Did Jesus Really Exist?
How did a poor, illiterate, uneducated, pious, Jewish peasant start a religion?
To put the record straight Jesus did exist. He was as real as your Nana or Napoleon.
For many Christians, hearing this is sufficient proof to justify their beliefs. Ardent anti-theist in denial would refute this claim. To disappoint both camps, Jesus did exist, but not in the way that you think.
When talking about Jesus we are in fact talking about two different things. The Christ of faith and the Jesus of history. The Christ of faith in the western tradition is the inspiration to Raphael, Velázquez, and El Greco paintings. A milky-skinned European with floating loose locks, and eyes bluer than ocean waves. The guy who gave the Sermon on the Mount, turn water into wine and walked on water.
The Christ of Faith
The Christ of faith was both human and the son of God, born of a virgin mother, died for humanity’s sins and resurrected from the dead.
God sent an angel to tell a woman named Mary that she will give birth to the son of God and name him Jesus. He would rule over God’s people forever. As a virgin, Mary found it hard to believe that she would give birth to a child. The angel assured her that the holy spirit that brought life out of darkness in Genesis is going to generate life inside her womb. God is now going to bind himself to humanity, through the birth and conception of the messiah.
Jesus was executed and crucified on the charges of inciting rebellion against the Romans. He was then taken outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem and nailed to a cross.
A couple of days after Jesus’s death, some women who were followers of Jesus came to visit his tomb. To their surprise, they found the tomb open and empty. Mysterious figures told the women not to worry, for Jesus was alive.
The Jesus of History
There is surprisingly very little historical information about the Nazarian from 1st century Palestine. It is crazy to think that one of history's biggest celebrities has very little evidence attributed to his name. Fortunately, there are three things that we do know for certain.
- Jesus was a Jew
- He launched an apocalyptic movement
- Executed by Rome for the crime of sedition.
It can’t be overstated that Jesus was a Jew. The Christ of faith is a celestial spirit who founded a new religion off the back of his name. While the Jesus of history was a Jew preaching Judaism to other Jews. The Christ of faith promises salvation to any person who accepts Jesus as the Messiah and son of God, while the Jesus of history believed that the kingdom of God was reserved for the Jews.
Sometime during the 1st century, Jesus launched a popular apocalyptic movement, claiming that the end times were near. In Jesus’ time “messiah” meant something very specific. If you stood up and claimed to be the messiah you were saying that you are a descendant of King David, reconstituting the 12 tribes of Israel by reinstating his kingdom, and ushering in the rule of God.
Jesus was in fact not that special of a character in his time either. One after another messiah rose up claiming to be the “anointed one”, preaching liberation from Roman occupation. Roman official Pontius Pilate sentenced Jesus to be executed and crucified on charges of sedition.
How do we find out who Jesus was?
We know little about the historical Jesus but fortunately know a lot about the world he lived in. The Romans were highly acclaimed for their documentation skills, meticulously recording everything that happened in their empire.
There is a vast amount of information about the religious, economical, and social context Jesus grew up in.
What Problems was Jesus Addressing and who was he preaching to?
Jesus was a religious zealot sick of temple authorities that took advantage of the underprivileged. We have to understand that in 1st century Palestine those who controlled the temple wielded tremendous power. The temple acted as the center of commerce, politics, and religion. At the time Jews believed that the temple was the only place where you could have communion with God. Being denied entry meant you were excluded from any communication with the Lord.
The social ills he was addressing resonated with his followers. Many like Jesus, were tired of business as usual and wanted change in the way power was distributed. In a sense, Jesus was a revolutionary like Che Guevara, or Leon Trotsky, determined to fight for the people and endure any obstacles.
Why did the Romans use crucifixion?
The Romans didn’t care much about what religions or superstitions locals practiced, as long as it didn’t put into question the authority of Rome. By claiming to usher in the rule of God you are directly negating the rule of Cesar, which would be considered treason against the state.
Every Jew calling themselves the messiah was killed and crucified. Many falsely learned that Jesus was crucified beside two common thieves. This is however wrong as crucifixion was a punishment reserved for crimes against the state, such as treason and sedition.
Crucifixion was never a form of capital punishment. The purpose of crucifixion wasn’t to kill. For the most part, most people were already dead when they were put on a cross. It was, instead, supposed to act as a deterrent against sentiments of rebellion and insurrection. The Romans believed that by hanging the punished in public squares, top of hills, and entryways to cities, this reminds citizens of who’s in charge. It sends a very clear message that no one should dare defy the will of Rome.
Conclusion
What makes Jesus a fascinating character is that he was a mortal man brimming with fiery passion and a thirst to bring radical change to the world. The resurrection from the tomb is left up to faith. I am convinced more than ever that Jesus is someone worth talking about.
Sources:
Aslan, Reza. ZEALOT: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Random House, 2013. Print.
