evidence

Let’s talk about Jesus

Now this is not going to be a sermon. This is just a look at who Jesus is.
Here are known factors that come from outside the Bible. Historical governmental officials mentioned in the Bible have been documented in addition there is physical evidence of their existence.
Two Examples: Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas. The latter of which the remains of his body were official unearthed and identified.
Furthermore we know also of Jesus brother James, a son of Mary as well, who was stoned for professing his brother to be the Messiah.
There is also archaeological evidence which corresponds to areas said to have been visited by Jesus.
So we have several points of evidence that support history and it can be said due to these facts that Jesus lived and was crucified. In fact there is none that truly study history that question the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. So Jesus as a human being is not doubted in any form.
What does come into question is the resurrection that confirms Jesus as the Son of God.
Now what I am about to state is an actuality you have to come to accept. A keystone of the Jewish community in the time period of Jesus was the use of the oral tradition to pass on religious information accurately. It is so solid that a Torah written in 600 B.C. matches a Torah from 10 A.D. that in turn corresponds to a Torah of today.
In the first twenty to twenty five years after the resurrection this was the main component of early Christians as well. This is due mainly to the fact that most in this time frame were Jewish.
One such tradition can be traced to within eight years after the resurrection, 38 – 41 A.D. Which in turn is included in 1 Corinthians which is dated to have been written in the mid 50s A.D., so within 20 to 25 years after the resurrection.
One of the myths out there is that it was a hallucination that those who say they saw Jesus after his death. Now why I say myth is the last key element of the tradition I am referring to. Five hundred (500) seeing Jesus post resurrection at one time. There is no way this is a hallucination. It is physically impossible. On top of which those hearing the tradition or seeing it written to the Corinthians are literally challenged to find those that still live and saw Jesus and ask them. No one could refute it. None.
So here is the Jesus that is supported by facts.
He existed 2000 years ago. He died either in 30 A.D. or 33 A.D. Three days later he came to live again with his wounds received upon the cross still visible. He walked several miles the day he came back to live. He then vanishes, He then appears in a locked room with all the living apostles. Thomas touches his wounds and he eats food. He then disappears again. So this is Jesus. If you wish to know more. Just ask.

One person questioned how do Christians account for three days?
Answer is first you need to not think in Roman calendar days and dates and start to think in Jewish calendar days and dates.
Jewish days go from sundown to sundown. Also you need to follow events.
On Friday Jesus was crucified and died on that day. Since His soul was no longer in His body, His body is considered dead. So He is dead on Friday, day one.
He is still dead upon Saturday, day two. The Bible states he rose from the dead upon the third day. Sunday is the third day and he did arise from the dead and exit the tomb upon this day. This matches the Bible and events as well as prophesies.
Why is the Sabbath on Sunday and not Saturday? The answer is due to the resurrection taking place upon Sunday. It is to show the acceptance of the risen Christ as the Savior of humanity and so this is why Sunday is seen as holy.
The creed which state the order of those that saw the risen Christ is shown to have been written down as early as 8 years after Easter Sunday. Most were alive that were mentioned and could be confronted personally and asked to prove or deny that Jesus had risen from the dead. NONE REFUTED IT.
There are those that state a mass vision. This statement in itself is ludicrous. Also a key element in the creed is that five hundred (500) at one time saw Christ alive after his reported death.
Finally the documentation outside the Bible:
About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.
Flavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, 3
And now Caesar, upon hearing the death of Festus, sent Albinus into Judea, as procurator. But the king deprived Joseph of the high priesthood, and bestowed the succession to that dignity on the son of Ananus, who was also himself called Ananus. Now the report goes that this eldest Ananus proved a most fortunate man; for he had five sons who had all performed the office of a high priest to God, and who had himself enjoyed that dignity a long time formerly, which had never happened to any other of our high priests. But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the king, desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a sanhedrin without his consent. Whereupon Albinus complied with what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that he would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which king Agrippa took the high priesthood from him, when he had ruled but three months, and made Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest.
Flavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews Book 20, Chapter 9, 1