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Post by Tabitha3319 on Feb 5, 2021 4:15:59 GMT -5
Was Jesus simply a mythical figure that Jesus made up?
Many people think so but this is not supported by most historical scholars. Jesus was a real person in history, not a myth.
Here are three examples of non-Christian historical texts proving that Jesus really existed. The first text also gives evidence to the fact that Jesus' followers really considered him to be God.
Pliny the Younger
This man was the Roman Governor of Pontus/Bythnia from 111-113AD. He wrote about his opinion of Christians and how to punish them to Emperor Trajan.
"They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food--but ordinary and innocent food. Even this, they affirmed, they had ceased to do after my edict by which, in accordance with your instructions, I had forbidden political associations. Accordingly, I judged it all the more necessary to find out what the truth was by torturing two female slaves who were called deaconesses. But I discovered nothing else but depraved, excessive superstition."
---Pliny
Below, is a link to more of Pliny's letters.
Here
faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/texts/pliny.html
Josephus
In AD 93 or 94, Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus refers to Jesus in his book, Antiquities of the Jews.
Here is an excerpt from Book 18 Chapter 3
. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, 9 those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; 10 as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.
From Book 19 Chapter 9
"Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the king [Agrippa], desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a sanhedrim without his consent."
Here is the entire book: Antiquities of the Jews
www.gutenberg.org/files/2848/2848-h/2848-h.htm#link182HCH0003
Tacitus
in his Annals (written c. AD 115), book 15, chapter 44,[46] describes Nero's scapegoating of the Christians following the Fire of Rome. He writes that the founder of the sect was named Christus (the Christian title for Jesus); that he was executed under Pontius Pilate; and that the movement, initially checked, broke out again in Judea and even in Rome itself (Eddy, 2007, pp 179-180).
The Annals
en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Annals_(Tacitus)/Book_15#44
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Cletus
Senior Member
Posts: 2,517
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Post by Cletus on Feb 5, 2021 19:42:11 GMT -5
if you think He Is a myth... dont look for Him in the tomb. He aint there.
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Post by frienduff on Feb 5, 2021 21:05:24 GMT -5
if you think He Is a myth... dont look for Him in the tomb. He aint there. Spot on right my friend . Raised again HE was . Let all praise His glorious name . Our savoir Jesus Christ .
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PG4Him
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Essay Moderator
Posts: 3,570
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Post by PG4Him on Feb 6, 2021 9:54:50 GMT -5
Hey Tabitha3319 if you want to learn some basics of Christian apologetics, I can recommend a few things. You don't have to be an expert, but knowing enough to challenge a few simple arguments can go a long way. I've seen some atheists fold in a debate at the first sign of pushback because they'd never gotten it from a Christian before. That's part of the reason I rejected church in my teen years. A few Christians tried to evangelize me in high school, but they were damsels in distress at the first sign of opposition, and they went into "I'm being persecuted" mode at the drop of a hat. You are not a victim because a snarky teenager snapped at you. Grow a spine and fight back. Don't bother starting it if you can't follow through. NEVER BACK DOWN from a challenge for the kingdom. Even if you can't outsmart them, leave 'em with a bruise. For defending the historical record of Jesus, check out The Case for Christ. On defending Biblical science, check out Answers In Genesis. To learn how to stand up to an atheist, check out The Atheist Delusion. For advice on how to politely fight back, check out Tactics by Greg Koukl. To defend how the New Testament came from the Old Testament, the best thing I've found on that topic is Dialogue with Trypho. You won't get a soul saved by sharing data, certainly not. Don't see this information as a crutch to do the work for you. The goal is to build your confidence that you can respond to arguments, you do have the truth on your side, and you'll always have something to say to an opponent. That psychological edge can be enough to keep you in the game, keep you talking, and give the Holy Spirit a chance to move. If you cave at the first sign of rejection, you'll never see the Spirit move. If a friendship is going to blow up, at least let it blow up with the other person stewing over something you said. As you get more practice with witnessing, you'll naturally find your own niche and area of interest.
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Post by Tabitha3319 on Feb 6, 2021 10:09:14 GMT -5
Hey Tabitha3319 if you want to learn some basics of Christian apologetics, I can recommend a few things. You don't have to be an expert, but knowing enough to challenge a few simple arguments can go a long way. I've seen some atheists fold in a debate at the first sign of pushback because they'd never gotten it from a Christian before. That's part of the reason I rejected church in my teen years. A few Christians tried to evangelize me in high school, but they were damsels in distress at the first sign of opposition, and they went into "I'm being persecuted" mode at the drop of a hat. You are not a victim because a snarky teenager snapped at you. Grow a spine and fight back. Don't bother starting it if you can't follow through. NEVER BACK DOWN from a challenge for the kingdom. Even if you can't outsmart them, leave 'em with a bruise. For defending the historical record of Jesus, check out The Case for Christ. On defending Biblical science, check out Answers In Genesis. To learn how to stand up to an atheist, check out The Atheist Delusion. For advice on how to politely fight back, check out Tactics by Greg Koukl. To defend how the New Testament came from the Old Testament, the best thing I've found on that topic is Dialogue with Trypho. You won't get a soul saved by sharing data, certainly not. Don't see this information as a crutch to do the work for you. The goal is to build your confidence that you can respond to arguments, you do have the truth on your side, and you'll always have something to say to an opponent. That psychological edge can be enough to keep you in the game, keep you talking, and give the Holy Spirit a chance to move. If you cave at the first sign of rejection, you'll never see the Spirit move. If a friendship is going to blow up, at least let it blow up with the other person stewing over something you said. As you get more practice with witnessing, you'll naturally find your own niche and area of interest. Ive added your resources to my personal notes. Thank you for that. In high school, after becoming saved I began to absorb apologetics books like Mere Christianity and certain lectures geared toward skeptics from Tim Keller. By the end of high school I was known for being the Christian you didn't want to debate with lightly. Coming from agnosticism, I had a heart for skeptics. I still do. Taking the time to learn to defend my faith is a small sacrifice if I can help someone find Jesus.
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PG4Him
Senior Member
Essay Moderator
Posts: 3,570
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Post by PG4Him on Feb 6, 2021 10:19:45 GMT -5
Ive added your resources to my personal notes. Thank you for that. In high school, after becoming saved I began to absorb apologetics books like Mere Christianity and certain lectures geared toward skeptics from Tim Keller. By the end of high school I was known for being the Christian you didn't want to debate with lightly. Coming from agnosticism, I had a heart for skeptics. I still do. Taking the time to learn to defend my faith is a small sacrifice if I can help someone find Jesus. I wish there was a Christian like you at my high school! They were all a bunch of snowflakes.
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Post by John on Feb 10, 2021 19:39:15 GMT -5
Ive added your resources to my personal notes. Thank you for that. In high school, after becoming saved I began to absorb apologetics books like Mere Christianity and certain lectures geared toward skeptics from Tim Keller. By the end of high school I was known for being the Christian you didn't want to debate with lightly. Coming from agnosticism, I had a heart for skeptics. I still do. Taking the time to learn to defend my faith is a small sacrifice if I can help someone find Jesus. I wish there was a Christian like you at my high school! They were all a bunch of snowflakes. One of the things you notice that is different about Spirit-filled believers in Acts is their boldness. People that were fearful before are not that way anymore. Look at how much Peter was transformed after his upper room experience!
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Post by frienduff on Feb 10, 2021 22:27:31 GMT -5
I wish there was a Christian like you at my high school! They were all a bunch of snowflakes. One of the things you notice that is different about Spirit-filled believers in Acts is their boldness. People that were fearful before are not that way anymore. Look at how much Peter was transformed after his upper room experience!
Right my friend . Notice what paul also says in two letters . to pray for them that utterance from the Spirit might be given that they may BODLY speak as they ought too . YEP . Lambs have the SPIRIT and let us be always praying to GOD for guidance and strength to do as we must do . YEP . As i love to say , JESUS IS ALL WE NEED . LET the LORD be praised .
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