Not Really. Here’s what we have outside the Bible, on the existence of Jesus, and what was widely known about him in the pre-3rd century world.
1) Tacitus PAGAN 1st century Roman Historian
2) Suetonius PAGAN Chief Secretary to Roman Emperor Hadrian
3) Josephus JEWISH 1st century Pharisee, General, Roman Historian
4) Pliny the Younger PAGAN Roman Administrator, Author
5) Emperor Trajan PAGAN Roman Emperor
6) Talmud JEWISH Rabbis circa 70-200 A.D.
7) Lucian of Samosta PAGAN 2nd century Greek satirist:
8) Mara Bar-Serapion PAGAN between the 1st and 3rd centuries
9) Maimonides JEWISH 12th century sage
10) Philopon PAGAN 6th century
“...even if we did not have any Christian writings, “we would he able to conclude from such non-Christian writings as Josephus, the Talmud, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger that: (1) Jesus was a Jewish teacher; (2) many people believed that he performed healings and exorcisms; (3) he was rejected by the Jewish leaders; (4) he was crucified under Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius; (5) despite this shameful death, his followers, who believed that he was still alive, spread beyond Palestine so that there were multitudes of them in Rome by A.D. 64; (6) all kinds of people from the cities and countryside — men and women, slave and free — worshiped him as God by the beginning of the second century.” Wilkins, Michael and J. P. Moreland, eds. Jesus Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents the Historical Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
thanks for the references,
my own conjectures are,
The Septuagint which included the book of Daniel, provided the precise timing on when the Messiah would appear, it was translated into Greek in 280 BC,
As to the exact time for the coming of the Messiah. Israel was held directly accountable to know (as Jesus said) “this thy very day.” They didn’t know it, but they should have.
Gabriel told Daniel in chapter 9 v25 exactly when the Messiah would arrive. In Zechariah chapter 9 v9 we’re told the manner in which he would physically come into Jerusalem the first time. Not as a conquering King, but as a servant,
From Daniel, we’re told to count from the “going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem” (and the wall) to count seven sevens or 49 years (360 days) and then count 62 sevens or 434 years, for a total of 173,880 days (483 years) precisely, then the Messiah would present himself (with ‘the acceptable year of the lord’ - Isaiah 61) but would be ‘cutoff’ but “not for himself” after 62 of these sevens (or again 434 years) leaving 56 years remaining for the future, that is is another 49 years and then the final seven years we hear so many talk about with prophecy,
This decree was issued by Artaxerxes on March 14, 445 BC. Counting 173,880 days comes to Sunday, April 6th 32 AD.
Jesus was crucified three days later on Wednesday April 9th, and three days and three nights after that, as ‘the sign of Jonas’ in Mathew 12:40, which is (i believe) a time marker sign, just for people like this director, who require a sign to believe, and this is the only one their going to get. Per Jeremiah 9 v6 these people ‘live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
unfortunately it still requires at least some small effort and insight to grasp, and requires for some, to ignore traditions, too many of which make the commandments of god of non-effect. I believe this is just one example.
The resurrection was on the Feast of First Fruits, April 13th. The spring appointments (Feast Days) were fulfilled exactly. The fall feast days are still future with a future Jubilee (I believe)
The word became flesh and dwelt among men. Jesus was the temple made flesh. 14,000 days after the resurrection on April 13, 32 AD, meaning on August 10, 11 and 12 in 70 AD, (the 9th of AV) the physical Temple was taken away and their (Israel’s) house was left desolate.