Tara Pedriana I’m sure this has been discussed before, but I’m looking for solid evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ. Is there any? I’ve been told yes, even by atheists, but I’m wondering what these sources are?
“Solid” no. The only strong evidence is the Christian Bible .. a document that was assembled, edited and approved when the Roman state made Christ worship the law of the empire. The argument is that the documents vetted by Rome must have has some basis in fact. That argument is supported by the fact that Christianity had grown over the three hundred years since it was started by Paul. The religion that spread was not the one followed by James (Jesus brother). That religion was declared an apostasy and destroyed but the Roman Church.
How much of Paul’s religion is based on James or Jesus is unknown but the discussion in the Christian Bible suggests that James disliked Paul’s versions.
The only other documentary evidence is provided by two mentions of a Yeshua in the history written by Josephus. One of these is a known fraud but the other, about Jesus as James’ brother, is accepted. That suggests that Yashua was a holy man who may have claimed divinity. The problem here is that Josephus mentions Jesus but does not mention a Jesus movement among the groups in Judea that were contending with Roman occupation. So the idea of a Jesus religious movement in Judea is probably overstated by the Pauline/Roman bible.
However, what is striking is that the Jesus’ project effort to define the parts of the Christian bible that could have been written by Jesus come up with words that express ideas of the Pharisees great teacher, Hillel. Again, contrary to the Roman Bible, the Pharisees were the rationalists of their time, a peaceful movement devoted t keeping Judaism alive under Roman oppression. Modern rabbinic Judaism derives form the Pharisees.
So, it is possible that the “real” Jesus was a lay follower of the Pharisees who, unlike the leaders of the Pharisees, spoke out against Rome and was crucified nt for claiming to be God, but for sedition against Rome.