Jesus of Nazareth has profoundly influenced the course of history. The New Testament provides the primary narrative of his life and teachings, but there are also a variety of historical accounts outside the biblical texts that offer insights. Join us as we take a closer look at this list.
#1 Flavius Josephus (Jewish Antiquities): Written around AD 93-94, Josephus, a Jewish historian, makes a brief reference to Jesus in a passage known as the Testimonium Flavianum.
#2 Tacitus (Annals): Written around AD 116, the Roman historian Tacitus refers to Jesus (referred to as “Christus”) and the early Christians in the context of the persecution under Emperor Nero.
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#3 Suetonius (Lives of the Caesars): Written around AD 121, Suetonius mentions disturbances caused by “Chrestus,” which many scholars believe refers to Jesus Christ and his followers.
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#4 Pliny the Younger (Letters to Emperor Trajan): Written around AD 112, Pliny describes the practices of early Christians and their worship of Christ.
#5 The Babylonian Talmud: This collection of Jewish rabbinic writings, compiled between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, contains references to Jesus, including his execution.
#6 Mara Bar-Serapion (Letter to His Son): Written sometime after AD 73, this letter from a Syrian Stoic philosopher makes a reference to “the wise king of the Jews” in a discussion about the fate of various philosophers.
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#7 The Gospel of Thomas: Though part of the apocryphal texts and not included in the New Testament, this early Christian text contains teachings attributed to Jesus and offers insight into early Christian beliefs.
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#8 The Gospel of Peter: Another apocryphal text that includes an account of Jesus’ resurrection and his trial, reflecting early Christian traditions.
#9 Philo of Alexandria: Although Philo does not mention Jesus directly, his writings provide context about Jewish beliefs and practices in the first century that intersect with the early Christian context.
#10 Justin Martyr (First Apology): Written around AD 155, Justin Martyr’s works include references to Jesus in his defense of Christianity to the Roman authorities.
#11 Irenaeus (Against Heresies): Written around AD 180, Irenaeus mentions Jesus and provides early testimony about Christian beliefs.
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#12 Tertullian (Apology): Written around AD 197, Tertullian’s defense of Christianity includes references to Jesus and early Christian practices.
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#13 Origen (Against Celsus): Written around AD 248, Origen provides a detailed defense of Christianity and mentions various aspects of Jesus’ life and teachings.
#14 Hegesippus: An early Christian writer whose works, though lost, are referenced by later authors and provide information about Jesus and early Christian communities.
#15 Theophilus of Antioch (To Autolycus)
Written around AD 180, Theophilus’ writings include references to Jesus and early Christian doctrine.
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