Posted by:
anybody
(
)
Date: April 03, 2015 06:05AM
The existence of Jesus of Nazareth as an individual who actually lived may be important to some for emotional reasons but not for the religious movement that became Christianity. No one knows if Zoroaster or Siddhartha Gautama, who would become the Buddha, historically existed. Historians still debate if William Shakespeare actually existed or if he was a composite of different several people or if the William Shakespeare of history was William Shakespeare the playwright. Most myths or legends (like King Arthur for example) have a kernel of truth at the centre of them so there is a strong possibility that Jesus existed but no one will ever know. Even if there were evidence proving the historical existence of Jesus it would be impossible to prove he was the Christ. That is a theological question and not an historical one.
1. There are only a handful of people mentioned in the Gospel stories whose existence is known historically with supporting archaeological evidence: Herod, Tiberius, Pontius Pilate, etc.
2. Jesus of Nazareth was one of many holy men and/or miracle workers supposedly living in Judea in the first century. Many people were crucified for opposing Roman authority.
3. There were several pre-Christian religious movements in the region that had elements similar to future Christian ideology. The earliest historical document that mentions "Christians" is a letter from Pliny the Younger to Trajan in A.D. 112 -- approximately eighty years after the execution of Jesus.
4. Paul f/k/a Saul of Tarsus initiated the Christian religion as we know it based on the story (or myth) of Jesus -- long after the crucifixion. Jesus of Nazareth as a symbol was more important than the personage of Jesus.
"From Jesus To Christ"
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/watch/Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2015 06:08AM by anybody.