The central thesis of Humphreys' work is based on the "Christ Myth theory," which posits that Jesus was not a historical person but a mythological construct.
: Humphreys emphasizes that there are no neutral, contemporary historical records from the 1st century that mention Jesus, his trial, or his execution.
is a book by Kenneth Humphreys , which is also the name of his associated website that critiques the historical existence of Jesus. Humphreys argues that the character of Jesus is a composite fictional creation. Key Arguments from the Work Jesus Never Existed
: Most historians and New Testament scholars—including skeptics like Bart Ehrman —agree that a Jewish man named Jesus did exist and was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
: Scholars typically point to the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus as early external sources, though Humphreys and other mythicists like Richard Carrier often dismiss these as later forgeries or hearsay. The central thesis of Humphreys' work is based
While Humphreys’ work has gained traction in certain circles, it stands in contrast to the majority of academic historians.
: Humphreys and other mythicists, such as R. G. Price in Deciphering the Gospels , argue that the Gospels are anonymous fictional allegories rather than eyewitness accounts. Historical Context & Scholarly Consensus Humphreys argues that the character of Jesus is
: The work highlights parallels between Gospel stories and older pagan myths. For example: Turning water into wine mirrors the god Dionysus . Healing miracles are compared to those of Asclepius . Calming the storm is seen as an echo of Poseidon .