Evidence ID: HIS-EV62

Evidence: Jesus' Crucifixion According to Lucian of Samosata

Summary: The Greek second-century writer Lucian of Samosata wrote critically about Jesus. He referred to Jesus' crucifixion and veneration as a god.

Description: Lucian of Samosata was a second-century Greek writer. In his satirical letter The Passing of Peregrine, Lucian wrote critically about Christians. This writing is the earliest reference to Jesus by a pagan writer.

The Christians, you know, worship a man (Jesus) to this day—the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account. You see, these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. All this they take quite on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike, regarding them merely as common property.

From this passage, we learn that Jesus was crucified for being considered a god by his followers.

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