Despite being considered as the central figure for one of the world's major religions, the actual historical evidence that Jesus Christ existed is actually quite thin. While there is a historical Jesus revealed by scholarly study, the facts as they stand at the moment are beguiling enigmatic. Nevertheless, examining Jesus in this way is illuminating on several levels.
Of course, one of the main sources for details about the actual life of Christ is the Bible, or, more specifically, the New Testament. When conducting a historical study, though, it is important to remember that the same rigour must be applied to their study and to their context as to any other historical document. Historians using the New Testament as a source must therefore show extreme caution.
The New Testament was not, after all, adopted as the Bible of Christianity until approximately 150 years after the death of Christ. Prior to that, early Christians had used the Septuagint, or Greek Old Testament, as their primary text. The New Testament was also written, in large part, by men who had never met or seen Christ.
It also needs to be remembered, when examining the New Testament in the manner of a historian, that there are credibility issues with much of the writing. It was written with the intention of highlighting the power and charisma of Christ, and highlighting many aspects of him which might be considered divine. Much of it was also composed many years after the events of Christ's life.
All of these things together mean that the information in the New Testament needs to be viewed with caution, if you are looking for evidence of the man who is called Christ by so many millions of people. Christianity itself went through a period of intense debate and controversy in the two centuries or so after Christ's death. Much early Christian writing in the years after the death of Christ was also composed by people who lived outside of Palestine, and were Gentiles, not Jews.
The debate about the theological roots of Christianity is for another place, but the New Testament should be treated the same as any other source when using it for the study of history. There are other sources which provide useful evidence about Christ, though. Some of the more significant of these are Roman writings.
Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus is one writer who makes direct reference to Christ in his writings, when he describes the persecution of early Christians in Rome, during the reign of the Emperor Nero. Another historian who refers to Christ directly is Thallus, who in 52AD mentioned Christ's crucifixion and a possible simultaneous eclipse. Christ was not actually proclaimed a deity until the fourth century AD.
Those historians who are seeking for the historical Jesus revealed have several different sources that they can use, whether they are documents from the Christian or other traditions. All sources need to be treated with the same level of caution, though. Only then can the real life of this extraordinary figure, who exerts such influence on history, be revealed.
Of course, one of the main sources for details about the actual life of Christ is the Bible, or, more specifically, the New Testament. When conducting a historical study, though, it is important to remember that the same rigour must be applied to their study and to their context as to any other historical document. Historians using the New Testament as a source must therefore show extreme caution.
The New Testament was not, after all, adopted as the Bible of Christianity until approximately 150 years after the death of Christ. Prior to that, early Christians had used the Septuagint, or Greek Old Testament, as their primary text. The New Testament was also written, in large part, by men who had never met or seen Christ.
It also needs to be remembered, when examining the New Testament in the manner of a historian, that there are credibility issues with much of the writing. It was written with the intention of highlighting the power and charisma of Christ, and highlighting many aspects of him which might be considered divine. Much of it was also composed many years after the events of Christ's life.
All of these things together mean that the information in the New Testament needs to be viewed with caution, if you are looking for evidence of the man who is called Christ by so many millions of people. Christianity itself went through a period of intense debate and controversy in the two centuries or so after Christ's death. Much early Christian writing in the years after the death of Christ was also composed by people who lived outside of Palestine, and were Gentiles, not Jews.
The debate about the theological roots of Christianity is for another place, but the New Testament should be treated the same as any other source when using it for the study of history. There are other sources which provide useful evidence about Christ, though. Some of the more significant of these are Roman writings.
Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus is one writer who makes direct reference to Christ in his writings, when he describes the persecution of early Christians in Rome, during the reign of the Emperor Nero. Another historian who refers to Christ directly is Thallus, who in 52AD mentioned Christ's crucifixion and a possible simultaneous eclipse. Christ was not actually proclaimed a deity until the fourth century AD.
Those historians who are seeking for the historical Jesus revealed have several different sources that they can use, whether they are documents from the Christian or other traditions. All sources need to be treated with the same level of caution, though. Only then can the real life of this extraordinary figure, who exerts such influence on history, be revealed.
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