Whether there is secular proof for the historical Jesus revealed is a question that is often raised. Christian believers accept the accounts of His teachings and life in the New Testament. But others wonder if these texts have enough actual evidence. In fact, there are numerous secular texts that prove He was an actual man who once lived.
The first place to look for evidence is in the historical records of those days. A Roman historian named Tacitus wrote about the great fire that destroyed Rome in 115 AD and how Nero had blamed it on the Christians. He also explained that Christians were followers of one, Christos, who was crucified by Pontius Pilate during the rule of Emperor Tiberius. Scholars believe that Tacitus got his information from official records or even actual reports written by Pilate himself.
The Roman Emperor Vespasian had a court historian named Josephus. Josephus was Jewish and his history contains a lot about the events and people who lived in Palestine during the first century A. D. He mentioned a godly man named Jesus who could do wonders and who also rose from the dead. Josephus postulated that perhaps this was the Messiah foretold by the Old Testament prophets.
There was also another Roman historian, Thallus, who lived around 50 A. D. Also mentioned Him. He described how the noon day sun had darkened when He was crucified. Thallus stated that this occurrence was the result of an eclipse.
Pliny the Younger, a Roman governor also wrote about Him. Pliny was governor of a region in Asia Minor and was well acquainted with the people and customs there. He mentioned the fact that around 112 A. D. The Christians in Asia Minor were worshiping Christ as God.
The Talmud, a highly venerated book of the Jewish religion, also mentions Him. The Talmud states that on the eve of Passover, Yeshu was hanged because he had practiced sorcery and apostasy. Instead of being hanged, though, he was crucified which shows that the Romans carried out the execution. Another Talmudic reference states that he was around 33 years old when he died. The Jews do not accept His deity and did not have anything to gain from writing about Him in their holy books, which makes the Talmud a very reliable source of proof that Jesus was alive.
Archaeological discoveries continue to substantiate the people and events of His lifetime as well. One such person is Caiaphas, high priest in Jesus' time. For thousands of years, no one knew whether such a man had ever lived. But in 1990, construction workers stumbled on an ancient burial tomb. In the tomb was a coffin containing the body of an old man. The inscription on the coffin named as Caiaphas and provided solid evidence that Caiaphas was an actual person.
There is a large body of secular evidence that proves the historical Jesus revealed. Although the New Testament has many points that have been proven to be historically correct, there are those who want secular proof as well. This can be found among the writings of Roman and Jewish historians as well as archaeological evidence, such as finding the burial cave of Caiaphas, the high priest.
The first place to look for evidence is in the historical records of those days. A Roman historian named Tacitus wrote about the great fire that destroyed Rome in 115 AD and how Nero had blamed it on the Christians. He also explained that Christians were followers of one, Christos, who was crucified by Pontius Pilate during the rule of Emperor Tiberius. Scholars believe that Tacitus got his information from official records or even actual reports written by Pilate himself.
The Roman Emperor Vespasian had a court historian named Josephus. Josephus was Jewish and his history contains a lot about the events and people who lived in Palestine during the first century A. D. He mentioned a godly man named Jesus who could do wonders and who also rose from the dead. Josephus postulated that perhaps this was the Messiah foretold by the Old Testament prophets.
There was also another Roman historian, Thallus, who lived around 50 A. D. Also mentioned Him. He described how the noon day sun had darkened when He was crucified. Thallus stated that this occurrence was the result of an eclipse.
Pliny the Younger, a Roman governor also wrote about Him. Pliny was governor of a region in Asia Minor and was well acquainted with the people and customs there. He mentioned the fact that around 112 A. D. The Christians in Asia Minor were worshiping Christ as God.
The Talmud, a highly venerated book of the Jewish religion, also mentions Him. The Talmud states that on the eve of Passover, Yeshu was hanged because he had practiced sorcery and apostasy. Instead of being hanged, though, he was crucified which shows that the Romans carried out the execution. Another Talmudic reference states that he was around 33 years old when he died. The Jews do not accept His deity and did not have anything to gain from writing about Him in their holy books, which makes the Talmud a very reliable source of proof that Jesus was alive.
Archaeological discoveries continue to substantiate the people and events of His lifetime as well. One such person is Caiaphas, high priest in Jesus' time. For thousands of years, no one knew whether such a man had ever lived. But in 1990, construction workers stumbled on an ancient burial tomb. In the tomb was a coffin containing the body of an old man. The inscription on the coffin named as Caiaphas and provided solid evidence that Caiaphas was an actual person.
There is a large body of secular evidence that proves the historical Jesus revealed. Although the New Testament has many points that have been proven to be historically correct, there are those who want secular proof as well. This can be found among the writings of Roman and Jewish historians as well as archaeological evidence, such as finding the burial cave of Caiaphas, the high priest.
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