26
votes
Do historians support the existence of brothers to Jesus?
Historians quite widely agree that there very probably was a historical person called Jesus. They do agree that this person provided the blueprint or projection space for the belief that centered on ...
- 80.8k
21
votes
Accepted
Did any contemporary sources write about Jesus?
No, nobody did. Despite the fact that literacy was relatively high amongst the Jews at that time. And we have several historians living there or in the area in those days. Jesus was mentioned outside ...
- 22.7k
16
votes
After Jesus was executed what became of Pontius Pilate
The best and most accessible recent historical account I know of for the historical Pilate is Reza Aslan's Zealot*. Here's a portion of what he wrote near the beginning of Chapter 5 of Pilate's story ...
- 122k
11
votes
After Jesus was executed what became of Pontius Pilate
Very little is known about this Roman soldier who became the fifth Prefect of Judaea between 26 and 36 A.D., serving under Emperor Tiberius. Philo of Alexandria, Josephus and Tacitus mention him in ...
- 427
10
votes
Did any contemporary sources write about Jesus?
None that we know of. And actually Jesus wasn't unique in that regard. There were a lot of ancient figures who we know existed, but nearly everything we have written about them was from after their ...
- 141
8
votes
What historical evidence is there for the existence of Jesus Christ? What do we know about him?
Interest in the historicity of Jesus began over two hundred years ago and has been increasing overall till our post-modern day, when the number of books, articles, essays, monographs and PhD theses on ...
- 81
7
votes
What is the historical origin of the story of the Temptation of Christ?
This is one of the things that only appears in the synoptic Gospels, which of course are assumed to have shared sources, but not in John. As such, it effectively comes to us through only once source, ...
- 122k
5
votes
Why is Jesus' crucifixion dated to AD 30–33?
The version of the Nicene creed as modified by the Council of Constantinople in AD 381 includes:
he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and the third day he ...
- 19.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Chronological plausibility of "liars don’t make good martyrs?"
King Agrippa began persecuting Christians less than a decade after the crucifixion. And that's just the official persecution.
Saul (yes, that Saul) claimed to have witnessed the stoning of Stephen ...
- 1,815
4
votes
Accepted
Historical Claims Against Jesus Christ's Existence?
Actions speak louder than words, they say.
In the years following Jesus' death, the persecution against Christians came primarily from the Jews as chronicled in the book of Acts (4:3-22, 5:17-42, 6:8-...
4
votes
Have historians offered interpretations on why the disciples claimed they saw a resurrected Jesus?
They're not technically Historians, but Social Psychologists certainly have a take on this. In 1956, Leon Festinger et al published a book called When Prophecy Fails.
In a nutshell Festinger and his ...
3
votes
Did any contemporary sources write about Jesus?
The first part of Joseph Klausner's Jesus of Nazareth: His Life, Times, and Teaching contains a rather thorough discussion of the existing sources, even though it has to be noted, that the book is ...
- 4,219
3
votes
If there was truly 3 hours of darkness in Roman empire following the crucifixion, would we expect some sort of record to survive of this happening?
First off a correction: All 3 synoptics do mention the 3 hours of darkness. However, Mark and Luke say nothing about earthquakes or tombs being opened. They instead talk of a tapestry in The Temple ...
- 122k
3
votes
Accepted
Did the Romans reuse crosses for crucifixion punishment or it was one time use (1st century Jerusalem) ? I need verified sources on this
Did the Romans reuse crosses? Yes and no, in all possible senses. The data is unclear; they might have reused some parts and not others; practices probably differed depending on all kinds of contexts.
...
- 2,325
2
votes
Accepted
Please suggest a book that contains a historical (factual) account of Jesus' life
The only books that describe Jesus are the books of the bible.
There is no other reference. Some people mentioned in the bible are real, others not so much. We do know Pontius Pilate existed, from ...
- 22.7k
2
votes
What was the primary method the Jews used to make a fire at the time of Jesus?
"The method used in early Old Testament times to produce a fire was to
make sparks by the striking of stone and flint, or by the friction of
pieces of wood, afterwards igniting a blaze. There ...
- 21
1
vote
Do historians support the existence of brothers to Jesus?
There is also the "James Ossuary", on which is written in Aramaic "James, son of Joseph, brother(s?) of Jesus".
Here is a summary of the facts:
An ossuary is essentially a bone-box where the bones ...
- 356
1
vote
Did any contemporary sources write about Jesus?
As a lot of people have said, there are many people who were mostly only written about after their death in the ancient world. However, there were people who wrote about Jesus around the time of his ...
- 791
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