But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15, ESV) defense/Gk. Apologia – speech in defense of truth which one belives

The basic study of Jesus

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3, ESV) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17, ESV)

 Apollonius Persius  Appian Petronius  Arrian Phaedrus  Aulus Gellius Philo-Judaeus  Columella Phlegon  Damis Pliny the Elder  Dio Chrysostom Pliny the Younger  Dion Pruseus Plutarch  Epictetus Pompon Mela  Favorinus Ptolemy Florus Lucius Quintilian Hermogones Quintius Curtius Josephus Seneca Justus of Tiberius Silius Italicus Juvenal Statius Lucanus Suetonius Lucian Tacitus Lysias Theon of Smyran Martial Valerius Flaccus Paterculus Valerius Maximus Pausanias

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch.

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Philosopher form the Roman province of Cappadocia not a historian. We have a partial fragment of a writing he did on sacrifice to his idea of god. The information we do have about him is from a historian named Philostratus who wrote down some of what he SAID Appollonius said and wrote. In short, he was no historian and we only have it second hand that he lived.

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Is the most important writer on agriculture of the Roman empire. Little is known of his life. After a career in the army, he took up farming. His De Re Rustica in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture. Wikipedia

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. A student of Appollonius and all we know about him also comes from what Philostratus said about him. We have NO history from him.

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Was a military who became a historian/court annalist. He wrote a history of Rome from the dispersion of the Greeks up to A.D.29. His account of history stopped right when Jesus was getting started. His history is also described in this way...The text of the work, preserved in a single badly written and mutilated manuscript (discovered in 1515 and now lost), is very corrupt.

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Born A.D.27 – Believed to have written a satirical novel for Nero. He was one that reveled in debauchery and extravagance. Just an immoral Roman that wrote a fictional novel..

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Lived in Rome, possibly in Egypt from A.D. This man actually did a lot of writing. (satire, essay, meteorological, letters) Finally someone who actually wrote a bit, but was possibly in Egypt for Jesus’ life, definitely not in Palestine, and not an historian.

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Professional public speaker. Wrote books for pupils of public speaking and used Roman and Greek stories In his books. -Not a historian.

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Recorded fables. He was a fiction writer not a historian

 Appollonius,  Collumella  Damis  Paterculus,  Petronius  Seneca  Valerius Maximus  Phaedrus  Philo Judaeus These are the ones that actually lived during the time of Jesus Others are just added names that actually are not contemporaries by any stretch. Believed in God and wrote a commentary on the O.T. Represented the Jews to Caligula. He was a Philosopher of Old Test. Scripture.

 Apollonius Persius  Appian Petronius  Arrian Phaedrus  Aulus Gellius Philo-Judaeus  Columella Phlegon  Damis Pliny the Elder  Dio Chrysostom Pliny the Younger  Dion Pruseus Plutarch  Epictetus Pompon Mela  Favorinus Ptolemy Florus Lucius Quintilian Hermogones Quintius Curtius Josephus Seneca Justus of Tiberius Silius Italicus Juvenal Statius Lucanus Suetonius Lucian Tacitus Lysias Theon of Smyran Martial Valerius Flaccus Paterculus Valerius Maximus Pausanias

1. Early history. recorded what gov’t/leaders wanted them to record 2. History often spun in view of a bias or a ruler/politician. a. Mostly, the historians were Roman propagandists b. History was rewritten to view Rome favorably. 3. A history of a non-Roman citizen that was killed on the grounds of Jewish law would hardly be something you would expect to find recorded in the history of Rome.

1. Jesus was not a wealthy man. 2. Jesus associated with the lowly. 3. Jesus stayed over in Palestine (not cultural/political hub) 4. Jesus was not a Roman. 5. Jesus died in His early to mid 30’s. (not here very long) 6. Jesus only had a public ministry of about 3 to 4 years. 7. Jesus’ ministry was peaceful. a. Others claiming to be Messiah raised armies/led rebel 8. Jesus died the death of a vile criminal.

Because of the miracles? 1. Supernatural acts weren’t some far fetched idea in this society. It was accepted that some people did supernatural things. 2. There were many magicians, mediums, fortune tellers, sorcerers, and false messiahs who claimed supernatural power. 3. It was a superstitious culture filled with false gods and all kinds of claims to supernatural power. 4. Those who witnessed the miracles knew they were real miracles. But if they heard second or third hand about some miraculous work of a prophet, it probably wasn’t very unusual to hear.

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 the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day. Jewish Antiquities

That they were wont, on a stated day, to meet together before it was light, and to sing a hymn to Christ, as to a god, alternately; and to oblige themselves by a sacrament [or oath], not to do anything that was ill: but that they would commit no theft, or pilfering, or adultery; that they would not break their promises, or deny what was deposited with them, when it was required back again; after which it was their custom to depart, and to meet again at a common but innocent meal, which they had left off upon that edict which I published at your command, and wherein I had forbidden any such conventicles. -exerpt from letter of Pliney the Younger to Tragen

“Consequently, to get rid of the report, 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 most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind”. - Tacitus, was a Senator and historian of the Roman Empire

So what do the facts of History tell us? A. We have historically accurate documents from several authors, the N.T., from Jesus time. B. We can confirm that Christianity began in the 1st century. C. We have at least three non Christian historians that mention Christ and Christianity in the 1st and 2nd cent. D. The Jews, the ones with the most reason too, never have denied that He existed. E. Starting from the 1st century, we see Christianity grow to the 4th and 5th century as the largest religion in the world. F. Considering the facts that we do have, it is unwise at best to claim that Jesus never existed. It stands against reason.