Historiansplaining: A historian tells you why everything you know is wrong The Historical Jesus
Aug 17, 2017
Dive into the fascinating quest for the historical Jesus, where early writings unveil truths about his life, from his baptism to crucifixion. Explore how archaeological evidence sheds light on puzzling Gospel passages. Unpack the contrasts among the canonical gospels and the intriguing insights from noncanonical texts. Discover Jesus's identity as a Jewish peasant, his potential literacy, and the psychology behind resurrection beliefs. Conclude with the depiction of Jesus as an apocalyptic preacher who sparked a transformative movement.
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Mythology Grows Around Famous Lives
- Sam Biagetti highlights that much of what we think about famous figures is mythology, using George Washington as an example.
- He warns that even well-documented lives accumulate false stories, so skepticism is necessary.
Jesus Is An Historical Puzzle
- Sam Biagetti stresses Jesus is an enigma because our earliest sources postdate his life and are non-eyewitness accounts.
- Therefore reconstructing the historical Jesus requires careful critical methods, not simple reading.
Paul Provides The Earliest Framework
- The earliest Christian sources are Paul's epistles, which present Jesus as a Jewish man, crucified, buried, and risen, viewed as Messiah by followers.
- These core claims give a basic framework historians can test against other evidence.
