On the Historicity of Jesus: Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt

710 Pages·2014·13.98 MB·English

by  Richard Carrier

ON THEH ISTORIOCFI} TEYS US
WHYW E MIGHTH AVER EASOFNO RD OUBT
RicharCda rrier
SHEFFIPHEOLED NIX PRESS
2014
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ISBN9 78-1-909697(h-b3k5)- 5
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CONTENTS
Praecfe
IX
I. T HEP ROBLEM
I.I snT'htiJs su tB unk? 1
2.T hDee baTtodea y 3
3.M yth vHeirtssoursy 7
4.M ythtisvc eirssHuitsso ricists 8
5.T hAei mo fT hiBso ok 13
6.S ummaroyfR emaiCnhianpgt ers 14
7.A pplyBianygeT sh'eso rem 14
8.E lmeenatnsAd x ioms 16
2.TH EH YPOHTESISH IOSFT ORICITY 18
1.My tfhor mH itsory 18
2.T hBe asPiorcb lem 21
3.H ypothFeosrimsaa tniPdor ni Poorb baiyl it 27
r
4.T heM iniTmhaelo orfHy i tsoricity 31
3T.H EH YPOTHEOSFI SM YTH 36
1.Fr oImna ntnoaC hrist 36
2.T heB asPirco blem 48
3.T heM inailJm esMuyst hT heory 52
4.BA CKGROUKNNDO WLEDG(EC HRISTIANITY) 56
1. A RomuTlalaen 56
2.B ackgrKonuonewddl ge 58
3.E leemntDaelfi nitions 60
4.E leemntBaalc kgrKonuonwdl edge 65
5.E lemeonfCt hsrt iisOarni gin 65
6.E lenmteosfC hrisRteilaing ion 96
7.E lemeonfCt hsr isDteivaenl opment 164
5.BA CKGROUKNNDO WLEDGE( CONTEXT) 135
l.E lemeonfPt osl ailCt oincxtte 153
2.E lemeonfRt esl isga inoPduh ilosoCpohnitceaxlt 146
On tHhiset oroifJce istyu s
VI
3.E lemeonfLt ist eCroanrtye xt 214
4.C onclusion 234
6.TH EP RIPORRO BABILITY 235
1.H eroWehsoN eveExri sted 235
2.D etreminPirnigo rb iPtrlyoi ba 238
3.U sitnhgRe a nk-lRaaRnge efrenCclea ss 239
4.T hCea usOabjlce tion 244
5.T hAel ternaCtliaOvsbjesce tion 245
6.T hCeo mpleOxbjicetyt ion 246
7. Rapid Legendary Development 248
8.C onclusion 252
7P.R IMSAoRuYR cEs 254
I.W haCto unatsEs v idence? 254
2.B reakDionwgn Etvhied ence 256
3.T hEep istles 260
4.T hGe ospels 264
5. Acts 270
6.E xtbriaibclEavli dence 271
7.T hPer obolfeC mo mpormisEevdi dence 275
8. RTohleoe fC onsequebnitl iPtriobeas 278
9.C onclusion 279
8.EXTRA BIBLIECVAILD ENCE 281
1.Je sWuhse n? 281
2.T heS ocrAantaeglsy o 289
3.M issEivneignd ce 293
4.M issCihnrgi sEtviiadne nce 306
5.C lemoefnR to me 308
6.I gnatoifAu nst ioch 315
7.P apioafsH ieroalpis 323
8.H egesippus 326
9.J osepahntudhs Te e tsimoFnalivai ana 332
10.P lianndyT aictus 342
11S.u etoanndiT uhsa llus 346
1.2M issEivnigd eCnocnetM:ry at h 349
13W.e ightihnEegv idence 356
9.TH EE viDEoFN ACcET s 359
1.Ac tassH istorFiiccatli on 359
2.W haHta ppetnote hdBe o dy? 368
�71
Contents
vu
4.T h'er TiTarlas ncriopfPt asu'l 375
5.S tep'hTser niSaple ech 381
6.T he sPioibstioylf' AarmaiSco'u rces 383
7.W eightihnEegv idence 385
10T.H EE VIDEONFC ETG HOES PELS 387
1.H owt oI nvaeG nots pel 387
2.W haItMs y th? 389
3.E xamitnhiGeno gs pels 396
4.T hMe ytholoofMg ayr k 402
5.T he MytohfoM laotgtyh ew 456
6.T hMey tholoofLg uyk e 469
7.T hMey tholoofJg oyh n 487
8.W eightihnEegv idence 506
11T.H EE VIDEONFC ETE HPEI STLES 510
1.T hPea ssioofPn l itnhyEe l der 510
2.T hPee cuIlnidairff eorfPe anuaclneh d i Csh srtiians 514
3.E pisftorJmte hsPe il lars? 528
4.T heE arlGioesspte ls 531
5.T hGeo spienHl e brews 538
6.T hings Jesus Said 553
7.T hEeu charist 557
8.T hingsD iJde sus 563
9.W omena nSdp erm 575
10B.r otohfetr hLseo rd 582
11W.e ightihnEegv idence 592
12C.O NCLUSION 596
1.T hFe inCaall ctuiloan 596
2.O nT ryintgoA votihdCe o nclusion 60I
3.W haWte S houClodn clude 606
4.T he LDaessetpr aOtbjee ction 610
5.W hat Now? 616
619
Biboglriaphy
661
ScprtiuIrdnee x
67 2
AuthIonrd ex
681
SujbeIcdtne x

LISOTFT ABLAENSD f iGURES
Fgiures
1F.r om HtooVm iergri l 392
2.Ba y'eTssh eorOedmdF,s o rm 598
Tables
1F.r oPms alm M2a2r1 kt5 o 408
2. STthreu cotftu hrSeee N aa rtriaivneM ark 413
3T.h 2e xM i5ra cSleeq ueinnMc aer k 415
4.Re verosfMa alr 1ki nM ar1k6 421
5R.e verosfMa arlk I i nM ark1 5 422
6.Pa rlaelolfJs e s'uhCsr iwsittJ'he sbuesAn n anias 430
7A.l legorHiypchoaetls fiors SimCoynr eonfe 450
8.B aptNiasrmr aPtailravlee ilnTer das nfigurNaatritroianv e 462
9. BrTohdeisfeoriL su k7eA daptIiK niggns 1 7 476
1.0S tructouftr heCe an a-to-SCeaqnuaei nnJc oeh n 495
11C.om petEmibnagar srsmAernttCi:us lv te rsJuessC uusl t 615

PREFACE
Thibso oikst hsee coonftd w ov oulmeesx aimngi ndaa riqnuge stion:
whetthheerir asec asteob em adteh Jate snuesv reera elxliys atsae h di s­
toripcearlsT ohnea. l tteirvineast h atthJ ee swuesk noowr igteiadns aa
mytchaiclh ara,c ttieanrl seysm bolniacratrligalnt yhs ea lvaicfitocsf a
divbieniewn hgon evwearl ktehde e(aanrpdtr ho banbelveyex srit aetda ll).
Lattehrmi,y st wha sm itsakfeornh sito(roydr e bleirarteepJayc ktahgaetd
waya)n,td h eenm blesilheodv etri mTeh.o uIgs hh aalrlgi utel' ieslk tyh is
alterintsar tauinevtd eh Jaets duisnd o itnf ca te xiIsc ta,n naosts uimhtea s
beecno nclupsriovvheeeldryI e nf.ca ti,mt a yy etp rboev feladsi enf u utre
wor,uk sitnhge mveetrhyIo e dmsp yl o(wwheircpehor posaenddd e efnded
in pmrye vviooulumseP ,r ovHiintsgo rBya:ys e'Tshe oraenm d the Quest
fort hHeis torJiescsua)l.
Henctehp eo ionftt h bioso ikns o ttoe nd dtehbeab tutetod emsotnrate
thastc honleaertdsot akteh hiysp oetsmhiosr see riobueosfrldeyi smiss­
inigot u otf h anadn,td hatth enye emdu cbhe tatregmrue ntagsa itni st
thatnh eyh'evtreoeo frdee ploAyb eedt.rt eefrui toiannst e edaendad,b etter
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thbioso mkay d om orIemt.i g hitn spmiorreeex petroat gsr weiett hhp eo s­
sitbyia ltl ieatshta t CJhertsi uswsa si nbm oyrtnnho ,ht i stAonrdty h.e ir
contienxuaiinmnagt ioofn ct ahseme a yy erte siunalg tr oiwncgo nsensus
agaitnhgsert a oifcn u rraesnstu mptions.
Eitohuetrc ome stwasiofumyle dF. o r bmiya asresesu cahst om ake
nod iferfenwchea t rtehsseuh lotub leId.o nlwya ntth ter uttoh s betetl ed.
Nevtehrelaelhslist s,o rihavanebs i asaensod,n lsyo umnedt hwoidp1sr 1e ­
ventth ofsreo tmo gor telaayfe fctionuegrs senrteisauNllo tp sr.o sgsre
inh itsorikcnaolw leidnfgc aetn, o h itsorikcnaolw Jeadta glewlo u,l d be
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wilprlo dausco eb jectcirivebdeallc yeo nclusiohno neahssitt so arniya n
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ar esHuolwte.,v b eercatuhsvieos l ucmaena 'dtd reevsessr iyn igtleeomf
evid(einmtce er ealdyds rsetehsbe e esvti dtehneciresie )t c,so nclmuasyi on
yet bbroeu dgohnwt,e vewni tho winmt est hsoidm, pblyiy tn roducing
someitnihgot m iItsfso .I,w elcoimte.