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Tuesday January 27, 2026
“And lo, a voice came from Heaven, saying, ‘This Is My Beloved Son, In Whom I Am Well Pleased.’” (God at the baptism of Jesus)
– Matthew 3:17
Next week we begin our consideration of Book IV: “The Cosmic Symphony – Overtones of String Theory!”
PREFACE
Welcome Everybody!
Did Jesus really exist? Here is the short answer.
“Yes, a historical Jesus existed, supported by a broad scholarly consensus based on non-Christian Roman and Jewish sources as well as early Christian writings... These sources, along with the historical details found in the Gospels, point to a real person who was baptized, crucified by Pontius Pilate, and whose followers formed the early Christian movement.”
– Google AI Overview
So what is the actual historical evidence, outside of the Biblical narrative, that Jesus really did exist and was crucified for his spiritual beliefs?
It could be argued that Jesus is perhaps the most famous of all Western legends or symbols. Everyone knows who Jesus is. Partially because of the four eyewitness accounts known as the gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Partly because of the letters from Paul, a Pharisee in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion; originally put in charge of tracking down the new Christian heretics for the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem. However, Paul was converted to the movement after experiencing a vision of the “resurrected Christ” on his way to arrest his followers in Damascus.
“Although Paul did not know the living Jesus, he definitely knew of him…”
Pauline doctrine related to Jesus would become the main influence in the new Christian movement after the fall of the original Jerusalem Church in 70 AD. Although Paul did not know the living Jesus, he definitely knew of him; enough to persecute his followers immediately after the crucifixion. However, after his conversion, Paul became an active member in the movement often communicating with Peter, James, and other disciples and followers of the earthly Jesus.
“The oldest written references mentioning Jesus date from after his death. He appears for the first time in the letters of Saint Paul, written between 20 and 30 years after the crucifixion. Saint Paul never knew Jesus, although according to what Simon Gathercole, the New Testament studies specialist from the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) explains to OpenMind, he knew ‘not only Jesus’ disciples but also his brothers,’ (in reference particularly to James the Just, whose kinship with Jesus is one of the points of disagreement between different Christian sects).”
– Did Jesus of Nazareth Actually Exist? The Evidence Says Yes. (BBVA OpenMind Science, December 24, 2018)
In addition, Islam recognizes Jesus as a prophet, but not “The Prophet,” within their tradition. However, is there any real evidence outside of these references indicating that Jesus was in fact a real person?
“In short, the abundance of historical texts converts the real existence of Jesus into what McCane defines as a ‘broad and deep consensus among scholars,’ regardless of their religious beliefs. ‘I do not know, nor have I heard of, any trained historian or archaeologist who has doubts about his existence…’”
– Did Jesus of Nazareth Actually Exist? The Evidence Says Yes. (BBVA OpenMind Science, December 24, 2018)
The historical evidence of Jesus’ existence, is in fact, overwhelming.
CONSIDERATION #225 – Did Jesus Really Exist?
Titus Flavius Josephus, a first-century Romano-Jewish historian originally born Yosef ben Matityahu, was a Jewish priest, scholar, and historian who is most famous for his books “Antiquities of the Jews” and “The Jewish War.” He is traditionally considered to be one of the main sources for early Jewish history and the Jewish revolt of 66-70 AD resulting in the fall of Jerusalem, and the Jerusalem sect of Christianity. It is clear that Josephus had heard of Jesus.
Josephus’ Description of Jesus
“Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works-a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; (64) and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”
– Josephus (The Antiquities of the Jews)
While there is some speculation as to the complete authenticity of this reference from Josephus by some historians, there is a second reference that is essentially considered accurate by virtually all historians.
“Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned…”
– Josephus (Antiquities)
However, the references to Jesus and his followers are not limited to the Jewish historian Josephus. As the Christian movement grew and expanded into Rome many of the city leaders began to encounter these Christians and were concerned about their strange and unorthodox beliefs. Pliny the elder called them “Christ-niks.”
“I have never been present at a formal inquiry of ‘Christ-niks...’
Now that I have begun to deal with this problem, as so often happens, the charges are becoming more widespread and increasing in variety. An anonymous writing has circulated which contains the names of several accused individuals. From these, I considered dismissing any who denied that they were or ever had been ‘Christ-niks’ when they had recited after me an invocation of the gods and made offerings of wine and incense to your statue which I ordered brought into court for this purpose along with the images of the gods and further reviled the name of Christ: none of which, I understand, any true ‘Christ-nik’ can be induced to do…
They also declared that the totality of their guilt or error amounted to no more than this: they had met regularly before dawn on a certain day to chant verses antiphonally amongst themselves in honor of Christ as if to a god, and also to bind themselves with an oath, not in a criminal conspiracy, but to abstain from fraud, banditry, and adultery, to commit no breach of trust, and not to renege on a deposit. After completing this foolishness, it was their custom to disperse and reassemble later to take food of an common and innocuous type; but they had in fact given up this practice since my edict, issued on your instructions, which banned all associations. This made me decide it was all the more necessary to extract the truth from two female slaves whom they call ‘ministers’ by means of torture. I found nothing but a degenerate sort of superstition carried to immoderate lengths.”
– Pliny Letter to Trajan
However, some Roman leaders found this strange new sect of Christians to be a convenient scapegoat for their own mismanagement and lack of wisdom.
“Consequently, to get rid of the report, [that he was responsible for the fire that razed Rome] Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus [Latin spelling of the Greek `Christ’] 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, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. 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.”
Tacitus (Annals 15.44)
Therefore, Jesus is recognized by Biblical and non-biblical sources, including sources hostile to Christianity. These sources are not referencing an anonymous Jew who was crucified, but a particular Jew crucified by Pontius Pilate during the rule of Tiberius Caesar because of a superstitious religion that considered him to be God. This Christ taught his disciples to pay their debts and not commit crime, fraud, or adultery. Whose followers were known to maintain their faith in his divinity even unto death. There is no mistake which Jesus they are describing in these letters.
POSTSCRIPT
Here are some additional discoveries that add to the validity of the New Testament accounts of a real person named Jesus:
• Machaerus: This ancient desert fortress, located just over 30 km to the southwest of Madaba, Jordan, sits atop a hill overlooking the Dead Sea. After its destruction by Roman troops, King Herod the Great rebuilt Machaerus and used it as a military base. The Bible (and Jewish historian Flavius Josephus) identified the palace-fortress as the site where John the Baptist was imprisoned and executed on the orders of Herod the Great’s son Herod Antipas. (Sarah Pruitt – Explore 10 Biblical Sites)
• El-Araj: Recent excavations of Roman-era ruins at this site located at the delta of the River Jordan, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, suggest it may be the ancient Jewish fishing village of Bethsaida, later the Roman city of Julias. Frequently mentioned in the Gospels as the birthplace of three of Jesus’ apostles—Peter, Andrew and Philip—the village also saw Jesus himself perform several memorable miracles. (Sarah Pruitt – Explore 10 Biblical Sites)
• Pontius Pilate Seal Ring: The name of Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator who interrogated Jesus and then ordered him crucified, has turned up for the second time in the archaeological record. The first time his name and title were found engraved in a stone discovered in 1961 in secondary use at Caesarea Maritima. Just a few weeks ago, scientists announced that a seal ring excavated in the late 1960s at Herodium, a desert palace just outside of Bethlehem, also carried the inscription ‘of Pilates.’
The inscription on the badly corroded ring was finally read using advanced photographic techniques. The copper alloy ring was probably not fancy enough to have actually been worn by Pilate. It was more likely worn by someone who was authorized to act on Pilate’s authority and who would use the seal to create official communications.
These discoveries, relatively insignificant individually, join with many other discoveries over the decades to give us a great deal of confidence in the historical details contained in the Bible. (Gordon Govier Biblical Archaeology’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2018)
• Pool of Siloam: Workers repairing a sewage-pipe break uncovered the Pool of Siloam in Old Jerusalem. This pool was a major gathering site for the Jews. The Pool of Siloam is central to the account of the miracle of Christ healing a man blind from birth (John 9:1-7). Christ put clay on the man’s eyes and then told him to wash at the Pool of Siloam. Obeying Christ by washing in the pool completed the miracle (verse 11). This created an incredible stir among the Jewish elite of Christ’s day (verses 14-41).
Why is all this important today? Here is what the Los Angeles Times reported about this incredible archaeological find: ‘Scholars have said that there wasn’t a Pool of Siloam and that John was using a religious conceit’ to illustrate a point, said New Testament scholar James H. Charlesworth of the Princeton Theological Seminary. ‘Now, we have found the Pool of Siloam … exactly where John said it was.’ A Gospel that was thought to be pure theology is now shown to be grounded in history,’ he said” (August 9). Do we get it? The scholars are wrong—again. (Dennis Leap, Archaeology Proves Bible History Accurate)
This represents just a fraction of the ever-increasing evidence pointing toward a real man, named Jesus, who profoundly changed the world. The authenticity of Jesus as a historical figure is becoming harder and harder to deny.
“Many of the places recorded in Greek and Roman myths are also being found…”
Not only is archaeology changing the way we think of Biblical history, it is also changing the way we think of mythology. Many of the places recorded in Greek and Roman myths are also being found and unearthed including Mount Olympus, and recently the ancient city of Troy mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey; long believed to be a myth. Archaeologists are starting to reconsider the evidence pointing to the deeper truths and validity found in many ancient texts.
Next week we transition into our consideration of Book IV, The Cosmic Symphony…
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Excerpt from this week’s Reality by a Thread: “Time & Qubits”
“Upper and lower halves are like the traditional on and off duality, except for one key factor; there are infinite possibilities in each half. Qubits do not simply register on and off, they register infinite possibilities, or infinite ‘shades’ of on, and infinite possibilities, or infinite ‘shades’ of off; thus, altering the strict duality of empirical dualism.”
– Frank Elkins (Reality by a Thread: January 29, 2026)
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Out Consideration of “The Cosmic Symphony” Starts Next Week!
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