For the sake of a more objective argument in favor of the historical veracity of the man named Jesus, please note that we shall concentrate on extra-biblical writings, preferably by non-Christians, yet not discount early Christian writers either.

The sources most Biblical scholars agree to be genuine are:

• Flavius Josephus (37 AD - 100 AD)
• Cornelius Tacitus (53 AD-112 AD)
• Pliny the Younger (61 AD - 113 AD)
• Suetonius (69 AD -120AD)
• Lucian of Samosata (120 AD - 180 AD)
• Tertullian (155-200AD)
• Thallus (lived ca 52 AD) whose writings are known to us only through quotes used by Julius Africanus, a Christian chronographer of the late second century.

The first historical evidence for the existence of Jesus, mentioned outside of the Bible, comes from a Jewish historian named Josephus (1).
Josephus was born in 37 A.D. (soon after Caligula became Roman Emperor) in Jerusalem, the son of a priest. His early quest for spirituality led him to follow a hermit named Bannus, who preached asceticism. This allegiance ceased in 57 AD, when Josephus returned to Jerusalem and joined the Pharisees. Caught up in the failed Jewish revolt against Rome, he witnessed the destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 AD. He became a member of Vespasian's household, and lived out his life in comfort. He remained a devoted Jew until his death in 100 A.D. Within his extensive writings (2), his mentioning of Jesus, the Messiah, is given credence by his allegiance to the Jewish faith: he was not on a mission to convert anyone to the new faith, since he himself did not share it.

In his writings, he states that Jesus was called the Messiah, as spoken of by the prophets; He performed miracles; He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; and He was said to have risen from the dead.

“Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned:...” (3)

“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, (9) those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; (10) as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.” (4)

Cornelius Tacitus (53-112 AD) was a Roman historian and official, son-in-law of Julius Agricola, the Governor of Britain, who commented on the reign of Emperor Nero (Annals, XX.44) by explaining how the Christians were made scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64. Within this writing, he alludes to the death of Christ and to the existence of a Christian community within Rome:

“But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties that the prince could bestow, nor all the atonements which could be presented to the gods, availed to relieve Nero from the infamy of being believed to have ordered the conflagration, the fire of Rome. Hence to suppress the rumor, he falsely charged with the guilt, and punished with the most exquisite tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also.”

Plinius Secundus (Pliny the Younger) (61 AD - 113 AD) was a Roman Governor of Bithinia in Asia. While writing to the Emperor Trajan in an effort to receive counsel as to how to deal with the growing Christian influences, he explained that he had been putting to death Christians and their families, yet the numbers of Christians awaiting execution were large, and there was no end in sight to this sect. He wrote about the early Christians who would meet on an appointed day each weak to sing to the person of Christ as their God. Further, he records how persecuted Christians in their defense described their meetings and songs of “a hymn to Christ as God”.
He explained in detail that he was successful in making some of the Christians bow down to the statues of Trajan, and that he "made them curse Christ, which a genuine Christian cannot be induced to do." In addition, he states that Christians “bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not do deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up.” (Epistles, X.96)

Suetonius (69-120AD), Roman historian and annalist of the Imperial House during the reign of Hadrian wrote:

"As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus [another spelling of Christus], he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome" (Life of Claudius, 25.4)

“ Punishment by Nero was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition.” (Lives of the Caesars, 26:2)

Lucian of Samosata (120 AD -180 AD), a noted satirist of the second century, spoke scornfully of Christ and the Christians. Samosata referred to Jesus as a man who was crucified in Palestine because He introduced a new cult into the world, forcing his adherents to deny the Greek gods and worship Himself, once He was killed.

“The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day, the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account...You see, these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. All this they take quite on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods, alike, regarding them merely as common property." (The Passing Peregrinus)

Tertullian (155-200AD), the lawyer and theologian of Carthage wrote: (5)

“Tiberius accordingly, in whose days the Christian name made its entry into the world, having himself received intelligence from the truth of Christ's divinity, brought the matter before the senate, with his own decision in favor of Christ. The senate, because it had not given the approval itself, rejected his proposal. Caesar held to his opinion, threatening wrath against all the accusers of the Christians” (Apology, V. 2 )

Thallus the Samaritan mentions Christ in his writings. His writings in their original form have not survived the ages; however, excerpts are available in the quotes cited by other writers, such as Julius Africanus, a Christian writer living in 221 AD.

The quote reads: "Thallus, in the third book of his histories, explains away this darkness as an eclipse of the sun--unreasonably, as it seems to me".

It is apparent that Thallus sought to explain the strange events surrounding Jesus’ death.