Is Jesus a Fictional Character? Then So Is History Itself

by Terry Wane Benton

People say, “Jesus was a made-up story for control.” Yet the same people believe Napoleon fought wars, Socrates taught philosophy, and Alexander conquered nations - all without demanding proof.

So, let’s compare the evidence:

Historical Double Standard

• Socrates never wrote a single word. Everything we know comes from Plato, written decades later.
• Alexander the Great - the first detailed biographies were written over 300 years after his death.
• Napoleon Bonaparte is accepted as real through written records and eyewitnesses, none of whom any of us have ever met.

Yet when it comes to Jesus, we have:

• Four independent biographical accounts (the Gospels) were written within decades of His life.
• Over 5,800 Greek manuscripts - far more than any ancient text.
• Non-Christian confirmations from Tacitus, Josephus, and Pliny the Younger.

If we reject Jesus as “fiction,” then by the same logic, we must erase nearly every ancient figure from history.

The “Roman Invention” Claim - Collapses Under Evidence

The Council of Nicaea (AD 325) didn’t create Jesus or His divinity. Early Christians were already proclaiming “Jesus is Lord” in the first century, long before any council existed. Philippians 2:6, written around AD 60, refers to Him as “in very nature God.”

The idea of Jesus’ deity wasn’t voted on. It was witnessed, lived, and died for.

Legends Need Time - Christianity Didn’t Have Any

Christianity spread across the Roman Empire within decades, while eyewitnesses—both believers and critics—were still alive. Paul’s letters (written 20 years after the crucifixion) already mention over 500 witnesses to the resurrection (I Corinthians 15:6). That’s not legend - that’s living memory.

The Evidence Demands Consistency

If we accept Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon (with far less evidence), if we believe in Socrates’ ideas (based on secondhand writings), if we accept Alexander’s empire (from centuries-later accounts), then to deny Jesus of Nazareth - whose life is supported by multiple sources, archaeology, and global impact - isn’t skepticism. It’s selective disbelief.

The Verdict of History

Even the most critical scholars - atheist or agnostic - agree Jesus existed. Dr. Bart Ehrman (atheist historian) wrote: “The idea that Jesus did not exist is so untenable that it has no place among serious historians.”

If Jesus is a myth, then history itself is a myth. The difference? Jesus didn’t just live - He changed the world, and He still changes hearts today.