Jesus (Historical)

Read what some well-informed forum posters have to say on the topic of the historical Jesus as well as questions posed by others.

Jesus is the central figure of the Christian religion. Although our dating system refers to time before the birth of Jesus as B.C., for before Christ, it is thought that Jesus was born a few years before our era. He is thought to have died when about 33.

Is the dating of Jesus' birth just a borrowing from celebrations of Mithras?

The James Ossuary may shed light on the man named Joseph who is thought to be the foster father of Jesus.

Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era

Scholars are now convinced the Caiaphas ossuary is authentic.

Why should it matter what Jesus' language was? After all, the Bible has been translated some 4,000 of the world's 6,000-plus languages, so that most readers can find a version in a language they know. Yet biblical scholars insist that Jesus' language matters critically, because without knowledge of Jesus' language, it can be next to impossible...

An explanation of da Vinci's Last Supper, from the Art History Guide.

Today we have a variety of "urban legends" about the past. Here are some of what are probably misconceptions.

Ariela Pelaia, About.com Guide to Judaism, explains the views of Jews on the status of Jesus. Ariela writes, "After the death of Jesus, his followers ... claimed he was the Messiah.... The majority of contemporary Jews rejected this belief and Judaism as a whole continues to do so today."

Much of what has been transmitted about the historical Jesus comes from writers who did not endorse him. Site provides texts on the social, political, intellectual and cultural climate in which Jesus lived.

Useful resource from the University of Birmingham Theology Department. Includes links to diverse articles on early Christianity, Jesus and Judaism, and glossaries.

Ioudaios-L is a virtual community of scholars engaged in on-line discussion of Judaism in the Greco-Roman world.

Atlantic Monthly article, by Charlotte Allen, on the Q document as source for the gospels.

Contemporary and nearly contemporary accounts of Jesus, including Tertullian, Josephus, and Celsus, with bibliography.

Scholarly ruminations on the problems of separating interpretation from fact in evaluating what has been written about Jesus.

Corpus Paulinum (the Corpus-Paul List) is a moderated academic e-list dedicated to the scholarly discussion and evaluation of critical questions surrounding the life, influence, teaching, theology, and the writings of the Apostle Paul.

From Frontline. Links to the primary sources on the historical Jesus -- Josephus, excerpts from Paul's letters, gnostic texts, and stories of persecution.

Outlines of six lectures on the historical Jesus from the University of Birmingham's Theology Department.

Kata Markon (The Gospel of Mark Discussion List) is a moderated academic e-list dedicated to the scholarly discussion and evaluation of critical questions surrounding the Gospel according to Mark.