Jesus - Man or Myth?
Evidence or Myth?
F.F. Bruce, Rylands Professor of Biblical criticism at the University of Manchester has said...
"Some writers may toy with the fancy of a 'Christ-myth', but they do not do so on the ground of historical evidence. The historicity of Christ is as axiomatic for the unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar. It is not historians who propagate the 'Christ-myth' theories." (F.F. Bruce: 'The New Testament documents: Are they reliable?')
In other words, good historians know that the evidence for a real Jesus is reliable. What is this evidence?
Obviously most of what we know about Jesus comes from the New Testament, but not everything. Who or what are these other sources of information about Jesus?
Reference to Jesus is made by all of the following ancient writers...
- Cornelius Tacitus
- Flavius Josephus
- Justin Martyr
- Lucian of Samosata
- Mara Bar-Serapion
- Phlegon
- Pliny the Younger
- Suetonius
- Tertullian
- Thullus
- Summary
CORNELIUS TACITUS
CORNELIUS TACITUS was a Roman historian born in about 53 AD. Writing in his 'Annals' (c. 110 AD) about the reign of Nero, he describes how Nero accused the Christians of burning down Rome. He states that "The name (Christians) is derived from Christ who the procurator Pontius Pilate had executed in the reign of Tiberius".
Top of PageFLAVIUS JOSEPHUS
FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS was a Jewish historian who became commander of the Jewish forces in Galilee in AD 66, just after the time of Jesus. He writes in his 'Antiquities'
"Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was the doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him 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 who 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."
Josephus also refers in his 'Antiquities' to James " the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ" and how he was put to death in AD 62 after accusation by Annas the High priest.
Top of PageJUSTIN MARTYR
JUSTIN MARTYR (about AD 150) addressed his 'Defence of Christianity' to the Emperor Antonius Pius and in it describes Jesus' crucifixion, how he was nailed to the cross and how his clothes were divided among the soldiers by casting lots. He also refers the Emperor to "the 'Acts' which were recorded by Pontius Pilate", these being Pilate's own report of the crucifixion which Justin supposed the Emperor had access to.
Top of PageLUCIAN OF SAMOSATA
LUCIAN OF SAMOSATA (c. 120-180 AD) who lived in the second century was scornful of Christ but described how he "introduce this new cult into the world" and was "crucified in Palestine" because of it. So even those who opposed Christianity accepted the reality of Jesus and some basic facts about his life and death.
Top of PageMARA BAR-SERAPION
MARA BAR-SERAPION, around AD 73, wrote to his son a letter which is now in the British Museum. In it he refers to Jesus as the King of the Jews, stating that they (the Jews) had crucified him.
Top of PagePHLEGON
PHLEGON was a first century historian whose 'Chronicles' have now been lost, but like Thallus (see below) is quoted by other early writers. Also like Thallus he mentions the darkness at the crucifixion of Jesus saying that "an eclipse of the sun occurred during the full moon".
Top of PagePLINY THE YOUNGER
PLINY THE YOUNGER (c. 61-113 AD) was governor of Bithinia in Asia Minor around AD 110 and wrote to the emperor Trajan (for whom he worked) concerning Christians. He had been putting Christians to death for their faith and making them bow down to Trajan's statue. He records how, in their defence, the Christians described their meetings for worship which included singing "a hymn to Christ as a god".
Top of PageSUETONIUS
SUETONIUS (c. 69-122 AD) another Roman historian, the source of most of what we know of the caesars from Julius Caesar to Domitian, refers to "Chrestus" (another spelling of Christus) in his 'Life of Claudius'. He reports how Claudius expelled the christians from Rome in AD 49, which is mentioned in Acts 18 v 2. Suetonius also writes of the punishment of Christians by Nero.
Top of PageTERTULLIAN
TERTULLIAN (c. 155-220 AD) in a defence of Christianity called 'Apology' (AD 197), mentions this exchange between Tiberius and Pontius Pilate. "Tiberius accordingly, in those days the Christian name made it's entry into the world, having himself received intelligence from the truth of Christ's divinity, brought the matter before the senate, with his own decision in favour of Christ. The senate, because it had not given the approval itself, rejected his proposal."
Tertullian therefore records that Tiberius understood the claims that Jesus was God and made his own decision 'in favour of Christ', only to have his decision overruled.
Top of PageTHULLUS
THULLUS was one of the first Gentile historians to mention Christ. His writings have disappeared but we know of them from the writing of others, such as Julius Africanus (about AD 221) who quotes from Thullas. One of his quotes includes reference to the darkness that occurred at the crucifixion and suggests that a total eclipse was the cause. Julius points out in his writing the impossibility of this since the festival of Passover, when Jesus was crucified, occurs at full moon (eclipses only occur at a new moon).
Top of PageSUMMARY
Even these brief references teach us a considerable amount about Jesus from these non-Biblical sources. He is referred to as
- a real person, even by those who opposed Christianity,
- he lived in Palestine,
- he is stated to be a contemporary of the Emperor Tiberias, Pontius Pilate and a High priest called Annas,
- he was called a wise man,
- a teacher and
- a doer of wonderful works,
- he attracted a following of Jews and Gentiles, but
- was condemned to death by being crucified, nailed to a cross, put to death,
- at his execution the soldiers drew lots for his clothes, and
- a time of unusual darkness occurred.
- His existence was known to the highest authorities,
- he was described as King of the Jews and
- his divinity, the fact that he was worshipped as a god, is mentioned
- as is his resurrection in that he was reported alive again on the third day.
- The existence of Christians, those who followed him, is acknowledged to have spread at least as far as from Palestine to Rome.
Let us sum up with the report of Jesus in the ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA which devotes about 20,000 words to him. Commenting on the reports of the many independent secular accounts of Jesus it notes...
"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 by several authors at the end of the 18th, during the 19th, and at the beginning of the 20th centuries". (emphasis added)
It is reasonable therefore - having looked at the evidence - to conclude that there really was a man called Jesus.
But what do we know about him? Consider some of the links on the right hand side. His history, His claims about himself, His action, His death and resurrection
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