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@janesix
How do you know Jesus is real?
I think Gary Habermas covered this subject fairly well in which he identified 12 points. I would add others, but they are a good starter and here they are:
1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. He was buried.
3. His death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope.
4. The tomb was empty (the most contested).
5. The disciples had experiences which they believed were literal appearances of the risen Jesus (the most important proof).
6. The disciples were transformed from doubters to bold proclaimers.
7. The resurrection was the central message.
8. They preached the message of Jesus’ resurrection in Jerusalem.
9. The Church was born and grew.
10. Orthodox Jews who believed in Christ made Sunday their primary day of worship.
11. James was converted to the faith when he saw the resurrected Jesus (James was a family skeptic).
12. Paul was converted to the faith (Paul was an outsider skeptic).
2. He was buried.
3. His death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope.
4. The tomb was empty (the most contested).
5. The disciples had experiences which they believed were literal appearances of the risen Jesus (the most important proof).
6. The disciples were transformed from doubters to bold proclaimers.
7. The resurrection was the central message.
8. They preached the message of Jesus’ resurrection in Jerusalem.
9. The Church was born and grew.
10. Orthodox Jews who believed in Christ made Sunday their primary day of worship.
11. James was converted to the faith when he saw the resurrected Jesus (James was a family skeptic).
12. Paul was converted to the faith (Paul was an outsider skeptic).
To the list of twelve points above, I would add the prophecy aspect. There is good evidence that the OT or Hebrew Bible was written before the timeline of AD 30 or AD 70 (i.e., Daniel 9:24-27). The Dead Sea Scrolls establish the Hebrew Bible existed before AD 30-70, for one.
Prophecy predicted the Messiah before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The prophecy was written in regards to a specific timeline and regarding a specific people who lived under the Old Covenant or Mosaic Law. These Mosaic laws cannot be followed after AD 70 by these people, so what was written in the NT rings true. It foretold a Messiah and eyewitnesses testify that Jesus claimed to be this Messiah.
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Habermas notes 17 extra-biblical sources that mention Jesus within 150 years after His death. Twelve of these sources mention His crucifixion and a few examples are cited of the above link/article. I have read his books that cite more of these sources. It lists them and gives the primary sources from history in which they can be found. I have checked out the primary sources to confirm this with many of these references.
From the same articles here are a few of those early extra-biblical mentions:
“Christians…worship a man to this day…who…was crucified on that account…[They] worshipped the crucified sage…” (Lucian, famous Greek Satirist). He called him a crucified sophist.
“Nor did the wise king die for good; he lived on in the teachings which he had given” (Mara Bar-Serapion, Syrian Writer). He tells his own son to emulate Jesus who gave his life.
“Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die...His disciples…reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive” (Flavius Josephus, 38-97 A.D.). Though it is disputed, the portion about the cross is believed. He also mentions Tiberius Caesar.
“Jesus…was nailed to a tree” (The Gospel of Truth, a Gnostic Source).
“On the whole world presented there presented a most fearful darkness…” at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus (Thallus, Samaritan).
“And with regard to the eclipse in the time of Tiberius Caesar..” at the time of Jesus’ death (Phlegon, 80 A.D.). There was a lunar eclipse April 3, 33 AD (Julian)."
So, there are good, logical reasons to believe in the historical Person.
