The Historical Jesus

Arguments for the Historicity of Jesus

1. New Testament Sources

The primary sources for Jesus' life are the Gospels and other New Testament writings. While these are not considered unbiased historical accounts, many scholars argue they contain historical kernels.

Multiple attestation: Some events and sayings appear in multiple, independent sources (e.g., Mark, Q, M, L, John).
Criterion of embarrassment: Some accounts (e.g., Jesus' baptism by John, crucifixion) seem unlikely to have been invented by early Christians.
Aramaic substrata: Some of Jesus' sayings preserve Aramaic forms, suggesting early, Palestinian origins.

2. Non-Christian Sources

Several non-Christian sources mention Jesus or early Christians:

Josephus (c. 93-94 CE): References Jesus in his "Antiquities of the Jews," though the exact wording is debated due to likely Christian interpolations.
Tacitus (c. 116 CE): Mentions Christ's execution under Pontius Pilate in his "Annals."
Pliny the Younger (c. 112 CE): Describes early Christian worship practices in a letter to Emperor Trajan.

3. Archaeological Context

While there's no direct archaeological evidence of Jesus, findings support the general historical context of the Gospels:

Discovery of Nazareth's existence in the 1st century CE.
Evidence of crucifixion practices in Roman Palestine.
Archaeological support for figures like Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas.

The dominant view today seems to be that we can know pretty well what Jesus was out to accomplish, that we can know a lot about what he said, and that those two things make sense within the world of first-century Judaism.

E.P. Sanders, "Jesus and Judaism" (1985)

Arguments Against the Historicity of Jesus

1. Lack of Contemporary Sources

Critics argue that the lack of contemporary accounts of Jesus is problematic:

No writings from Jesus himself.
No contemporary Roman or Jewish records mention Jesus during his supposed lifetime.
The earliest Christian writings (Paul's letters) contain little biographical information about Jesus.

2. Mythicist Arguments

Some scholars argue that Jesus was a mythical figure:

Parallels with other dying-and-rising god myths (e.g., Osiris, Dionysus).
Astronomical and astrological interpretations of Gospel narratives.
Argument that "Christ" was originally a celestial being later historicized.

3. Literary Analysis

Some argue that the Gospels are primarily literary and theological works, not historical:

Presence of literary devices, symbolism, and theological agendas in the Gospels.
Discrepancies and contradictions between Gospel accounts.
Progressive embellishment of stories in later Gospels.

The Jesus of the early Christians, I argue, may well have been constructed from various precedents in the Jewish scriptures and other traditions.

Thomas L. Thompson, "The Messiah Myth" (2005)

Scholarly Consensus

Despite the ongoing debate, the majority of scholars in relevant fields (New Testament studies, ancient history) accept the historical existence of Jesus. However, there is less consensus on the reliability of specific Gospel accounts or the nature of the historical Jesus.

Key points of general agreement among mainstream scholars include:

Jesus was a Jewish preacher and religious teacher in 1st century CE Galilee and Judea.
He was baptized by John the Baptist.
He gathered disciples and was involved in healing and exorcism activities.
He was crucified under Pontius Pilate's authority.

Areas of continued debate include:

The extent to which supernatural claims in the Gospels can be accepted historically.
Jesus' self-understanding and claims about his role or identity.
The relationship between Jesus' teachings and later Christian theology.

I don't think there's any serious historian who doubts the existence of Jesus... There are those who argue that Jesus is a figment of the Church's imagination, that there never was a Jesus at all. I have to say that I do not know any respectable critical scholar who says that anymore.

Richard A. Burridge, "Jesus Now and Then" (2004)

Conclusion

The quest for the historical Jesus remains a complex and often contentious area of study. While the majority of scholars accept Jesus' historical existence, the nature of the available evidence means that many aspects of his life and teachings remain subjects of ongoing research and debate. The intersection of historical inquiry, literary analysis, and theological interpretation continues to shape our understanding of this influential figure.