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Did Jesus Truly Exist? Considering the Historical Evidence
Hello, Church Family!
Have you ever been scrolling the internet and run into folks claiming Jesus never actually existed? Believe it or not, it's popular in certain circles today to suggest Christ was never a historical figure, just a myth invented over centuries.
Let's address this directly—can we be confident from history alone that Jesus truly lived? The short (and resounding) answer is yes.
Here's why the historical evidence for Jesus is actually overwhelming. Just decades after His lifetime, Christian sources like the letters of the Apostle Paul and deeply detailed Gospel biographies appeared. These writings weren't legends developed centuries after—rather, they emerged during the lifetimes of many eyewitnesses, clearly rooted in real places, people, and events of first-century Palestine.
It's not just biblical writings, though. Non-believing Jewish and Roman historians also affirmed the existence of Jesus. Josephus, a respected Jewish historian writing around AD 93, mentioned Jesus explicitly; Roman historians Tacitus and Pliny the Younger independently confirmed Christ's crucifixion under Pontius Pilate and the widespread growth of early Christianity. Note these historians were no fans of Jesus or His followers (Tacitus famously called Christianity a "destructive superstition"). Even ancient Jewish sources criticized Jesus harshly—but never questioned His existence.
Additionally, seriously ask yourself: if early Christians invented Jesus, why would they portray themselves as confused, doubting, and fearful disciples who initially abandoned their Lord? Would they willingly suffer and even die for what they knew was an invented myth? No way! As a respected Christian thinker once remarked, "Hypocrites and martyrs aren't made of the same stuff."
Even today, the strongest defenders of Jesus' historical existence include leading atheist historians such as Bart Ehrman and Maurice Casey. They've pointedly criticized claims that Jesus is fictional as historically baseless and intellectually dishonest.
So yes, Church Family, Jesus absolutely, historically walked this earth—lived, taught, died on a Roman cross, and (as we joyfully celebrate) rose from the dead. Yet as vital as historical evidence is for establishing credibility, remember our greatest reason for belief. Jesus doesn't just exist in history—He changes lives today. The deeper, compelling question each of us must ask isn't just "Did Jesus live?" but "Is Jesus alive in me?"
Let's be confident and loving, ready to share gently yet boldly this life-changing truth with anyone wrestling with honest doubt. Christianity invites questions—and Jesus Himself is the best answer.
Trust firmly and continue sharing truth!
Pastor Justin Wyckoff
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