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| By Jorge Barao, Artist |
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Happy Easter to everyone, believers and non believers alike. Easter celebrates the belief in the resurrection of not only the soul, but the body itself, new life, new birth, hope for something eternal, given us by a man who taught us lessons for life that to this day bring hope to billions all over the world.
Whether or not one believes in the Divinity of Jesus Christ, we cannot escape the very real existence of his life, or the message it brought. One thing we do know about Jesus is he existed. There's actually better historical evidence, albeit limited, than there is for many historical figures we accept without question, such as Alexander the Great, who’s earliest recorded historical account (that we have) was written 400 years after his death. The earliest recorded account of Jesus was written in contrast, a mere 30 years after his death via the Gospel of St Mark. And the earliest non-Christian, non-apologetic references were written a mere 70 years after his death by the Judeo-Roman historian Josephus.
Whether or not one believes in the Divinity of Jesus Christ, we cannot escape the very real existence of his life, or the message it brought. One thing we do know about Jesus is he existed. There's actually better historical evidence, albeit limited, than there is for many historical figures we accept without question, such as Alexander the Great, who’s earliest recorded historical account (that we have) was written 400 years after his death. The earliest recorded account of Jesus was written in contrast, a mere 30 years after his death via the Gospel of St Mark. And the earliest non-Christian, non-apologetic references were written a mere 70 years after his death by the Judeo-Roman historian Josephus.
Of course the fact he's referenced at all in Josephus' "Antiquities" speaks volumes. True it is believed that two lines were added claiming Jesus was the Messiah, but the actual reference has never been challenged. Josephus was a Jew who betrayed other Jews in an incident similar to "Masada", where all the Jews cornered committed ritual suicide, and Josephus being one of the last surviving surrendered, and said to the Romans "see, I killed them all for you". For this he was given Roman citizenship, an apartment in Rome and a job as a Librarian and scholar.
So for him to even mention Jesus, says a lot for the historicity of the man. Other non-Christian non-apologetic sources validate his existence as well, such as the reference to Christ’s crucifixion by Pilate by the Roman Emperor Tactius recorded just 100 years after his death in his final work “Annals”, or the letters to the Roman Emperor Trajan by Pliny the Younger, all provide firm historical validation to the existence of Jesus Christ, and his crucifixion at Rome. In fact for such a lowly, Judean preacher to be named at all by such significant historical figures even Emperors demonstrates not only the existence of the historical Jesus, but his significance at the time.
Today the internet is full of self-professed intellectual atheists who love to demonize and mock, ridicule and dismiss not only the divinity of Christ but his very existence itself. But these pseudo intellectuals are poorly informed and bent by their own personal animosities towards Christianity, warranted or not.
The fact is Jesus was a real figure in history, and whether you believe in his divinity or not, we cannot escape his life, history and teachings. Whatever one believes, the man himself lived and taught us lessons for life that if we would only follow or even try to follow, would bring about if not the literal then certainly the virtual reality of heaven on earth that he promised us. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is within each of us. All we have to do, is let it out.
Happy Easter everyone, from the Easter Worfy
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From Lydia Cornell's Kitchen: SPRING BREAK EASTER EGGS!
