a letter to Emperor Trajan Letter dated to circa 111-112 C.E. regarding Early Christians.
– LUCIAN OF SAMOSATA – (125 C.E – after 180 C.E) Lucian was a Greek anti-Christian satirist
– GALEN – (129 C.E. – Circa 200 C.E.) physician, references early Christians.
– CELSUS – (Circa 177 C.E.) Greek philosopher, and opponent of Early Christianity, during 2nd-Century.
– JUSTIN MARTYR – (100 – 165 C.E) an early 'Christian' apologist.
– THALLUS – (2nd Century C.E.) – (through Sextus Julius Africanus quotes)
– PHLEGON OF TRALLES – (2nd Century C.E.) Greek writer and freedman of Emperor Hadrian.
– NUMENIUS OF APAMEA – (2nd Century C.E.) Greek philosopher.
– PORPHYRY OF TYRE – (3rd Century C.E.) an antagonist of Christianity
– TALMUDIC LITERATURE – "The late Bruce Metzger of Princeton, has commented upon this appellation: The defamatory account of his birth seems to reflect a knowledge of the Christian tradition that Jesus was the son of the virgin Mary, the Greek word for virgin, parthenos, being distorted into the name Pandera (1965, 76). The Talmud also refers to Jesus’ miracles as “magic,” and records that he claimed to be God. It further mentions his execution on the eve of the Passover. Jewish testimony thus supports the New Testament position on the historical existence of Jesus."
ARCHAEOLOGY: The money in usage of the time of Jesus, the Lepton coin (Luke 21:2), Quadran (Mathew 5:26), Assarion (Matthew 10:29), Denarius (Matthew 10:20) the Tetradrachma coin (Matthew 17:24-27). The archaeologial site of Capernaum (thatch roof houses) – "removed the roof" – (Mark 2:1-4) and the synagogue at Capernaum (Mark 1:21-28; John 6:25-59) The Pool of Bethzeda (Bethesda) – (John 5:1-9), the Pool of Siloam (John 9), Herod's palace, The ossuaries of the priest Caiaphas (Matthew 26:3, 57, Luke 3:1; John 11:26; 18:12-28; Acts 4:5, 6), Caiaphas' granddaughter, and Alexander son of Simon of Cyrene, possibly the same as person mentioned in Mark 15:21. These are only a few examples. If you inbox me I can send you examples of prophecy. Hope this helps.