Hey Cracker whats up man? And whats the deal with your avatar? You know I liked looking that beautiful, big breasted, beer drinking chick
haha j/k
Anyways I just thought Id drop my $.02 Actually, Id just like to repeat some of what was already said.
There are many many people who infact did write about Jesus, and yes they are all not in the bible (like you requested.) Jenni only mentioned a handful of them.
Lets focus on Josephus and The Essene Monastary
The first-century Roman Tacitus, who is considered one of the more accurate historians of the ancient world, mentioned superstitious Christians (from Christus, which is Latin for Christ), who suffered under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius. Suetonius, chief secretary to Emperor Hadrian, wrote that there was a man named Chrestus (or Christ) who lived during the first century (Annals 15.44).
Flavius Josephus is the most famous Jewish historian. In his Antiquities he refers to James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ. At this time there was a wise man named Jesus. His conduct was good and [he] was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who became his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.
Cracker, I am glad you brought up the subject of The Essene Monastary.
You are right, they were kinda like the recording studio for that era. But did you know
Josephus Flavius was actually one of the contempararies of the first century Essene?
Then throw into the mix the scrolls of Essene which were in fact written by true scribes (historians). They were doing the recording in a monastery 20 miles from Jerusalem, and yet, not a word of Jesus. Like he never existed. These scrolls are dated from 50BC to 50 AD, and yet...nothing.
Let me copy and paste for you.....
We will begin with two ancient scholars, both of whom were contemporaries of the first century Essenes: Josephus Flavius and Philo of Alexandria. Josephus, born at Jerusalem in 37 A.D., was the greatest historian of the Jews in that period. Philo was the greatest Jewish philosopher of that period. Both men had personal knowledge of the ancient Essenes; thus, what they tell us has a high degree of credibility. In regard to the origin of the Essenes, neither Josephus nor Philo can give a specific date, but both make clear that the Essenian roots are incredibly ancient. Josephus declares that the Essenes have existed "from time immemorial" and "countless generations". Philo agrees, calling the Essenes "the most ancient of all the initiates" with a "teaching perpetuated through an immense space of ages". Josephus and Philo -- as well as several other ancient writers including Pliny the Elder -- are in consensus on two points in regard to the origin of the Essenes:
Also, a direct quote from Josephus Flavius in his book antiquties
About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared. - Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63
And lets not forget about those damn rulers trying to wipe out a nations existance. Jenni is right again,
It is also important to recognize that in A.D. 70, the Romans invaded and destroyed Jerusalem and most of Israel, slaughtering its inhabitants. Entire cities were literally burned to the ground. We should not be surprised, then, if much evidence of Jesus' existence was destroyed. Many of the eyewitnesses of Jesus would have been killed. These facts likely limited the amount of surviving eyewitness testimony of Jesus.
We can still be friends right?