Source: “On the Resurrection: volume 1”: Evidences, 2024 by Gary Habermas Published by B&H Academic Brentwood, Tennessee.
The Historical Jesus - A Critical Examination.pdf
This podcast examines the historical evidence for Jesus's miraculous deeds, specifically his healings and exorcisms, and to a lesser extent, nature miracles. It highlights a significant shift in contemporary scholarship, where even skeptical researchers widely acknowledge that Jesus was indeed a healer and exorcist, often based on multiple independent ancient sources. The text emphasizes that this historical consensus doesn't necessarily confirm divine intervention, but rather the occurrence of events similar to those depicted in the Gospels. Furthermore, the authors discuss the robust historical criteria supporting these claims, including early and diverse attestation, as well as the curious fact that even Jesus's opponents did not deny his powers, but rather attributed them to evil forces. Finally, the chapter introduces the idea that contemporary miracle claims might also provide a modern lens through which to consider the ancient accounts.
For many in the modern world, the miracle stories of Jesus found in the Gospels are seen as matters of faith, not history. The common assumption is that these accounts of healings, exorcisms, and control over nature are later legendary embellishments, created by devoted followers to elevate their teacher to divine status. They are often treated as allegories or myths, separated entirely from the realm of historical inquiry.
Counter-intuitively, this popular view is at odds with the state of modern historical scholarship. Over the past few decades, a significant shift has occurred. Critical scholars—including atheists, agnostics, and those from other faith traditions—have come to take these accounts very seriously as historical data. This is not necessarily to affirm a supernatural cause, but to acknowledge that the reports themselves are deeply and early embedded in the historical record. The consensus among these experts reveals a picture of the historical Jesus that is far different, and far more challenging to modern assumptions, than most people realize. Let's explore five of the most surprising findings from this research.
An absolutely amazing feature of recent critical New Testament thought is the widespread scholarly agreement that the historical Jesus was known as a healer and exorcist. This is not a conclusion limited to theologians or faith-based historians; it is a consensus that spans the entire scholarly spectrum, including atheists, agnostics, and Jewish authorities.