Is Jesus Christ a Historical Figure?

By Adam Malin Date: December 16, 2025

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A two-layer, Reformed introduction to the question “Did Jesus really exist?”—using standard historical method and key non-Christian sources, while keeping Scripture (KJV) as the church’s final authority.

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV) “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables…” (2 Peter 1:16, KJV)

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Thesis

Using ordinary historical reasoning (without assuming inspiration up front), we can responsibly conclude that Jesus of Nazareth was a real first-century Jewish man, that He was executed under Pontius Pilate, and that within decades His followers had spread widely and were publicly devoted to Him—even to the point of worshiping Him “as to a god.” (Wikisource)

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Why this question matters

Some people are not yet asking, “Is Christianity true?” They’re stuck earlier:

• “Was Jesus even a real person?”
• “Is He history, or legend?”
• “Did the movement start from something concrete, or from myth-making?”

Answering this question doesn’t prove every Christian claim. But it clears the ground: Christianity is not a tale floating in midair. It is rooted in time, place, rulers, trials, and public events—the kind of things historians can discuss.

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What historians mean by “historical figure”

When historians ask whether someone existed, they typically look for things like:

• Multiple sources (especially if they are not all friendly)
• Early attestation (the closer to the events, the better)
• Coherence with known history (people, places, political realities)
• Plausibility (does the claim fit the world it supposedly happened in?)
• Explanatory power (does “X existed” explain the data better than “X was invented”?)

This document focuses on Layer 1 first: key non-Christian / outside references that anchor Jesus in history. Then we’ll briefly bridge to Layer 2 (early Christian sources).

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Layer 1: The “external anchors” (non-Christian sources)

Below is a simple evidence grid you can keep in your notes.

Source	Rough date	What it affirms	Why it matters
Tacitus, Annals 15.44	Early 2nd century (begun under Trajan; completed early Hadrian) (Encyclopedia Britannica)	“Christus” executed under Pontius Pilate in Tiberius’s reign; Christians present in Rome	A hostile Roman historian anchors Jesus to specific rulers and a public punishment
Josephus, Antiquities (Book XX)	Completed ~93 CE (Encyclopedia Britannica)	“James, the brother of Jesus… called Christ”	A Jewish historian references Jesus indirectly through James—important because it’s not a Christian text
Pliny the Younger, Letters 10.96–97	~111–113 CE (as governor; writing to Trajan) (Georgetown Faculty)	Christians worship Christ; moral commitments; persecution dynamics	Shows early Christian devotion patterns and public visibility

1) Tacitus (Annals 15.44): Jesus tied to Pilate and Tiberius

Tacitus explains Nero’s persecution of Christians and identifies the origin of the name:

“Christus… suffered the extreme penalty… Pontius Pilatus…” (Wikisource)

What this gives you (historically):

• A Roman, non-Christian writer reports that the movement took its name from “Christus.”
• He places the execution under Pontius Pilate during Tiberius’s reign. (Wikisource)
• He assumes the movement began in Judaea and later appeared in Rome. (Wikisource)

Why this matters: Tacitus is not writing to help Christianity. He calls it a “superstition” and reports punishments. That makes his basic claims the kind historians call hostile corroboration.

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2) Josephus (Antiquities 20.9.1): Jesus referenced through James

Josephus describes a judicial episode involving James:

“the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James…” (Bible Study Tools)

What this gives you (historically):

• Josephus assumes his reader can identify which “Jesus” he means by adding “who was called Christ.” (Bible Study Tools)
• The reference is incidental (not a Christian sermon), which is often where history shows up most naturally.

A note on the “Josephus tampering” discussion (without rabbit trails): Britannica explains that Josephus’s Antiquities was completed in 93 CE and notes that Book XX calls Jesus the “so-called Christ,” while also noting that the Book XVIII passage about Jesus shows signs of later Christian tampering. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

That’s why, for a careful argument, Book XX (James) is often treated as a sturdier “external anchor” than the more-debated Book XVIII paragraph.

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3) Pliny the Younger (Letters 10.96–97): early worship and public pressure

Pliny reports what he learned about Christian practice:

“sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god” (Georgetown Faculty)

What this gives you (historically):

• Within the early second century, Christians are already publicly identifiable, legally troublesome (in Rome’s eyes), and worshiping Christ. (Georgetown Faculty)
• Pliny describes interrogation, punishment, and the social expectation of honoring the Roman gods—showing that Christianity wasn’t merely private spirituality but a public allegiance. (Georgetown Faculty)

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What we can responsibly conclude from Layer 1

From these “external anchors,” a historically cautious conclusion looks like this:

• Jesus of Nazareth existed as a real person (not merely a symbol). (Le Monde.fr)
• He was executed under Pontius Pilate in the context of Roman authority. (Wikisource)
• His followers rapidly formed a recognizable movement that spread beyond Judea (eventually visible even in Rome). (Wikisource)
• Christians were known for devotion to Christ that outsiders could describe as worship (“as to a god”). (Georgetown Faculty)

This doesn’t yet prove the resurrection. But it does strongly resist the idea that Jesus is a late, purely mythical invention.

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Layer 2: A brief bridge to the earliest Christian sources

Once someone accepts “Jesus existed,” the next honest question becomes:

“What do the earliest sources say He was like—and what did He claim?”

Even non-confessional historical discussion regularly notes that Paul’s letters are among the earliest surviving Christian writings—often dated around the year 50. (Le Monde.fr)

From a Reformed standpoint, we gladly say more: the New Testament is not only early testimony; it is God-breathed Scripture. Still, even at the “seeker” level, it is historically significant that the earliest Christian preaching is centered on a public death and proclaimed resurrection:

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, KJV)

That bridge naturally leads to the next document in your walkthrough:

“Is Jesus Christ Really Who He Said He Is?” (identity, claims, and the meaning of the resurrection proclamation)

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Common objections (and calm replies)

Objection 1: “These sources are late.”

They’re not written during Jesus’s lifetime, true. But that is normal for ancient history. More importantly, they still provide independent, non-Christian confirmation of key points (Pilate, execution, movement growth). (Wikisource)

Objection 2: “They just repeat what Christians told them.”

Even if some information came through reports, the question becomes: what were Christians publicly saying early enough to be widely known—and why did hostile officials care?

Pliny is not admiring Christians; he is trying to govern and punish. Tacitus is not flattering them; he is explaining a scapegoating campaign. That context strengthens the value of their basic claims. (Georgetown Faculty)

Objection 3: “Josephus is corrupted.”

A careful approach agrees that there are debates—especially about the Book XVIII paragraph. But the James reference in Book XX is far harder to dismiss, and even Britannica distinguishes them (Book XX “so-called Christ”; Book XVIII likely tampered). (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Objection 4: “There’s no archaeology for Jesus—so He didn’t exist.”

This is an argument from silence. As one scholar put it:

“we don’t have archaeological records for virtually anyone who lived in Jesus’s time and place” (HISTORY)

In other words: lack of direct artifacts is not unusual for a Galilean teacher from an “insignificant province.” (Le Monde.fr)

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A brief Reformed note on method

As Reformed Christians (Westminster), we do not build the authority of Christ on Tacitus or Pliny. Scripture is the supreme judge of all religious controversy.

But it is entirely proper to say:

• The Christian faith is not irrational credulity.
• God’s redemption happened in real history.
• Even outsiders confirm enough to show Jesus is not a literary invention.

Or, as Scripture says:

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32, KJV)

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Conclusion and handoff to the next document

The question “Did Jesus exist?” is one of the easiest questions in Christianity to answer historically, because it is supported by multiple independent lines of testimony—including non-Christian witnesses. (Le Monde.fr)

But the most important question remains:

• If Jesus existed, who is He?
• What did He claim?
• What explains the resurrection proclamation, the worship of Christ, and the birth of the church?

That is the purpose of the next document:

Next in the walkthrough

Is Jesus Christ Really Who He Said He Is?

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Suggested next steps

1. Read one Gospel straight through (KJV): Mark (fast) or John (clear on identity).
2. Read Luke 1:1–4 (KJV) and note the stated aim: orderly witness and assurance.
3. Read 1 Corinthians 15 (KJV) and write down what the earliest preaching claimed.
4. If you’re connected to a local church, bring your hardest questions to a faithful pastor/elder and test all things by Scripture (Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21).