Q. How do you respond to someone who says that Jesus of Nazareth didn’t exist? Is there any proof that there was a real Jesus of Nazareth?

A. The debate over the historical existence of Jesus of Nazareth has been ongoing since the mid-1800s, with German philosophers Bruno Baur and Arthur Drews among the first to argue that Jesus was a construct of early Christians, particularly St. Paul.

This notion gained traction among strict rationalists and appeared in various scholarly and non-scholarly works over time. However, most scholars today, including agnostics and atheists, acknowledge Jesus as a historical figure, though they may dispute his divinity. Dr. Bart Ehrman states: “The idea that Jesus did not exist is a modern notion. It has no ancient precedents. It was made up in the 18th century. One might as well call it a modern myth, the myth of the mythical Jesus.”

Evidence supporting the existence of Jesus comes from non-Christian sources like Publius Cornelius Tacitus (AD 56-c.120), a Roman historian who referenced Jesus' crucifixion by Pontius Pilate. Tacitus' position within Roman society would have allowed him to verify such claims easily if they were fabricated.

Another source is Josephus (AD 37-c.100), a Jewish historian turned Roman supporter, who mentions Jesus twice in his writings—once referencing "the brother of Jesus, who was called the Christ," named James, and another longer section about Jesus himself. While some question the authenticity due to Christian language in one passage, an Arabic translation without these references supports its historicity.

Though only two non-Christian references exist for Jesus compared to three for Pontius Pilate—whose existence was also once questioned—archaeological evidence later confirmed Pilate's historicity.

Additionally, creating a fictional messianic figure publicly executed by Romans during living memory would have been poor propaganda given how interconnected Roman society was at the time.

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