Written evidence for Jesus outside the Bible: The Babylonian Talmud

The Talmuds were Rabbinic commentaries on the Jewish scriptures, that is, the Old Testament.[i] The Babylonian Talmud was probably completed around the 6^th century. The Talmuds are long and complicated, and it is difficult to make sense of some of what they say. Of course, the Jews were not overly sympathetic to the heretical new religion that Jesus founded. The Babylonian Talmud says:

* One version of this text actually says 'Yeshu the Nazarene.'

There are of course, some differences here from what the Gospels describe. (Note: When this kind of discrepancy arises, scholars have a remarkable tendency to believe that it is the other document that is right, and the Gospels that are wrong, rather than vice versa - even though the documentary evidence for the Gospel account may be much stronger.)

Notice that:

• 'Yeshu the Nazarene' is described as someone who engaged in sorcery. This is a typical way that Jewish writers accounted for the miracles of Jesus.
• He was put to death
• His death took place at the time of the Passover
• His death was by 'hanging' - which was often used by Jews to describe crucifixion - see Luke's Gospel chapter 23 verse 39 and Galatians chapter 3 verse 13.

There are various other passages in the Talmuds that may also refer to Jesus. For details see pages 123-125 of: 'The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict', by Josh McDowell.

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One visitor to this web site writes:

[You say] ''Yeshu the Nazarene' is described as someone who engaged in sorcery. This is a typical way that Jewish writers accounted for the miracles of Jesus.'

Why 'typical'?  Where else do you have evidence that 'Jewish writers' make any reference to Jesus at all?  For the most part, there is very, very little about 'Yeshu' in any Jewish source at all. Even the references we know about in the Talmud were, by and large, censored by Christian authorities over the ages and it is unclear exactly to whom the Talmud is referring, despite the similarity in name.  The great scholar Nachmanides indicates that this individual referred to in the Talmud actually lived about 100 BCE!