The Historical Existence of Jesus: A Scholarly Debate

The article discusses the debate among scholars about the historical existence of Jesus. It presents various viewpoints, from those who believe in a historical Jesus to those who see him as a mythical figure later historicized. The text examines the evidence for Jesus' existence, including references from ancient sources and the New Testament, and explores the challenges in determining the authenticity of the gospel accounts. Additionally, it introduces the perspectives of scholars who question the historicity of Jesus, arguing that the gospel stories align with mythic hero archetypes and were influenced by earlier religious narratives. These scholars apply Bayesian methods to argue that it is probable Jesus never existed as a historical person. The article concludes by drawing parallels between the development of the Jesus story and the evolution of other legendary figures.

• The text presents the debate among scholars about the historical existence of Jesus
• It discusses the evidence for Jesus' existence and the challenges in determining the authenticity of the gospel accounts
• It introduces the perspectives of scholars who question the historicity of Jesus, arguing that the gospel stories align with mythic hero archetypes and were influenced by earlier religious narratives