What do we know about the identity of Jesus? Did he exist at all, and if so, was he a wise teacher, a heretic, a magician, a blasphemer, the Messiah, or even one of the persons in the Godhead?
Evidence for The Historical Jesus
Not many people today doubt that a historical Jesus existed. There are extra-biblical sources for a historical Jesus as well as talmudic sources for his existence.
Prophecies fulfilled by Jesus
Old testament scriptures point to a messiah who will suffer for the good of the nation, these are found in nearly every book of the old testament, but nowhere so powerfully as Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.
Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy
Not only do these scriptures depict with great accuracy a savior who will come to deliver people from their sin, but there are many which describe events which could not otherwise be foreseen, such as the year that the Messiah would be killed.
Jesus hidden in Passover and the Babylonian Talmud
In terms of traditions among the Jews, the very people who would be least-likely to endorse Jesus as Messiah, we find a Passover festival which is filled with references that suggest him as Messiah, as well as writings in the Jewish talmud (the record of the oral traditions) that speak of strange events that occurred 40 years before the destruction of the temple, at exactly the time that Jesus is said to have died and rose again.
Changed Lives from Near Death
There is also evidence for Jesus as Messiah in terms of changed lives and near-death experiences. While these experiences are subjective, they are still powerful and worth a look for the open-minded seeker.
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