Proving the pages of the New Testament

There is ABUNDANT evidence from historical sources which is adequate to prove that Jesus is the Son of God and the Bible is the Word of God! WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE

A space-time religion A historical religion A researched & recorded religion An eyewitness religion A contextual religion Christianity is…

The Bible is… God’s Word Inspired Factual A History Book Eyewitness Testimony Accurate The Bible is…

F A I T H acts ctions ndividual rust ope What is faith?

Jesus was a historical, real person who existed in space & time Jesus was NOT made up by His followers FACTS to prove

Pagan SOURCES DEFINITION Gentile Having no attachment to religion No reason to indulge a “Jesus Myth” Close to timeframe Pagan SOURCES

Thallus Wrote approx. 52 AD Samaritan Born Works lost, but referred to by Julius Africanus Referred to eclipse during Jesus’ crucifixion as natural event Thallus

Arguments for or against eclipse took event & Christ’s existence FOR GRANTED Knowledge of Jesus’ crucifixion & circumstances common knowledge No need to refute existence of Christ as well- known fact! Thallus

Mara-bar-serapion Wrote letter to son about 73 AD References Jesus along with Socrates & Pythagoras Took existences as real & historical Mara-bar-serapion

Cornelius tacitus Born 52-54 AD Rated as greatest Roman historian of all time Governor of Asia in 112 AD Mentions Christians & the origin of their name in writing about Nero Cornelius tacitus

Plinius secundus Born approx. 61 AD Governor of Bithynia (now in Turkey) Famous for witness to Vesuvius’ eruption 79 AD Wrote letter to Roman emperor Trajan on how to deal with the Chrsitian sect meeting in his cities Plinius secundus

Suetonius Wrote 120 AD Mentions Christians in “Life of Claudius” Event talked about in Luke 18:1-2 Suetonius

What these prove Most directly prove existence of Christians Jesus would have been invented & widespread in ONE generation Roman Christian community was established before 52 AD Credible historians of the 1st century took Christ’s existence for granted What these prove

Jewish sources Sources written by Jewish writers for Jewish religion NO reason to verify Chrsit’s existence or miracles Credible in Jewish history AND secular history Jewish sources

The talmud THE MISHNAH Jewish code of religious jurisprudence Compiled starting 70AD, completed 200 AD GEMARAS Body of Jewish historical commentaries used to make the Mishnah The talmud

Flavius josephus Born 37 AD Writes of MANY New Testament figures Directly references Jesus Many times tried, but never unauthenticated Flavius josephus

NT Writers themselves Historical- verified by multiple writers The Gospels are MORE than sufficient to establish Jesus existed HG Wells Will Durant FF Bruce NT Writers themselves

He lived, so what? Existence is NOT proof of His deity “Consider that men do not receive such recognition among the great men of history merely because they exist.”- Ed Wharton NT is single source of the fullness of Jesus’ greatness Existence means NT is reliable & historical He lived, so what?

Next Class: April 8th Archaeology Contemporary Documentation Historical Context The Acid Test Next Class: April 8th