What if Jesus was just a man?

[ribozyme]

I meant to say “word” not “world.”

I do not think associating Popper and Rand is appropriate as they have significantly different positions on philosophy and the role of the government.

BTW, Singer, Rawls, Mill, Bentham, and Sen are nice sources of secular morality without invoking Jesus.

 

[Oakleaf]

What if Jesus was “just a man”? I think that was one of the great points of his life story. The Messiah was expected to be a great scholar, or a great conqueror, and instead he was a humble carpenter. His companions were fishermen and prostitutes, common people. This was a revolutionary concept of divinity, wasn’t it?

 

[55442andy]

Actually, all twelve of them died, but you probably meant that eleven were martyred. Of course, there is no historical evidence of that; it’s just a tradition.

There is actually historical evidence.

James, brother of John was put to death with the sword as described in Acts 12:2

Stephen was stoned to death - Acts chapters 6 and 7.

Peter was crucified head down at his request as recorded by Origen of Alexandria about 200 years after Christ’s death.

I could quote Eusebius also. I accept that scripture itself only confirms two of these martyrdoms but within a couple of hundred years of the rest, there are good authenticated writings.

 

[East_and_West]

I am a faithful catholic born and raised. But I often wonder is there any historical support/proof outside of the bible that Jesus did exist. I know that he existed and much of the world accepts that but I’m curious how much do we know about him outside of scripture?

I hear so many accusations that the catholic church “labled” jesus divine and God a few centuries after he died. I know that scripture says he is God and is divine but how do I know the church did not put that in there?

Going on top of that, how do you think Christianity would survive if they ever found Jesus’s grave or tomb with him in it? Or if he was proven to just be a man? If he was then he certainly was the most perfect man to exist. Could Christianity still live on following jesus’s morals?

I don’t believe any of this but a thought came across earlier just what if this were to happen. I often think scientifically and I realize that most of what we believe is faith based on scripture and there is really is no other evidence. That is what is great about our faith and how strong it is.

But it makes me ill to think if this was all an illusion too. So many atheists I run into claim this and I know in my heart it isn’t but just from a what if stand point if it were. How would you cope with that as a Catholic or a Christian?

Read “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel. Its a good start.