Historical Jesus

The historical Jesus is the figure of Jesus reconstructed by applying historical methods to ancient sources. Reconstructions distinguish claims supported by historical evidence from theological claims about him.

Gospel of Mark: The earliest surviving canonical Gospel, generally dated to around 70 CE. Its narrative is a central early source for reconstructing Jesus’s public activity.
Multiple attestation: A historical criterion that gives weight to a tradition independently attested in multiple sources or forms. Independent attestation can strengthen a claim about Jesus, though source dependence complicates the judgment.
Hermann Samuel Reimarus: An eighteenth-century German scholar whose posthumously published writings distinguished Jesus’s aims from those of his disciples. His work helped launch modern attempts to reconstruct Jesus apart from later Christian belief.
Crucifixion of Jesus: The execution of Jesus by crucifixion under Roman authority, usually dated around 30 CE. It is among the most widely accepted events in historical reconstructions of Jesus.
Q source: A hypothetical collection of Jesus sayings proposed to explain material shared by Matthew and Luke but absent from Mark. It offers one influential account of how sayings traditions reached the canonical Gospels.
Criterion of dissimilarity: A historical criterion that treats a tradition as more likely authentic when it differs from both its Jewish setting and early Christianity. It has been used to separate Jesus traditions from the interests of surrounding communities.
David Friedrich Strauss: A nineteenth-century German theologian who interpreted Gospel miracle stories through the concept of myth. His criticism challenged literal readings of the Gospels and reshaped historical inquiry.
Baptism of Jesus: The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, narrated in the canonical Gospels. Its portrayal as a potentially awkward tradition has figured in authenticity arguments.
Pauline epistles: Letters attributed to Paul, several of which are widely accepted as authentic and date from the first century CE. They predate the Gospels and provide sparse evidence about Jesus and the earliest movement.
Source criticism: The analysis of a text’s sources, including their relationships, dates, and editorial use. It helps identify how the Gospels reuse earlier material about Jesus.

Linked from 39 pages