Let's get back to reality. The Christ in the Bible is a Rabbi with disciples living in the time of the Roman occupation of Israel. He lives in an era with certain political, cultural and religious characteristics. Among his listed historical actions are miracles, teaching in the temple, being in various towns and places in Israel, and keeping company with large numbers of people some of whom are called disciples. He was crucified by the Romans and rose from the dead. The only evidence is written.
Obviously there are many people who use those descriptions that can be worked with scientifically (i.e. physical evidence) in their work. One recent example was when archaeologists used the Gospel of John to help them identify the exact location of the Pool of Siloam in 2004. The ability to use a text to find a physical location is considered evidence in favor of the veracity of that text.
Obviously the Gospels speak of things that can be physically proven. They also speak of things that cannot be physically proven or disproven. Those are taken on faith one way or the other.
Proof of Jesus’s existence aside from the OBVIOUS historical record...”judge not, lest ye be judged”...and other principles from Jesus actually work to bring true happiness and peace of mind to the angry and bitter. That is simple fact.
A few more examples:
The Accuracy of the Book of Acts
[snip]...In more recent times, Henry J. Cadbury, the liberal scholar of Harvard University, authored a volume titled, The Book of Acts In History, in which he introduced many examples of the amazing accuracy of Luke’s second letter to Theophilus.Luke records an abundance of details, and this allows the careful student to check the ancient historian for credibility.
For instance, the physician/historian mentions thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, and nine Mediterranean islands. In addition, he alludes to ninety-five different people, sixty-two of which are not mentioned by any other New Testament writer. Twenty-seven of these are unbelievers, chiefly civil or military officials (Bruce Metzger, The New Testament – Its Background, Growth, and Content, pp. 171-172). The book of Acts will definitely stand the test of historical examination.
- Did ancient readers generally read aloud (8:30)? Yes.
- Why would it take two days to sail from Troas to Neapolis, yet five days to accomplish the return trip (16:11; 20:6)? Because of prevailing winds.
- Was Sergius Paulus a “proconsul” (13:7)? Yes, though 68 years earlier the same position would have been occupied by a “propraetor.”
- Did “tanners” customarily live by the seaside (10:6)? They did, because tanners used seawater in tanning hides, and the sea breezes diffused the stench of their trade...
Cordially,