Jesus (discussion)

Mr Doherty is on shaky ground when he challenges the existence of Jesus. His methodology and requirements for proof undermine the existence of history's most famous characters and their words.

Let me explain.

In a period full of historians and writers documenting their times there is not one document from Caesar's own alleged lifetime that documents the Gallic Wars. The earliest manuscripts we have are dated more than 1000 years after the events. The same could be said of the works of Plato (1200 years), Tacitus (1000 years) and even Homer's Iliad (500 years). In the case of the Iliad , there are 643 manuscripts, the earliest being 500 years after the original.

In the case of the New Testament, there are more than 24,000 extant manuscripts dating from 25 years after the originals. History and archeology show there is no body of ancient literature in the world which enjoys such good textual attestation as the New Testament.

If Mr Doherty doubts the Bible, he must equally doubt every major ancient historical figure and work. I suspect he does not.

Why, then, are people not willing to trust the historicity of the New Testament when they will trust everything else?

Professor Habermas of Liberty University said of Jesus that His is one of the most-mentioned and most-substantiated lives in ancient times.

Extracts from a letter to the editor of the newspaper, "The Australia" in 2005

---

Add comment here

---

Return to Jesus