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Evidence Files

Is Jesus History
or Myth?

A guided inquiry into the historical and prophetic evidence.

Skeptic's Note: Doubt is not the enemy of faith; it is often the beginning of real conviction. Examine the evidence yourself.

1. The Core Question

Did Jesus exist? If He did, was He who He claimed to be? This document compiles evidence from hostile witnesses, ancient manuscripts, and the internal coherence of the Bible.

2. The Secular Record

Even if we lost the Bible, we could reconstruct the basics of Jesus' life from non-Christian sources.

Tacitus Hostile

Roman Historian (AD 56–120)
Confirms Jesus was executed by Pontius Pilate.

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Josephus Jewish

Jewish Historian (AD 37–100)
Identifies Jesus as a wise man, the "Christ," and mentions his brother James.

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The Talmud Hostile

Rabbinical Writings (AD 70–200)
Confirms Jesus ("Yeshu") was executed on Passover eve for "sorcery."

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Pliny the Younger Hostile

Roman Governor (AD 61–113)
Wrote to Emperor Trajan about Christians singing hymns to Christ "as to a god."

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Suetonius Hostile

Roman Historian (AD 69–122)
Mentions riots in Rome instigated by "Chrestus."

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Thallus Skeptic

Historian (AD 52)
Attempted to explain the darkness at the crucifixion as a solar eclipse (which is impossible during Passover/Full Moon).

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3. The Eyewitnesses

Christianity hinges on the claim that Jesus rose. The strongest evidence is the behavior of the people who claimed to see Him.

The Logic: Liars lie to get money, sex, or power. The disciples got poverty, torture, and death. People die for what they believe is true, but nobody willingly dies for what they know is a lie.

Tap a person to see their file:

Peter The Fisherman
James (Zebedee) The Close Friend
James (Brother) The Family Skeptic
Thomas The Doubter
Andrew The Missionary
Paul The Enemy

4. The Prophetic Fingerprint

The Old Testament contains predictions written centuries before Jesus. These aren't vague horoscopes; they are specific details about a specific person.

Historical Fact Check: Dating the Texts

How do we know these weren't written after Jesus lived to make it look like a miracle?

  • The Septuagint (250 BC): The entire Old Testament was translated into Greek in Egypt roughly 250 years before Jesus was born. This translation was widely circulated.
  • Dead Sea Scrolls (150 BC): Discovered in 1947, these manuscripts (including a complete copy of Isaiah) have been carbon-dated to at least a century before Jesus. They are virtually identical to the Bibles we have today.

Ordered chronologically (Oldest to Newest):

1000 BC • Execution
Hands and Feet Pierced
Written before crucifixion was invented as a method of execution.
Prophecy
1000 BC • Rejection
Rejected by the Leaders
Why it matters The Promised Deliverer wasn't expected to be embraced by the religious elite; He was predicted to be the "stone the builders rejected."
Prophecy
750 BC • Childhood
Called Out of Egypt
Why it matters The Promised Deliverer was to retrace the history of Israel. Just as the nation came out of Egypt, the Son would too.
Prophecy Fulfillment
740 BC • Birth
Born of a Virgin
Prophecy
740 BC • The Passion
The Suffering Servant
Why it matters This chapter is so specific about the execution (piercing, silence, burial with rich) that skeptics often assume it was written after Jesus. But the Dead Sea Scrolls prove it predates Him.
Read Verse 5
700 BC • The Forerunner
A Messenger Prepares the Way
Why it matters Kings always had heralds announce their arrival. The Bible predicted a specific "voice in the wilderness" (John the Baptist) would precede the Promised One.
Prophecy
700 BC • Birthplace
Born in Bethlehem
Even though He was known as "Jesus of Nazareth."
Prophecy Fulfillment
520 BC • The Entry
Riding on a Donkey
Why it matters Conquering kings rode horses. Jesus rode a donkey to signal He was a King of Peace, not war.
Prophecy
520 BC • Betrayal
Sold for 30 Silver Coins
Why it matters 30 pieces of silver was the specific price of a slave. He was valued as nothing more than a servant.
Prophecy

The Statistical Improbability

The "Fingerprint" Problem

The timeline above highlights just a few key predictions. However, scholars have identified over 300 specific details and implications in the Old Testament that point to the Promised One, all fulfilled by Jesus.

Why this is strong evidence:

  • Time Gap: These documents (like the Dead Sea Scrolls) physically existed centuries before Jesus was born.
  • Lack of Control: A person cannot manipulate their own birthplace, their ancestry, the price of their betrayal, or how soldiers gamble for their clothes.

Mathematicians have calculated the odds of one person fulfilling just 8 of these prophecies by chance is comparable to covering the entire state of Texas in silver dollars two feet deep, marking just one, and asking a blindfolded man to pick the marked coin on the very first try. The odds for fulfilling 300+ are astronomical.

Reference
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