Quote from jem:
On one hand you claim an understanding of the early (pre roman church) and on the other you claim there is almost no record of the historical Jesus. And that Christianity as we know it began with Paul.
Could you cite your sources because frankly that does not seem possible.
How do you know the early Christians did not think Jesus was devine?
How do you know that the Jews were not expecting a mesiah who was devine.
Have you read the old testament? Daniel? Isiah? (the passage as it existed prior to the advent of christianity)?
It just seems so odd that you know so much about the pre- roman chruch yet your information seems to discount so much of the limited surviving information we do have.
Regarding the cite vhehn gave -- if your read the link to the rebuttal case. You might heavily discounts vhehn's cite.
Vhehns guy pretty much admits his entire thesis must be at best conjecture.
The historical evidence on the life of Jesus is weak. There is no primary source evidence to speak of. The gospels were recorded DECADES after Jesus's life, and these books are plagued with textual corruption and inconsistencies.
As for Roman and Jewish sources, the same: the sources were not composed during Jesus' lifetime, but decades thereafter. The sources are what historians would call secondary, and not primary, sources.
Likely Jesus did exist; but the details concerning his life and death are based on speculation.
