Ancient Writers:

Who Hated Christians

Confirm the Resurrection

 

 

 

Here’s a concise, summary of the video “MINDBLOWING! ‘Ancient Writers Who Hated Christians… Still Proved the Resurrection’” from Anil Kanda’s channel, focusing on the main arguments and historical evidence discussed regarding the resurrection of Jesus:

Video Summary

Overview

The video explores historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, emphasizing that even non-Christian and hostile ancient sources corroborate key details of the resurrection story. The presenter structures the argument using “four E’s”: Execution, Early accounts, Empty tomb, and Eyewitnesses.

1. Execution

• Multiple Ancient Sources: Jesus’ death by crucifixion is confirmed by several non-Christian sources:
  • Tacitus (Roman historian)
  • Josephus (Jewish historian)
  • Lucian of Samosata
  • Mara Bar-Serapion
  • The Jewish Talmud

• Historical Consensus: Both secular and atheist scholars, as well as medical journals (e.g., Journal of the American Medical Association), agree that Jesus’ death by crucifixion is indisputable.

2. Early Accounts

• Early Creed: The earliest Christians had a creed (summarized in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7) affirming Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection appearances to named eyewitnesses, including over 500 people.
• Dating the Creed: Scholars date this creed to within months to a few years after Jesus’ death, making it too early to be a legend.
• Comparison: This is much earlier than most ancient biographies, such as those of Alexander the Great, which were written centuries after the events.

3. Empty Tomb

• Enemy Attestation: Even Jesus’ opponents admitted the tomb was empty by claiming the disciples stole the body—an implicit acknowledgment of the empty tomb.
• Burial Practices: Contrary to some claims, archaeological and legal evidence (Roman Digesta, discovered crucified remains) shows that crucified victims were sometimes buried.

4. Eyewitnesses

• Multiple Sources: At least nine ancient sources (inside and outside the New Testament) confirm that the disciples were convinced they saw the risen Jesus.
• Martyrdom: The disciples’ willingness to suffer and die for their claims is strong evidence of their sincerity—they would not die for something they knew was a lie.

Addressing Alternative Theories

• Hallucination Theory: Psychological experts refute the idea that group hallucinations could explain the resurrection appearances, especially to 500 people at once.
• Vision Theory: Skeptics like Paul and James (Jesus’ brother) were not psychologically primed for visions, yet they became convinced after personal encounters.
• Legend Theory: The resurrection was unexpected in Jewish thought, making it unlikely to be a fabricated legend.

Conclusion

The video argues that the combination of hostile sources, early testimony, the empty tomb, and sincere eyewitnesses creates a compelling historical case for the resurrection of Jesus—even critics and ancient writers who opposed Christianity inadvertently support key facts of the resurrection narrative.

Key Takeaway:
Even ancient writers and historians hostile to Christianity provide evidence that, when considered together, strongly supports the core claims of the resurrection, challenging both skeptics and believers to reconsider the historical foundation of the Christian faith.

Let me know if you’d like a deeper dive into any specific section or source mentioned!

Citations:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgmbiDTww0k

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Expanded Summary: Execution of Jesus – Ancient Non-Christian Sources

Multiple Ancient Sources Confirming Crucifixion

A range of non-Christian sources from antiquity independently confirm that Jesus was executed by crucifixion under Roman authority. These sources are valuable because they come from outside the Christian tradition, often from writers critical or indifferent to Christianity:

• Tacitus (Roman Historian):
  In his Annals (written c. 116 AD), Tacitus records that “Christus… suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.” Scholars consider Tacitus’s account one of the most precise non-Christian references to Jesus, affirming both his execution and the involvement of Pontius Pilate. This passage is widely accepted as an independent Roman confirmation of the crucifixion, and is seen as “firmly established” by historians1.
• Josephus (Jewish Historian):
  In Antiquities of the Jews (c. 93 AD), Josephus refers to Jesus as a wise man who was condemned to the cross by Pilate at the instigation of Jewish leaders. While some debate the authenticity of certain phrases, the core statement about Jesus’ crucifixion is broadly accepted as genuine by most scholars2.
• Lucian of Samosata (Satirist):
  Writing in the second century, Lucian mocks Christians but acknowledges that Jesus was crucified, corroborating the gospel accounts. His testimony is significant because it comes from a hostile perspective, yet still affirms the basic fact of the crucifixion3.
• Mara Bar-Serapion (Syrian Philosopher):
  In a letter dated shortly after 73 AD, Mara Bar-Serapion refers to the execution of “the wise king of the Jews,” whose teachings lived on after his death. While he does not mention Jesus by name, the context and timing make it clear he is referencing Jesus. This non-Christian source affirms that Jesus was executed and that his followers continued to spread his teachings4.
• The Jewish Talmud:
  Rabbinic literature, though composed later, refers to the execution of “Yeshu” (Jesus) on the eve of Passover. While details differ from the gospel narratives, the Talmudic references support the claim that Jesus was put to death, likely by crucifixion, under Roman authority5.

Historical Consensus

Modern scholarship overwhelmingly agrees that Jesus’ crucifixion is among the best-attested facts of ancient history. According to historians and biblical scholars, including Bart Ehrman and James D.G. Dunn, the crucifixion of Jesus under Pontius Pilate is one of only two events about Jesus’ life that is subject to “almost universal assent” among scholars, regardless of religious belief6. The “criterion of embarrassment” is often cited: early Christians would not have invented a shameful and painful death for their leader if it had not actually occurred.

Furthermore, a landmark medical review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed the physiological effects of crucifixion and concluded that Jesus’ death by this method is medically certain. The article states that suggestions Jesus survived the cross are at odds with modern medical knowledge7.

 

Summary Table: Non-Christian Sources on Jesus’ Crucifixion

Source	Date	Key Statement on Crucifixion	Perspective
Tacitus	c. 116 AD	“Christus… suffered the extreme penalty…”	Roman, hostile
Josephus	c. 93 AD	“Pilate had condemned him to a cross…”	Jewish, neutral
Lucian of Samosata	2nd century	Jesus was crucified	Greek, mocking
Mara Bar-Serapion	post-73 AD	“Jews gained nothing by executing their wise king”	Syrian, philosophical
The Jewish Talmud	3rd-5th c.	Jesus executed on Passover	Jewish, polemical

Conclusion

The crucifixion of Jesus is confirmed by multiple independent, non-Christian sources from antiquity, including Roman, Jewish, and other writers. These accounts, combined with the consensus of modern historians and medical analysis, make the execution of Jesus by crucifixion an established historical fact1234567.

Citations:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacitus_on_Jesus
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus_on_Jesus
3. https://cc-chestersprings.com/resources/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Resurrection-What-Lucian-of-Samosata-Wrote-About-Jesus.pdf
4. https://www.neverthirsty.org/about-christ/historical-quotes/mara-bar-serapion/
5. https://www.thetorah.com/article/did-the-jews-crucify-jesus
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus
7. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-28-vw-883-story.html
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3512867/
9. http://mainstreamapologetics.org/evidences/HIS-EV61.html
10. https://www.jonathanmorrow.org/what-did-the-jewish-historian-josephus-really-say-about-jesus/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_Jesus
12. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/403315
13. http://www.biblebasedmedicine.com/the-physical-death-of-jesus.html
14. https://crossexamined.org/tacitus-ancient-roman-historian-reports-on-jesus/
15. http://thebriefing.com.au/2013/05/crucifixion-historicity/
16. https://reasonabletheology.org/jesus-outside-the-bible-1-tacitus/
17. https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateReligion/comments/16nyc8e/why_the_tacitus_reference_to_jesus_is_fake/
18. https://historyforatheists.com/2017/09/jesus-mythicism-1-the-tacitus-reference-to-jesus/
19. https://mainstreamapologetics.org/evidences/HIS-EV62.html
20. https://www.jesusskeptic.com/exist-serapion
21. https://www.neverthirsty.org/about-christ/historical-quotes/lucian-of-samosata/
22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_bar_Serapion_on_Jesus
23. https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateAnAtheist/comments/1bto3sq/the_scholarly_consensus_is_that_jesus_died_on_the/
24. https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/did-jesus-exist/
25. https://chab123.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/quotes-on-the-existence-jesus/
26. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8545147/
27. https://smartfaith.net/2020/08/29/atheist-historians-admit-evidence-for-resurrection/

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Early Accounts: The 1 Corinthians 15 Creed

Early Creed: Content and Significance

The passage in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 is widely recognized by scholars as an early Christian creed—a formal, memorized statement of belief that predates Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. The creed summarizes the core claims of the Christian faith:

• Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures
• He was buried
• He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
• He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve
• He appeared to more than 500 people at once, most of whom were still alive at the time of writing
• He appeared to James, then to all the apostles1569

This creed is notable for naming specific eyewitnesses, including Peter, James, and a large group of believers, which would have made the claims easily falsifiable if untrue.

Dating the Creed: Scholarly Consensus

Most historians and biblical scholars—both Christian and secular—agree that this creed is extremely early, likely formulated within a few years of Jesus’ death. Paul states that he “received” this tradition, using technical language for passing on authoritative teaching. Scholars such as Gerd Lüdemann and Paula Fredriksen (both non-Christian) date the creed to within two to five years after the crucifixion, with some suggesting it originated as early as AD 30-3534710.

Paul likely received the creed during his visit to Jerusalem three years after his conversion, when he met with Peter and James, as described in Galatians 1:18-19. This timing places the origin of the creed very close to the events it describes, making legendary development highly unlikely45.

Comparison: Earliest Historical Source

The 1 Corinthians 15 creed is the earliest written account of the resurrection of Jesus. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was written around AD 54-55, but the creed itself was already in circulation for years before that—predating the written Gospels by at least a decade57. In contrast, most ancient biographies, such as those of Alexander the Great, were written centuries after the events they describe, making the proximity of this creed to the events it recounts exceptional in the context of ancient history7.

Summary Table: Key Points on the 1 Corinthians 15 Creed

Feature	1 Corinthians 15 Creed	Ancient Biographies (e.g., Alexander the Great)
Date of Origin	Within 2-5 years of Jesus’ death (AD 30-35)	Centuries after subject’s life
Content	Death, burial, resurrection, appearances	Often legendary, less specific
Eyewitnesses Named	Yes (Peter, James, 500+ others)	Rarely, and much later
Scholarly Consensus	Extremely early, pre-Pauline	Much later, often anonymous

Conclusion

The 1 Corinthians 15 creed is a foundational piece of historical evidence for the resurrection, recognized as the earliest documented account of the event. Its early date, specific content, and named eyewitnesses set it apart from most other ancient historical claims, making it a critical source for understanding what the first Christians believed and proclaimed23457910.

Citations:

1. https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/ocekjm/what_passages_of_scripture_is_the_creed_from_1/
2. https://credohouse.org/blog/how-we-know-1-corinthians-153-7-is-a-very-early-creed
3. https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/92611/do-any-secular-scholars-affirm-that-1-corinthians-153-5-is-an-early-creed
4. https://beliefmap.org/bible/1-corinthians/15-creed/date
5. https://www.girltalkapologetics.com/post/why-is-1-corinthians-15-3-7-so-important-for-resurrection-studies
6. https://theorchardchurch.org/blog/2024/04/29/1-corinthians-15-what-is-most-important
7. https://carm.org/evidence-and-answers/1-cor-153-4-demonstrates-a-creed-too-early-for-legend-to-corrupt-crucifixion/
8. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-corinthians-15/
9. https://clarifyingcatholicism.org/articles/1-corinthians-15-the-oldest-christian-creed/
10. https://crossexamined.org/the-evidential-value-of-1-corinthians-153-8-to-the-case-for-the-resurrection/

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