Did Jesus Christ exist as a historical human or was he a theological construct?

[Minimalist]

You can't say that Jesus, Mary, or Joseph never existed.

I agree. However, if you take xtians at their word and ascribe "Paul" to the middle of the 1st century AD then in his writings he never heard of Mary or Joseph. Or Nazareth. Or Pilate.

How very odd.

[Autumnlicious]

You can't say that Jesus, Mary, or Joseph never existed.

I agree. However, if you take xtians at their word and ascribe "Paul" to the middle of the 1st century AD then in his writings he never heard of Mary or Joseph. Or Nazareth. Or Pilate.

How very odd.

Shh! If they realize the gospels make no historical sense with regards to most of the biblical characters, they might question other things!

[Paul the Human]

Shh! If they realize the gospels make no historical sense with regards to most of the biblical characters, they might question other things!

I doubt it.

[Minimalist]

You can't say that Jesus, Mary, or Joseph never existed.

I agree. However, if you take xtians at their word and ascribe "Paul" to the middle of the 1st century AD then in his writings he never heard of Mary or Joseph. Or Nazareth. Or Pilate.

How very odd.

Shh! If they realize the gospels make no historical sense with regards to most of the biblical characters, they might question other things!

My bad.

[The_Flying_Skeptic]

Yes.

Credible evidence.

wouldn't evidence for 'Jesus' be 'incredible evidence'?

[Godscreated]

As far as Nazareth goes, the fairly reputable Xtian scholar, Stephen Pfann has excavated there and found one single-family farm. Xtians create much of their own problem by claiming some grandiose status for Nazareth in the first century. No one else had heard of the place. As the observation goes, the most likely question for a Judaean to ask would be "Jesus of where?"

It has been established that the small town of Nazareth was in existence in AD 70. When Jerusalem fell and the temple destroyed in AD 70 the priest were assigned to other locations. Archaeologist have found a list in Aramaic describing the twenty four families of priest and their relocation and one is listed as being reassigned to Nazareth. This info comes from Dr. James Strange of the University of South Florida he is an expert on this area.
Ian Wilson citing pre-christian remains found under the Church of the Annunciation in 1955 in present day Nazareth said"Such findings suggest that Nazareth may have existed in Jesus' time,but there is no doubt that it must have been a very small and insignificant place." This would explain Nathanal's statement in John 1:46.

[Minimalist]

And once again the peanut gallery shows up.


James Strange...from his online bio.

James Strange is Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Graduate Studies. He has served both as Chairperson of Religious Studies (1990-93) and as Dean of the College of Arts and Letters (1981-89). He earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Rice University in 1959, an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School in 1964, and a PhD. in New Testament Studies from Drew University in 1970.

Rice and Yale are fairly well-known. Here is Drew University's own write up from their web site.

About the University

Consisting of the College of Liberal Arts, the Drew Theological School and the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, Drew University has a total enrollment of 2,716 students. (1,778 in the College of Liberal Arts, 544 in the Caspersen School and 394 in the Theological School.)

Son, there will always be some bible thumper out there to tell you what you want to hear. I know you are fine with that because you desperately need to have your fairy tales vindicated. However, the rest of us are not so easily impressed.

You see, in the aftermath of the Great Revolt of 66 the Sanheddrin relocated to the town of Yavne, not Nazareth. Jerusalem was burned out but the remains became a base for the Tenth Legion. Jews were not evicted from Judaea in 70. Those who survived the siege and assault continued to live in the region until the bar Kochba revolt in 135. Nazareth shows up in the second century in inscriptions. When the Romans finished suppressing THAT revolt the Jews were barred from Judaea and at that time there would have been a need to relocate the priestly families as the Romans leveled Jerusalem and built the new city of Aelia Capitolina on the ruins. I wouldn't expect you to know that but Strange certainly should.

As for "Nazareth" in 67 AD Flavius Josephus, before he defected to the Romans, was commander of the rebel forces in Galilee. After an abortive attempt on the two major cities of Tiberias and Sepphoris Josephus fortified the town of Jotapata (Yodfat) which he held for 47 days before surrendering. He wrote extensively of the campaign and in all that failed to mention any "Nazareth" which, as you can see from this photo of Yodfat

The photo shows the view of the site from the west. On the top of the hill a set of caves can be seen, and just beneath it the walls of the fortress. In the center right the Romans built the ramp in order to crush the walls.
Modern Nazareth can be seen in the background. Behind the hill - a valley passes through Khirbet Cana, 4 KM away.

Nazareth is quite close. Vespasian's army would have been camped virtually on top of it.


Josephus gives detailed geographical information of Galilee in the mid first century....but not a single word about "Nazareth." "Paul" never mentions "Nazareth." Why don't you exert your brain and figure out why not.

[tackattack]

Really min I thought you could do better than tacking on an Appeal To False Authority. From "You see, ..." on citing references would have been sufficient.

[Minimalist]

Using "facts" is an appeal to false authority, tack?

Interesting way you have of looking at things.


I'll take facts over fervent belief every time.

[tackattack]

Quoting someone's qualification and following them with "Son, there will always be some bible thumper out there to tell you what you want to hear. " is from the definition I've read an appeal to false authority...

Any debaters got an opinion on this?