Very few people doubt the existence of Christ. In fact, even most athiests admit to His existence. This is because of the abounding historical evidence that records the existence of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Recent studies show that there are well over 1,000 works of literature written very early in Church history that affirm the existence of Christ. A huge number of these records were also written by pagans or Jews, making the proof even more substantial and obvious. All conidered, it is nothing less than ignorance that would bring one to believe that Jesus Christ never existed.
Even the most universal organizations, philosophers, and writers make it clear that Christ existed. In his book Outline of History, the extremely popular athiest H.G. Wells writes about Christ's existence, "'...one is obliged to say, 'Here was a man. This part of the tale could not have been invented.'" Will Durant, a former proffessor of philosophy of History at Columbus University, and well-known non-Christian, spent 2 chapters in The Story of Our Civilization to describe Jesus Christ and His effect on society and philosophy. The Encyclopedia Britannica itself reffers to Jesus more than 20,000 times; more than Socrates, Aristotle, Buddha, Napolean, Confucious, Mohammed, or even Shakespeare.
It has been proven that many of the records of Christ's existence supposedly written by pagans are forgeries. For instance, the report of Pontious Pilate, Roman official and executor of Christ, speaks about the miraculous things that happened at Christ's death. Some of the things Pilate mentioned in this report were beyond the splendor that the Bible itself records. But the report was too good to be true-- it was proven to be a forgery. While a few of the early pagan records of Christ's existence may be forgeries, it is ludicrous to say that all of them are, given the huge number. Pliny the Younger's reports are sometimes condemned as forgeries, but recent study has shown that his reports are almost definitely authentic.
Some Christian Sources:
The Huleatt Manuscript"She poured it [the perfume] over his [Jesus'] hair when he sat at the table. But, when the disciples saw it, they were indignant. . . . God, aware of this, said to them: 'Why do you trouble this woman? She has done [a beautiful thing for me.] . . . Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priest and said, 'What will you give me for my work?' [Matt. 26:7-15]" (Huleatt fragments 1-3 [A.D. 50]). |
Ignatius of Antioch"For our God, Jesus Christ, was conceived by Mary in accord with God's plan: of the seed of David, it is true, but also of the Holy Spirit" (ibid., 18:2). |
Tatian the Syrian"We are not playing the fool, you Greeks, nor do we talk nonsense, when we report that God was born in the form of a man" (Address to the Greeks 21 [A.D. 170]). |
Melito of Sardis"It is no way necessary in dealing with persons of intelligence to adduce the actions of Christ after his baptism as proof that his soul and his body, his human nature, were like ours, real and not phantasmal. The activities of Christ after his baptism, and especially his miracles, gave indication and assurance to the world of the deity hidden in his flesh. Being God and likewise perfect man, he gave positive indications of his two natures: of his deity, by the miracles during the three years following after his baptism, of his humanity, in the thirty years which came before his baptism, during which, by reason of his condition according to the flesh, he concealed the signs of his deity, although he was the true God existing before the ages" (Fragment in Anastasius of Sinai's The Guide 13 [A.D. 177]). |
Irenaeus of Lyons"For the Church, although dispersed throughout the whole world even to the ends of the Earth, has received from the apostles and from their disciples the faith in one God, Father Almighty, the creator of heaven and Earth and sea and all that is in them; and in one Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who announced through the prophets the dispensations and the comings, and the birth from a Virgin, and the passion, and the Resurrection from the dead, and the bodily Ascension into heaven of the beloved Christ Jesus our Lord, and his coming from heaven in the glory of the Father to re-establish all things; and the raising up again of all flesh of all humanity, in order that to Jesus Christ our Lord and God and Savior and King, in accord with the approval of the invisible Father, every knee shall bend of those in heaven and on Earth and under the earth . . . " (Against Heresies 1:10:1 [A.D. 189]). |
Aristides"[Christians] are they who, above every people of the Earth, have found the truth, for they acknowledge God, the creator and maker of all things, in the only-begotten Son and in the Holy Spirit" (Apology 16 [A.D. 140]). |
Some Jewish Sources:
| 1. THE TALMUD Consists of two separate books dealing with Jewish law, written during the period from 100 A.D. to 500 A.D. Speaks frequently of Jesus of Nazareth... 1) In unfriendly terms, of course 2) But never disputing his status as a historical figure | 2. FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS A Jewish general turned Roman historian, born 37 A.D. Makes several references to Jesus in his History Of The Jews E.g., "...and brought before it the brother of Jesus, the so-called Christ, whose name was James." |
Some Pagan Sources:
| 1. THALLUS (a Samaritan historian, ca. 52 A.D.) Wrote attempting to give a natural explanation for the darkness which occurred at the crucifixion of Jesus. Note carefully: 1) He did not deny the existence of Jesus 2) But only tried to explain away the strange circumstances surrounding His death | 2. LETTER OF MARA-SERAPION (written to his son, ca. 73 A.D.) He tells of the deaths of Socrates, Pythagoras, and of Jesus. He writes of Jesus: "What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king?...Nor did the wise king die for good; he lived on in the teaching which he had given." |
| 3. CORNELIUS TACITUS (Roman historian, ca. 112 A.D.) Writes of Jesus in his ANNALS, "Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberias." | 4. PLINY THE YOUNGER (Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor, ca. 112 A.D.) Wrote to the emperor Trajan about Christians and their devotion to Christ |
| 5. SEUTONIUS (Court official and annalist under Hadrian, 120 A.D.) "As the Jews were making constant disturbance at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome." Luke makes reference to this same expulsion in Ac 18:1-2 | 6. EPICTETUS Wrote of the work of Christ and the effect He had on the beliefs of many people and on society itself. |
Ans so the existence of Christ is astonishingly obvious and apparent, and is undeniable.