The Historical Jesus

Ignatius

As bishop of Antioch and a leader in the early church, Ignatius was condemned to death in Rome. On the way to his execution he addressed seven letters to six churches and one individual (Polycarp). These letters are early witnesses to Christian doctrine and to early church hierarchy, being written about AD 110–115. They also contain several historical references to Jesus. In his epistle to the Trallians, Ignatius states:

Jesus Christ who was of the race of David, who was the Son of Mary, who was truly born and ate and drank, was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate, was truly crucified and died in the sight of those in heaven and on earth and those under the earth; who moreover was truly raised from the dead, His Father having raised Him, who in the like fashion will so raise us also who believe on Him.⁴

In this portion, Ignatius affirms several facts concerning Jesus. ⁽¹⁾ He was of the lineage of David and ⁽²⁾ born of Mary. ⁽³⁾ As such, he really lived, ate and drank on the earth. ⁽⁴⁾ Jesus was crucified and died at the hands of Pontius Pilate. ⁽⁵⁾ Afterward God raised him from the dead, ⁽⁶⁾ as an example of the believer’s resurrection. Again we perceive how the resurrection was the chief sign for believers, in this case that they would be raised from the dead like Jesus.

In his epistle to the Smyrneans, Ignatius refers twice to the historical Jesus. In the first instance, he asserts concerning Jesus:

He is truly of the race of David according to the flesh, but Son of God by the Divine will and power, truly born of a virgin and baptised by John that all righteousness might be fulfilled by Him, truly nailed up in the flesh for our sakes under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch (of which fruit are we—that is, of His most blessed passion); that He might set up an ensign unto all ages through His resurrection.⁵ (Emphasis added by the editor.)

Ignatius again affirms ⁽⁷⁾ that Jesus was physically of the lineage of David, adding ⁽⁸⁾ that he was also the Son of God as shown by the virgin birth. ⁽⁹⁾ Jesus was baptized by John, ⁽¹⁰⁾ later being nailed (crucified) under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch. ⁽¹¹⁾Afterward, Jesus was raised from the dead.

In a second reference in Smyrneans, Ignatius concentrates on Jesus’ resurrection:

For I know and believe that He was in the flesh even after the resurrection; and when He came to Peter and his company, He said to them, Lay hold and handle me, and see that I am not a demon without a body. And straitway they touched him and they believed, being joined unto His flesh and His blood. Wherefore also they despised death, nay they were found superior to death. And after His resurrection He [both] ate with them and drank with them.⁶ (Emphasis added by the editor.)

Speaking of the resurrection, Ignatius affirms that Jesus ⁽¹²⁾ was raised in the flesh. ⁽¹³⁾ Afterward he appeared to Peter and the disciples and told them to touch his physical body, which they did. ⁽¹⁴⁾ Jesus then ate and drank with them after his resurrection. ⁽¹⁵⁾ In a statement reminiscent of Lucian, Ignatius also relates that upon believing, the disciples despised death.

A last reference which Ignatius makes concerning the historical Jesus is found in his epistle to the Magnesians:

Be ye fully persuaded concerning the birth and the passion and the resurrection, which took place in the time of the governorship of Pontius Pilate; for these things were truly and certainly done by Jesus Christ our hope.⁷

Here Ignatius assures his readers that they can be certainly persuaded of the facticity of Jesus’ ⁽¹⁶⁾ birth, ⁽¹⁷⁾ death and ⁽¹⁸⁾ resurrection, the last two having occurred while Pontius Pilate was governor.

As in other references, Ignatius attempts to place such events firmly in the realm of history. His purpose, at least partially, is to provide an answer to the threat of Gnosticism, which often denied physical interpretations of some of these events.

Quadratus

One of the early apologists to begin answering claims raised against Christianity, Quadratus wrote his apology to Emperor Hadrian about AD 125. Unfortunately, this work is presently known only from one statement preserved by Eusebius in the fourth century.

Eusebius relates that Quadratus wrote his apology in order to answer malicious claims meant to harass Christians. It is stated that this defense was both sound in doctrine and revealed Quadratus’ knowledge of the situation. Then Eusebius quotes a sentence from Quadratus’ apology:

The deeds of our Saviour were always before you, for they were true miracles; those that were healed, those that were raised from the dead, who were seen, not only when healed and when raised, but were always present. They remained living a long time, not only whilst our Lord was on earth, but likewise when he had left the earth. So that some of them have also lived to our own times.⁸

This brief quotation from Quadratus’ apology reports several important items concerning Jesus’ miracles. ⁽¹⁾ The facticity of Jesus’ miracles could be checked by interested persons, since they were done publicly. With regard to the actual types of miracles, ⁽²⁾ some were healed and ⁽³⁾ some were raised from the dead. ⁽⁴⁾ There were eyewitnesses of these miracles at the time they occurred. ⁽⁵⁾ Many of those healed or raised were still alive when Jesus “left the earth” and some were reportedly still alive in Quadratus’ own time.

AD 126–155

Barnabas

The epistle of Barnabas (sometimes referred to as Pseudo-Barnabas) has explicit antilegalistic overtones and expresses opposition to Judaism. Its purpose is to show that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law, but in doing so it often resorts to allegorical interpretations. Dates for this writing have varied widely, often from the late first century to the mid-second century. A commonly accepted date is AD 130–138.

In one major passage, Barnabas relates several facts concerning the life of Jesus:

He must needs be manifested in the flesh. . . . He preached teaching Israel and performing so many wonders and miracles, and He loved them exceedingly. . . . He chose His own apostles who were to proclaim His Gospel. . . . But He Himself desired so to suffer; for it was necessary for Him to suffer on a tree.⁹

From this portion we note ⁽¹⁾ that Jesus became a man. He ⁽²⁾ preached and taught Israel, ⁽³⁾ performed miracles and ⁽⁴⁾ expressed love for the people. ⁽⁵⁾ Jesus chose his apostles ⁽⁶⁾ to proclaim the message of the gospel. ⁽⁷⁾ It was necessary for Jesus to suffer on a tree (crucifixion).