Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth

Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth to more videos from the unchained series go to https://theorchardmelbourne.org.au/

Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth today people are prepared to go to any lengths to cast doubt upon the historicity of the Bible, and the credentials of Christianity. Anti-theists, Athiests and Agnostic are today making an assertion that Jesus did not really exist, he is a myth from the days of yore. Timothy Freke is one such man.  Listen as he pontificates on the existence of Jesus.

Timothy Freke says Jesus is a myth! But he also says when people watch the movie the Matrix they are transformed! (PAUSE),  I don’t feel the necessity to comment on his statement, simply bringing it to your attention will serve my purpose.  (PAUSE) Another critic by the name of Kenneth Humphries also attacks the existence of Jesus.

Kenneth Humphries says that Jesus leaves no trace in the historical record. So either Kenneth Humphries statement is true or false. (EXPRESSIVE) Either he is ignorant of the facts or he is intentionally lying, I will let you be the judge.

 However, (SLOWLY) I must say these are troubling statements, worse still – dishonest, because even the most superficial investigation reveals there is overwhelming evidence that the New Testament is an accurate and trustworthy historical document, founded on independent, non-biblical testimonies that corroborates its statements. This is also the case when referring to the historicity of Jesus Christ. Let me give you some examples.

 This is from Tacitus the Roman Senator and Historian who lived in the first century, the same century as Jesus lived. Here Tacitus reports on Emperor Nero’s decision to blame the Christians for the fire that destroyed Rome in 64 A.D. 

“Nero fastened the guilt . . . on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of . . . Pontius Pilatus.”

What we learn from this ancient reference to Jesus and the early Church, is that Christians derived their name from an historical person called Christus , or Christ. He is said to have “suffered the extreme penalty,” obviously alluding to the Roman method of execution known as crucifixion. This is said to have occurred during the reign of Tiberius and sentenced by Pontius Pilate. (EXPRESSSIVE)  This confirms much of what the Bible tell us about the time of Jesus’ death!  It was during the reign of Tiberius Caesar and the Roman Governor who sentenced Him, you will remember was   indeed Pontius Pilate.  

In fact we can go to further evidence, from Pliny the Younger, the Roman Governor of Bithynia, who refers to Christians and Christ in a letter to the Roman Emperor Trajan dated around 112 AD,

“They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, , but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word . . .”

Here in this document dated 112ad is a clear reference to the historicity of Jesus Christ, and that Jesus did in fact exist. We also have the writings of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus who lived in the first century, who wrote the following.

 “About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man.  For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly.

 He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men, Pilate had condemned him to a cross . . . those who had  first come to love him did not cease. ”

“He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him.  And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, are not extinct to this day.” Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63

Jesus and Christians are both identified in this historical reference, but in this last passage there is a clear reference to the resurrection of Jesus, for Josephus wrote and I quote, “He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life” Obviously an historical reference to the veracity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (Pause) . . . we can also go to the Jewish rabbinical writings which were written between 65ad and 200ad, which speak of Jesus, (SLOWLY) but the compelling attraction for me in this statement, is that it comes from the enemies of Jesus.

“On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald . . . cried, “He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy.”Let’s examine this passage.  It says ‘on the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged because He practiced sorcery.’

 Yeshu is the Hebrew form of Jesus. But what does the passage mean by saying that Jesus “was hanged?’ This is a reference to Jesus’ crucifixion.  This document of the rabbis tells us why Jesus was crucified. It was because He practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy! Interestingly, both accusations have close parallels in the New Testament.

The charge of sorcery is similar to the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus cast out demons “by Beelzebul the ruler of demons,” in Luke 11:18. In fact this charge actually confirms the New Testament accounts of Jesus supernatural miracles,(CLEARLY) that there was just too much evidence, in the first two centuries to deny it.

 Likewise, the charge of enticing Israel to apostasy, parallels Luke’s account of the Jewish leaders who charged Jesus with sedition before Pilate in Luke 23:1. Again this charge corroborates the New Testament record of Jesus’ powerful teaching ministry. We could go to others who lived in the first two centuries who testify of the existence of Jesus such as Suetonius , Lucian ,  Celsus, etc, and even the fourth century Emperor.

Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth Unchained Timothy Freke and the Jesus Myth

To watch Unchained Videos by Rod Anderson go to the orchard website  by clicking.https://theorchardmelbourne.org.au/