Brendan Flannagan

Jesus Christ lived the perfect life. He walked and talked. He was born in Bethlehem. He died just outside the walls of Jerusalem (Matt [27:33]). He was a man. But, we often think of Him as a long lost mystery, a spiritual illusion, or dusty myth. In reality, Christ existed and His presence powerfully changed the landscape of history.

The Biblical Account of Jesus

Jesus lived during a time in which everything was diligently recorded. Seventy years before His birth the Roman census would never have sent Him to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-6); seventy years after his birth Roman soldiers destroyed the genealogical records at Jerusalem. But, because of the Roman census and the Jewish temple records, no contemporary meaningfully questioned Christ’s birth, His family lineage, or his age. During his lifetime, all of these facts were indisputable and accessible to the people of the time housed in the institutions of the Roman state and Jewish religion- and now remain enshrined in and certified by the Scriptures.

Significantly, the Gospel accounts stand as a historical account of the life, word, and working of Christ. They refer to His birth in Bethlehem and the how it fulfilled the prophecy of Micah- “from you [Bethlehem] One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.” (Micah 5:2) They describe His miraculous works (John [20:30]-32) and His humble character (John [1:14]-16). They also relate His tragic death (Luke [23:44]-47) and powerful resurrection (Luke 24:1-7). Of course the gospels written by His followers ascribe Jesus as God: this is the conclusion of their reporting. For a moment, let’s set aside their conclusion and view the facts. Did they falsify the record? Did they embellish Jesus’s work? Or did they witness what many others witnessed and merely drew a different conclusion: Jesus Christ is God!

The Secular Account of Jesus

Interestingly, most historians and scholars agree Jesus lived, but they disagree on what He did and who He was. They say the gospel accounts cannot be trusted as historical fact because the devoted followers of Christ were led by their passions to exaggerate and misled their audience. The problem with their argument is this: other historical sources from the time of Jesus, agree He not only lived, but confirm His wise teaches.

Yet, they do not stop at confirming Christ’s teachings, multiple sources further confirm His miraculous works. Certainly, these ancient historians draw different conclusions than the disciples of Christ for they do not believe Jesus was God, but they record the same facts. So, the “problem” some historians have with the Gospel accounts are not the facts reported, but the conclusions drawn.

Both impartial secular scholars and hostile religious antagonists note the miraculous works, popular influence, and tragic life of Christ. Josephus a Jewish historian of the 1^st century writes,

“Now around this time lived Jesus, a wise man. For he was a worker of amazing deeds and was a teacher of people who gladly accept the truth. He won over both many Jews and many Greeks. Pilate, when he heard him accused by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, (but) those who had first loved him did not cease (doing so). To this day the tribe of Christians named after him has not disappeared [emphasis added].”

These amazing deeds were not on the level of a street magician; they were not slights of hand, but miracles. The Pharisees never questioned the magnitude or actuality of Jesus’s supernatural works; they only questioned the source of His power. They accused him of working by the power of the Devil, saying, “he only drives out demons by the power of the prince of demons.” (Matt [12:24]) Celsus, a secular historian and hostile to Christianity, calls the amazing deeds of Christ “magical powers” and wrote they gave him great amazing strength.

Christ’s power and influence was not a blip on the radar of human history, nor something explained away by cultural differences or reason. Jesus Christ live on earth and revealed His divine power. Some concluded He was God, others chose to believe He was a madman.

Reference:

Mykytiuk, Lawrence. “Did Jesus Exist? Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible”, http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/did-jesus-exist/