Did Jesus exist at all?

Some people hold the view that Jesus' existence was a myth that has been put about by Christians being over-enthusiastic about the truth of the bible. However, the evidence is compelling. There is evidence that :-

1. He was a Historical figure who lived nearly two thousand years ago.
2. He was crucified on a cross and died.
3. After his body had been buried his tomb was found to be empty three days later and from that point on the early Christians made claims that he had risen from the dead.

Josephus, the Jewish historian born in Jerusalem in about 37AD wrote the following

"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 three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive; accordingly, he was a perhaps the Messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders." (Antiquities 18:3, as it appears in the Arabic text - "New Evidence on Jesus' Life Reported' and 'Two Views of Jesus' New York Times, 12th February 1972, pp 1 & 24)

Here Josephus states the following facts about Jesus

1. The time when he lived.
2. He was called Messiah by some
3. He was known as a good and wise man
4. He had many disciples, both Jews and Gentiles
5. Pilate condemned him to death by crucifixion
6. The disciples reported that Jesus had risen from the dead and that he had appeared to them on the third day after his crucifixion.
7. As a result the disciples continued to proclaim his teachings

In another place Josephus refers to James as "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ". There is a further reference to the crucifixion in the tract Sanhedrin. It confirms that Jesus was hanged on Passover Eve and that this was an offence against Jewish religious laws.

Cornelius Tacitus (AD 55 to 120) was a Roman historian who lived through the reigns of over half a dozen Roman emperors, and was the Son-in-law of Julias Agricula. Julias Agricula was the Governer of Britian from AD80 to AD84. He wrote the Annals, covering the history between the deaths of Augustus in AD 14 and Nero in AD68. He wrote the following regarding the fire of Rome in AD64 and Nero's attempt to blame the Christians for it rather than himself :-

"To kill the rumours, Nero charged and tortured some people hated for their evil practices - the group popularly known as 'Christians'. The founder of this sect, Christ, had been put to death by the governer of Judea, Pontius Pilate,when Tiberius was Emporer. Their deadly superstition had been suppressed temporarily, but was beginning to spring up again - not now just in Judea but even in Rome itself where all kinds of sordid and shameful activities are attracted and catch on.

First those who confessed to being Christians were arrested. Then, on information obtained from them, hundreds were convicted, more for their anti-social beliefs than for fireraising. In their deaths they were made a mockery. They were covered in the skins of wild animals, torn to death by dogs, crucified or set on fire - so that when darkness fell they burned like torches in the night. Nero opened up his own gardens for this spectacle and gave a show in the arena where he mixed with the crowd, or stood dressed as a charioteer on a chariot. As a result, although they were guilty of being Christians and deserved death, people began to feel sorry for them. For they realised that they were being massacred not for the public good but to satisfy one man's mania" (Tacitus Annals 15:44, quoted in The History of Christianity (Lion Publishing, 1977), p.71.

This gives us the following information

1. Christians were named after their founder, Christ
2. Christ was put to death by Pontius Pilate.
3. This was during the reign of the Emporer Tiberius (AD 14 to AD 37)
4. His death ended the 'superstition', but after a short time it soon broke out again
5. It was especially popular in Judea where it began.
6. It then spread to Rome.
7. When the Great Fire of Rome destroyed a large part of the City, Nero blamed the Christians.
8. They were arrested and persecuted for their faith.
9. This was recognized as being unjust, and many Romans felt sorry for the early Christians.
10. It was recognized that they were being punished not for the public good but to satisfy the mania of Nero.