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Jesus and History: How We Know His Life and Claims
Jesus and History examines the historical background of the gospels, addressing questions such Can we identify their authors and dates, or were they later forgeries? Are the people and places in the Gospels historical or mythological? Did Jesus do the miracles or make the claims attributed to Him or did early Christians exaggerate His life? Who is He? Chapters The Life of Jesus in the Epistles; Gospel people also mentioned in non-Christian sources; Places in the Gospels; and Jesus, History, and Miracles. This exhaustive work includes 371 end notes, Glossary included. Also included at the appendix is rare historical research on abortion in the ancient world and the response by the first Christians.
Hardcover
Published January 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 5, 2021
Waterhouse’s scholarship is worthy of admiration and appreciation, and I compliment and am impressed with his research efforts and his passion of belief. But I have to question what is he really achieving with the basis of this work other than trying to bolster his own absolutism, validate his own faith, and soothe his own doubts by degrading anyone who has questions and seeks to learn more.
Waterhouse could have chosen to refer to his critics as those who have questions about the historicity of the Bible and Jesus. Instead of choosing an open-minded approach to address anyone who may be critical of his conclusions, he resorts to calling them “liberals” with “radical” views. I found this approach in his opening pages to be offensive, elitist, arrogant, and ignorant.
If Waterhouse claims liberals are radicals, this must imply he is a conservative possessing a more acceptable and perhaps more righteous belief system. Although he does not divulge his political affiliation, I wonder whether he sides with either the Romney-Cheney-Kinzinger camp or with the Trump cult. If Waterhouse supports Trump, his entire reputation and credibility as a Christian implodes because Trump is the antithesis of someone who embraces Christianity. None of this may pertain to the relevance of Waterhouse’s scholarship and research in this book, but it does call into question his motives, intentions, and his character.
What sparks my rebuke is someone’s narrow-mindedness. Although I can compliment Waterhouse’s scholarship, I think his voice and approach in this book are misguided. If he is trying to convince anyone to embrace Christ, he would be better served to celebrate and resound the inspirational teachings of Jesus and the lessons we can learn from Jesus’s honorable life. I would hope Waterhouse’s career as a pastor and his other books achieve that purpose.
Faith is a personal journey, and the best path for me has been lifelong seeking, searching, and learning. The subject matter of Waterhouse’s book drew my attention and curiosity to learn more, and he certainly expanded my thinking while at the same time forcing me to point out the shortcomings of his approach.
For me seeking is believing, and nothing Waterhouse offers in his book swayed me to believe in the absolute historicity of the Bible and Christ. I happen to revere Jesus’s prophethood and the humanity of the ministry he shared, but I still have questions that keep me seeking, searching, and learning. The miracles and supernatural aspects of religion are less important to me than the vitality of the teachings and the message of a faith.
As solid and impressive as Waterhouse’s scholarship is in this book, his entire argument still rests mostly upon supposition and conjecture. My faith may never match his, but I do not think his approach of trying to prove the historicity of Jesus gains many new followers of Christ.
Waterhouse could have chosen to refer to his critics as those who have questions about the historicity of the Bible and Jesus. Instead of choosing an open-minded approach to address anyone who may be critical of his conclusions, he resorts to calling them “liberals” with “radical” views. I found this approach in his opening pages to be offensive, elitist, arrogant, and ignorant.
If Waterhouse claims liberals are radicals, this must imply he is a conservative possessing a more acceptable and perhaps more righteous belief system. Although he does not divulge his political affiliation, I wonder whether he sides with either the Romney-Cheney-Kinzinger camp or with the Trump cult. If Waterhouse supports Trump, his entire reputation and credibility as a Christian implodes because Trump is the antithesis of someone who embraces Christianity. None of this may pertain to the relevance of Waterhouse’s scholarship and research in this book, but it does call into question his motives, intentions, and his character.
What sparks my rebuke is someone’s narrow-mindedness. Although I can compliment Waterhouse’s scholarship, I think his voice and approach in this book are misguided. If he is trying to convince anyone to embrace Christ, he would be better served to celebrate and resound the inspirational teachings of Jesus and the lessons we can learn from Jesus’s honorable life. I would hope Waterhouse’s career as a pastor and his other books achieve that purpose.
Faith is a personal journey, and the best path for me has been lifelong seeking, searching, and learning. The subject matter of Waterhouse’s book drew my attention and curiosity to learn more, and he certainly expanded my thinking while at the same time forcing me to point out the shortcomings of his approach.
For me seeking is believing, and nothing Waterhouse offers in his book swayed me to believe in the absolute historicity of the Bible and Christ. I happen to revere Jesus’s prophethood and the humanity of the ministry he shared, but I still have questions that keep me seeking, searching, and learning. The miracles and supernatural aspects of religion are less important to me than the vitality of the teachings and the message of a faith.
As solid and impressive as Waterhouse’s scholarship is in this book, his entire argument still rests mostly upon supposition and conjecture. My faith may never match his, but I do not think his approach of trying to prove the historicity of Jesus gains many new followers of Christ.
September 4, 2021
This is a book that provides a good overview of the many places in history (outside the bible,) where Jesus Christ is mentioned as existing in the first century AD. This book is an easy-to-read description of the records proving Jesus Christ is a real historical person.
I remember decades ago (1970s) hearing that there is no mention of Jesus outside the bible. Time magazine had a cover that said "God is dead". This argument was used to discredit the historical fact that Jesus Christ existed. This was big part of the anti-Christian movement in the 1970's. Even well meaning, but poorly informed, Christian ministers admitted in their sermons that there was no record of Jesus Christ outside of the bible and certain early church leaders. All of this is false.
Since the 1970s I have read many books written around the time of Christ by Roman and Greek author-historians. (That's 2000 years ago.) Also I have read some history written by Jewish historians back then.
The reality is: Jesus Christ, as a real factual person, is mentioned by several historians in the first few decades after his death and resurrection; and many more times in the century following. The claim that there is no mention of Jesus Christ outside the bible is false, he is mentioned many times by multiple historians - Greek, Jewish, and Roman.
Furthermore many of the other people close to Jesus, or other people in the bible who lived during his lifetime are recorded in histories written at that time, and their existence documented in official Roman records. The people who directly interacted with Jesus Christ are real, be they the Apostles, Romans, other Jews, or other people groups.
Thus the claim that Jesus never existed because he is never mentioned outside the bible is false.
The book "Jesus and History" by Steven Waterhouse is a convenient summary of many of these places where he is documented, along with the other people alive and recorded in the bible at that time. Included in this book is a description of many of the locations and names of places in the bible that existed in real life. All this supports the fact that the bible is accurate and correct and real.
I remember decades ago (1970s) hearing that there is no mention of Jesus outside the bible. Time magazine had a cover that said "God is dead". This argument was used to discredit the historical fact that Jesus Christ existed. This was big part of the anti-Christian movement in the 1970's. Even well meaning, but poorly informed, Christian ministers admitted in their sermons that there was no record of Jesus Christ outside of the bible and certain early church leaders. All of this is false.
Since the 1970s I have read many books written around the time of Christ by Roman and Greek author-historians. (That's 2000 years ago.) Also I have read some history written by Jewish historians back then.
The reality is: Jesus Christ, as a real factual person, is mentioned by several historians in the first few decades after his death and resurrection; and many more times in the century following. The claim that there is no mention of Jesus Christ outside the bible is false, he is mentioned many times by multiple historians - Greek, Jewish, and Roman.
Furthermore many of the other people close to Jesus, or other people in the bible who lived during his lifetime are recorded in histories written at that time, and their existence documented in official Roman records. The people who directly interacted with Jesus Christ are real, be they the Apostles, Romans, other Jews, or other people groups.
Thus the claim that Jesus never existed because he is never mentioned outside the bible is false.
The book "Jesus and History" by Steven Waterhouse is a convenient summary of many of these places where he is documented, along with the other people alive and recorded in the bible at that time. Included in this book is a description of many of the locations and names of places in the bible that existed in real life. All this supports the fact that the bible is accurate and correct and real.
November 12, 2020
This book is an excellent resource on the life of Christ, and a well documented apologetic. I came across it by accident in our library; however one may find it hard to find. When I searched for it online it did not give very many hits.
The book is scholarly in nature yet easily read by any layperson. However, it is not the book most might want to sit down and read, rather it is the kind of book you would find useful as a reference and counter argument to when reading those who dismiss the the gospels.
This book is available at www.webtheology.com
The book is scholarly in nature yet easily read by any layperson. However, it is not the book most might want to sit down and read, rather it is the kind of book you would find useful as a reference and counter argument to when reading those who dismiss the the gospels.
This book is available at www.webtheology.com
January 26, 2025
Reading books like this can be tiring and daunting, yet they are worth picking up! This work takes you through the reliability of the Gospel, the people and places of the Bible and the secular resources that point to the Biblical truth. While it can be a bit of overload, it is a great read. I think the author broke down the words and bigger ideas well. I already knew some of the information, but he also showed it in a new light. Not too bad for a book I randomly purchased!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews