Who is Jesus? The person of Jesus … one of the best kept secrets?

Who is Jesus?

Faith is believing something that you know isn’t true!

Who is Jesus? A blind step of faith … or a step of faith based on firm historical evidence?

Who is Jesus? Faith: a decision to trust based on a careful examination of the evidence

Who is Jesus? Jesus … “a mythical figure who never existed” a communist Russian dictionary Our purpose this evening … to examine the historical evidence

Who is Jesus?

The Evidence

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (outside the Bible) “Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome” Suetonius, Life of Claudius, 69 CE CE “ … Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians 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, Pontius Pilatus, and a deadly superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but also in the City, where all things shameful from every part of the world meet and become popular …” Tacitus, Annals, 55 CE CE

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (outside the Bible) “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 the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets foretold this and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians so named after him, are not extinct at this day.” Flavius Jospehus (? 37CE - 101CE)

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (in the Bible) How can we know that what was written down in the Bible has not been changed over the years?

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (in the Bible) WorkWritten Earliest Copy Time span Number of copies Herodotus BCE 900 CE13008 Thcydides BCE 1100 CE13008 Tacitus100 CE900 CE Caesar’s Gallic War BCE 900 CE9509 or 10 Livy’s Roman History 59 BCE - 17 CE 900 CE90020 New Testament CE 130 CE (parts) 350 CE (whole) < >5000 Greek Latin

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (in the Bible) “In the variety and fullness of the evidence on which it rests, the text of the New Testament stands absolutely and unapproachably alone among ancient prose writings” F.J.A. Hort

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (in the Bible) “The interval then between the dates of original composition and the earliest extant evidence becomes so small as to be in fact negligible, and the last foundation for any doubt that the Scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were written has now been removed. Both the authenticity and the general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as finally established” Sir Frederick Kenyon

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (in the Bible) Qumran: where the “Dead Sea Scrolls” were found

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (in the Bible) Conclusions so far … Jesus did live on this earth He was fully human He had a human body, and was sometimes tired or hungry He had human emotions - he was angry, loved, became sad He had human experiences - he was tempted, he learned, he worked, he obeyed his parents

Who is Jesus? The historical evidence (in the Bible) But was Jesus only human? “ I can’t believe in Christianity, but I think Jesus was a wonderful man” Billy Connolly

Who is Jesus? What Jesus said about himself Freud: “People are hungry for love” Jung: “People are hungry for security” Adler: “People are hungry for significance” Jesus: “I am the bread of life”

Who is Jesus? What Jesus said about himself “I am the bread of life” “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die …” “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Jesus also said that to receive him was to receive God; to welcome him was to welcome God; to have seen him was to have seen God

Who is Jesus? What Jesus said about himself Jesus also  claimed that he could forgive sins  said that he would judge the world  said that he himself would be the criterion by which the world would be judged  when asked if he was the Christ, said “I am”  when addressed by Thomas as “My Lord and my God”, accepted this as true

Who is Jesus? What Jesus said about himself Logical explanations for Jesus’ claims: 1.He knew they were untrue, and was an imposter 2.They were in fact untrue, but he was deluded and thought they were 3.They were true

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? Evidence to assess the claims of Jesus

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? His teaching: the greatest teaching to have come from human lips the foundation of civilisation on the West

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? His works: Jesus said that his miracles were evidence that “the Father is in me, and I in the Father” He turned water into wine He multiplied a picnic He had control over the elements He carried out remarkable healings He was motivated by an extraordinary love

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? His character: Bernard Levin: “Is not the nature of Christ, in the words of the New Testament, enough to pierce to the soul anyone with a soul to be pierced? … he still looms over the world, his message still clear, his pity still infinite, his consolation still effective, his words still full of glory, wisdom and love” Lord Hailsham: “… irresistably attractive as a man”

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? Old Testament Prophecies about him  more than 300 over 500 years  29 on the day he died  many outside his control

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? His resurrection:

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? His resurrection: possible explanations 1.He didn’t die on the cross 2.The disciples stole the body 3.The authorities stole the body 4.He was raised from death

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? What about the appearances to the disciples?  Was this hallucination?  not to the highly strung or emotional!  to many people at various times - more than 500 on one occasion  Jesus ate and drank with the disciples after he was raised

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? The immediate impact the disciples transformed the authorities impotent the rapid spread of belief in the face of persecution

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims? Christian experience Countless millions have experienced the risen Christ “In its favour as living truth there exists such overwhelming evidence, positive and negative, factual and circumstantial, that no intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in a verdict that the resurrection story is true” Lord Darling (former chief justice of England)

Who is Jesus? What evidence is there for Jesus’ claims?