Some would claim that the proof I use of Jesus as the Christ comes from the gospels of his followers that were written many years later. These followers just copied the Old Testament Scriptures to prove his Messiahship.

The fact is that the gospels were written by that hands of those who claim to have written them and they were written before the destruction of the temple. As they say, it was their eyewitness accounts. It would have been easy to dispute much of the gospel facts with the witnesses still alive yet even Josephus has no interest in disputing them.

The Gospel accounts are various witnesses of what they saw, heard and experienced. They are unique to the writer and in a court of law would be considered reliable because the writers told their story and did not copy one another. If the four witnesses were exactly the same they would be suspect. However, this does not mean that the witnesses contradict one another, any more then four witnesses of a robbery, will write four different accounts of the same event with a different perspective based on what is important to tell from their viewpoint.

From these written gospels and from the millions of followers of Christ over the millennia we have the witnessed accounts of Him today.

There are other historical proofs that these witnesses are telling the truth and I shall review a few of them here today.

(There are other books on the accuracy of the scriptures should you need to examine this subject further. Please read "Archaeology and the New Testament" by Merrill F. Unger or The Story of the Bible by Frederic G. Kenyon)

A Hebrew Witness

Flavious Josephus born in A.D. 37 a few years after the death of Jesus, is a Jewish historian who wrote in A.D. 93 the Antiquities of the Jews.

Now there was about this Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such man as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him: for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.

He also wrote about John the Baptist and James the brother of Jesus. He would have had access to the Jewish and Roman historical records and corroborates the gospels, rather then disputing them.

Some would say that the Talmud not mentioning Jesus is proof by the absence of his name. The Talmud ignores the names of most individuals who live during the period of the second temple, including Judas Maccabeus who lead the Maccabean Rebellion against the Syrians. Because the Talmud doesn’t mention him doesn’t mean he didn’t exist and didn’t lead the rebellion. Likewise it doesn’t mean anything about Jesus’ life. They killed him, an innocent man, it would be normal to try to forget it and hide it from history, which is what the Chief Priests had hoped for but they were in for a big surprise as his fame became greater then any mans.

Other Historical Witnesses

Caius Plinius Secundus, born near Milan, Italy A.D. 62.

When he was about forty he wrote,

they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath, to do no wicked deeds, to never commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up.

Lucian of Samosata wrote in a book "The Passing Peregrinus" ,

At which time he learned the wonderful doctrine of the Christians,… they spoke of him as a god, and took him for a lawgiver, and honoured him with the title of master….Moreover their first lawgiver has taught them, that they are all brethren, when once they turned, and renounced the gods of the Greeks, and worship that master of theirs who was crucified, and engage to live according to his laws.

Mara Bar-Serapion wrote in the first century (Syriac Manuscript #14,658 in British Museum),

What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise King? It was just after that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged….the Jews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But… did the wise King did not die for good; he lived on in the teaching which he had given.

Summary

Room does not suffice to write about the historical record of darkness that fell upon the earth in other writings or the archaeological proofs, like the markings and names on graves, and the historical details of cities written of by Luke. The writings based on scientific fact have been proven to be the utmost in accuracy.

In short, it is historically obvious that all the New Testament writings were completed before the destruction of the temple in A.D.70. The facts within the gospels were widely considered to be accurate, widespread and members of this religion continued at the cost of their lives. Yet they continued to spread the gospel of Jesus and of His Kingdom.

The New Testament writings are also remarkably consistent with the Old Testament scriptures which is a testament all on its own.

Any serious student of history would be a fool to venture a claim Jesus didn’t exist. There is also no grounds to disregard any part of them.

The Gospels prove the fulfillment of the Messianic Prophecies in Jesus.

Jesus is the Christ. The Seed in whom the Blessing will flow and in whom the World will be blessed.

If you bless Him and His seed you will be blessed but if you curse Him or His seed you will be cursed.

God has set before you today a blessing and a curse - CHOOSE LIFE!