Is there a historical record of Jesus anywhere other than the bible?

Question

Is there a historical record of Jesus anywhere other than the bible?

Answer

There are no contemporary references to Jesus. The closest is Josephus, but it a matter of interpretation whether he refers to Jesus or not, though he does seem to refer to some of his followers. These are very much peripheral mentions, anyway. brJosephus was born in AD which was about the time Jesus is supposed to have died, so he could have had no first hand knowledge, although presumably could have spoken to those who did, if they existed. The most frequently quoted reference is generally regarded as a forgery.brAll the other written records are even later. brTacitus was born in AD approx, so anyone who was when Jesus died would be when he was born, and unlikely to be still alive when he was writing. brThe Gospels are almost the only source of material about the life of Jesus. They are not contemporary, and of course have a point to make. It is generally believed that they were written between and AD. But there is no guarantee that there was no subsequent editing or alteration. Probably finalise about AD.brClearly there are a great deal of mythical elements in the story as it has come down to us. What if any of it is true is hard to ascertain now.