Revealing Jesus: the Historical Christ
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Revealing Jesus: The Historical Christ St. Paul American Coptic Orthodox Church What do we know about Jesus? Can we prove the existence of God? NO Authorship of the Gospels Irenaeus, wri@ng about A.D. 180, confirmed the tradi@onal authorship: Mahew published his own Gospel among the Hebrews in their own tongue, when Peter and Paul were preaching the Gospel in Rome and founding the church there. A>er their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, himself handed down to us in wri@ng the substance of Peter’s preaching. Luke, the follower of Paul, set down in a book the Gospel preached by his teacher. Then John, the disciple of the Lord, who also leaned on his breast, himself produced his Gospel while he was living at Ephesus in Asia. Strobel, Lee (2008-09-09). The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Dating the Gospels “The standard scholarly dang, even in very liberal circles, is Mark in the 70s, Mahew and Luke in the 80s, John in the 90s.” S@ll within the life@mes of various eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus. Strobel, Lee (2008-09-09). The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Paul Stating the Creed Perhaps the most important creed in terms of the historical Jesus is in 1 Corinthians 15: For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. A>er that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same @me, most of whom are s@ll living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. • Crucifixion ~A.D. 30 • Paul’s conversion ~A.D.32 • Mee@ng with Ananias and others in Damascus • First mee@ng with the apostles in Jerusalem ~A.D. 35. • At some point along there, Paul was given this creed, which had already been formulated and was being used in the early church. Strobel, Lee (2008-09-09). The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Non-Christian Writings: Josephus • Very important 1st century Jewish historian • Born A.D. 37 • A priest, a Pharisee • Most ambi@ous work: “The An@qui@es”, a history of the Jewish people from Creaon un@l his @me About this @me there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing among us, had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affec@on for him. On the third day he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had prophesied these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of Chris@ans, so called aer him, has s@ll to this day not disappeared. Strobel, Lee (2008-09-09). The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Non-Christian Writings: Tacitus, A.D. 115 • Tacitus recorded what is probably the most important reference to Jesus outside the New Testament. • He states that Nero persecuted the Chris@ans as scapegoats to divert suspicion away from himself for the great fire that had devastated Rome in A.D. 64. Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominaons, called Chris@ans by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pon@us Pilatus, and a most mischievous supers@@on, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome…. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty: then, upon their informaon, an immense mul@tude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Strobel, Lee (2008-09-09). The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Non-Christian Writings: Pliny the Younger Pliny the Younger, a governor in Turkey, wri@ng in A.D. 111: I have asked them if they are Chris@ans, and if they admit it, I repeat the ques@on a second and third @me, with a warning of the punishment awai@ng them. If they persist, I order them to be led away for execu@on; for, whatever the nature of their admission, I am convinced that their stubbornness and unshakable obs@nacy ought not to go unpunished… They also declared that the sum total of their guilt or error amounted to no more than this: they had met regularly before dawn on a fixed day to chant verses alternately amongst themselves in honor of Christ as if to a god, and also to bind themselves by oath, not for any criminal purpose, but to abstain from the>, robbery, and adultery…. This made me decide it was all the more necessary to extract the truth by torture from two slave-women, whom they called deaconesses. I found nothing but a degenerate sort of cult carried to extravagant lengths. Strobel, Lee (2008-09-09). The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus Non-Christian Writings: Testimony of Crucifixion This phenomenon, evidently, was visible in Rome, Athens, and other Mediterranean ci@es. According to Tertullian… it was a “cosmic” or “world event.” Phlegon, a Greek author from Caria wri@ng a chronology soon aer 137 A.D., reported that in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., 33 A.D.) there was “the greatest eclipse of the sun” and that “it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea. Strobel, Lee (2008-09-09). The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus The Physical Experience of Jesus This letter was written about Christ by Rabo Lyolino chief Councilor in Jerusalem to Caser in Rome was found in the safe of Prince Sharaweeni of Italy: Your Eminence, It is my understanding that you have become increasingly less inclined to know what I usually tell you, and that you have become more anxious to know about this man who lives a virtuous life. They call Him the prophet of righteousness. His disciples say that He is the Son of God, Creator of heaven and earth and all that lies therein. Indeed, everyday we come to know about awesome and amazing things about this Jesus: He raises the dead and heals the sick with one word. He is upright in stature and so good-looking. His face strikes one with awe and wonder; those who look at Him are instantaneously fascinated by Him. They are awe-stricken and enthralled at once. The hair of His head reaches His ears and then falls on His shoulders. It has the color of dust, yet it glows and shines. Like Nazarenes, His forehead has a white spot. His forehead is smooth and yellowish, and His face is without wrinkles or special marks. His appearance inspires reverence, respect and veneration. His eyes are like the rays of the sun; no one can look at them steadily because of their brilliance. When He chastises someone, He instills fear; when He gives advice, He causes tears to flow. All is compelled to revere and respect Him on account of His awe-inspiring appearance. It is said that no one saw Him laughing; they only saw Him crying at times. During meetings, people feel content and fulfilled, but He hardly looks at them. When amongst them, He sits with the utmost of propriety. In His form and appearance He seems to be the most handsome person you can ever imagine. There is also a striking resemblance to His mother who can also be considered the most beautiful girl in this part of the land. So if your Eminence would like to see Him, let me know so I can swiftly attend to your command. He has mesmerized the whole city of Jerusalem with His vast knowledge and learning; yet, He has received no education. Sometimes He walks barefoot with His head uncovered. Some laugh at Him when they see Him. Yet, in His presence or when talking with Him, He captivates and fascinates people. They say that they have never seen or heard of man like Him in this part of the land. In fact, some Jews say that they have never heard or seen such wisdom such as this which Jesus demonstrates. Others are scornful; they complain to me saying that His teachings contradict our glorious doctrine. They criticize me vehemently. Some say that He has never angered or infuriated anybody; rather, they claim that most of those who have come to know Him have been made to feel better and have been touched by His grace and blessings.