Transcript Jesus: A Man of History - Faulkner University

Jesus
A Man of History
QUOTES IN THESE SLIDES COME FROM MATERIAL COMPLIED
BY Josh McDowell in his Evidence That Demands A Verdict published
By Campus Crusade for Christ, 1972.
The Twenty-Seven New Testament
Documents
• All these documents speak of Jesus as a
historical character.
• Further and more importantly, these
documents introduce Jesus of Nazareth as
the Son of God.
• The many of the writers of these
documents died violent deaths maintaining
that their testimonies were true.
Cornelius Tacitus
• A Roman historian who was governor of Asia in
112 A.D.
• Writing of the reign of Nero, Tacitus alludes to
the death of Christ.
“But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties that
the price could bestow, nor all the atonements which could be
presented to the gods, availed to relieve Nero the infamy of being
believed to have ordered the fire of Rome. Hence to suppress the
rumor, he falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most
exquisite tortures the persons commonly called Christians… Christus,
the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate,
procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberas…”
Lucian
• A satirist of the second century, who spoke
scornfully of Christ and the Christians.
• He wrote: “…the man who was crucified in
Palestine because he introduced the new cult
into the world…furthermore, their first lawgiver
persuaded them that they were all brothers one
of another after they have transgressed once for
all by denying the Greek gods and by
worshipping that crucified man himself and living
under his laws.”
Flavius Josephus
• Born A.D. 37 and became Jewish historian
• In A.D. 66, he was the commander of the Jewish forces
in Galilee.
• After being captured, he was attached to the Roman
headquarters.
• He wrote: “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
among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that
loved him at first did not forsake him; for he appeared to
them alive again in the third day…”
Seutonius
• A Roman historian and court official under
Hadrian, annalist of the Imperial House.
• He wrote: “As the Jews were making
constant disturbance at the instigation of
Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome.”
Plinius Secundus
• Governor of Bithynia in Asia (A.D. 112) was writing to the
emperor Trajan seeking counsel as to how to treat
Christians.
• He explained that he had been killing both men, women,
boys and girls. There were so many being put to death
that he wondered if he should continue killing anyone
who was discovered to be a Christian.
• He wrote: “They affirmed, however, that the whole of
their guilt, or their error, was that they were in the habit
of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light,
when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to
a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to
any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft,
adultery….”
Thallus
• A Samaritan-born historian
• He is one of the first Gentile writers to
mention Christ writing in A.D. 52.
• He writings are preserved by Julius
Africanus, a Christian writer about 221
A.D.
• Africanus wrote: “Thallus, in the third book
of his histories, explains away the
darkness as an eclipse of the sun…”
Mara Bar-Serapion
• F. F. Bruce writes: “…in the British Museum an
interesting manuscript preserving the text of a
letter written some time later than A.D. 73, but
how much later we cannot be sure. This letter
was sent by a Syrian named Mara Bar-Serapion
to his son Serapion. Mara Bara-Serapion was in
prison at the time, but he wrote to encourage his
son to the pursuit of wisdom, and pointed out
that those who persecuted wise men were
overtaken by misfortune.
The Letter
• What advantage did the Athenians gain
from putting Socrates to death? Famine
and plague came upon them as judgment
for their crime. What advantage did the
men of Samos gain from burning
Pythagoras? In a moment their land was
covered with sand. What advantage did
the Jews gain from executing their wise
King? It was just after that that their
kingdom was abolished…”
Justin Martyr
• About A.D. 150, Justin Martyr, addressing his Defence of
Christianity to the Emperor Antoninus Pius, referred to
Pilate’s report, which Justin supposed must be
preserved in the imperial archives.
• But the words, “They pierced my hands and my
feet,” he says, “are a description of the nails that
were fixed in His hands and His feet on the cross;
and after He was crucified, those who crucified Him
cast lots for His garments, and divided them among
themselves; and that these things were so, you may
learn from the “Acts” which were recorded under
Pontius Pilate.”
The Jewish Talmuds
• Babylonian Talmud writes: “…and hanged
him on the eve of Passover…”
• The Jewish authorities did not deny that
Jesus performed signs and miracles, but
attributed them to the acts of sorcery.
It Never Occurred to Jesus’
First Century Enemies to Deny
That He Existed
Matt 12:22-24
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who
was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he
could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished
and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only
by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives
out demons."
NIV
Jesus of Nazareth Lived in
History! That fact cannot be
disputed.
Yet, who was this Jesus?
One Solitary Life
Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He
grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for
three years He was an itinerant preacher.
He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had
a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never
traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things
that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...
While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran
away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through
the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was
dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His
coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the
human race and leader of the column of progress.
I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies
that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned,
put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that
one solitary life.
This essay was adapted from a sermon by Dr James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other
Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (pp 123-124 titled “Arise Sir Knight!”). If you are
interested, you can read the original version . Graham Pockett
Luke’s Introduction of Jesus
Luke 1:1-4
1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an
account of the things accomplished among us, 2 just as
those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and
servants of the word have handed them down to us, 3 it
seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything
carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in
consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 so that you
might know the exact truth about the things you have been
taught.
NAS
Sources of Luke’s Account
• Records events that either he and/or his
audience participated in
• Uses written materials (e.g. Matthew &
Mark’s writings)
• Oral Testimony of eyewitnesses
Luke’s Investigative Spirit
“Investigate” means “follow alongside” like a
pesky reporter with his note pad and pen
incessantly asking questions (Mike
Moore).
• Everything
• From the beginning
• Carefully
• Orderly Account
Recipient of Luke’s Histories
Most Excellent Theophilus
• Title given to the equestrian order or
governors (cp. Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25).
• Means “friend of God”
• Possibly, a Roman official who Luke
hopes to use as a door to the greater
Roman network who were suspicious of
Christianity.
Things Which Seem to Be Aimed at
Romans in Luke’s Accounts
• Pilate’s Admission of Jesus’
Innocence
• Centurion’s Confession
• Conversion of Sergius
Paulus—A Roman proconsul
(Acts 13:6f)
• Apology of Roman
magistrates of Philippi (Acts
16:19-24; 35-40)
• Gallio, proconsul of Achaia,
throwing Paul’s Jewish
accusers out of his court (Acts
18:12-17).
• Town clerk of Ephesus
emphasizing the innocence of
Paul (Acts 19:35-41).
• Chiliarch (commander of 1000
troops) unbinding Paul and
allowing him to speak in
Jerusalem (Acts 21:37-40).
• Felix admission of Paul not
being a criminal before King
Agrippa (Acts 25:13ff)
• Agrippa admission of Paul’s
Innocence (Acts 26:30-32).
• Paul’s freedom to preach
Jesus in Rome (Acts 28).
Theophilus Could Conduct His
Own Investigations & Interviews
How?
Luke writes in a
time/space dimension
to his reader(s).