Jesus Christ’s existence and the question of whether He is a historical figure or a myth require careful scrutiny of available historical evidence.
Did Jesus Christ actually exist?
During the Enlightenment, a philosophical movement led by Thomas Paine (1737-1809) began, which suggested that Jesus Christ was a mythical figure. Later supporters of the Christ myth theory included Bruno Bauer (1809-1882) and George Albert Wells (1926-2017). Today, Robert McNair Price (b. 1954) is one of the most prominent advocates of this view.
The Christ myth theory (known as mythicism in English) has always been a marginal theory. However, the rise of the Internet and social media has brought it to wider attention. In contrast, modern scholars largely agree that Jesus Christ did, in fact, exist as a historical figure and was a wandering teacher in ancient Palestine. The consensus also holds that He was both baptised and crucified. There is, however, disagreement regarding various other aspects of His life.
Jesus Christ – non-biblical testimonies
The main argument against the historicity of Jesus is the claim that no written sources exist apart from the Gospels and Epistles in the New Testament. In other words, it is argued that there are no independent accounts of Jesus Christ outside the Christian Bible. How accurate is this claim? As it happens, it is very inaccurate. As Gary R. Habermas, an American scholar, philosopher, and theologian, points out, there are at least 39 ancient non-biblical sources that mention Jesus!1
Tacitus
We will not examine all of these sources, but will focus on a select few. One of the more significant is Tacitus, a Roman historian (55-120 AD). In his Annals, he mentions the fire of Rome in 64 AD. It is from this text that we learn Emperor Nero blamed the fire on Christians. Tacitus writes: ‘The originator of this name [i.e., ‘Christians’ – author’s note] was Christ, who, during the reign of Tiberius, was sentenced to death by the procurator Pontius Pilate.’2 Interestingly, Tacitus refers to a ‘pernicious superstition among Christians, most likely alluding to the belief in the resurrection of Christ.
Suetonius
Suetonius (70-140 AD), another historian and author of The Lives of the Caesars, also references this ‘superstition.’ His work also suggests that, as early as around 50 AD, Christians were living in Rome. Suetonius states: ‘He [the emperor] expelled from Rome all the Jews who were constantly causing disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus.’3 It is likely that the actions of those following this ‘Chrestus’ (i.e., Jesus Christ) led to the disturbances among the Jewish community in Rome.
Pliny the Younger
Another non-biblical source concerning Jesus is one of the letters of Pliny the Younger (61-113 AD), a Roman politician, lawyer, and writer. In this letter, Pliny writes to Emperor Trajan about the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire, noting, for example, the abandonment of pagan temples. He also mentions that his efforts to prosecute Christians—such as interrogating and torturing them—had a significant role in restoring pagan worship in Bithynia, the province he governed. Interestingly, Pliny the Younger observes that Christians worship Christ as a god.4
Joseph Flavius
The well-known ancient historian Josephus (37-c. 100 AD), who was of Jewish origin, also wrote about Jesus Christ in his Antiquities of the Jews. In Book XVIII, he refers to several details of Jesus’ life. He mentions that Jesus was a teacher and a miracle worker, performing many wonders. He also states that Jesus attracted both Jews and Greeks. Josephus further notes that, according to Christians, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion, which was ordered by Pilate.5 Additionally, he records that the high priest at the time of Jesus’ sentencing was Ananias.6
Mara Bar-Serapion
Finally, an interesting source is a letter written by Mara Bar-Serapion, a Syrian living in the 1st century AD. In the letter to his son, he advises him to follow the example of wise men, among whom he includes a ‘Jewish king’ unjustly condemned by the Jews. This is a clear reference to Jesus Christ. It appears that Mara himself was not a Christian, as he saw Jesus merely as one of these wise men. However, it is notable that Mara also expressed the belief that Jesus still lived. This letter is now preserved in the British Museum.7
Jesus Christ as man, God, and risen Savior
Above, we have presented only five of the thirty-nine early non-biblical sources that mention Jesus Christ, all of which date from the first and second centuries AD. In his book Secrets of the Bible, Polish writer, historian, and theologian Alfred Palla also refers to other sources, such as the Talmud, and to historians like Thallus, Phlegon, and Lucian of Samosata.8 Thus, the figure of Jesus Christ is historically better documented than many ancient rulers.
Although the celebration of Christmas is unlikely to mark the actual date of the Lord Jesus’ birth, it still offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on His arrival on Earth and His impact on the world and the human heart. This is especially significant, as historical records clearly state that He not only died on the cross but also rose from the dead. In other words, Jesus Christ, both God and man, lives on and intercedes for sinners before God the Father. This is a subject worthy of reflection, especially during the winter holidays.
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Footnotes
- Habermas, G., The Verdict of History: Conclusive Evidence for the Life of Jesus, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1984, p. 169.
- Tacitus, Annals, Book XV, in: Works, Vol. I (trans. S. Hammer), Warsaw, 1957, pp. 460-461.
- Suetonius, The Lives of the Caesars, Book V, XXV.
- Pliny the Younger, Letters, Book X, Letter XCVI (96), available at: https://www.attalus.org/old/pliny10b.html; see also: https://gutenberg.org/files/2811/2811-h/2811-h.htm (Letter XCVII).
- Josephus Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, 3:3, available at: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2848/2848-h/2848-h.htm#link182HCH0003.
- Ibid., Antiquities of the Jews, Book XX, 9:1.
- Palla, A., Sekrety Biblii, Wyd. Betezda, 2002, pp. 278-279.
- Ibid., pp. 277-285.
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