The Historical Jesus

God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

1 John 4:9

Many people doubt whether Jesus ever really existed, but many historians have written about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Around A.D. 114, the Roman historian, Tacitus, wrote that the founder of the Christian religion, Jesus Christ, was put to death by Pontius Pilate in the reign of the Roman Emperor Tiberius (Annals 15.44).

Pliny the Younger wrote a letter to the Emperor Trajan on the subject of Christ and Christians (Letters 10.96-97).

In A.D. 90, the Jewish historian Josephus penned a short biographical note on Jesus: “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 received the truth with pleasure. He drew over to Him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was Christ” (Antiquities 18.63).

The Talmud refers to Jesus of Nazareth (Sanhedrin 43a, Abodah Zerah 16b–17a).

Jesus was a man in history. And His claims were true. Do you still doubt His ability to save you?

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 21). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

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