Many people believe that Jesus did not exist, but for my friend, I will use the Bible verses to prove that he existed. I will explain to him how the Bible provides us with numerous verses that support the existence of Jesus Christ. For example, in Matthew 1:1-17, we read about the genealogy of Jesus Christ. This gospel tells us that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and King David. Matthew 1:1-17 lists the ancestors of Jesus, tracing his lineage all the way back to Abraham. This means that there were many people who witnessed and attested to the existence of Jesus. In addition, the fact that this genealogy is included in Scripture shows that his existence was considered important enough to be recorded and preserved for future generations.
Furthermore, there are numerous other references to Jesus throughout the Bible. For example, in Acts 2:22-36, Peter preaches about Jesus and His resurrection from the dead. This shows that even just a few years after His death, people were already talking about and spreading the gospel about Jesus1. Conversely, one of the most convincing arguments is that the Gospel of Luke provides quotes from various eyewitnesses who saw Jesus. This includes people such as Caiaphas, the high priest; John the Baptist; and James, the brother of Jesus. Another example, the Gospel of Luke quotes Peter as saying: “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:23). And the Gospel of John quotes Mary Magdalene as saying: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18); these eyewitness accounts provide strong evidence that Jesus existed.
I would similarly mention the many pieces of evidence that show Jesus existed especially during his childhood. For example, there are references to him in historical documents from the time period in which he lived, including Roman census records and letters written by first-century historians. But perhaps even more compelling is the evidence of Jesus’ life as a child. In the gospels, it is recorded that Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem and that he later grew up and ministered in Israel2. His life story is corroborated by archaeological findings, such as the discovery of an inscription mentioning Bethlehem at an ancient Egyptian temple. Overall, there is a wealth of evidence confirming that Jesus was a real person who lived and preached in first-century Palestine.
Additionally, Jesus’s growth had a lot of information, including the miracle he performed and, eventually, his death. First, there are the miracles that he is said to have performed. These include healing, nature miracles, and even raising people from the dead. If even just a fraction of these stories were true, it would be clear that Jesus was not normal. In addition, there is the fact that Jesus was killed; this is confirmed by both Christian and non-Christian sources. His death shows that he must have been someone who was considered a threat by the authorities of his day. All these happenings occurred in a certain generation, and if Jesus truly did not exist, the records or witnesses would have rejected all these stories about him.
The historicity of Jesus Christ is the question of whether or not Jesus of Nazareth actually existed. A considerable amount of historical evidence suggests he did, and most modern scholars believe that he did3. There are many reasons why it is important for Christians to believe in the historicity of Jesus Christ, one of the reasons is that, without a historical Jesus, there is no Christianity. As St. Paul said, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith is vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14). This means that Christianity hinges on the belief that Jesus actually existed and that he died and rose again. If He did not exist or the resurrection did not happen, Christianity would fall apart. But since there is overwhelming evidence that supports the historicity of Jesus Christ, it is reasonable for Christians to believe in Him.
Another reason is that the Bible teaches that faith in Jesus Christ is required for salvation (Acts 16:31), it is impossible to have saving faith apart from Christ’s historicity. Similarly, if Jesus did not rise from the dead as He said He would (Luke 24:1-8, John 2:19-21), then our faith is in vain, and we are still in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17). Furthermore, the apostles’ preaching was ineffective unless Jesus Christ was who they claimed Him to be and did what they said He did (Acts 2:22-24). Likewise, the Bible is full of prophecies about Jesus Christ that were fulfilled in detail. For example, the prophecy in Isaiah 53 about Jesus being “pierced for our transgressions” was fulfilled when he was crucified (John 19:34). Another reason is that there are many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and ministry, including his resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:32). Even people who were hostile to Christianity, such as the Jewish historian Josephus, wrote about Jesus and his impact on history4. Therefore, as the Bible says, we have good reason to believe that Jesus Christ did live and die and rise again.
Moreover, it is important for Christians to believe in the historicity of Jesus because it is a source of motivation. If Jesus did not exist, then Christianity would be an empty and foolish hope. However, because Jesus did exist and died on the cross for our sins, Christianity is founded on solid ground and provides us with a hope that is real and eternal5. Believing in the historicity of Jesus similarly gives us assurance that we are loved by God. Jesus said that he came “not to condemn the world, but to save it” (John 12:47). When we put our trust in him, we receive forgiveness for our sins and are adopted into God’s family.
Similarly, believing in the historicity of Jesus is important for Christians because it provides them with a source of wisdom and understanding. The Bible says that Jesus is the incarnation of God, who come to Earth to save humanity from sin. If this is true, then everything Jesus did and said carries great significance6. His life becomes an example for us to follow, and his teachings provide guidance on how we should live our lives. Without believing that Jesus actually existed and did all the things the Bible says he did, Christians would lose a powerful source of inspiration and direction.
Corruption” in relation to the Bible refers to any alteration of the text that changes its original meaning. This can range from something as small as a misspelling to adding or taking away an entire verse. Concerning the person believing that the new testament was corrupted and therefore unreliable, I will prove him wrong. I will state a few reasons why I believe the New Testament was never corrupted during transmission. First, there were so many eyewitnesses to the events recorded in the New Testament7. Second, there were dozens of early copies of the New Testament documents, which helped to ensure that any mistakes or intentional changes would have been caught and corrected.
Third, we have thousands of fragments of New Testament manuscripts, which gives us a very good idea of what the original texts said. Finally, an immense amount of historical evidence supports the reliability of the New Testament manuscripts8. From personal letters written by eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry to church fathers who quoted from the New Testament scriptures extensively, it is easy to believe the accuracy of the New Testament. Based on all of this evidence, I am confident that the person will trust the New Testament as an accurate record of what happened in Jesus’ life and ministry.
I would mention that multiple early copies of the New Testament were made. This means that if one copy was corrupted, there would still be others that could be used to check it against. Second, the scribes who copied the New Testament manuscripts were generally very careful and exact in their work. They would have been aware of the importance of what they were copying and would have been meticulous in making sure that their copies were accurate9. Third, many early church Fathers quoted from the New Testament frequently in their writings. These quotes can be used to reconstruct what the original text said, even if there are some variations.
I would additionally mention that there is a combination of internal and external evidence that the New Testament was not corrupted during the transmission process. Internal evidence refers to testimony from within the text, pointing to its accuracy and authenticity10. For example, numerous quotations from Jesus Christ in the New Testament were likely recorded close to the time of His life. These eyewitness accounts add credibility to the rest of the text. In addition, there are early Church Fathers who wrote about Christianity shortly after its inception. These historic documents affirm that the teachings in the New Testament were present from the beginning and were not created or added later on.
Similarly, I would react to the person by giving the reasons why the process of transmitting the New Testament did not corrupt its content. First, the New Testament was written by eyewitnesses or contemporaries of Jesus Christ, who were able to pass on accurate information about him11. Secondly, we have a large number of early copies of the New Testament, which allows us to compare and verify the text. As a result of these factors, we can be sure that the New Testament we have today is an accurate record of what was originally written.
Bibliography
Craig, William Lane. On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision. David C Cook, 2010.
Komoszewski, J. Ed, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel B. Wallace. Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications, 2006.
Morrow, Jeffrey L. Jesus’ Resurrection: A Jewish Convert Examines the Evidence. Principium Institute, 2017.
Footnotes
- Komoszewski, J. Ed, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel B. Wallace. Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications, 2006.
- Craig, William Lane. On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision. David C Cook, 2010.
- Komoszewski, J. Ed, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel B. Wallace. Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications, 2006.
- Komoszewski, J. Ed, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel B. Wallace. Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications, 2006.
- Craig, William Lane. On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision. David C Cook, 2010.
- Komoszewski, J. Ed, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel B. Wallace. Reinventing Jesus: How Contemporary Skeptics Miss the Real Jesus and Mislead Popular Culture. Kregel Publications, 2006.
- Craig, William Lane. On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision. David C Cook, 2010.
- Morrow, Jeffrey L. Jesus’ Resurrection: A Jewish Convert Examines the Evidence. Principium Institute, 2017.
- Craig, William Lane. On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision. David C Cook, 2010.
- Morrow, Jeffrey L. Jesus’ Resurrection: A Jewish Convert Examines the Evidence. Principium Institute, 2017.
- Morrow, Jeffrey L. Jesus’ Resurrection: A Jewish Convert Examines the Evidence. Principium Institute, 2017.