To Atheists: Who, in your opinion, was Jesus Christ?

[JJoseph]

Chad, your personal assumptions =/= facts.  You believe what you believe not because there is evidence, but because you were indoctrinated.

Who is Chad? Anyway, I believe that historical facts are facts indeed. And there are many historical facts about the life of Jesus that both skeptics and believers can accept as justified and well established, as summarized by NT scholar, Gary Habermas, in his work on early creeds. Thes historical facts include that Jesus was cruxified dead by Pontius Pilate. He was buried dead. And the disciples believed they saw him alive later. You can infer whatever you want from those facts, which is what they are.

Indeed, NS. That's why the Gospel specifically names both Pontius Pilate and Tiberius Caesar.

The Gospel of Luke says: "John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Tiberius was Emperor from 14 A.D. We now know this for a fact, and any Secular Encyclopedia will confirm it.

Fifteen years from his reign was 29 A.D. Further, we know Pontius Pilate was Roman procurator of Judaea from 26 A.D. to 36 A.D.

All the dates and the times for the Ministry of John the Baptist, the 3 1/2 Year Preaching of Christ, and then His own death, fits perfectly.

This is why Sir William Ramsay, Oxford educated archaeologist, after a lifetime of study, concluded: "Further study … showed that the book could bear the most minute scrutiny as an authority for the facts of the Aegean world, and that it was written with such judgment, skill, art and perception of truth as to be a model of historical statement". He wrote this about Luke-Acts after having himself become an expert archaeologist in the field. 

[Fake Messiah]

after having himself become an expert archaeologist in the field. [/font][/color]

Except there is no archeological evidence for Jesus.

[JJoseph]

Except Tacitus was the official biographer of the Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar and disagree. Christ was crucified under Pilate and Tiberius Caesar, i.e. when Tiberius was Emperor and Pontius Pilate was Roman prefect of Judea, just as the Gospel says, and at the right time historically, around 33 A.D.

[The Grand Nudger]

That's what you believe, but it's not actually "the scholarly consensus"....for all that matters to either of us.....

[JJoseph]

What, pray tell, is the actual "scholarly consensus" about Tiberius, Pilate and Christ?

I think you'll find, as Dr. Bill Craig argues in his Resurrection Lectures, that many scholars do grant the basic historicity of certain naturalistic facts in the Life of Christ, for e.g. the fact of His Death and Burial, His Empty Tomb, the Apostles' beginning to believe and to preach that He was risen, their Martyrdom etc.

[Angrboda]

Chad, your personal assumptions =/= facts.  You believe what you believe not because there is evidence, but because you were indoctrinated.

Who is Chad? Anyway, I believe that historical facts are facts indeed. And there are many historical facts about the life of Jesus that both skeptics and believers can accept as justified and well established, as summarized by NT scholar, Gary Habermas, in his work on early creeds. Thes historical facts include that Jesus was cruxified dead by Pontius Pilate. He was buried dead. And the disciples believed they saw him alive later. You can infer whatever you want from those facts, which is what they are.

Some people said his disciples saw him later. In Galilee. No, Jerusalem. Wait, what?

[The Grand Nudger]

What, pray tell, is the actual "scholarly consensus" about Tiberius, Pilate and Christ?

Like...really...you wanna hear what the scholarly consensus actually is?  Are you sure?  I feel like you might already suspect it's not exactly what you believe....?

Lets start with this. Nothing. Absolutely nothing...containing the honorific "christ"...is a part of the scholarly consensus. Not even as an item that his alleged disciples believed. Would you like to know more?

[Fake Messiah]

Except Tacitus was the official biographer of the Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar and disagree. Christ was crucified under Pilate and Tiberius Caesar, i.e. when Tiberius was Emperor and Pontius Pilate was Roman prefect of Judea,

Except that is not archeological evidence. Tacitus just wrote down what Christians believed.

just as the Gospel says, and at the right time historically, around 33 A.D.

Ah, another blatant lie by JJoseph. Gospels don't agree on the year Jesus supposedly died. Some gospels claim it was on a year when Passover fell on a Friday – but other say that Jesus died on a Friday the day before Passover. So that can not be the same year. It's all a guessing game.

[JJoseph]

It's no lie, Sophist. Anyone with a little knowledge, and reasoning ability, can easily deduce it.

15th Year of Tiberius=29+ A.D.
3 Passovers pass in Christ's Ministry=32+ A.D
Christ dies on a Passover = Likely Pasch of 33 A.D.

If you want to debate, debate decently with the ad hominems. Make your point and let your argument stand as is.

[Fake Messiah]

I am just pointing out that you are a dishonest liar. You are ignoring John's gospel which says that Jesus died on a Friday the day before Passover (and not on the Passover as you claim), which he tells us repeatedly (19:14, 31, 42).