Who Was Jesus?

Influential British Philosopher Bertrand Russell echoed a common sentiment about Jesus in his famous essay Why I am not a Christian-

“Historically it is quite doubtful whether Christ ever existed at all, and if he did we know nothing about him.”

He was not alone in his thinking. There are many who doubt the historical accuracy of Jesus, but here are the facts-

· Biblical records about Jesus were written by eyewitnesses within forty years of the events that occurred.

· The Biblical accounts of Jesus agree with evidence from secular and Jewish historians of his time.

· Luke, one of the Biblical authors who wrote about Jesus, mentions thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, nine islands, and several ancient rulers in his accounts about Jesus and the early church. He never makes a single historical error about any of them!

· There 5366 manuscripts used to translate the New Testament of the Bible. Compared to the 643 manuscripts available to translate Homer’s Iliad, the Bible is a very reliable historical record.

· Even without these many manuscripts, almost the entire new testament could be recreated just from quotations from the church fathers.

All of these facts together show that the Bible is indeed an accurate historical record. Ultimately the only way to know if Jesus was real, or if He was who the Bible says He was is to look for yourself.

Ready to take a small step of faith?

Jesus on judging others-

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

Matthew 7:1

Jesus on treating others-

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22: 39

Jesus on salvation-

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6