Christian sources Sources for the historicity of Jesus

1 christian sources

1.1 pauline epistles

1.1.1 overview
1.1.2 specific references
1.1.3 pre-pauline creeds


1.2 gospels
1.3 church fathers
1.4 gnostic , apocryphal texts

christian sources

various books, memoirs , stories written jesus christians. famous gospels of matthew, mark, luke , john. 1 of these believed have been written within 50–70 years of death of jesus, gospel of mark believed earliest, , last gospel of john. blainey writes oldest surviving record written christian short letter st paul: first epistle thessalonians, appeared 25 years after death of jesus. letter, while important in describing issues development of gentilic christianity, contains little of significance understanding life of historic jesus.

bart ehrman, robert eisenman , others critical of traditional christian views, in assessing problems involved in conducting historical jesus research, gospels full of discrepancies, written decades after jesus death, authors had not witnessed events in jesus life. go on gospels authored not eyewitnesses contemporary events narrate rather people did not know jesus, see did, or hear taught, , authors did not share language jesus. accounts produced not disinterested; narratives produced christians believed in jesus, , not immune slanting stories in light of biases. ehrman points out texts inconsistent, full of discrepancies , contradictions in both details , larger portraits of jesus was.

pauline epistles

overview

a page 2 corinthians in papyrus 46, c. ce 200

in context of christian sources, if other texts ignored, pauline epistles can provide information regarding jesus. information not include narrative of life of jesus, , refers existence person, adds few specific items apart death crucifixion. information comes letters of paul authenticity not disputed. paul not companion of jesus , claims information comes holy spirit acquired after jesus death.

of thirteen letters bear paul s name, 7 considered authentic scholars, , others considered pseudepigraphic. 7 undisputed letters (and approximate dates) are: 1 thessalonians (c. 51 ce), philippians (c. 52-54 ce), philemon (c. 52-54 ce), 1 corinthians (c. 53-54 ce), galatians (c. 55 ce), 2 corinthians (c. 55-56 ce) , romans (c. 55-58 ce). authenticity of these letters accepted scholars, , have been referenced , interpreted authors such origen , eusebius.

given pauline epistles dated ce 50 ce 60, earliest surviving christian texts include information jesus. these letters written approximately twenty thirty years after accepted time period death of jesus, around ce 30-36. letters written during time when paul recorded encounters disciples of jesus, e.g. galatians 1:18 states several years after conversion paul went jerusalem , stayed apostle peter fifteen days. during time, paul disputed nature of jesus message jesus s brother james, concerning importance of adhering kosher food restrictions , circumcision, important features of determining jewish identity.

the pauline letters not intended provide narrative of life of jesus, written expositions of christian teachings. in paul s view, earthly life of jesus of lower importance theology of death , resurrection,a theme permeates pauline writings. however, pauline letters indicate paul jesus real person (born of woman in gal 4.4) had disciples (1 corinthians 15.5), crucified (as in 1 corinthians 2.2 , galatians 3.1) , resurrected dead (1 corinthians 15.20, romans 1.4 , 6.5, philippians 3:10-11). , letters reflect general concept within gentillic christian church jesus existed, crucified , raised dead.

the references paul jesus not in prove existence of jesus, establish existence of jesus accepted norm within christians (including christian community in jerusalem, given references collections there) twenty thirty years after death of jesus, @ time when have been acquainted him still alive.

specific references

the 7 pauline epistles regarded authentic include following information along other historical elements used study historicity of jesus:

early 3rd century copy of epistle romans papyrus 27



existence of jesus: in paul s view jesus existed , jew based on galatians 4:4 states born of woman , romans 1:3 born under law . scholars such paul barnett hold indicates paul had familiarity circumstances of birth of jesus, not shared among scholars in general. however, statement indicate paul had knowledge of , interest in jesus life before crucifixion.
disciples , brothers: 1 corinthians 15:5 states paul knew jesus had 12 disciples, , considers peter 1 of them. 1 corinthians 1:12 further indicates peter known in corinth before writing of 1 corinthians, assumes familiar cephas/peter. statement in 1 corinthians 15:5 indicates twelve reference twelve apostles known notion within christian church in corinth , required no further explanation paul. galatians 1:18 further states paul knew peter , stayed him in jerusalem fifteen days, 3 years after conversion. implies peter known galatians , required no introduction. 1 corinthians 9:5 , galatians 1:19 state jesus had brothers, 1 being called james, whom paul met or saw. james claimed christian writers origen , eusebius have been leader of followers of jesus, after brother s death, , have been first bishop, or bishop of bishops in jerusalem.


betrayal , rituals: jesus betrayed , established traditions such eucharist derived 1 corinthians 11:23-25 states: lord jesus in night in betrayed took bread; , when had given thanks, brake it, , said, body, you: in remembrance of me. .
crucifixion: pauline letters include several references crucifixion of jesus e.g. 1 corinthians 11:23, 1 corinthians 2:2 , galatians 3:1 among others. death of jesus forms central element of pauline letters. 1 thessalonians 2:15 places responsibility death of jesus on jews. moeover statement in 1 thessalonians 2:14-16 jews both killed lord jesus , drove out indicates death of jesus within same time frame persecution of paul.


burial: 1 corinthians 15:4 , romans 6:4 state following death jesus buried (but not mention tomb). reference used paul build on theology of resurrection, reflects common belief @ time jesus buried after death.

the existence of these references jesus in pauline epistles has given rise criticism of them g. a. wells, accepted leader of movement deny historicity of jesus. when wells still denying existence of jesus, criticized pauline epistles not mentioning items such john baptist or judas or trial of jesus , used argument conclude jesus not historical figure.

james d. g. dunn addressed wells statement , stated knew of no other scholar shared view, , other scholars had other , more plausible explanations fact paul did not include narrative of life of jesus in letters, written religious documents rather historical chronicles @ time when life story of jesus have been known within church. dunn states despite wells arguments, theories of non-existence of jesus thoroughly dead thesis .

while wells no longer denies existence of jesus, has responded dunn, stating arguments silence not apply paul christian authors, , still has low opinion of christian texts, maintaining paul jesus may have existed number of decades before.

pre-pauline creeds

the pauline letters refer creeds, or confessions of faith, predate writings. instance 1 corinthians 15:3-4 reads: received passed on of first importance: christ died our sins according scriptures, buried, raised on third day according scriptures. romans 1:3-4 refers romans 1:2 before mentions existing gospel, , in effect may treating earlier creed.

one of keys identifying pre-pauline tradition given in 1 corinthians 15:11

whether [it be] or they, preach, , ye believed.

here paul refers others before him preached creed. james dunn states 1 corinthians 15:3 indicates in 30s paul taught death of jesus few years earlier.

the pauline letters contain christian creed elements of pre-pauline origin. antiquity of creed has been located many biblical scholars less decade after jesus death, originating jerusalem apostolic community. concerning creed, campenhausen wrote, account meets demands of historical reliability possibly made of such text, whilst a. m. hunter said, passage therefore preserves uniquely , verifiable testimony. meets every reasonable demand of historical reliability.

these creeds date within few years of jesus death, , developed within christian community in jerusalem. although embedded within texts of new testament, these creeds distinct source christianity. indicates existence , death of jesus part of christian belief few years after death , on decade before writing of pauline epistles.

gospels


p52, papyrus fragment codex (c. 90–160), 1 of earliest known new testament manuscripts.

the 4 canonical gospels, matthew, mark, luke, , john, main sources biography of jesus life, teachings , actions attributed him. 3 of these (matthew, mark, , luke) known synoptic gospels, greek σύν (syn ) , ὄψις (opsis view ), given display high degree of similarity in content, narrative arrangement, language , paragraph structure. presentation in fourth canonical gospel, i.e. john, differs these 3 in has more of thematic nature rather narrative format. scholars agree impossible find direct literary relationship between synoptic gospels , gospel of john.

the authors of new testament showed little interest in absolute chronology of jesus or in synchronizing episodes of life secular history of age. gospels written theological documents in context of christianity chronological timelines secondary consideration. 1 manifestation of gospels being theological documents rather historical chronicles devote 1 third of text 7 days, namely last week of life of jesus in jerusalem. although gospels not provide enough details satisfy demands of modern historians regarding exact dates, scholars have used them reconstruct number of portraits of jesus. however, stated in john 21:25 gospels not claim provide exhaustive list of events in life of jesus.

scholars have varying degrees of certainty historical reliability of accounts in gospels, , 2 events historicity subject of universal agreement among scholars baptism , crucifixion of jesus. scholars such e.p. sanders , separately craig a. evans go further , assume 2 other events in gospels historically certain, namely jesus called disciples, , caused controversy @ temple.

ever since augustinian hypothesis, scholars continue debate order in gospels written, , how may have influenced each other, , several hypothesis exist in regard, e.g. markan priority hypothesis holds gospel of mark written first c. 70 ce. in approach, matthew placed @ being sometime after date , luke thought have been written between 70 , 100 ce. however, according competing, , more popular, q source hypothesis, gospels not independently written, derived common source called q. two-source hypothesis proposes authors of matthew , luke drew on gospel of mark on q.

the gospels can seen having 3 separate lines: literary line looks @ textual perspective, secondly historical line observes how christianity started renewal movement within judaism , separated it, , theological line analyzes christian teachings. within historical perspective, gospels not used establish existence of jesus sources in own right alone, content compared , contrasted non-christian sources, , historical context, draw conclusions historicity of jesus.

early church fathers

eusebius of caesarea

two possible patristic sources may refer eye witness encounters jesus references of papias , quadratus, reported eusebius of caesarea in 4th century.

the works of papias have not survived, eusebius quotes him saying:

…if chance had been in attendance on elders should come way, inquired words of elders – is, according elders andrew or peter said, or philip, or thomas or james, or john or matthew or other of lord’s disciples, , whatever aristion , elder john, lord’s disciples, saying.

richard bauckham states while papias collecting information (c. 90), aristion , elder john (who jesus disciples) still alive , teaching in asia minor, , papias gathered information people had known them. however, exact identity of elder john wound in debate on authorship of gospel of john, , scholars have differing opinions on that, e.g. jack finegan states eusebius may have misunderstood papias wrote, , elder john may different person author of fourth gospel, yet still disciple of jesus. gary burge, on other hand sees confusion on part of eusebius , holds elder john different person apostle john.

the letter of quadratus (possibly first christian apologist) emperor hadrian (who reigned 117 – 138) have date , reported eusebius in ecclesiastical history 4.3.2 have stated:

words of our savior present, true: healed, rose dead, not seen in act of being healed or raised, present, not merely when savior living on earth, considerable time after departure, of them survived our own times.

by our savior quadratus means jesus , letter written before ce 124. bauckham states our times may refer life, rather when wrote (117–124), reference contemporary papias. bauckham states importance of statement attributed quadratus emphasizes eye witness nature of testimonies interaction jesus. such eye witness statements abound in christian writings, particularly pseudonymous christian apocrypha, gospels , letters, in order give them credibility.

gnostic , apocryphal texts

a number of later christian texts, dating second century or later, exist new testament apocrypha, among gnostic gospels have been of major recent interest among scholars. 1945 discovery of nag hammadi library created significant amount of scholarly interest , many modern scholars have since studied gnostic gospels , written them. however, trend among 21st century scholars has been accept while gnostic gospels may shed light on progression of christian beliefs, offer little contribute study of historicity of jesus, in rather late writings, consisting of sayings (rather narrative, similar hypothesised q documents), authenticity , authorship remain questionable, , various parts of them rely on components of new testament. focus of modern research historical jesus has been away gnostic writings , towards comparison of jewish, greco-roman , canonical christian sources.

as example, bart ehrman states gnostic writings of gospel of thomas (part of nag hammadi library) have little value in historical jesus research, because author of gospel placed no importance on physical experiences of jesus (e.g. crucifixion) or physical existence of believers, , interested in secret teachings of jesus rather physical events. similarly, apocryphon of john (also part of nag hammadi library) has been useful in studying prevailing attitudes in second century, , questions of authorship regarding book of revelation, given refers revelation 1:19, post ascension teachings of jesus in vision, not narrative of life. scholars such edward arnal contend gospel of thomas continues remain useful understanding how teachings of jesus transmitted among christians, , sheds light on development of christianity.

there overlap between sayings of jesus in apocryphal texts , canonical christian writings, , not present in canonical texts called agrapha. there @ least 225 agrapha scholars have studied them have drawn negative conclusions authenticity of of them , see little value in using them historical jesus research. robert van voorst states vast majority of agrapha inauthentic. scholars differ on number of authentic agrapha, estimating low 7 authentic, others high 18 among more 200, rendering them of little value altogether. while research on apocryphal texts continues, general scholarly opinion holds have little offer study of historicity of jesus given of uncertain origin, , later documents of lower value.