Lesson 2: Non Biblical Sources of Jesus Christ Historicity

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The Life and
Ministry of
Jesus Christ
Bible Way Apostolic Church
B I B L E S T U D Y S E R I E S
Lesson 2: Non-Biblical Sources of Jesus
Christ Historicity
Presenter: Bro Damaine Franklin
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The Roman Historians - Tacitus
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Profile
 Name: Publius Cornelius Tacitus
 Birth: AD 56 - died c. 120
 Province: Gallia Narbonensis, France
 Country: Roman Empire
 Career: Historian, orator, governor
and senator

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The Roman Historians - Tacitus
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Who was Tacitus?
Publius Cornelius Tacitus is widely considered to be one of the greatest Roman
historians of his time. Literatures attributed to Tacitus includes:
 Annals - contains the history of the Roman Empire from the reign of Tiberius
to that of Nero, the years AD 14 – 68.
 Annals - The Annals are an important source for modern understanding of the
history of the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD.
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The Roman Historians - Tacitus
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Who was Tacitus?
 Histories contains the history of the Roman Empire from the years AD 69 –
96, a period which includes the Year of Four Emperors following the
downfall of Nero, as well as the period between the rise of the
Flavian dynasty under Vespasian and the death of Domitian.
 Germania - describing the Germanic tribes
 The Annals and the Histories are both historical chronicles of the ancient
Roman Empire.

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The Roman Historians - Tacitus
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Tacitus on Christ Historicity
In the Annals book 15, chapter 44, In AD 64, Tacitus documented and described
the events of the great fire of Rome which lasted for six days during the reign of
Roman Emperor Nero. Tacitus tells how Nero was accused of starting the fire,
however in order to suppress the rumor, he placed the blame on the most
vulnerable sect at the time (Christians) which were hated throughout the roman
empire. The passage also describes the execution of Christ and the presence
and persecution of Christians in 1st-century Rome.
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The Roman Historians - Tacitus
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Tacitus on Christ Historicity
“Consequently, to get rid of the rumor, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the
most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians
by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the
extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our
procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition”
(Annales 15:44)

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The Roman Historians - Tacitus
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Tacitus on Christ Historicity
“Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts,
they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to
the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.
Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus,
while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car.
Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there
arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but
to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed” (Annales 15:44)
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The Roman Historians - Tacitus
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Tacitus Writings Verified by Bible Facts
Tacitus Writings Bible Facts
Nero Emperor of Rome 2Tim 4:22
Title Christians Acts 26:28, 1 Pet 4:16
hated for their abominations, all this hideous and
shameful and accused of arson
I Cor. 5:1).
Christus, from whom the name had its origin Act 11:26
Christos suffered and died by the hands of Pontius
Pilate during the reign ofTiberius
Luke 3:1, Matthew 27:2
They were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed
to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt
Luke 21:12, 2Tim3:11–12,
Rev 2:9, Rev 2:10

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The Roman Historians - Suetonius
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Profile
 Name: Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus
 Birth: AD 69 – 135
 Province: Kingdom of Numidia
 Country: Roman Empire
 Career: Historian
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The Roman Historians - Suetonius
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Who was Suetonius?
Suetonius was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the
Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is a set of biographies of 12
successive Roman rulers, from Julius Caesar to Domitian, entitled De vita
Caesarum, Latin for the ‘Lives of The Twelve Caesars. Other works by
Suetonius concerned the daily life of Rome, politics, oratory, and the lives of
famous writers, including poets, historians, and grammarians. A few of these
books have partially survived, but many have been lost.

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The Roman Historians - Suetonius
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Suetonius on Christ Historicity
Suetonius also gave important testimony concerning the life of Christ. He tells of
a Messianic movement during the reign of Claudius Caesar (A.D. 41-54). In his
writings ‘Lives of The Twelve Caesars’, he says: “Since the Jews constantly
made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he (Claudius Caesar)
expelled them from Rome (Suetonius, “Claudius” 25).
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The Roman Historians - Suetonius
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Suetonius Writings Verified by Bible Facts
Suetonius Writings Bible Facts
Claudius Caesar expelled Jewish Christians
from Rome.
Acts 18:2

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The Roman Historians – Pliny the Younger
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Profile
 Name: Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus
 Birth: AD 61 – 113
 Province: Bithynia, Asia Minor, Turkey
 Country: Roman Empire
 Career: Author, Historian and administrator
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The Roman Historians – Pliny the Younger
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Who was Pliny the Younger?
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, better known as Pliny the Younger was a
Roman author and administrator who left a collection of private letters that
intimately illustrated public and private life in the glory days of the Roman
Empire. He primarily wrote about the life of Roman Emperors and the
contemporary ruling elites. Among the most notable are his account of the
eruption of Mount Vesuvius and his correspondence with Emperor Trajan (r. 98-
117 CE) regarding Christians.

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The Roman Historians – Pliny the Younger
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Pliny the Younger on Christ Historicity
As Governor of Bithynia, Pliny the Younger wrote to emperor Trajan asking advice as to
what he should do with the Christians in his province. The most significant statement from
his letter follows: "They affirmed that the sum of their guilt or error was to assemble on a
fixed day before daybreak, and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to God, and to bind
themselves with an oath not to enter into any wickedness, or to commit
thefts, robberies or adulteries, or falsify their work or repudiate trusts committed to
them: when these things were ended, it was their custom to depart, and, on coming
together again, to take food, men and women together, yet innocently."
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The Roman Historians – Pliny the Younger
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Pliny’s Writings Verified by Bible Facts
Pliny’s Writings Bible Facts
They gathered on a fixed day Heb 10:24-25, Acts 20:7, 1
Cor 16:1-2
sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to God Colossians 3:16, 1 Cor 14:26
bind themselves with an oath not to enter into any
wickedness, or to commit thefts, robberies or adulteries, or
falsify
Romans 12:1-2
it was their custom to depart, and, on coming
together again
Acts 2:47

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The Roman Historians – Lucian of Samosata
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Profile
 Name: Greek Lucianos, Latin Lucianus
 Birth: AD 125 – 180
 Province: Samosata Syria now Turkey
 Country: Roman Empire
 Career: Novelist, satirist, rhetorician
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The Roman Historians – Lucian of Samosata
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Who was Lucian of Samosata?
Lucian of Samosata was a Syrian satirist and rhetorician who is best known for
his characteristic tongue-in-cheek style, with which he frequently ridiculed
superstition, religious practices, and belief in the paranormal. Although his native
language was probably Syriac, all of his extant works are written entirely in
Ancient Greek.

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The Roman Historians – Lucian of Samosata
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Lucian on Christ’s Historicity
Lucian of Samosata wrote about the existence of Jesus Christ in in his novel
titled ‘The Passing of Peregrinus’.
The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day—the distinguished personage who
introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account… You see, these
misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all
time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-dåevotion which are so
common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver
that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods
of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. All this they take quite
on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike, regarding them merely
as common property.
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The Roman Historians – Lucian of Samosata
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Lucian’s Writings Verified by Bible Facts
Lucian’s Writings Bible Facts
The Christians, you know, worship a man to this
day
Colo 1:16-17, Phili 2:10,Titus
2:13
and was crucified on that account Matthew 28:5-6
self-devotion which are so common among them Romans 8:38-39
hat they are all brothers, from the moment that
they are converted
Heb 13:1, James 2:14-18
they despise all worldly goods alike, regarding
them merely as common property.
1 John 2:15-17

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References
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1. Cornelius Tacitus, The Annals Alfred John Church, William Jackson Brodribb, Ed. -
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Tac.+Ann.+15.44&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A
1999.02.0078
2. The Lives of the Twelve Caesars/Claudius
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Lives_of_the_Twelve_Caesars/Claudius#25
3. List of Roman emperors https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-Roman-emperors-2043294
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The End
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