Central Assembly
Dr. Wave Nunnally | June 27, 2021
“Will the Real Jesus Stand Up?
A Brief Comparison of the Person, Teaching, and Works of the Jesus of the Canonical Gospels and the Apocryphal Gospels.” Enrichment 13.4(Fall, 2008)90-98
https://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/Issues/2008/Fall-2008
Summary of Evidence for Jesus Outside the Bible
There was a man called Jesus [All 17]
He was from a Jewish village [Celsus]
His earthly father was a carpenter [Celsus; Rabbis]
His mother’s name was Mary/Miriam [Rabbis]
Mary was of royal (Davidic) ancestry [Rabbis]
He and His family were poor [Celsus]
His opponents claimed that Mary was unfaithful
[Celsus; Rabbis]
His opponents claimed that He was illegitimate
[Celsus; Rabbis]
He claimed virgin birth [Celsus]
He escaped to Egypt and later returned to Israel
[Celsus; Rabbis]
He had a brother called “James/Jacob” [Archeology,
Josephus]
He was known to be wise [Josephus; Mara; Lucian]
He was known to be virtuous and godly [Josephus]
He was known as a teacher [Josephus; Lucian; Rabbis]
He was known as a prophet [Rabbis]
He had disciples [Josephus; Rabbis]
He founded a new community of “brothers”
based on his “laws”=“teachings” [Mara, Lucian]
He worked miracles, though opponents claimed
He used magic [Josephus, Celsus; Rabbis]
His opponents claimed that He
“led Israel astray” [Rabbis]
He was called “the Christ” [Josephus; Pliny; Tacitus;
Suetonius; Alexamenos Graffito]
He claimed divinity [Celsus]
He was worshipped by his followers as God [Pliny;
Lucian; Alexamenos Graffito]
He was condemned by a Jewish court [Mara] on the
Eve of Passover [Rabbis]
However, He was crucified… [Lucian; Alexamenos
Graffito; Rabbis]
…By the Roman governor Pontius Pilate [Josephus;
Tacitus]
His earliest followers claimed
He was resurrected
from the dead [Josephus; rabbis]
He “was perhaps the Messiah” [Josephus]
