Read part 1 & part 2 from here.
As indicated in my earlier series, although some skeptics have called Jesus a myth, historians acknowledge he was a real person. In fact, nine non-Christian historians and writers mention Jesus within 150 years of his death, the same number who mention the contemporary Roman Emperor, Tiberius Caesar. In this final part, I will be looking at two of such historians – Tacitus and Pliny the Younger. We had earlier looked at Josephus.
What did Non-Christian Authors Say about Jesus?
Tacitus, the Roman Historian
Another account of Jesus appears in Annals of Imperial Rome, a first-century history of the Roman Empire written around 116 A.D. by the Roman senator and historian Tacitus. In chronicling the burning of Rome in 64 A.D., Tacitus mentions that Emperor Nero falsely blamed “the persons commonly called Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius.”
As a Roman historian, Tacitus did not have any Christian biases in his discussion of the persecution of Christians by Nero.
Pliny the Younger’s Reference of Jesus
Shortly before Tacitus penned his account of Jesus, Roman governor Pliny the Younger wrote to Emperor Trajan that early Christians would “sing hymns to Christ as to a god.” Pliny the Younger was the governor of Bithynia and Pontus (now in modern Turkey), as the representative of Emperor Trajan. Pliny wrote a letter to Emperor Trajan around AD 112 and asked for counsel on dealing with the early Christian community. The letter (Epistulae X.96) details an account of how Pliny conducted trials of suspected Christians who appeared before him as a result of anonymous accusations and asks for the emperor’s counsel on how they should be trialed or treated.
Pliny states in his letter that he gives Christians multiple chances to affirm their innocence and if they refuse three times, they are executed. Pliny states that his investigations have revealed nothing on the Christians’ part but harmless practices and “depraved, excessive superstition.” However, Pliny seems concerned about the rapid spread of their practices and views Christian gatherings as a potential starting point for sedition.
Below is an extract of this letter:
Soon accusations spread, as usually happens, because of the proceedings going on, and several incidents occurred. An anonymous document was published containing the names of many persons. Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and moreover cursed Christ–none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do–these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some three years before, others many years, some as much as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods and cursed Christ.
Trajan’s short reply to Pliny affirms Pliny’s overall procedure and gives four orders:
- Do not seek out the Christians for trial.
- If the accused are found guilty of being Christian, then they must be punished.
- If the accused deny they are Christians and show proof that they are not by worshipping the gods, then they must be pardoned.
- Anonymous accusations should not be considered.
Apart from the mentioning of Christ in his letter, what is of importance here is that there were a recognized group called Christians which history give credence to. But notably, there could not be Christians without Christ.
Roman Historian Suetonius
The Roman historian Suetonius (c. AD 69 – c. AD 122) earlier referred to, mentions early Christians and Jesus Christ in his work, Lives of the Twelve Caesars. Christians are explicitly mentioned in Suetonius’ biography of the Emperor Nero (Nero 16) as among those punished during Nero’s reign. These punishments are generally dated to around AD 64, the year of the Great Fire of Rome. In this passage Suetonius describes Christianity as excessive religiosity (superstitious) as do his contemporaries, Tacitus and Pliny.
Conclusion – Did ancient Writers Discuss the Existence of Jesus?
Strikingly, there was never any debate in the ancient world about whether Jesus of Nazareth was a historical figure. In the earliest literature of the Jewish Rabbis, Jesus was denounced as the illegitimate child of Mary and a sorcerer. Among pagans, the satirist Lucian and philosopher Celsus dismissed Jesus as a scoundrel, but we know of no one in the ancient world who questioned whether Jesus lived.
Though it is true that collection of these snippets from non-Christian sources does not necessarily impart much information about the life of Jesus, but it is very useful for realizing that Jesus was known by historians who had reason to look into the matter. At that time, no one thought he was made up.
Any writing that seeks to suggest that Jesus and the gospels were created as wartime propaganda by the Roman Emperors are nothing but lies to frustrate people who genuinely would want to encounter Christ, the Saviour of the world.
JESUS IS LORD!
References
Bromiley, G. W. (1959). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume 4. Eerdmans.
Carrington, P. (2011). The Early Christian Church (Vol. 1). Cambridge Univ Press.
Gathercole, S. What is the historical evidence that Jesus Christ lived and died? Viewed on https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/14/what-is-the-historical-evidence-that-jesus-christ-lived-and-died. Accessed it on December 2, 2021.
Galli, M. (1990). Persecution in the Early Church: A Gallery of the Persecuting Emperors. Viewed from https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-27/persecution-in-early-church-gallery-of-persecuting-emperors.html. Accessed on 18th January, 2022.
Josephus, F., & Haverkamp, S. (1900). Complete works of Josephus ; Antiquities of the Jews, The wars of the Jews, Against Apion, etc. etc. New York: Bigelow, Brown.
Josephus, F., Maier, P. L., & Josephus, F. (1994). Josephus, the essential works: A condensation of Jewish antiquities and the Jewish war. Grand Rapids, Mich: Kregel Publications.
Just, F.(2005). Persecutions of Christians in the Early Roman Empire. Viewed on https://catholic-resources.org/Bible/History-Persecutions.htm. Accessed on 18th January, 2022.
Klein, C. The Bible Says Jesus Was Real. What Other Proof Exists? https://www.history.com/news/was-jesus-real-historical-evidence. Accessed it on December 2, 2021.
Vermes, G. (2011). Jesus in the Jewish World. SCM Press.
Apostle Benedict Eghan is a Minister of the Gospel with The Church of Pentecost and is currently the Resident Minister of Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Tesano. He also doubles as the Personal Assistant to the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye. Read More…