The historicity of Jesus is not well established. At the turn of the 19th
century, some critics took the extreme position
that Jesus did not live or that he should have been a shadowy figure.
It is now usually discredited. Radical critics in recent times suggest that it is impossible to reconstruct his life as records of his life were formulated not by historians but by preachers who inevitably distorted and blurred even the sharpest outlines. For all the inestimable value of the gospels, they yield us little more than the whisper of his ways. Strictly speaking, experts feel that we can know nothing of the person of Jesus from the Gospel narratives.
The facts about him are concealed in dense deposits. The change of generations and events, the effect of the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, the contact with the mystery cults all deposited layer after layer in the oral traditions regarding the life of Christ. So many stories were there about the Nazarine. Many miracles were added to his life to make it look special . Many of the Biblical verses concerning the coming of a 'mighty king' are embodied in the gospels. These books were written to suite the prophetic outpourings of the prophets of the Old Testament regarding the establisher of peace.
Many of the divine aspects of the deities of the mystery cults got merged into his life to make it look familair and authentic to the pagans. This was done mostly by the ardent foloowers and preacher of the early times.
The Jewish and Pagan historians of he 1st
century are entirely silent on Jesus. In the earlier Greek editions of the “Jewish War” (published in 77-78) and “The Antiquities of the Jews” (published in 94-95) – both by noted Jewish historian Flavius Joseph (who died bnout A.D.100) -- there is no mention of Jesus at all. In the later editions there are references which could have been added up later.. The Roman historian of the early 2nd century speak vaguely about him. Cornelius Tacitus mentioned in his manual that Nero was persecuting the Christians on account of their crimes. Almost scornfully he adds, “the founder of this sect named Christ was executed by Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius. Although this pernicious
superstition was momentarily subdued it broke again not only in Judea but also in the city of Rome. “ Tranquilus Suetonius who lived in the 2nd century, in his life of the Ceaesars alludes to “Christians who adhere to a new and pernicious superstition.” The point is that the pagans would have hailed him and spoken about him if he were the son of God and if he did the miracles he is said to have had done like raising the dead, walking over the waters of a lake or resurrecting from the grave after three days. But there is scarcely any mention of such a person in the first century history books of both Jewish and pagan origins.
How could it be that the all powerful God was known only to his ignorant adherents of a small area of land?
It could have been true that there lived a preacher and reformer who raved against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the Scribes and the blatant corruption of the high priests. He dubbed them ‘sons of vipers’ and ‘white washed tombs.’ Naturally they plotted against him and tried to kill him. As his tirade against them continued they waited for an opportunity to eliminate him through the authorities. Accusing that he went against the Jewish Holy Books and sentiments he was forced to be arrested and through clever political maneuvers they got him crucified. He was born, and he lived and died a Jew. UNtil his last moment he adhered to the commandments of the Jewish God and he never even thought of establishing a new religion.
Very little is known about his early life. It is amply clear that he had access to the religious texts of the Jews and he grew up into a sort of social reformer and he quoted profusely from them whenever he preached to the public. He was a fiery speaker like many of the earlier prophets with the only difference that he had love for the poor and compassion for the suffering. He was ascetic and had a strong sense of justice. He could not stand superstition and he wanted everyone to strictly adhere to the commandments of the Jewish Yahweh, their God. When he was ignobly crucified many of the innocent people of his times felt that he was holy and that he was suffering for their sins. It could have been a master stoke at the hands of Paul that a new interpretation was given to his death on the cross. He gave a divine meaning to the whole thing and the punishment meted out by the then Roman rulers became an atonement for the sins of humanity!