The Historical Jesus
Christianity: Truth or Fiction? | 3-The Historical Jesus
Explore the historical Jesus—what historians can say about Jesus of Nazareth using ancient sources and sound historical methods. This video surveys primary sources inside and outside the New Testament, explains criteria like multiple attestation and embarrassment, highlights widely agreed historical facts (baptism by John, Galilean ministry, teaching on the kingdom of God, crucifixion under Pontius Pilate), and addresses common myths about Jesus’ existence. We also touch on Second Temple Jewish context, early creeds, manuscript evidence, and archaeological finds that illuminate the world of Jesus.
What you’ll learn:
– Key sources: Gospels, Paul’s letters (e.g., 1 Corinthians 15), Josephus, Tacitus, Pliny, Suetonius
– Historical methods: multiple attestation, embarrassment, coherence, contextual credibility
– Core facts about Jesus most scholars accept and why they matter
– Early Christian belief and the rise of the Jesus movement
– Archaeological notes: Pilate Stone, Nazareth, first‑century synagogues, cultural context