GRACE BIBLE CHURCH

Note: This is module 4 in a series of 5 which has been guest-written by Al Provost, a member of Grace Bible Church. Al has a passion for Jesus Christ, and especially for answering challenges to the truthfulness of Christianity. Visit his website at www.ProJesus.com.

#4  Did Jesus Live?

According to scholars there are ten non-Christian sources that, within 150 years of Christ's death, mention Jesus Christ in their writings. During the same 150 years there are nine non-Christians sources that mention the Roman who was emperor during the time of Jesus, Tiberius Caesar. No one doubts that Tiberius Caesar was an actual man who lived during the first century nor should anyone doubt that Jesus Christ lived at the same time.

Christian tradition will have it that already as early as 30 A.D. the followers of Jesus were most utterly persecuted by the Jewish authorities. On the other hand, we know that Christians and Jews were undistinguished by the Roman authority until the closing years of the first century, and that, too, not only in Palestine but also among the Dispersion a consideration which in the opinion of some critics tends somewhat to weaken the strength of the traditional line of demarcation which is regarded as having been drawn between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the Diaspora by Pauline propaganda. Moreover, we are further assured by Talmud scholars that according to Jewish tradition Jews and Jewish Christians were not distinctly separated out till the reign of Trajan (98-117 A.D.), or even still later in Hadrian’s time (117-138 A.D.).

The New Testament writings are about Jesus Christ.  So, did Jesus really live?  Below are some of the 1^st and 2^nd Century non-Christians mentioned who Christ in their writings: 

Epistle of Pseudo-Barnabas A.D.70                                                                                               Clement A.D.95
Ignatius A.D.110
Papias A.D.130
Tacitus A.D.112
Lucian & Josephus 2nd century
Suctonius A.D.120
Pliny A.D.112.

These writings confirm the fact that Jesus did live 2000 years ago.  Now, since we have determined that Jesus lived and that the Bible is a very reliable document, then our next question should be;

#4b  “Is Jesus The Creator and God?” 

Noted author, C. S. Lewis, makes the point that Jesus  was either a liar and lunatic or He is Lord and Creator of the universe.  There is no place for anything else, like “He was a good teacher.”  Nothing in the Bible or the action of his followers indicates this point of view.  Let’s first look at the possibility that Jesus was a liar and a lunatic.  If Jesus was an ordinary man, and He claimed all that is in the Bible, then surely He was a liar and a lunatic.  If that is the case, then all Christians should be pitied because they believe lies and are completely lost spiritually.  What remains is the proposition that Jesus is the Lord, Savior and Creator of the universe.  Jesus Christ was crucified for “who He said He is” not for anything He did!  He said, “The Father and I are One”.  Evidence shows that the Bible is a very reliable document.  So let’s review a few prophecies in the Bible about Christ

There are at least 40 more major prophecies that were exactly in line with the life of Jesus.  The odds of one man fulfilling all of the prophecies is astronomical and impossible without divine intervention.  In fact, Hugh Ross has calculated that the probability of the chance fulfillment of only 13 Bible predictions showed less than one chance in 10 with 138 “zeros” following. 

What was so profound about what Jesus said and WHY?  Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no-one comes to the Father (God) except through me.”  This was not some casual statement or threat.  Jesus said it as fact.  Jesus is God incarnate!  God the Son!  If we want glorious eternal life, it comes through Jesus.  Through the Gospel, which is the power of God, for the salvation of everyone who believes! 

Christians worship Jesus, the one true God.  One objection to Christianity seems to be the unwillingness of the human psyche to “Worship” anyone, even if that “one” is God.  Most say “I will be O.K. if I am just a good person.”  Another objection to Christianity is the concept of the “trinity”.  If Jesus is God then the concept of the trinity (three persons but one God) must be true.  Surely, God would not come to earth as a human and leave heaven unoccupied!  Most people reject the trinity!

Here are a couple of questions to get you thinking. If you would like to discuss these questions, or what is written above, please email Al at .

1.  If Jesus is a real person; what was His purpose on earth?

2.  What is the Greatest thing that Jesus can give us?