Hello Uncle Union, Amazing, JanH and all:
I've been reading a few things regarding a historical Jesus (mostly critical). Amazing, you mentioned Jim Penton saying there were too many historical accounts of Jesus to neglect. Is he referring to extra-biblical accounts? Is so what are those?
One article I've been reading The Christ ( http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/rmsbrg00.htm) provides a list of of contemporary or near-contemporary writers who are silent about a historical Jesus or Jesus Christ ( http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/rmsbrg02.htm).
Another proof that the Christ of Christianity is a fabulous and not a historical character is the silence of the writers who lived during and immediately following the time he is said to have existed.That a man named Jesus, an obscure religious teacher, the basis of this fabulous Christ, lived in Palestine about nineteen hundred years ago, may be true. But of this man we know nothing. His biography has not been written. A Renan and others have attempted to write it, but have failed -- have failed because no materials for such a work exist. Contemporary writers have left us not one word concerning him. For generations afterward, outside of a few theological epistles, we find no mention of him.
The following is a list of writers who lived and wrote during the time, or within a century after the time, that Christ is said to have lived and performed his wonderful works:
Josephus
Philo-Judaeus
Seneca
Pliny the Elder
Suetonius
Juvenal
Martial
Persius
Plutarch
Justus of Tiberius
Apollonius
Pliny the Younger
Tacitus
Quintilian
Lucanus
Epictetus
Silius Italicus
Statius
Ptolemy
Hermogones
Valerius Maximus Arrian
Petronius
Dion Pruseus
Paterculus
Appian
Theon of Smyrna
Phlegon
Pompon Mela
Quintius Curtius
Lucian
Pausanias
Valerius Flaccus
Florus Lucius
Favorinus
Phaedrus
Damis
Aulus Gellius
Columella
Dio Chrysostom
Lysias
Appion of Alexandria
Enough of the writings of the authors named in the foregoing list remains to form a library. Yet in this mass of Jewish and Pagan literature, aside from two forged passages in the works of a Jewish author, and two disputed passages in the works of Roman writers, there is to be found no mention of Jesus Christ.
Could someone provide a response, rebuttal or provide sources for other extra-biblical contemporary or near-contemporary writers who do mention either Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ. Suggestions for further reading, both critical and apologetic would be welcome as well.
From the brief research I've done, many scholars believe Jesus Christ of the NT to be a combination or composite of possibly three distinct entities -- Jesus Christ (a mythological person, the performer of miracles, etc.), Jesus of Nazareth, and a Gnostic named Jesus. The silence of the previously listed people speaks volumes to me. As well, there may be more recent discoveries that provide new insight into who Jesus was.
I've also been looking at the Jesus Seminar's The Five Gospels in which the scholars believe that about 80% or more of what has Jesus has been attributed to have said in the NT, he, in fact, probably did not say.
Peace,
CPiolo
The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity. -- Oscar Wilde
