Question:
Historical Jesus - SECOND TRY?
Twist
2008-01-26 12:10:19 UTC
Are there any FIRST HAND accounts of the existence of Jesus Christ?

Before you just blast off a bunch of scripture, or tell me about Josephus - READ and UNDERSTAND the question.

Is there ANY FIRST HAND historical evidence of Jesus?

Again, please don't say it's in the bible or tell me about Josephus, because that's not the case, even according to christian biblical authorities (if I am wrong about this provide reference).

The earliest parts of the new testament were written around 40 years after jesus's death and not by the original apostles and Josephus was born after the crucification (assuming it happened at all)

Is there FIRST HAND historical evidence of his existence, please provide a reference for me.

This is a simple yes/no question (if yes, please give me your evidence/reference)

YOUR ANSWER should start with YES, then provide references, if you believe this is the case... YES (got it?)

Thanks
Seventeen answers:
9_ladydi
2008-01-26 12:34:03 UTC
Jesus died approx. 30 AD. The book of James is written by Jesus brother James in about 44 AD less than 15 years after Jesus' death not the 40 you claim. Being his brother I would think made him a very good eyewitness. Peter wrote his book about 60 AD, 30 years after death. He was also an eye witness because he is the Apostle that denied Jesus during the trials on Jesus last day.Matthew and Mark were also eyewitness followers of Jesus even though they wrote their books later in life. This should be enough to get you started on your research so at least you can get your time line straight even if you do not want to believe the information.
Nightwind
2008-01-26 12:22:59 UTC
Yes, there are accounts that can _possibly_ be first hand accounts. (I'm not going to tell you for a fact that they are or are not, since I wasn't there when they did or did not meet Jesus)



The Gospels of Matthew and John are traditionally believed to be authored by apostles. And while both are written well after Jesus's supposed death, they are still written within the possible lifespan of someone who personally knew Jesus (although its at the far end of that span). Whether they were actually written by the apostles Matthew and John we'll likely never have proof of, but it hasn't been disproved either.



You might be interested in http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/ which offers text of and discussions of all of the NT books as well as the many books that once circulated among Christians but didn't make it into the Bible.
JohnFromNC
2008-01-26 12:40:08 UTC
You ask a question and then dismiss the facts you ask for. I can ask the same of any historical figure. Alexander the Great. George Washington. What about your great - great - great - great grandfather. And if you can - I don't accept your evidence.



To reject that a man named Jesus ever existed is completely ignorant of history. Did Muhammad live? I can reject that too.



You should do some research yourself to back-up your belief. It is completely false.



Can you provide first hand evidence you exist? Your friends do not count. Birth certificates are not enough. Therefore you do not exist. If someone was to write a book about you, how many witnesses does it take before it is true? 2, 50, 100 or 500? Eyewitnesses, many of them, are the difference.
anonymous
2016-10-15 06:33:20 UTC
howdy, i'm unable to load with you lists of historians yet Jesus is recorded by potential of secular historians - Josephus as an occasion. He replaced right into a important historian. historical manuscripts, Bible and others further at the same time furnish huge data for the existence of Jesus - further at the same time they provide extra data than different historic figures eg Julius Ceaser. The Apostles did write many of the recent testomony books . wish this helps
Serena
2008-01-26 12:18:09 UTC
No.



Nightwind - actually even among Christian scholars there are 2 camps of thought. One is that the disciples actually wrote the gospels themselves. The other is that the gospels were written by groups of people who were followers of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Part of this is because the actual timeframe in which the gospels were written is still debatable.
anthonypaullloyd
2008-01-26 12:20:10 UTC
Is there FIRST HAND evidence of the existence of King Alfred the Great, King Cnut, King Offa?
anonymous
2008-01-26 12:40:38 UTC
its too bad. as a non-christian i still would like to think of Jesus as a man who did change lives.. not quite in the literal term that people assume but more metaphorically..



i understand your frustration though. im not sure why Christians cannot understand that the bible couldn't possibly prove the existence of god. believer or not, that should be obvious.





this place may also help you in your search:

http://sciforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=22
anonymous
2008-01-26 12:23:16 UTC
I have a number of history books that mention Jesus . He is part of Mid-East history . Of course many of the other people who lived at that place and time are also mentioned . None of them were "gods" .
Lynn C
2008-01-26 13:27:59 UTC
Someone did write it down somewhere, IN THE BIBLE, do you think the kings would write it down, or have it scribed, no because most of them did not believe, they were threatened by Jesus, The ones that witnessed, did in scrolls, ect. HELLO, why don't people stop and think about these things, the people of prominence in the sight of the history writings were those that refused to believe who Jesus was!!!
CC
2008-01-26 12:15:45 UTC
No.



There are no first hand, contemporaneous documentation of Jesus ever having been alive. There are no first hand accounts of the alleged miracles he is thought to have performed.



Even though mass communications media was not available in that time, one would think that someone would have written it down somewhere.
Darrol P
2008-01-26 12:14:24 UTC
Except for a handful of sayings that _may_ go back to the historical Jesus: No.
wefmeister
2008-01-26 12:23:22 UTC
"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."

Luke 1:1-4



"The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe."

John 19:32-35



"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ."

I John 1:1-3



"We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.



And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

II Peter 1:16-19



"Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter,and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. "



I Corinthians 15:1-8



The Bible affirms "in the mouths of two or three witnesses let every word be established"

Above you see the personal testimony of at least 4 witnesses.



I would add my own testimony, that at a time I least expected it and did not even know it was possible my life was radically transformed by a direct revelation from God the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ died for my sins and was raised again from the dead.

I think you could find literally millions who will affirm the same thing.



Sorry - Jesus Christ is not going to go away.



To disregard the plain testimony of the New Testament documents, which are by far the best attested records of the ancient world, is the height of pseudo-intellectual arrogance and a clear evidence of a perverse and unreasonable bias, arising not from a sincere desire for truth, but a settled malicious hatred of the message and the messenger.
October
2008-01-26 12:14:51 UTC
No. There are no contempory historical records of the life or death of Jesus.
heyyy
2008-01-26 12:15:11 UTC
maybe. there is a church in paris called Sainte Chapelle, and it supposedly held christs crown and fragments of Jesus' cross. however, there isn't any real proof.
?
2008-01-26 12:15:00 UTC
How dare you confuse the lesser minded!!!!!!!! Let them live in their fantasy world - no facts required there.
LordVader
2008-01-26 12:13:33 UTC
rebel didn't you watch the documentary where they found his tomb & will be cloning jesus soon
stoopid munkee
2008-01-26 12:13:54 UTC
Yes, I was there. Nyah.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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