Do 1st and 2nd century historians give us accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ?
In an earlier article, Did Jesus Exist or Is It All a Myth,
I wrote about how it is very odd that we have no eyewitness accounts of
Jesus, his life, and his teachings. No one wrote a thing about him
during his supposed lifetime. We don’t even have any accounts of Jesus
from someone who knew someone who knew Jesus.
Christian apologists often cite the Epistles of Paul or the historians of the 1st and 2nd century CE Jospehus, Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, and Suetonius as proof that the man we have come to know as Jesus Christ actually existed. Here is why their proof is no proof at all.
Christian apologists often cite the Epistles of Paul or the historians of the 1st and 2nd century CE Jospehus, Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, and Suetonius as proof that the man we have come to know as Jesus Christ actually existed. Here is why their proof is no proof at all.
How are ancient historical documents authenticated?
Scholars
often refer to the known dates of historical events to determine when a
document was written. If the author mentioned who was ruler at the time
of his writing, or if he mentions an historical event for which the
date is known, the reference can be used to discern the date of the
document.
Linguistics also comes into play. The use of certain language and words can help pin down when a document was written.
Authorship can be determined by comparing the writing style of a particular document from a known writer with the writing style of newly found document ascribed to the same author. If they don’t match, the new document is probably a forgery.
Documents are also dated by archeologists based upon where they were found and what was found near them. Carbon dating is also used.
Linguistics also comes into play. The use of certain language and words can help pin down when a document was written.
Authorship can be determined by comparing the writing style of a particular document from a known writer with the writing style of newly found document ascribed to the same author. If they don’t match, the new document is probably a forgery.
Documents are also dated by archeologists based upon where they were found and what was found near them. Carbon dating is also used.
Read more:
Jesus Who? The Historical Record Gives No Clue
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