Historical Jesus Quotes:

The study of the Life of Jesus has had a curious history. It set out in quest of the historical Jesus, believing that when it had found Him it could bring Him straight into our time as a Teacher and Saviour. ... But He does not stay; He passes by our time and returns to His own... He returned to His own time, not owing to the application of any historical ingenuity, but by the same inevitable necessity by which the liberated pendulum returns to its original position.

- Albert Schweitzer

source: "The Quest of the Historical Jesus". Book by Albert Schweitzer, transl. by W. Montgomery, 1906.

topic: Teacher, Jesus, Believe, Pendulums, Historical Jesus

At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned Him to be crucified to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that He had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that He was alive.

- Josephus

source: "An Arabic version of the Testimonium Flavianum and its implications".

topic: Wise, Jesus, Men, Crucifixion, Historical Jesus

Punishment [by Nero] was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition.

- Suetonius

source: Suetonius (1997). “Suetonius: Lives of the Caesars, book V-VIII ; Lives of illustrious men”, Loeb Classical Library

topic: Christian, Men, Class, Nero, Historical Jesus

Today's Politically Correct "historical Jesuses" are no different, being mere clones of the scholars who design them.

- Robert M. Price

topic: Jesus, Design, Historical, Historical Jesus

In his book The Quest of the Historical Jesus, the most definitive study that's ever been done on the subject, Albert Schweitzer admitted that there isn't a shred of conclusive proof that Christ ever lived, let alone was the son of God. He concludes that one must therefore accept both on faith. I reject both for the same reason.

- Madalyn Murray O'Hair

topic: Jesus, Book, Son, Historical Jesus

Paul's lack of concern with the historical Jesus is not due, as some have argued, to his emphasis on Christological rather than historical concerns. It is due to the simple fact that Paul had no idea who the living Jesus was, nor did he care.

- Reza Aslan

topic: Jesus, Simple, Ideas, Historical Jesus

About six years ago, Life magazine ran an article on the historicity of Jesus and I was floored to find that they conceded the only evidence we have for his existence is in the Gospels. But don't take Life's word for it. In his book The Quest of the Historical Jesus, the most definitive study that's ever been done on the subject, Albert Schweitzer admitted that there isn't a shred of conclusive proof that Christ ever lived, let alone was the son of God. He concludes that one must therefore accept both on faith.

- Madalyn Murray O'Hair

topic: Jesus, Book, Son, Conceded, Historical Jesus

Though [Charles Guignebert] could not accept either the Christ myth theory, which held that no historical Jesus existed, or the Dutch Radical denial that Paul authored any of the epistles, Guignebert took both quite seriously.

- Robert M. Price

source: "The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief". Book by Tom Flynn, 2007.

topic: Jesus, Historical, Denial, Historical Jesus

It is impossible to avoid the suspicion that historical Jesus research is a very safe place to do theology and call it history, to do autobiography and call it biography.

- John Dominic Crossan

topic: Jesus, Historical, Safe, Historical Jesus

You accept the historical Jesus?

- Albert Einstein

source: Albert Einstein (2010). “The Ultimate Quotable Einstein”, p.326, Princeton University Press

topic: Jesus, Historical, Atheism, Historical Jesus

The church lives because it witholds the results of the historical Jesus-research from you

- Hans Conzelmann

topic: Jesus, Historical, Atheism, Church Life, Historical Jesus