Would the Real Jesus
Please Rise?
I. Why is "the historical Jesus" a "problem"?
A. The Gospels as Problematic Sources for the Historical Jesus
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B. Meager Sources Outside the Canonical Gospels (for further info see recommended links)
1. Pagan
a. Pliny the Younger (112 C.E.)
b. Tacitus (115 C.E.)
c. Suetonius (121 C.E.)
d. Celsus (ca. 180 C.E.)
2. Jewish Sources (for further info see recommended links)
a. Josephus (late first cent. C.E.)
b. Talmud (fifth to sixth cent. C.E.)
3. Christian Sources besides the Gospels
a.
b.
4. Conclusion
II. Criteria for Establishing Authentic Traditions
A.
1. Definition:
2. Some Examples
a.
b. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God (Mark, Q, M, L, John, Paul, GThom)
c.
B. Dissimilarity
1. Definition: If a tradition is dissimilar to (i.e., unlike) what most Christians were saying about Jesus in the first century, or if a tradition is actually or potentially embarrassing to them, it is more likely to be authentic.
2. Examples of Dissimilarity
a.
b.
3. Examples of Potential Embarrassment
a.
Using the Four Gospel Synopsis, cf. Matthew and Luke's rewriting of Mark's version of Jesus' baptism. See also John.
b.
c.
C. Contextual Credibility
1. Definition:
2. Examples of contextually questionable traditions
a.
b.