: The descriptions of Jesus' life align with the specific geography, social customs, and political climate of 1st-century Roman-occupied Judea.
: Jesus' existence is confirmed by several independent sources (Paul, the Gospels, Josephus, and Tacitus). Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for J...
: Writing around 116 AD in his Annals , this Roman senator recorded that "Christus" was executed by Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius. : The descriptions of Jesus' life align with
Historians use specific criteria to determine what is "highly probable": Historians use specific criteria to determine what is
: This 1st-century Jewish historian mentions Jesus twice in Antiquities of the Jews . While parts of one passage are debated for later Christian edits, the reference to James as the "brother of Jesus, who was called Christ" is widely accepted as authentic.
Scholars rely on accounts from Roman and Jewish historians who had no religious motivation to invent Jesus.
Beyond their religious value, these texts are treated by historians as early biographical documents.
