#1 Was Jesus a Real Person?

Was Jesus a real person?

Yes. Jesus was a real historical person, and he is documented by multiple sources outside of the Bible. Only a few decades after his crucifixion, Jesus was mentioned by both Jewish and Roman historians. Their accounts describe aspects of the life and death of Jesus. He is also documented in the Babylonian Talmud, a holy book of Judaism. These accounts include:

Tacitus (Roman historian)- Speaking about the Christian sect “… Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reining of Tiberius.”

Josephus (Jewish historian)- “At this time, there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them after his crucifixion and that he was alive; accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”

Babylonian Talmud – It is taught: On the eve of Passover they hung Yeshu and the crier went forth for forty days beforehand declaring that “[Yeshu] is going to be stoned for practicing witchcraft, for enticing and leading Israel astray. Anyone who knows something to clear him should come forth and exonerate him.” But no one had anything exonerating for him and they hung him on the eve of Passover.  Sanhedrin 43a

These sources confirm that Jesus was a teacher with many followers. The Talmud also acknowledges that he did supernatural feats, though they describe it as witchcraft. The crucifixion of Jesus under Pontius Pilate is also confirmed, as is the claim that his followers saw him alive after the crucifixion.

Two other Roman historians, Phlegon and Thallus, recorded a 3-hour period of darkness (Matthew 27:45), described as an eclipse, and a great earthquake (Matthew 27:51-54). These records, cited by Julius Africanus, provide additional support for the historical accuracy of the New Testament. These events, documented in the Gospel of Matthew, occurred during the crucifixion of Jesus.

“On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the 263 third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun. For the Hebrews celebrate the passover on the 14th day according to the moon, and the passion of our Savior fails on the day before the passover [see Phlegon]; but an eclipse of the sun takes place only when the moon comes under the sun. And it cannot happen at any other time but in the interval between the first day of the new moon and the last of the old, that is, at their junction: how then should an eclipse be supposed to happen when the moon is almost diametrically opposite the sun?”

– Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18.1

Currently, all theories of Jesus’ non-existence have proven to be false. Classic historians and biblical scholars both agree that Jesus was a real historical person.