1. Proving the pages of the New Testament

2. 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

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

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

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

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

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

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

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

18. 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

19. 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?

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