Doubts & Questions
"Jesus probably didn’t even exist - it’s just a legend that got exaggerated over time."
No Serious Historian Denies Jesus’ Existence
The claim that Jesus never existed is a fringe theory, rejected by virtually all scholars - Christian, atheist, and secular alike.
Historians apply the same historical methods to Jesus as they do to other ancient figures, and the evidence for His existence far surpasses that of many other historical figures.
Prominent historians—including atheist scholars like Bart Ehrman - affirm that Jesus was a real historical person. Ehrman states: “The reality is that every single author who mentions Jesus—pagan, Christian, or Jewish—was convinced that He at least lived. And no one in the ancient world questioned it.”
Denying Jesus’ existence is not a serious academic position - it is mostly found on internet forums, not among professional historians.
We Have More Evidence for Jesus Than for Most Ancient Figures
If we were to doubt Jesus’ existence, we would have to doubt nearly every historical figure from antiquity.
Alexander the Great, Socrates, and Julius Caesar have far less documentation than Jesus - yet no one questions their existence.
Multiple independent sources - both hostile (non-Christian) and friendly (Christian) - mention Jesus within decades of His life.
Key sources include:
Roman Historians: Tacitus, Suetonius
Jewish Historians: Josephus (who specifically mentions Jesus)
Early Christian Writings: Paul’s letters, the Gospels, early church fathers
This is overwhelming historical evidence for an ancient figure. If Jesus didn’t exist, we would have to throw out half of what we know about history.
Jesus' Life Was Not a Gradual Legend - His Story Was Recorded Quickly
Skeptics claim that Jesus was a legend that evolved over time, but this doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
The New Testament accounts were written within a few decades of Jesus’ life - far too soon for myth to develop.
Paul’s letters (written 15-30 years after Jesus’ death) already confirm the core Christian beliefs: His death, resurrection, and divine claims.
Eyewitnesses were still alive to confirm or challenge the claims - if Jesus were a myth, His contemporaries would have exposed it.
For comparison:
The first biography of Alexander the Great was written over 400 years after his death - yet historians don’t doubt his existence.
The Gospels were written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses - a historical gold standard.
If we dismiss Jesus as a myth, we would have to dismiss almost everything we know about ancient history.
Even Non-Christian Sources Confirm Key Events of Jesus’ Life
Even if we ignored the Bible entirely, Roman and Jewish sources confirm Jesus’ existence and key details about His life:
Tacitus (Roman historian, 1st century AD) confirms Jesus was executed under Pontius Pilate.
Josephus (Jewish historian, 1st century AD) mentions Jesus and describes His following.
Pliny the Younger (Roman governor, 2nd century AD) describes Christians worshiping Jesus “as a god.”
These sources are hostile to Christianity - yet they still confirm Jesus lived. If He were a myth, why would non-Christians mention Him at all?
The Real Question: Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
If the evidence for Jesus’ existence is overwhelming, the real question isn’t “Did Jesus exist?” but “Who was He?”
If He was just a moral teacher, why did His followers die for their belief in His resurrection?
If His story was fabricated, why didn’t His enemies expose it?
If He really claimed to be God, died, and rose again, what does that mean for us today?
The evidence doesn’t just prove Jesus existed - it demands we take His claims seriously. If He was real, and He really rose from the dead, that changes everything.
Final Thought: The Legend Theory Fails - Jesus’ Existence Is a Fact
Jesus’ existence is one of the most well-attested facts of history. The question isn’t whether He existed - it’s whether we’re willing to follow where the evidence leads.