Early Church Fathers
& Extra-Biblical
Writings
Is there evidence for Christianity?
Very few people today, living in the Western World, believe in the supernatural. In turn, they don't believe in religion. Largely, through the teachings of Darwin, they have been secularized. They think all religions are pretty much the same. All of them made-up nonsense, with little to no historical basis. Some even question whether or not Jesus ever existed at all.
Christianity, however, is very different from all these other religions, for many reasons, but primarily because it is based on a man who was a real person, that did real things, in a real time and place.
If this were true, we would expect to find evidence of His existence. His life and existence are therefore verifiable.
As Christians, we do not need evidence for Jesus Christ. We know that He existed and exists now. We know this because of our faith, planted in us through baptism and watered by His Word.
Jesus Himself told doubting Thomas "...because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
But for those who struggle to believe, as Thomas did, or for the truth searching non-believer, 'evidence' can be a strong tool when planting seeds.
Paul himself (in 1 Corinthians 15) used evidence when he was preaching, by referencing back to eyewitness testimony and to Old Testament prophesies concerning Christ.
The Apostle Peter also believed in the use of evidence as stated in
2 Peter 1:16
"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty."
Faith, need not be "blind faith".
So, what is this historical evidence for Jesus?
The very fact that we are talking about Him, and the fact that billions of people have believed in Him, is itself, evidence of His existence.
Something happened all those years ago, in that little corner of the world, to a man named Jesus, so that 2,000 years later we are still talking about Him. He is, by far, the most popular man who has ever existed. We have to ask ourselves: Why?
Not only that, but what about the fact that there were hundreds of eyewitnesses to his life, death, and resurrection?
This is incredibly strong evidence of His existence.
These eye witnesses were so moved by what they saw that they wrote down their accounts and traveled the world telling people what they witnessed, dedicating their lives to this cause. Those accounts were gathered together and we have them today in our Bibles.
How do we know that the Bible wasn’t corrupted and changed over time, so that the truth of whatever happened has been obscured and embellished? Even adding elements of the supernatural i.e., miracles? How do we know that the books of the Bible weren't written hundreds of years after Jesus?
First off, the authors of the Bible did not write the Bible hundreds of years after Jesus. In fact, every book of the Bible would have been written before AD 70 (only 37 years after Jesus’ resurrection).
We know this because there isn’t even one sentence, hint, or description of the Fall of Jerusalem or the destruction of the Jewish Temple (which occurred in AD 70) in the Bible.
This was the biggest and most significant event of the era, and not one of the Biblical authors mentioned it in any of their writings?
Especially so, since Jesus prophesied about this event, this would have been an opportune time to show that Jesus predicted this. But instead, they didn’t mention it at all. Why?
Because it hadn’t happened yet.
Some of the Bible was written even before that date, but the fact that the Bible was complete before AD 70 means that it was written only 37 years after the earthly life of Jesus, including His teachings, His miracles, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and His ascension.
This means that there would have been thousands of people still living who were eye-witnesses to these events. If the disciples were spreading lies about the miracles performed by Jesus or how He came back from the dead, there would have been plenty of people still alive, who could have refuted them and their writings, but we have no record of that whatsoever, other than the unsubstantiated speculation of the pharisees.
These thousands of eyewitnesses were present to view hundreds of miracles where Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, the mute, the sick, the paralyzed, and the demon possessed. They saw Him walk on water, calm storms, change water to wine, multiply food, foretell the future, read people’s minds, and raise the dead (including Himself).
These miracles go all the way back to the original sources. No ancient document has ever been found refuting these events. In fact, these miracles were the main reason for Jesus’ enormous popularity.
But how do we know that those letters and accounts are true?
Even if Jesus did exist, those parts of the Bible that claim He did those miracles and came back from the dead, could be totally made up? Couldn't He be an ordinary man who died on a cross and was buried like any other criminal?
Jesus rising from the dead is the central tenet of Christianity. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we too will one day rise from the dead. If it could have been proven that Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity would have died in the grave.
Both the Romans and the Jews wanted this “little Jewish sect” to go away. All they needed to do was produce the body of Jesus and that would have ended Christianity in its tracks. But neither the Romans nor the Jews were able to produce His body.
Because His body was gone!
Couldn't Jesus have just fainted on the cross and walked out of the tomb when he woke up?
No.
Roman soldiers were professionals. They knew how to kill, and they knew when someone was dead.
Not only this, but according to Roman law, if a criminal would escape, the guard watching over him would be executed.
The idea that Jesus was whipped / scourged to a bloody pulp, hung on the cross, had a spear thrust through his chest, and then fainted, but woke up later to walk around with all those wounds, eating, drinking and talking, is a ridiculous argument and is not realistically considered by any biblical scholars today.
Isn't it possible, that Jesus’ disciples stole and hid the body, so that they could get rich by starting a religion?
No. Let me explain why.
After Jesus ascended into heaven, His disciples stayed in Jerusalem, as per His command, waiting for the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost, these men were given many spiritual gifts, such as courage and the speaking of other languages. With these gifts, they spread across the world, preaching and making converts.
Matthias was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot (the traitor), as one of the twelve.
He was later stoned and then beheaded in Jerusalem.
James, son of Alphaeus, (son of Mary of Clopas), possible brother to Matthew, was a disciple of Jesus. There is very little that we can say about him, but there is a tradition that he made his way to Egypt, Spain and Britain.
Some believe that he was crucified in lower Egypt.
Simon the Zealot (or Simon the Canaanite) was a disciple of Jesus who preached to Egypt, Lebanon, and Persia where he was eventually killed, possibly crucified, others say that he was sawn in half, in AD 65. His past is hard to pin down, as he seemed to go by several names and it is therefore difficult to say with certainty which records pertain to him.
Thaddaeus, also known as Judas (not Iscariot) was a disciple of Christ, who traveled throughout Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Libya, possibly alongside Simon the Zealot. He even made his way as far as Edessa where he healed and then converted King Abgar and his people to Christianity, by bringing a cloth which bore the face of Jesus, healing the king's leprosy. Some believe that this cloth is none other than the Shroud of Turin. Thaddaeus was later executed by an ax or club, possibly in Persia.
Phillip, another disciple, was stoned and crucified in Hierapolis, Phrygia (central Turkey) and buried there with his daughter.
Bartholomew, a disciple of Christ, traveled and preached his way through Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Parthia, Lycaonia and India. He converted King Polymios to Christianity but the king’s brother became so enraged that he ordered Bartholomew to be flayed (skin pealed from his body) then beheaded in Armenia (East of modern Turkey) about AD 68.
Thomas, a disciple of Christ, preached as a missionary and sold himself as a slave to an Indian merchant and entered the service of King Gondophares of India.
It was here that he was killed by a spear thrust while praying.
Matthew, the former tax-collector turned disciple of Jesus, and author of the Book of Matthew, died by the sword in Ethiopia.
Andrew, a disciple of Jesus, brought his brother Peter to Christ. Later, he became a missionary and was eventually crucified on an ‘x’ shaped cross in Patras, Greece; where he hung for two days urging the people to cling to the truth of Christ.
Peter, fisherman turned disciple of Jesus, was often headstrong, but lovingly devoted to Christ. After Jesus’ ascension, he stayed near Israel and wrote the Books 1st & 2nd Peter. He also suffered imprisonment in Jerusalem but eventually made his way to Rome.
Peter was crucified in AD 64 in Rome, near the colosseum. He was crucified upside down, at his own request, because he did not believe himself worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.
James the Son of Zebedee, also known as James the Greater (John’s brother) was one of the twelve, and part of the inner circle. He was beheaded in Jerusalem c. AD 36.
The officer who was responsible for bringing James to trial was so impressed with his faithfulness that he converted to Christ, asked James for forgiveness and was immediately executed alongside James.
The Apostle John was the brother to James and was referred to as the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Peter, James, and John were Jesus’ inner circle of friends, often times leaving the other disciples and going with Him alone.
John was also asked by Jesus to take care of His mother while Jesus hung on the cross.
He wrote five books of the Bible. The gospel of John, 1,2,3 John, and Revelation.
John outlived the other disciples and was exiled to the island of Patmos, but later died a natural death in Ephesus. He was the only disciple of Jesus to do so.
Luke, author of both the Books Luke and Acts, was a gentile doctor, and an acquaintance of Mark. He also traveled with Paul and visited Paul while he was in prison. He was eventually hanged in Greece.
Mark, a companion of the Apostle Paul, and friend of Peter, wrote the Book 'Mark', which was an eye-witness account of the life of Jesus, from the Apostle Peter.
Mark was dragged to death by horses on the way to the site where he was to be burned, in Alexandria, Egypt in AD 68.
James, the brother to Jesus, eventually came to faith in Jesus, and became known as James the Just. He was known for spending long amounts of time on his knees (making them hard), praying to God. He was said to have knees stronger than the knees of a camel.
When James was an old man, he was brought to the top of the temple in Jerusalem by the Jews and told to discredit Jesus in front of all the people. But instead he preached salvation through Jesus. The Jews became angry and threw him off the temple, but he did not die because he landed on his knees. So the Jews proceeded to beat him to death.
In 2002, an ossuary (bone box) came to light with an Aramaic inscription reading: “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” Ordinarily, an ossuary would have only the name of the individual and their father inscribed on the box.
This is very likely the “bone-box” and bones of James the half-brother of Jesus Christ, for the Jews would not have mentioned the brother of the dead unless he were popular.
St. Paul, and many of these other men wrote their accounts down for future generations. These letters and writings were gathered and compiled into what we call the Bible.
Paul, traveled the Mediterranean preaching the message of Christ. Over the years, he spent much time in prison, was beaten with rods, scourged, stoned, and finally beheaded in Rome in AD 68.
None of these disciples became rich or powerful. Many spent time in prison. Every one of them was brutally tortured and killed, except for John.
These are hardly the actions of people who were making up a story for their benefit. And if they wanted to save their lives, all they needed to do was admit that they removed His body.
Men will at times die for a lie, but men will never die for what they know to be a lie.
The fact of the matter is that these men witnessed a living Jesus after his crucifixion. They were so sure of this fact that they were willing to spend their lives preaching this truth and were willing to die for this truth.
But it wasn't just the disciples who were persecuted, it was the entire Christian Church, for 300 years, since Christianity was against Roman law.
These Christians wouldn’t worship the Roman gods, they wouldn’t worship the Roman emperor. This meant that they would not participate in any of the nation’s holidays or sacrifices. So not only was this considered treasonous, but whenever something bad happened, the mob was quick to blame the Christians who had angered their gods.
The Christians also spoke against many of the wicked pagan practices, such as the blood sports, infanticide, and the cremation of the dead. Therefore, they were persecuted.
They were rounded up across the empire. When they were captured, they were usually given the chance to repent and make a sacrifice to the Roman gods and Emperor. Those who didn't were executed in various ways, often crucified or thrown into the arena.
Emperor Nero would use Christians as torches to illuminate his gardens at night.
The accounts from this time period are nothing less than amazing. The courage of these men, women, and children as they faced lions, tigers, bulls, and gladiators was truly inspiring.
It has been recorded that vast numbers of Romans, both guards and civilian spectators, converted to Christianity simply by witnessing the bravery and the faith that they had in their Christ.
But it doesn’t end there. Before the disciples died, they passed on their teachings to the next generation, who passed it on to the next generation, and so on and so forth.
The Apostle Peter gave his eye-witness testimony to Mark to write down (which is the Book of Mark). Mark taught Anianus, Avilius, Kedron, Primus, and Justus.
Justus taught Pantaenus. Pantaenus taught Clement of Alexandria who taught Origen. Pamphilus defended Origen’s work. Pamphilus taught Eusebius (the father of Church history and eventual friend to Emperor Constantine).
Paul taught Linus and Clement of Rome, who taught Evaristus, who taught Alexander I, who taught Sixtus I, who taught Telesphorus, who taught Hyginus, who taught Pius I, who taught Justin Martyr (who wrote much from this period), who taught Tatian.
John taught Ignatius of Antioch and a man named Polycarp. Polycarp taught Irenaeus of Smyrna, and Irenaeus taught Hippolytus of Rome.
Are there any early sources outside of the Bible and outside the Christian Church that corroborate the account of Jesus? Yes there are!
Thallus, a Samaritan historian, wrote a three volume history of the Mediterranean, from before the Trojan war to the 167 Olympiad.
About 20 years after the crucifixion of Jesus (AD 52), Thallus makes mention of an earthquake and “a most fearful darkness” from the “sixth hour to the ninth”, in AD 33, but believed it was due to an eclipse.
His work has been lost but is quoted by Sextus Julius Africanus, a Libyan philosopher, orator and historian from A.D. 160-240, who wrote History of the World.
Mara Bar-Serapion, a Syrian philosopher wrote a letter of encouragement to his son sometime after AD 70.
“What advantage did the Athenians gain from putting Socrates to death? Famine and plague came upon them as a judgment for their crime. What advantage did the men of Samos gain from burning Pythagoras? In a moment their land was covered with sand. What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king? It was just after that that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged these three wise men. The Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea; the Jews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates did not die; he lived on in the teaching of Plato. Pythagoras did not die; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise king die; he lived on in the teaching which he had given.”
Flavius Josephus, was a Jewish priest, Pharisee, and historian. He completed The Antiquities around AD 93. He wrote:
“About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. On the third day he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.”
Pliny the Younger was a Roman lawyer, author and governor of Bithynia and Pontus. Here is a letter he wrote to Emperor Trajan in AD 112.
“It is my custom, my Lord, to refer all questions to you if I am in doubt. Who can better direct my hesitation or instruct my ignorance? I have never been present at judicial examinations of the Christians, so I don't know how and to what extent it is customary to punish or to search for them. I have hesitated greatly as to whether any distinction should be made on the ground of age, or whether the weak should be treated in the same way as the strong.
Should pardon be granted to the penitent? Or is there risk that one who has always been a Christian gain nothing by renouncing it? Should the mere name be punished, even if no crime or crimes are associated with the name? Here's what I have done to date: I have asked them if they were Christians. If they have confessed, I have asked them a second and third time, threatening them with punishment. If they have persisted, I have commanded them to be led away to punishment. There really wasn't any doubt that pertinacious and inflexible obstinacy ought to be punished no matter what they might have confessed.”
“There have been others afflicted with a similar insanity whom—since they were Roman citizens—I have decided should be sent to Rome. As commonly happens, as time has passed, the crime was extended, and many varieties of cases have appeared. An anonymous document was published containing the names of many persons. Those who denied that they were or had been Christians I thought ought to be released, after they had followed my example in invoking the gods and offering incense and wine to your image. I ordered your image to be brought with the images of the gods for that very purpose. I also had them curse Christ—something they say that those who are truly Christians cannot be compelled to do. Others, accused by an informer, first said that they were Christians and afterwards denied it. They said that they had indeed been Christians, but stopped. Some said three years, some several years, and one even twenty years before. All of them adored your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ. On top of this, they affirmed that this was the sum of their guilt or error:
They had been accustomed to come together on a fixed day before daylight and to sing responsively a song to Christ as God. They bound themselves with an oath—not to commit some crime—but, on the contrary, that they would not commit theft, nor robbery, nor adultery, that they would not break faith, nor refuse to return a deposit when asked for it. When they had done these things, their custom was to separate and to assemble again to partake of a meal, common yet harmless (which is not the characteristic of a nefarious superstition). They stopped doing this after my edict. You had asked me to prohibit fraternities, so I did. Because you asked this, I considered it all the more necessary to examine, even with the use of torture, two female slaves who were called deaconesses, in order to get to the truth. But I found nothing except a superstition depraved and immoderate. Therefore, I have postponed further inquiry, and I have turned to thee for advice. The matter seems to me to be worth consulting about, especially because of the number of people involved! Many of every age and of every rank and of both sexes have been and will be brought to trial. The contagion of this superstition has permeated not only the cities, but also the villages and even the country districts. Apparently, though, it can be halted and corrected. At any rate, it is certainly a fact that the temples, which were almost deserted, are now beginning to be frequented. The sacred rites, which were for a long time interrupted, are to be resumed, and the fodder for the sacrifices are being sold again. For a while, hardly a purchaser was to be found! It is easy to see how many can be reformed if they are given a chance for repentance.”
Cornelius Tacitus was a Roman Senator and historian, who in AD 116 wrote how Nero was trying to use the Christians as scapegoats for the AD 64 fire of Rome.
"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed."
Phlegon of Tralles, A Greek author and chronicler, from Caria, c. AD 140, wrote that in AD 33, there was “the greatest eclipse of the sun” and that “it became night in the sixth hour of the day [noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea.”
His work has also been lost but is quoted by Sextus Julius Africanus, a Libyan philosopher, orator and historian from AD 160-240, who wrote History of the World.
An arrest notice for Jesus, found in The Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a, Shabbat 11.15, Shabbat 104b.
Yeshu was hanged on Passover Eve. Forty days previously the herald had cried, "He is being led out for stoning, because he has practiced sorcery and led Israel astray and enticed them into apostasy. Whosoever has anything to say in his defense, let him come and declare it." As nothing was brought forward in his defense, he was hanged on Passover Eve.
As anyone can see, we know a great deal about
Jesus from these secular accounts.
In summary, we know that:
1. He was a real historical person.
2. He was virtuous and wise.
3. He performed wonders (miracles or magic).
4. He accurately predicted the future.
5. He amassed large crowds of disciples, (who became known as Christians), who bound themselves by oath, not to commit crimes.
6. Christians would assemble together on a fixed day to share a meal and sing to Christ as to God.
7. He was identified as the “Christ” and the wise king of the Jews.
8. He was condemned to crucifixion during the reign of Tiberius Caesar.
9. A mysterious darkness and earthquake surrounded his death.
10. A “mischievous superstition” spread about Him, from Palestine to Rome.
Such as the report that He had risen from the dead.
These secular facts fit perfectly in line with what the Bible says about Jesus. But the Bible gives us so much more information about His life, His teachings, His love, His plan of Salvation, and His deity.
If Christianity was against the law and persecuted by Rome, why is it still here today? And why would God allow His Church to be persecuted like this?
In the year AD 312, at the battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine and Maxentius went to war for the right to rule the Western Roman Empire.
In the evening before the battle, Constantine had a vision. He looked up into the sky, where he saw a chi-rho (the first two letters of the word Christ, in Greek), while hearing the words:
“In this sign you will conquer.”
He ordered his men to paint this symbol of Christ on their shields. The next day, Constantine won the battle, and he became a Christian, along with much of his army. The next year, with the Edict of Milan, the Roman Empire officially legalized Christianity, ending a 300 yearlong bloodbath of Christ's followers.
Here is what the bridge looks like today.
